Chapter 10, The Agony of Imprisonment

As a colonel who grew up in the military and underwent rigorous training, Nina was unsure of her feelings at that moment. At the very least, she knew one thing: this Chinese man, who appeared to be obsessed with money and would do anything for profit, was a hundred times stronger than Balchikov, the brigade commander. This man, who had brought shame to Soviet soldiers, confessed everything he had done over the past few years after just fourteen hours in a dark cell. He even admitted to a "baseless" charge of treason.

At this moment, Guo Shouyun had no idea that his arrest would be the true turning point in his fortune, and it could certainly be said that it was the favor of fate upon him. During the seven days he spent in the dark prison, a series of events occurred in Moscow that were enough to shock the entire Soviet Union, and these events made the high-ranking Soviet military leaders in the Far East feel increasingly anxious. Undoubtedly, compared to ordinary citizens, these high-ranking generals understood the changes in the world better. The large-scale demonstrations involving hundreds of thousands of people that took place continuously in Moscow made them acutely aware that the Soviet regime was now in a precarious situation. The repeated compromises and concessions made by the so-called "mainstream faction" and "traditional faction" in the government towards the "democratic program faction" evidently intensified the sense of crisis among these generals. Unbeknownst to them, a mindset of self-preservation and a desire to amass wealth for future plans began to envelop their thoughts.

As the saying goes, "Rely on the mountains to eat from the mountains, rely on the water to eat from the water." What can the army rely on to sustain itself? Undoubtedly, it is smuggling and arms trafficking

To maintain stability within the troops, it is essential to pay the soldiers. In order to pay them, there must be funds available. Money, money, money, money—where does this money come from? Perhaps it is a moment of inspiration, or perhaps it is fate. Ivanov, whose anxiety was palpable, suddenly recalled a case he had just dealt with a few days prior involving an officer's smuggling operation. That damned Balqiev, a major, had amassed a fortune of over 600,000 rubles through smuggling across the border in just two or three years. Over 600,000 rubles—when distributed among the more than 10,000 officers and soldiers in the entire division, no one would receive more than 40 or 50 rubles. That is nearly half a month's salary for an ordinary soldier.

Soon, Nina received a secret order forwarded in the name of Major General Ivanovich. The content of the order was equally simple: "Provide him with the best conditions for recuperation. In three days, I want to see him in person"

However, to put it another way, although the embezzled funds exceeding 600,000 are considerable, when distributed among each soldier, they are still insufficient to cover a month's salary. What about the remaining portion? Clearly, the batch of smuggled cigarettes confiscated and stored in the warehouse has become the best option to resolve this issue. However, while this month's military salaries have been supplemented, what about next month? The current domestic situation is deteriorating rapidly; who can guarantee that the salaries for the soldiers will be disbursed on time next month? It is evident that the batch of smuggled cigarettes confiscated in the warehouse has become the best solution to the problem. But with this month's military salaries covered, what will the troops eat next month? This month, two brazen smugglers have been dealt with; what will his troops consume next month?

A small cell, measuring no more than 1.5 square meters in area and less than 1.2 meters in height, serves as a doghouse-like prison. An adult lying inside cannot stretch their legs, and standing up is impossible due to the low ceiling. The cell is completely sealed, allowing no light to penetrate. For a living person with thoughts and fears, being alone in such an environment for seven days is undoubtedly a thorough dual torment of both mind and body. If this person's willpower is not sufficiently strong, there is no doubt that they would go insane within those seven days. For a living person with thoughts and fears, being alone in such an environment for seven days is undoubtedly a thorough dual torment of both mind and body. If this person's willpower is not sufficiently strong, there is no doubt that they would go insane within those seven days.

Indeed, from the perspective of the entire Soviet Union, the issue of unpaid salaries for troops was not confined to the Far Eastern Military District alone. Moreover, in the face of fiscal shortfalls, Telyak's issuance of such an order was driven by unavoidable circumstances and considerations, as even the most skilled cook cannot make a meal without rice. However, from the subsequent historical perspective, it was precisely this approach by the high command of the Soviet Army that ultimately led to a decade-long widespread corruption throughout the entire military.

