Chapter 10 Chapter 1

"You must be guessing why I called everyone together," Gesar said. There are five people in the boss's office.Gesar himself, Olga, Ilya, Semyon and me. "There's nothing to guess," said Semyon vaguely. "You have called both the high-ranking envoy and the first-level envoy, only Svetlana is not here." "Svetlana isn't here because she's not an official member of the Night Watch patrol team." Gesar frowned. "I'm sure Anton will tell her everything. I don't forbid him to do so. But I can't violate the rules either... We're having a meeting of the leadership of the Night Watch Patrol. First, I want to remind Elijah...some of the content is for you It’s something new, and usually you shouldn’t know about it. So don’t spread it. Don’t tell anyone.”

"What are the details?" Ilya asked while adjusting his glasses. "Maybe...could be all you heard." "'Some' is a good word," Elijah nodded. "It's up to you. I can accept 'fire of punishment' if need be." "Let's not follow the formalities." Gesar took out an iron box from the table and began to rummage inside.But as usual, I couldn't help being curious and began to look around.The boss's office is more interesting, with a lot of gadgets on display, I don't know if they are needed for his work, or some ordinary souvenirs.It is similar to Plyushkin's warehouse, the box where a child keeps "precious" things, the residence of an inattentive collector who always forgets what he is collecting.What's even more strange is that those things seem to be kept intact. There is almost no space in the cabinet, but new things are constantly being added.

My eyes stopped on an insect terrarium.For some reason, it had no cover, and a piece of paper was taped to the glass wall, and it was impossible to make out whether it was written with the letters "OOO" or the number "000".Inside the box was a mentally handicapped toy made in China—a small plastic toilet with a majestic Tarantula spider sitting on it.At first I thought it was plastic or a taxidermy, until I realized that its eyes were glowing and its palate was quivering.There is another one that is climbing up against the glass wall. It is fat and round, like a fluffy ball with claws.Every now and then it stopped and spat a drop of green poison onto the glass, as if it wanted to get out all at once.Meanwhile, the spider is still dripping into the box.There are some bugs under the box. They shake their bodies and stretch out their small claws, trying to catch the "food".Some lucky ones jumped up and down excitedly after catching and eating.

"Interesting?" Gesar asked me without raising his eyes. "Hmm... what is this?" "Simulating small worlds. You know I like to study closed social groups." "What does it reflect?" "Interesting social reality." Gesar answered tactfully. "It was just an ordinary box with spiders in it. But there are two leader spiders in it, one of which has climbed to a high place and has taken over the dominant position, and the other is putting on a defense against foreign invasion and caring about society. The appearance of the members. Due to their continuous efforts, the situation of cannibalism rarely occurs in the simulated small world. In order to ease the atmosphere, it is enough to sprinkle a few drops of beer for everyone now and then."

"Didn't any bug try to jump out?" asked Elijah. "There's no cover on it..." "Very little. Only those who are tired of continuing to be spiders in the box will do this. First, the illusion of struggle is always maintained in the box. Second, the subjects who are tested regard being able to live in the box as their own superiority A manifestation of it." Gesar finally took out something from the box: "Okay, the chatter is almost over. Let me show you the first thing that needs to be brainstormed. What is this?" Everyone stared at a piece of gray cement that seemed to be peeled off from the wall, but didn't make a sound.

"No magic!" Gesar reminded. "Okay," Semyon said sheepishly. "I remember that. Wireless microphones. Somebody tried to put them on us in the fifties, or in the sixties? Back then we were called Urban Lighting Repair and Technical Installation Company. KGB's Those boys are pretty smart, aren't they?" "Yes," Gesar said. "At that time, there was nothing wrong with spies being caught very tightly. But they were too hot, and they checked us too... We aroused the suspicion of some functional departments... Fortunately, the KGB has us The eyes and ears were able to deceive them with false information. The KGB comrades were very vigilant, but in the end they were accused of abusing high-end equipment... What is this?"

A huge steel screw gleamed in Gesar's hand.Honestly, I didn't even know screws this size could be produced. "You may not know what this thing is," Gesar said. "There is only one time - or at least I hope so - that dark forces have used the tools of ordinary people to spy on us. I had a difficult meeting with Zaburon in the late 1970s, after which we signed the "Struggle on Prohibition" Annex to the Agreement on Means.” The screws were put back into the box by Gesar.In its place are two coffee-colored "tablets." "It was used when they wanted to take away our house!" Ilya suddenly recovered. "1996, right?"

