Capítulo 38: Chapter 38: Sharpshooter
3,40-meter-wide riverbed, half-meter-deep river water, such a natural barrier could still play some role in blocking the Soviet infantry attack, but to stop the clustered T-34s? Difficult!
The few anti-tank guns on the German defensive line roared hoarsely, and armor-piercing shells frequently hit Soviet tanks. However, except for the opportunity to attack from the top of the tank when they went down the river, the small-caliber shells were mostly ineffective, while the large-caliber anti-tank gun, although capable of taking out one tank with one shot within 500 meters, drew attention after destroying three T-34s in a row. Responsible for fire cover, the Soviet tanks bombarded its position, and after continuous shelling, Lin never heard its voice again...
As the first T-34's diesel engine let out an unusually dull roar, its long, straight gun barrel, along with its white-painted steel body, appeared on the north bank of the river. The most intense battle had finally begun.
"Fire, Group Five!"
Under the loud and clear command in German, the German anti-tank team opposite where the Soviet tank landed opened fire. They were hiding in a foxhole in front of the trench line, using "tank killers" with shields, a sharp single-person anti-tank weapon that could penetrate the front armor of a T-34 within its effective range. To ensure destruction, the shooter aimed at the lower front part of the tank's body exposed when it landed, and as the rocket hit the target, numerous dazzling sparks burst forth, but this was just the beginning. In an instant, a dazzling and blinding fireball appeared and engulfed the entire front part of the T-34's body, and the heavy explosion sounded like igniting firecrackers in a tin can. As the fireball rose, it gradually darkened until only rising black smoke remained, but the flames on the T-34 did not disappear; its entire body, along with the road wheels, seemed to be burning everywhere. Seconds later, the detonation of the ammunition inside the tank caused the more than forty tons of steel war machine to bounce like a toy—although the tracks did not completely leave the ground, there was a noticeable sense of jumping visually. At this moment, although Lin was still in the foxhole behind the trench, he was only about two hundred meters away from the Soviet tank, much closer than his previous observation position in the village defense battle. From a purely visual perspective, his eyes enjoyed a spectacle that ordinary people could hardly reach, but there were still many things more important than watching the battle scene on the battlefield, such as holding the line, surviving, and winning.
Dealing with Soviet tanks was not something that infantry like him could consider. With his position clarified, Lin picked up the Mauser rifle and "resumed his old trade." At this time, the white figures had already reached the riverbank, with tanks leading the way, and the infantry did not need to spend any effort choosing a route down to the riverbed; they simply followed the tank tracks, while the infantry with light and heavy machine guns quickly set up weapons at the riverbank. Their arrival allowed some of the tanks originally responsible for fire cover to be withdrawn and participate in the river crossing attack.
After roughly observing the battlefield situation, Lin focused his attention on two Soviet soldiers who had just stopped and were preparing to lie down and use the Degtyaryov light machine gun. The rifle sight locked onto the one on the right, and Lin calculated the offset based on distance and wind speed—pulling the trigger. From this foxhole to the opposite riverbank was just over two hundred meters, and as the rifle fired, the Soviet soldiers who were crouching down immediately fell backward on their knees. Loading, ejecting, resetting, aiming—a continuous process that only took three seconds. The other Soviet soldier had already fallen down, and flames were flickering at the muzzle of the light machine gun. If he wanted to ensure accuracy, Lin should have chosen a new target at this point, but unprecedented confidence led him to pursue. With a more careful calculation to reduce the offset error, disregarding distractions and battlefield conditions, Lin pulled the trigger again.
Since the target was lying on the ground, Lin couldn't judge whether the bullet hit from the enemy's movements. He remained kneeling with one knee, pressing down on the rifle butt, raising the muzzle, gripping the handguard with his left hand, and pulling the bolt with his right hand. The spent cartridge case with smoke silently traced an arc in the air, quietly falling on the soil at the bottom of the foxhole.
