Chapter 18: Discovery

Along the banks of the Dniester River, near Nikolayev.

At the edge of a dense thicket, a ragtag group of about a dozen soldiers was retreating towards the deeper bushes while firing back towards the rear. Several dozen meters behind them, a group of Internal Affairs soldiers, wearing blue caps and trousers, were in hot pursuit. The gunfire from both sides echoed through the vast wilderness.

Further away, Viktor set down his binoculars and walked towards a nearby armored vehicle... calling it an armored vehicle was a bit of an exaggeration. Despite having tracks and resembling a tank, the vehicle was boxy and small, almost laughably lacking in armor, with just a heavy machine gun mounted on it.

This contraption was the so-called TK-3 tank from Poland. During the Soviet advance into Western Ukraine, a batch had been captured, but due to the military's lack of interest in such equipment, Viktor had managed to requisition two for himself, purely as toys.

Since the formal establishment of the Lviv People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs, Viktor had been concentrating on forming security forces under the command of the provincial People's Commissariat. According to orders from above, this force was organized into a regiment, consisting of three battalions.

These battalions were not stationed together; rather, they were located separately in Lviv, Yavoriv, and Chervonohrad. Viktor held the rank of lieutenant colonel in name only; the real commander in charge of operations was Lieutenant Kubkin, chosen for his previous combat experience.

Nevertheless, this arrangement was temporary. Viktor had already submitted a report, hoping to obtain approval from higher authorities to appoint an experienced lieutenant from the border troops as the commander of the security forces. For Viktor, this regiment of Internal Affairs troops was crucial. Over the next year or so, he needed this force to transform into a truly elite unit, hence the search for an experienced commander.

As the saying goes, "Sharpening the knife doesn't delay the chopping of wood." Despite lacking a commanding officer in the truest sense, this newly formed security force had already begun carrying out some anti-banditry missions.

Just as Viktor had anticipated, the situation in Lviv, recently reclaimed by the Soviet Union, was far more complex compared to smaller places like Shevchenkove. With its population of several hundred thousand, this large city was inherently fraught with a variety of issues.

To put it simply: the foremost issue was that Lviv Oblast had just been wrested from Polish control. Since the 1920s, this region had been under Polish rule, making their hold relatively stable over the past decade. Now, having been reclaimed by the Soviets, it was inevitable that anti-Soviet sentiments in the region were running high, leading to numerous rebellions and acts of sabotage.

Furthermore, there are complex security issues. Under Poland's corrupt rule over the past decade, regions like Lviv, with their developed industries, have spawned numerous organized crime groups, as well as hidden layers of corruption. These elements are at odds with the Soviet system and require restructuring.

Moreover, there's the sharp escalation of ethnic tensions resulting from the change in rulers. With Poland's disappearance, many feel it's time to settle old scores and grievances, leading to frequent outbreaks of violence sparked by ethnic conflicts.

Additionally, Moscow is urging rapid reforms such as collective farming in the newly acquired territories of Western Ukraine and Western Belarus, urging anti-counterinsurgency activities by the local People's Commissariats, and pushing for a population census followed by policies based on ethnic migration.

In summary, although Viktor isn't the Provincial Party Secretary of Lviv, he still bears a considerable responsibility. Managing the security forces amidst such circumstances is already quite challenging.

Outside the jungle's periphery, the pursuit battle within the thicket quickly ended. This recent Polish guerrilla group, active near Nikolayev, had a few members escape into the forest, evading pursuit by Viktor's security troops.

Though his expression remained unchanged, Viktor was deeply dissatisfied with the outcome—not only with the soldiers' performance but also with the junior commanders' leadership. In his view, the unit was still makeshift.

Losing interest in tallying the final results of the battle, Viktor silently left the battered tank and walked through the grass until he found a jeep parked by a birch tree.

Though he was assigned a driver and a guard, Viktor still preferred using Valenka, the driver. As Viktor approached the jeep, Valenka glanced at his face, said nothing, and handed him an oval-shaped badge.

This badge was the insignia of the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs, oval-shaped with a dagger and party emblem, belonging to Viktor. It had been left in the car before, and Valenka had found it somewhere.

Taking the badge, Viktor pinned it to his right chest as he got into the car and said, "Let's go. We're heading back to Nikolayev."

To be honest, Valenka's strong point was his diligence; he spoke little but worked hard. However, he wasn't particularly knowledgeable or observant. Lately, he had been making an effort to learn, understanding the value of actions over words.

The jeep started quickly and headed north across the roadless wilderness. After a rough journey of more than twenty minutes, they finally reached the outskirts of Nikolayev.

Compared to Lviv, Nikolayev was much less developed due to its history as a Polish frontier against the Soviets.

The People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs in Nikolayev had been established just a week ago, with its leader, Mikhail, airlifted directly from Kyiv. As for Mikhail's full name and background, Viktor still had no clear information because he hadn't received the man's dossier yet.

Although they both belonged to the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs, specifically the Ukrainian one, the head in Nikolayev was technically Viktor's subordinate, but he couldn't directly interfere in their affairs.

Where there are people, there is influence, and the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs was no exception. Currently, it was led by Major Sherov, who wielded considerable authority. Through previous promotions, Viktor had firmly aligned himself under Major Sherov's influence; in essence, he was Sherov's man.

However, even Major Sherov couldn't wield absolute authority within the Ukrainian People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs. He, too, faced constraints and competition from others. Besides Beria, the other three key figures in the organization didn't get along well and often used various means to undermine each other. This Lieutenant Mikhail was one such instance of interference from outside Sherov's direct sphere of influence.

For Viktor, Mikhail wasn't seen as an enemy yet. Viktor had little interest in his current position. Today, coming to Nikolayev, Viktor had three objectives: first, to assess the situation of the security forces here; second, to arrange for Comrade Korotchenko to inspect the security measures in Nikolayev; and third, to meet this Mikhail.

Currently, Viktor had completed his first task and was moving on to the second. Comrade Korotchenko referred to Yemiyán Serhiyovych Korotchenko, a long-standing member of the Communist Party of Ukraine, currently serving as a Central Committee member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Secretary of the Ukrainian Central Committee, and Chairman of the Ukrainian People's Commissariat.

Two days ago, Viktor received a notice that Korotchenko would be leaving Kyiv to inspect the newly occupied territories of Western Ukraine. Major Sherov's task for Viktor was to ensure Korotchenko's safety in the Lviv region.

As for Viktor's third purpose in coming here, he had no intention of actively pursuing it. In other words, he wouldn't seek out this Mikhail. During his time in Nikolayev, he would act as if the man didn't exist. However, if Mikhail didn't come to see him before Viktor left Nikolayev, he would naturally find a way to subtly challenge him, making it clear who held the true authority within the Lviv People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs system.

The jeep drove along the desolate streets of Nikolayev. Viktor leaned forward slightly, peering through the dusty windows at the side alleys.

At that moment, the jeep passed by a tram station. At the semi-outdoor-style stop, two women in long skirts sat on a bench. Viktor's sharp gaze quickly noticed the green bands wrapped around their middle fingers, each adorned with two folds—like rings.

A wry smile tugged at Viktor's lips. He understood: those green bands weren't actual rings but folded banknotes—specifically, three-ruble bills.

Don't think these makeshift ring-like banknotes were just for amusement. They served as a covert signal or, more accurately, a pricing tag or an invitation.