Gesar nodded. "Totally correct. At that time, an arrogant oligarch took a fancy to our joint stock company transformed from a state-owned enterprise. In his eyes, it was a piece of fat that was easy to get. However, after careful inquiries and secret observations, The oligarch figured out who the people used to come to drink tea with the elderly chairman, and his interest faded." "Isn't this also a feint?" Olga asked curiously.It was rare for the boss to talk so much, and brought up so many old things, probably especially for Olga, because she hadn't experienced those things.

Xie Miao chuckled and lowered his voice, as if he was imitating someone's words: "Brother, what's the matter with you? Go to the city to seek solutions to important problems, and don't come to me... just say something." Gesar smiled and replied: "Isn't your so-called 'just say what you have to say' too exaggerated? But it doesn't matter, the winner is king... These are old things. What we encounter now is..." He took out what looked like an adhesive plaster from the box.It was a thin white square, sticky on one side, and Gesar took some trouble to tear it off with his fingers.

"Technology is really changing with each passing day," I sighed. "Microphone and transmitter?" "You'd be surprised, it can also record," Gesar said. "Records everything, encodes the content and sends it in three seconds, once a day. Nice stuff. Quite expensive. Not something you can just buy." "Get down to business, Boris," Olga begged. Gesar threw the thing back into the iron box and looked around us carefully. "A week ago Anton and Semyon went to Edinburgh. Something bad happened there... Simply put, a team of Others—including the Lightbringer, the Darkbringer, and the Inquisitor—tried to wear amulets With the help of ordinary people, we snatched the oldest magic weapon, the so-called 'Crown of All Things', which was built by Merlin before he arrived in the Twilight Realm."