Aiming again, he didn't see the Degtyaryov spewing flames, but another Soviet soldier running up from behind suddenly bent down to pick up the light machine gun. Lin wouldn't miss such an opportunity presented to him; he fired a shot directly, and the guy immediately fell backward.
Lin's three shots had taken down three Soviet infantrymen, but he was not content with a fleeting sense of triumph. A surge of heroic spirit welled up within him, even leading him to entertain the audacious thought, "Give me a rifle and enough bullets, and I can take out an entire Soviet army." However, his experiences of life and death along the way quickly sobered him. After reloading his bullets, he raised his rifle again.
Across the river, the Degtyaryov light machine gun seemed to possess an irresistible allure. Despite three soldiers already lying nearby, another Soviet soldier dared to approach and prepare to operate it.
Not waiting for this soldier to succeed, Lin swiftly took him down as he bent down.
"This world is not short of reckless individuals," Lin thought as he sent his fifth bullet to the next soldier attempting to pick up the Degtyaryov. This made him feel as though it wasn't the late stages of the war, but rather 1941, when Germany had just invaded the Soviet Union. Back then, Soviet forces indeed faced shortages of firearms and equipment. It was akin to scenes depicted in the film "Enemy at the Gates," where Soviet soldiers scavenged weapons from fallen comrades.
However, aside from the initial two machine gunners, the subsequent three Soviet soldiers were armed with the PPSh-41 submachine gun. Both the PPSh-41 and the Degtyaryov were successful weapons, representing the Soviet military's arsenal during World War II. The main difference lay in the fact that the PPSh-41 was primarily used for close combat within 200 meters, while the Degtyaryov could effectively engage opponents from greater distances.
With little effort, Lin dispatched five Soviet soldiers. As he loaded bullets into the rifle's internal magazine, he finally realized that the five bodies had almost buried the Degtyaryov. It was possible that the scene of stacked bodies made it impossible to approach, and the Soviet soldiers behind didn't come to pick up the gun. However, with hundreds of Soviet soldiers launching attacks and the open terrain on the opposite riverbank, Lin easily found new targets and picked them off one by one. As the tally of kills in this battle soared to nine, Lin, the devilish marksman, suddenly felt that killing more ordinary Soviet soldiers would have little impact on the battle's outcome. With his last bullet, he began scanning the battlefield for Soviet officers—those who should be carrying pistols... pistols... pistols!
As Lin aimed at the soldier with the pistol, before he could pull the trigger, the target suddenly fell backward.
Considering it a stroke of luck, Lin continued his search. The anti-tank combat team of the German forces, lurking in the frontline trenches, had already destroyed more than ten Soviet tanks in succession. The wreckage of those T-34s piled up on the northern bank of the river like turtles crawling out of a dried-up pond, making it difficult for subsequent attacking Soviet tanks to maneuver through or forcing them to flank. To suppress these anti-tank combat personnel, the Soviet tanks and infantry on the opposite bank concentrated their firepower on the German positions and trenches, thus providing relatively ample space for the German marksmen in the rear trenches and villa areas.
Absorbed in his personal hunt for targets, Lin had completely disregarded the changing battlefield situation. He was eager to find the ideal target for his last bullet before reloading. As he searched among the Soviet soldiers, another figure emerged, brandishing a pistol and daringly standing out. With a sense of urgency, Lin adjusted his aim, but this time, he was a fraction too slow.
"Could it be our sniper?" the thought suddenly crossed Lin's mind, somewhat relieving him. After all, snipers were professionally trained and equipped with specialized aiming devices, making them far more efficient at targeting enemy officers. Choosing a target nearby, Lin positioned himself in the trench, back against the river-facing wall, allowing him to reload his rifle somewhat awkwardly while still being able to see the rooftop of the villa.
Although using smokeless gunpowder, rifles of this era still left traces when fired—flashes from the muzzle, burning particles, and residual heat causing smoke. Therefore, the best, albeit frustrating, way to locate a sniper was to wait for their shot. Lin eagerly awaited, even slowing down his movements. Before long, he indeed spotted flashes on the rooftop, and as the sun set, a faint new moon hung in the deep blue sky.
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