As the commander of the military district, General Telyak naturally understood the potential threats posed by the three-month delay in military salaries. However, faced with the prolonged absence of funding from the Ministry of Defense, he, as the head of the military district, found himself with no viable options. Thus, in a state of utter helplessness, he had no choice but to adopt the practices of the stationed troops in Eastern Europe and issued an order to the commanders at all levels of his troops: "Raise military salaries independently as much as possible"

Having been overwhelmed by the issue of military salaries, Ivanov, in a situation of necessity, convened a meeting attended by the political commissars of the divisions and key staff members. This meeting, aimed at pooling ideas, ultimately led to the comprehensive corruption of a military structure organized by divisions, a corruption that would soon spread throughout the entire Far East Military District. Furthermore, this meeting also paved the way for a foreign financial oligarch to emerge in Russia over the next twenty years, creating a notorious underground arms dealer in a world that was already far from peaceful.

As a soldier, defending the homeland is indeed their primary duty. However, soldiers also have families, and everyone needs to eat and support their households. It is said that "to raise soldiers for a thousand days is to use them for a moment." Clearly, soldiers need to be supported; if you only let the horse run but do not allow it to eat grass, it will rebel. Moreover, the Far East Military District is home to hundreds of thousands of armed soldiers.

After seven days of living in the dark prison without seeing the light of day, Guo Shouyun, who was in a state of confusion regarding his future and fate, was transferred from the dark prison to the military hospital, where he was accommodated in the most luxurious ward

As a unit of the Far Eastern Military District Border Defense Forces, Major General Ivanov's troops are also facing the issue of unpaid military salaries. Now over fifty years old, he states that in the days to come, he seeks not to achieve merit but to avoid mistakes; as long as he can safely endure until retirement and enjoy the pension provided by the military, he would be content. However, this wish of his is clearly about to turn into a mirage. Not to mention his pension issues, he is currently unable to resolve even the basic sustenance needs of the approximately ten thousand personnel under his command. He seeks not to achieve merit but to avoid mistakes; as long as he can safely endure until retirement and enjoy the pension provided by the military, he would be content. However, this wish of his is clearly about to turn into a mirage. Not to mention his pension issues, he is currently unable to resolve even the basic sustenance needs of the approximately ten thousand personnel under his command.

According to regulations, this portion of the embezzled funds should have been submitted to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Meanwhile, Bal'chev and the Chinese businessman surnamed Guo should have been handed over to the military court for trial. However, Ivanov has developed a new idea. "In urgent matters, one must be flexible," he plans to conceal this sum of money and then distribute it as part of the military payroll, immediately issuing it to the soldiers and the * map * book, in order to alleviate the dissatisfaction among the troops.

Due to various experiences in his past life, Guo Shouyun can be considered a person with relatively strong willpower compared to ordinary individuals. The seven days spent in a dark prison did not drive him insane; although he emerged looking two sizes thinner, walking with a crooked gait and unable to straighten his back, his spirit appeared remarkably good. When the Soviet soldiers opened the cell door and dragged him out of the dog-like small cell, this man, who seemed to be just a step away from death, surprisingly smiled at Colonel Nina, who had come to retrieve him. He then uttered a statement that left everyone astonished while secretly giving him a thumbs up: "What a pity, I couldn't see your face clearly that night, Colonel; otherwise, my short time in this dark prison wouldn't have been so miserable."

"Greedy and lustful, yet resolute in will, is a piece of granite severely eroded by the decadent worldview of the bourgeoisie." In the report submitted to the headquarters, Colonel Nina made this almost contradictory assessment of Guo Shouyun.

It was precisely at this moment that an incident occurred, one capable of inciting a mutiny within the army. According to the customary practice of the Soviet military, the 17th of each month was designated as the day for the distribution of military salaries. However, this month, the military salaries that should have been disbursed by the Far Eastern Military District Command were once again delayed, marking the third consecutive month that the military district had failed to pay the salaries of various units.