Elijah whistled softly.Olga remained silent—maybe she had already learned about it from Gesar, maybe she didn't think it was necessary to reveal her feelings. "It needs to be added that all three of these guys are High Others," Gesar went on. "Hmm... maybe not all three are, only two of them are. Even if two are advanced others, they can pull the third one into the sixth layer of the Twilight Realm." To my surprise, Ilya didn't speak, probably because he was dumbfounded.In my opinion, he never went deeper than the third level. "It's very disturbing," Gesar said. "We don't even know what magic weapon Merlin hides in the deepest layer of the Twilight Realm—the seventh layer. But there are good reasons to believe that this thing is enough to destroy all the achievements of civilization on Earth." "Another copy of Fu Alan?" Xie Miao asked. "No, Merlin doesn't know how to turn ordinary people into others," Gesar shook his head. "It's very tricky though. Now, the security of the thing has been increased. In addition to the Scottish Night Watch patrol, the Inquisitors have joined the guard. It's very serious. As far as I know, there are raids on the patrol everywhere." Espionage—Moscow, New York, London, Tokyo, Paris, Beijing... in a word, all important regions of the world without exception. Everywhere ordinary people are operating, and they don't know who their employer is. But the search for suspects There has been no progress in the work so far.” "Gesar, what does the seventh layer of the Twilight Realm look like?" Ilya was very interested in this. "I know that it is not allowed to tell others who have not been to a certain level, but..." "Semyon will tell you what he saw," Gesar replied. "He has been to the fifth floor. If you want, you can ask Anton, and he will tell you about the sixth floor. I allow them to do so. As for the seventh floor..." Everyone looked at Gesar curiously. "I haven't been there, so I can't answer your question," Gesar said firmly. "Haha," Olga laughed. "Boris, I always thought you'd been there..." "No, I can answer your other question in advance. Zaburon has never been there, and none of the others I know has been there. I think that only the 'zero energy' magicians can get there. They have Absolute energy. Merlin is such a magician. Nadya Gorodetskaya will become such a magician in the future..." Everyone looked at me kindly. "I won't let her into the Twilight until she's grown up," I said firmly. "No one asked you to do that," Gesar reassured me. "You... don't be in a hurry to object. I hope that Nadya will be protected 24 hours a day. This requires at least two combat magicians. Magicians with the second and third energy levels. They cannot last for a long time Against high-level Others, but if well equipped, they can at least buy time to call for help." Ilya covered her head with her hands: "Boris Ignatievich! Where can I find you two magicians of the second and third rank? Take down all the combatants patrolling the streets?" "Well, not all of them," Gesar corrected. "We have four in the second energy level, and nine in the third energy level. Alisher and Alexander can be raised to the third level." "Which Alexander? Korostlev?" Ilya was very surprised. "No, Malenkov." "Malinkov can do it," Olga interrupted. "I can get him ready in three days, maybe even two days." "Wait!" I yelled. "Wait! You don't want to hear my opinion?" Gesar looked at me curiously: "I want to, I want to hear it. But you have to know that those guys who haven't got magic weapons will realize sooner or later that they need an absolute magician. There is only one such magician in the world, and that is your daughter. You agree Does she protect?" "What would Svetlana think?" "Svetlana is a mother," said Olga gently. "I think she still remembers the kidnapping of the little girl last time. She should know that she can't guard her daughter around the clock." "Sveta will agree, Anton," Semyon nodded. "Don't guess." "Boris Ignatievich, how am I going to deal with the outside world?" Ilya begged. "As the deputy in charge of patrol work, I solemnly remind you! If you let the boys of the fourth and fifth levels go out to work independently, then the dark messenger will do evil on their heads!" "They dare not." Gesar frowned. "Zaburon will also send magicians of the second and third energy levels to protect Nadya Gorodetskaya." I put my head in my hands.But Ilya felt a little relieved: "We only have half of the bodyguards? Then I will..." "Yes. Two of our magicians, two of the Dark Forces." "Gesar!" I yelled. "Anton, this is for your daughter's safety," Gesar said forcefully. "Okay, this is the end of the discussion on this issue! Let's move on. Ilya, you can stay for a while after the meeting. Let's discuss who will be sent to do the security work and how to equip them." I didn't say a word, my heart was like overwhelming, but I didn't say a word. "For the time being, we've only discussed the matter of defense," Gesar went on. "I'll give Olga the responsibility of the patrol team's anti-technical reconnaissance work and the prevention of attacks by ordinary people. Let the programmer Torik and the scout Lars join in." "Lars is a very weak magician!" Olga said angrily. "But he had a different way of thinking," Gesar said. "As for the confrontation between others and ordinary people, you are very good at it. Your experience in this field is unique." I glanced at Olga curiously.It turns out that she still has such a unique experience... "What I need you all to answer now is another question," Gesar went on. "How should we attack?" "Attack who?" I couldn't help asking. "We don't even know who is stirring up the muddy water..." "Offensive doesn't just mean going into battle," Olga said in a lecturing tone. "Offensive can also be a surprise attack on the enemy, disrupting their plans." Gesar nodded approvingly. "Then we have only one