"Damn it, this German transport convoy actually had machine guns?" Vasily's face had gone black as the bottom of a pot.
Watching the guerrillas stagger toward the highway only to be gunned down by the Germans, he felt as though his heart were bleeding. These were their brave guerrillas! To be killed by the Germans like this was truly such a waste.
"Uncle Vasily, what should we do? The Germans' firepower is too fierce." Panic was written all over Ivan's face, impossible to conceal.
He had originally been nothing more than an ordinary farmer. When had he ever experienced such a fierce battle? Seeing his comrades fall one after another, he too had been frightened.
"Ivan, take some men and circle around to the other side of the highway. Attack the Germans," Vasily ordered.
"What? Uncle Vasily, you want me to go?" Ivan was terrified. No matter how he looked at it, this was a venture with nine chances of death and one of life!
"Why don't you let someone else go instead?" Ivan was clearly scared stiff.
"Coward! You want to disobey orders? If you succeed, I'll personally see to it that a sack of wheat is sent to Ilena's family!" Vasily said.
Ivan hesitated slightly, then nodded. "All right, I'll take some men there now. Uncle Vasily, remember what you said!"
Ilena was Ivan's girlfriend in the village. His parents had already died in the war. Thus, Ilena and her family had become his only remaining kin.
Because of the war, every household in the village lacked food. If he could secure an extra sack of wheat for Ilena's family, perhaps they could endure this freezing winter. For that, Ivan was willing to risk his life.
The battle had entered a stalemate. Although the guerrillas had greater numbers,