Chapter 22: The Execution Ground

In recent times, the allied relationship between the Soviet Union and Germany has been showcased comprehensively. This was evident not only in the Germans' adherence to their promise to transfer the territories of Western Belarus and Western Ukraine to the Soviet Union but also in the realms of trade, technology, and military exchanges between the two countries.

In the direction of Lviv, both the Soviet Union and Germany were accelerating the construction of railways, including one from Przemyśl to Lviv and another from Zamość to Lviv. According to their plans, once these two railways were completed, oil from Baku, coal from Stalino, and grain, including wheat, could be swiftly transported to Germany.

Currently, import and export trade between the two countries were thriving. With Britain and France stationing heavy troops along Germany's western border, the possibility of war between them loomed, and the Germans needed large quantities of grain to supplement domestic demand. The trade of industrial products for grain was particularly frequent. The cigarettes Viktor held were imported from the Germans.

As far as Viktor knew, the Germans had even sent two batches of engineers to the Soviet Union to help improve the production process of GAZ automobiles. The relationship between the two countries was as close as honey, making it hard to believe that within just a year and a half, such a devastating war would break out.

Of course, for Viktor, these were extraneous matters. What he needed to address immediately was to demonstrate his loyalty to Commissar Merkulov, who was currently in Lviv, and his loyalty to the Soviet state.

Lighting a cigarette, Viktor patted Valenka's shoulder with the hand holding the cigarette, and the latter, understanding the signal, started the car and headed towards Ternopil.

The car traveled on the bumpy road for over half an hour. Hills like mounds began to appear ahead, and the vegetation on both sides of the road started to increase. At this point, they had entered the outskirts of the Volhynian Upland.

This was a scarcely populated area, with the main landscape consisting of uninhabited forested hills. For a vast country like the Soviet Union, with a population of less than 200 million, it was a pipe dream to think of populating the entire territory. Therefore, in Western Ukraine, including the expansive lands at the junction of Western Ukraine and Belarus, many areas were dense forests and swamps, forming uninhabited zones.

These uninhabited zones were the perfect places for killing and hiding bodies.

The Uralots Hills, located 230 kilometers from Lviv and 190 kilometers from Ternopil, straddled the border between the two states. This forested and hilly region, with no villages within a hundred kilometers, was an excellent secret location.

According to orders from higher authorities, the Lviv NKVD had selected this place to establish a secret training school for agents in the near future. This task was assigned to Sophia, who was now the head of the Lviv NKVD's Inspection Bureau and also responsible for the Secret Political Affairs Bureau.

Viktor's jeep was blocked by a red and blue barrier on a forest path at the foot of a hill. A soldier with a rifle and a blue cap emerged from the sentry post and, after checking their documents, allowed them to pass.

The jeep continued along the forest path for another ten minutes before arriving at a clearing surrounded by barbed wire fences. Several vehicles were parked at the entrance, and construction work was ongoing.

Valenka stopped the jeep at the entrance of the barbed wire fence. As Viktor got out of the car, a petite female soldier with a boat-shaped hat ran over to him, saluted, and said, "Lieutenant, Corporal Liliya Kakimirrovna reporting."

Viktor returned the salute and asked, "Where is Second Lieutenant Sophia?"

"Second Lieutenant Sophia is with the official from Comrade Stalin's office, supervising the execution," the female soldier replied, unaware of Merkulov's identity, referring to him simply as an official from Moscow.

Viktor nodded and motioned for the soldier to lead the way. Internally, he couldn't help but sigh at Merkulov's enthusiasm for the execution of Polish prisoners. He couldn't understand why killing was so intriguing that it warranted such urgency.

This expansive clearing was located on a hill's slope. Following the female soldier, Viktor climbed the slightly damp soil to the hilltop and discovered an even larger clearing behind it.

This clearing had been transformed into a temporary prisoner-of-war camp, with several crude wooden huts built in the forest. However, there were more shabby tents, and a few five-meter-high watchtowers were scattered throughout the camp, each equipped with machine guns.

Groups of people in dirty, tattered uniforms gathered between the tents. Some even wore military caps, while others, in civilian clothes and glasses, looked scholarly. Malnourished, these people were gaunt and ghostly.

Following the female soldier, Viktor crossed the camp and entered a forest path on the north side.

This path had clearly been recently created, with some uprooted tree roots yet to be removed. Though called a path, it was wide enough to accommodate a truck.

After walking for five or six minutes, they reached a river bend.

This river was not wide, about five or six meters across, and appeared to be an unnamed tributary of the Dniester River, likely originating from a marsh in the Volhynian Upland. It only had water during the flood season.

The river had no artificial embankments, and the banks were covered with wild grass, some of which reached waist height. The grass had grown undisturbed for many years until these blue-capped men arrived.

About 300-400 meters away on the riverbank, a group of people was standing, including the burly Merkulov, who seemed to be inspecting something and occasionally conversing with Sophia.

Wading through the wild grass, Viktor approached and saw a massive pit in front of the group, measuring about 300 square meters and over two meters deep. Due to the proximity to the river, the pit had filled with water, forming a murky pond that reflected eerie light in the sunlight.

Seeing Viktor approach, Merkulov ceased his conversation with Sophia and said, "The preparations still need to be strengthened. The most important thing is that every individual on the list must be dealt with without exception."

After a pause, he added, "Lieutenant Viktor Viktorovich, I know you have only recently started working in the State Security Department. You may not have fully adapted to this special position in terms of ideology and character, and you might still harbor some sympathy for seemingly innocent people. But I must warn you, your sympathy is misplaced. Sympathizing with the enemy indicates a lack of firm stance and an incorrect perspective, which is a major taboo for a state security worker."

"Yes, Comrade Commissioner, I will do my best to adjust," Viktor replied, not daring to explain further.

"Not just do your best, but you must," Merkulov said sternly. "The Lvov region is a crucial border area for the state. Everything here is complex, whether in terms of ethnic composition or governance difficulties. Any weakness you display could become a tool for the enemy. Therefore, if your attitude towards the enemy is not resolute and cold enough, you will encounter problems."

"Yes, Comrade Commissioner," Viktor responded again.

"Then, start executing your task now," Merkulov said offhandedly, turning to walk away from the pit.

Viktor hesitated briefly before nodding towards Sophia, who was standing nearby.

Soon, the sharp sound of a whistle echoed through the grassy riverbank. Two trucks parked nearby began moving towards them, eventually stopping on the east and south sides of the pit.

The back of the trucks had tarpaulins, and the rear was covered by curtains. When the trucks stopped, someone on the truck lifted the rear curtain, revealing two cold Maxim heavy machine guns, their barrels pointed directly at the edge of the pit.

After a while, several more trucks arrived from the forest path. The first two trucks stopped first, and dozens of blue-capped soldiers armed with rifles jumped out from the back. These soldiers seemed well-coordinated, immediately setting up sentry posts and choosing the best positions to guard.

Once the soldiers had taken their positions, soldiers from the last three trucks opened the tailgates and began driving the ragged prisoners off the trucks.

When the prisoners were finally lined up in two rows under the soldiers' direction, Viktor signaled towards the trucks. With his gesture, the forty to fifty prisoners were driven towards the pit. As the terrifying sight of the pit came into view, the prisoners, already weakened by hunger and disease, began to clamor. It was clear they realized what fate awaited them.

The clamoring quickly turned into panic, which then escalated into terror. Some prisoners began shouting, while others tried to push those around them aside and flee.