way out," I said. "In addition to continuing to search for traitors—I think the Inquisitor will dig three feet for this. We have to go to the seventh floor. If there is no way to get in...how about trying the 'energy chain'?" "Zabulon proposed to use the 'Energy Circle'," Gesar nodded. "However, no matter whether we replenish energy from each other or the messengers of darkness absorb energy from each other, even sacrificing ordinary people... will not help. The barriers between the layers of the Twilight Realm become more and more complicated as the number of layers increases. We all Calculated." "Even sacrificing ordinary people won't work?" Xie Miao was shocked. "It doesn't work." Gesar said coldly. "Those few lines of poetry...the few lines on the sixth floor..." I looked at Gesar. "Do you remember? I told you." "Repeat again." Gesar nodded. I recited it from memory: "What inspiration does it give us?" Gesar became interested. "Stand back, if you're as smart as I am," I repeated. "There is another way to the seventh floor! It doesn't have to be a hard way." Gesar nodded: "Yes. I just want you to say that." Semyon looked at me sympathetically.Obviously, we, like in the army, say what we say and do it. "Don't overestimate my IQ," I muttered. "Of course I will think about it, and I will let Svetlana think about it. But my mind is still blank for the time being. Maybe I should check the file?" "We'll look into it," Gesar promised. "There is another way." "It's for me," I said. "Are you right?" "Anton, your daughter is in danger." Gesar's answer was concise. I spread my hands: "I surrender. Well, I'm ready. To where? Craters? Arctic glaciers? Space?" "You know very well that we do nothing in the universe." Gesar said with a frown. "It's possible...there's a slight possibility—Merlin's comrades can guess what he's referring to." "Then we need to find Merlin's peers who are still alive..." I said. "At any rate... I'm still of the same age," Gesar said coldly. "But, well, I don't know Merlin. Neither when he was the Lightbringer nor when he was the Darkbringer. Why do you look at me like that? Yes, it's possible. High wizards do that sometimes Do it. That's not the problem... I hope none of you will defect." "Boris Ignatievich, don't delay," I urged him to continue. "Merlin once was friends with... an Other, as far as I know, this person was Rustam at the time." Xie Miao and I looked at each other.He shrugged.Olga also looked confused. "He has many names," Gesar continued.He had been on the Patrol before.Very long ago.We used to be friends.They have helped each other in battle many times and saved each other's lives many times.Later we became enemies, although he is still the Lightbringer. Gesar stopped talking.He seemed reluctant to recall these things. "He's still alive. Lives somewhere in Uzbekistan, I don't know exactly where. His energy is comparable to mine, and he's good at hiding himself. He's long since stopped working in the patrol team. Probably living an ordinary life .You have to find him, Anton. Find him and convince him to help us." "Well," I agreed. "What is Uzbekistan to us? You can search through it all at once, and then you can find the reclusive magician, and his level is higher than mine..." "I didn't say it was easy," Gesar admitted. "One last time, we can persuade him to help us." "This matter is a little easier. Because he has saved me six times, and I have saved him seven times." Gesar smiled triumphantly. "He owes me one more time. Even if he still hates me as much as before, if you can find him, he will definitely say..." Gesar's voice lacked confidence, and everyone felt it. "Whether he knows about Merlin is unknown!" I said. "And, is he still alive?" "Ten years ago was alive," Gesar said. "My assistant, a Jeonna, recognized him and told his son about it." "Great," I nodded. "Simply wonderful. Maybe I can't carry a weapon and have to go alone?" "No. You will be fully armed, with sufficient funds and useful magical equipment." It took me a few seconds to make sure the boss wasn't joking. "And you don't go alone," Gesar added. "Alisher is going with you. You have to know that in eastern countries, power and money are not the most important. What is more important is to have the protection of your own people." "Even Alisher was taken away..." Ilya sighed. "I'm sorry," Gesar said unapologetically. "We have to think of this as a state of war. In fact, it is." I generally rarely get home before dark.If you want to patrol, it will be almost dawn when you go back.I usually can't go back before seven o'clock.Even if I can foresee the congestion on the road, I can't help it, because there are traffic jams everywhere. Of course, even without magic, any woman who is a wife knows that her husband doesn't come home early for no reason. "Papa is back," Nadya had already announced.She was standing by the gate.If she was busy with the children's tricks, she would have known it from the moment I approached the building; if she happened to be idle, she would have known it from the moment I walked out of the office. I want to hug my daughter.However, she was obviously more interested in the cartoon that was playing on the TV: from the living room came a high-pitched voice: "La, la, la-la-la, la-la, la-la-la-la! "She has fulfilled her duty as a daughter, and she has already welcomed her father back from get off work - nothing interesting was found in his hands and pockets. So Najushka slipped nimbly from my arm and ran to the TV. I changed my shoes, tossed the Auto Enthusiast magazine I bought on the way home into the basket, and walked into the living room to pat my daughter on the head.Nadya waved her hand—I blocked the TV screen, and a blue one-horned moose was galloping on a sled. Svetlana poked her head out of the kitchen, looked at me for a while, snorted, and retracted her head again. Instead of trying to