"Let me guess, you must have brought the wrong thing, my Lieutenant Viktor," said Major Serov, taking the note and looking at it with furrowed brows, mocking, "You've given me a shopping list for the farmers' market, but the problem now is, where is the action plan I need?"
"I'm not ready yet, Major Ivan," Viktor replied truthfully. "There are some critical issues I can't figure out how to solve."
Major Serov fell silent. He looked down at what Viktor had written for a long time before saying, "Comrade Viktor Viktorovich, do you understand the role you need to play in this action plan?"
"Of course, I need to take responsibility for this plan," Viktor replied.
"Yes, you need to take responsibility for this plan," Major Serov nodded. "And I need to take responsibility for the action plans on all three fronts in Western Ukraine. What I don't need from you in the action plan is where you intend to find those damned manpower or how you plan to procure those even more damned weapons and equipment. I just need you to submit a detailed action plan to me. As for the details of the work, I've left them to you, and there will be others assigned to the other two fronts."
With that said, he tossed what Viktor had written back at him, landing it in Viktor's arms, and asked in a more serious tone, "Do you understand what I mean?"
"Yes, I understand, Comrade Ivan Alexandrovich," Viktor stood straight and said loudly.
Of course, he understood. It had been made very clear. If he didn't get it by now, he'd be truly foolish.
"Now that you understand, get out of my room immediately," Major Serov said disdainfully. "There are still four hours until dawn. I expect to have the detailed plan by then."
"Yes!" Viktor saluted and answered loudly.
Major Serov was right. A good chef preparing a feast doesn't concern himself with where the finest ingredients come from or how the pigs and chickens are slaughtered. Those are concerns for others.
The same principle applied to him. The task Major Serov had given him was simply to draft an action plan for Lviv. As for deploying manpower and procuring weapons and equipment, those were not his concerns. What does feasibility mean? Feasibility meant whether his plan could be executed once Major Serov allocated the resources. If Viktor's plan called for an additional hundred thousand covert operatives to be sent to Lviv, Major Serov certainly couldn't manage that, making the plan unfeasible. Conversely, if he only requested three to five thousand covert operatives, and Major Serov had such resources at his disposal, then the plan would be feasible. Where these operatives would come from was not Viktor's concern to consider.
"From here, you can see that such a small action plan not only tests your ability to grasp the big picture and think critically but also involves hidden skills in communicating with leadership. To gain the approval of this action plan from the leadership and to make it easier to execute, the planner must first understand the leader's capabilities. The demands proposed in the plan must be just right—neither too ambitious to be deemed impractical nor too modest to make implementation excessively challenging.
Coming out of Major Serov's office, Viktor felt a sense of confidence. He returned to his room and, within less than three hours, wrote what he considered to be a fairly comprehensive action plan.
In his plan, besides securing several key facilities, the most crucial part involved mobilizing forces to create chaos within Lviv city before the war started. It also included plans to bribe Lviv city police and stationed troops. As for the capture and execution of individuals on the list, Viktor considered those to be secondary.
After drafting several detailed sections, Viktor spent another hour reviewing everything. He managed to complete the action plan within the time frame specified by Major Serov. To him, this plan was the best he could produce, and he felt it was beyond his capacity to make further improvements.
After splashing his face with cold water to appear less fatigued, Viktor neatly organized the written plan and was about to light a cigarette when someone knocked on his door—a reminder from Major Serov's aide to submit the plan.
Unlike before, this time Major Serov did not criticize or mock the plan while reviewing it. He patiently went through each point, raising questions and offering suggestions.
The discussion on the plan continued until dawn.
"Before coming to Ukraine, Comrade Lyavlenyi Pavlovich specifically talked to me about the situation here," Major Serov said as he closed the submitted plan and placed it in his desk drawer. "As he said, the situation in Ukraine is more complex than anyone imagines. There are not only a large number of speculators, smugglers, fraudsters, and murderers but also countless people opposing the Soviet state. Someone reminded me never to underestimate the hidden anger among the population. Now, I can responsibly say that in Ukraine, especially in Western Ukraine, every third household harbors resentment toward us. As an experienced officer with grassroots experience, I believe you should be aware of this."
Viktor found it difficult to respond and remained silent.
"However, Lieutenant Viktor Viktorovich, you must prepare yourself mentally because compared to the Western Ukraine you are familiar with, Lviv's issues will be even more complex," Major Serov continued. "You should imagine that once we capture Lviv, the Polish guerrillas there will become even more rampant. Additionally, considering the complex ethnic composition there, you must also prepare for ethnic migrations. Your workload will be immense, and I hope your nerves are thick enough to handle such pressure."
Viktor's face showed surprise, wanting to say something but ultimately holding back.
What kind of place was Lviv? Although the city was currently in Polish hands, it did not prevent Viktor from having some basic understanding. It was the capital of Lviv Oblast, one of the most important towns on the Soviet-Polish border, its significance even surpassing that of Koveli and Chernobyl.
"And according to Major Serov, it seems that in the future, I might be responsible for the State Security Directorate in Lviv. This..."
"Yes, Lieutenant Viktor Viktorovich," Major Serov evidently saw through his thoughts. He opened the middle drawer of his desk, took out a red envelope folder, and tossed it directly in front of Viktor, saying, "The report I submitted to Moscow has been approved. You will assume the position of head of the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs in Lviv. This will indeed be a challenge for you, but on the positive side... at least you are now a Senior Lieutenant, earning 240 rubles a month. That's something to celebrate, isn't it?"
"Why me?" Viktor asked, surprised.
"Oh, I mean, I..."
"On the question of 'why you'," Major Serov interrupted him, "you can understand it this way: because there are too many idiots in the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs right now, especially in Western Ukraine. I'm tired of those fools who don't know what to do or how to do it unless you give them orders. Among them, you're not as foolish, so I'm willing to let you try more."
Pausing for a moment, he added, "Of course, remember one thing: do not descend into idiocy in your subsequent work, because with other idiots, at most I will ignore them. But if it's you causing the situation in Lviv to deteriorate due to your foolishness, I will personally shoot you. Believe me, I'm a good shot."
"But, Comrade Ivan Alexandrovich," Viktor hesitated, "for me, the biggest issue right now is still not knowing what I should do."
"Go meet your people, get familiar with the intelligence you should know and control, quickly familiarize yourself with your team," Major Serov seemed somewhat weary. He waved his hand and said succinctly, "Then execute your mission according to your plan. That's all... As for now, your job is to get out of here quickly. I'm not interested in preparing breakfast for you."
Feeling bewildered and with a tingling scalp, Viktor left Major Serov's office. However, soon after, his doubts and concerns disappeared because the subsequent files he received told him he wasn't alone. The People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs had already arranged a team sufficient to support the framework in Lviv. Now, his task was to integrate this team quickly and facilitate cooperation.
Not only did he have an entire team, but he also had dedicated communicators and guards. To enhance his work, the Commissariat even provided him with two radios. Of course, his military rank was no longer just a Lieutenant; he was now a Senior Lieutenant in State Security.