fulfill my duties as a father, I made my way to the kitchen.Svetlana is cooking soup.I've always wondered why women spend so much time at the stove.What needs to be tossed for so long?Put a piece of beef or chicken in the pot, turn on the heat, and let it cook.After an hour or so, pour in some macaroni or potatoes, add whatever vegetables you like—and you've got a meal.Of course, don't forget to add salt, this is the most critical. "Pack your luggage yourself?" Svetlana asked without looking back. "Gesar called?" "No." "Have you checked the future trend?" "I told you, no one asked me to check and I wouldn't check it myself..." Svetlana paused——I approached her from behind and kissed her neck. "Unless there is a special need..." "Then why did you ask about the luggage?" "Anton, if you came back from get off work in broad daylight, then I must be sleeping alone at night. You were either sent to patrol or you were sent on a business trip. You just patrolled two days ago, and everything in the city normal……" Nadya laughed from the living room.I looked out the door—the moose, staring like a skier, was charging toward a group of small animals that filed on the edge of the cliff.Oh, soon... "Sveta, do you think Nadya can watch cartoons like this?" "She's still watching the news," Svetlana said quietly. "Don't interrupt, what happened?" "I have to go to Samarkand." "It's always interesting where you go on business." Svetlana scooped up a spoonful of soup, blew on it, and tasted it. "I put less salt...what's wrong over there?" "Nothing, nothing for now." "The people in Uzbekistan are poor. If you go, something will happen." "Gesar held a meeting today. He called both the senior magician and the first-level magician..." I briefly told Svetlana about the meeting.To my surprise, she didn't respond, not even the news that Nadya would be under the covert protection of two Lightbringers and two Darkbringers didn't interest her.To be precise, her reaction was exactly as Olga expected. "Gesar was pretty good," Svetlana said. "I also thought about calling him and asking him to protect Nadya." "You really want them to..." Svetlana looked at me, nodded, and added: "When I'm next to Nadya, she's not in danger. Believe me, I can crush even three high-level magicians. But it's better to be safe. When are you leaving?" "Departure from Sherementyevo Airport in five hours." "Semyon will have you there in an hour. You have two more hours. Eat something and then we'll clean up. How long are you going to be there?" "have no idea." "Then how many sets of underwear and socks should I bring you?" Svetlana's question made sense. "I can't imagine you doing laundry while you're on a business trip." "Just buy a new one and just throw away the old one. Gesar promised to give me enough money." "Interesting, how much is his so-called 'enough'?" Svetlana expressed doubts. "I'll bring you five sets of underwear. Sit down and I'll serve you the soup." "Daddy!" Nadya called to me from the living room. "What's the matter, daughter?" I asked. "Dad, will Uncle Alfonky give me a necklace?" Svetlana and I exchanged glances and hurried to the living room.Nadya is still watching cartoons.On the screen, a group of colorful animals are gathering around a campfire. "Nadya, which uncle?" "Uncle Alfonky," the daughter replied without taking her eyes off the screen. "Which Uncle Alfonki?" Svetlana asked again patiently. "What necklace?" I asked, too. "The uncle Papa is looking for," Nadya replied, "You grown-ups are so stupid!" "The necklace is the blue one, very beautiful." "How do you know who Papa is looking for?" Svetlana continued to ask. "Didn't you just talk about it?" Nadya said lightly. "We didn't say that." I said no. "We said that I was going to Uzbekistan on a business trip. It was a beautiful oriental country where Uncle Gesar used to live. Do you remember Uncle Gesar? We didn't say anything about Afonki." "That's what I heard wrong," said Nadya. "There is no such uncle." Svetlana shook her head and gave me a reproachful look.I spread my hands - yes, my fault, I shouldn't have interrupted, her mother could have asked a lot more. "But the necklace is still there," Nadya added suddenly. "Bring me some back, will you?" There is no need to continue to ask about Uncle Alfonchi.Nadya has been able to see foresight since she was two or three years old.She's completely unconscious though, and as soon as she starts asking "How do you know this?" she stops talking. "My fault," I regretted. "Sorry, Sveta." We went back to the kitchen, and Sveta, without a word, served me the soup, cut the bread, and handed me the spoon.Sometimes I find it ironic that she is an ordinary housewife.However, this is her own choice.Gesar would be very happy if Sveta went back to the patrol team. "Rustam has many names...Is that what Gesar said?" Svetlana asked thoughtfully. "Yeah," I replied while sipping my soup. "It can be assumed that his name is now Alfonky." "Anything is possible." I didn't count on it very much, but, given the state of affairs before me, I couldn't let go of even the most implausible clue. "I'll figure it out." "It's a good thing Alisher is going with you," Svetlana said. "You'd better let him ask more questions. Eastern countries are mysterious." "Your way of thinking is really innovative..." I responded with an accent. "Excuse me, I've been listening to fantastic talk about Eastern countries today. Rivers of wonderful ideas fill the lakes of my thoughts, like delicious cakes in my heart!" "Father, bring me delicious cake!" the daughter shouted immediately. I don't have much contact with Alisher at work.He likes to work "in the field" - always on patrol, usually showing up at the office in the morning.His eye circles are always red from lack of sleep.I once heard that he was in a relationship with a girl from the finance department for a while.He is a level seven other.I don't know much about him in general.Boys are naturally reserved, and I don't like to make friends proactively. He seems to be closer to Xie Miao.Semyon had just finished telling a joke when I went downstairs and got into the car.I sat next to Xie Miao, only to see him leaning back, imitating a wayward little girl and saying in a thin voice: "Okay, Dad, let's take a long detour. Bring me a little red flower!" Alisher laughed, then held out his hand to me: "Hello, Anton." "Hello, Alisher." I shook his hand and handed him a satchel. "Help me throw it on the back seat, I'm too lazy to put it in the trunk." "What's Sveta's reaction? Didn't you scold you?" Semyon asked while starting the car. "No, how could it be. She gave me a good meal, gave me a lot of good advice, and wished me all the best." "A good wife always makes her husband happy!" Xie Miao said brightly. "Why are you so happy today?" I couldn't help asking. "Did Gesar also send you to Samarkand?" "You'll wait until he gives the order," said Semyon, emphatically. "Hey, guys, why are you going to Samarkand? I clearly remember that the capital there is Binkent!" "Tashkent." I corrected him. "No, it's Binkent," said Semyon. "Either it's not Binkent? Oh, I remember, the capital is Shash!" "Semyon, you are not that old, how could you remember Binkent," Alisher said sarcastically in the back seat. "Binkent and Shash were a long time ago. Only Gesar remembers. We went to Samarkand, because the oldest Lightbringer who worked in the patrol team lived there. The patrol team in Tashkent was even bigger. Big, they have to put on the airs of the capital. But it's mostly young people there. Their boss is younger than you." "Wow..." Xie Miao shook his head. "It's strange. In the Eastern countries are young people working in the patrol team?" "In Eastern countries, the elderly don't like to fight. They just like to watch beautiful girls, eat hand-picked rice, and play chess." Alisher said seriously. "Do you come home often?" Semyon asked. "Go back often to see relatives and friends?" "It's been eight years, and I haven't been back once." "How could this be?" Xie Miao was very surprised. "Don't you miss home?" "I have no home, Semyon. I have no family. Jeonna's son has no friends." An awkward silence followed.Semyon drove the car without saying a word.I finally couldn't help but ask: "Alisher, I hope this question is not too private. Is your father an ordinary person or someone else?" "Jeon is a servant created by a powerful magician for himself." Alisher replied calmly, as if giving a lecture. "The magician found an unaccompanied and unwanted boy, endowed him with the energy and pure drive of the twilight...and thus was born a stupid, strong and magical person...no, not quite He is an ordinary person, but he is not someone else. All his energy comes from external forces, endowed by magicians. Jayonna serves his master faithfully, and he can perform miracles... But his brain is still not very good. Normal. Usually magicians will choose to be demented or mentally retarded. They are not aggressive and very loyal. The energy they get can guarantee their health and longevity." Neither of us spoke—didn't expect Alisher to be so open. "Folk people generally think that Jeonna is possessed by aura. To a certain extent, it is true... This is like finding a broken empty bottle and filling it again. But what is usually filled is not wisdom, but loyalty. But , Gesar is different from other people, even from other Lightbringers. He cured my father. Not completely cured... He is not omnipotent. Father was a complete fool before. I think his stupidity should be It was caused by brain damage. After Gesar healed him, his father gradually recovered the intelligence of a normal person. He remembered that he was a complete fool. He knew that if Gesar did not infuse him with new energy in time, he would die again. He will lose his intelligence. However, he did not serve Gesar out of fear. He said that he dedicated himself to Gesar to thank the great magician for allowing him to know himself and become a normal person; of course, it was also because of Gesar I got a family and a son for his stupid guy. He was worried that I would grow up to be a fool. Good thing I didn't. But... only the common people remember everything: my father was Jeonna, he lived too long Now, he used to be a fool, he couldn't even wipe his nose. I remember everything. After my mother and my father got married, my relatives and friends stopped dating her and didn't recognize me. Other children were forbidden to play with me because I The son of Jeonna, the son of a fool who should have lived a life like a dog. I was homeless. My home is here now. My job is to do what Gesar orders." "But the problem is..." Semyon whispered. "It's brutal down there. Remember when we hunted down the Basmatch..." He broke off suddenly, looking at Alisher apologetically. "You don't mind if I say that?" "Is there something wrong?" Alisher asked back. "What if they were now not called Basmatches, but heroes..." "When Gesar was the political commissar in Turkestan, my father fought in his team." Alisher said proudly. "What?" Xie Miao panicked. "What year?" "Early twenties." "No, I was later... when the Basmatches broke through the frontier in 1929..." They began to discuss some old things cheerfully.I understood that Alisher's father and Semyon had almost run into each other—they had both fought under Gesar when he served in the Red Army.To be honest, I didn't figure out how Gesar participated in the Great Patriotic War.The great magicians of the Light Forces will not attack the White Guards and Basmatches with fireballs!It seems that not all others were indifferent to that revolution.Some also joined the sides of the warring parties.为了同他们作斗争，格谢尔和自己的同志们就在亚洲的草原和沙漠里驰骋过。 我还想，也许我能猜到格谢尔和鲁斯塔姆曾经为何争吵。

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