About the book: 2017 / Alexei Nazarov, a successful third-year student of Timiryazevka, who received a diploma from the Faculty of Chemistry in Harbin and is fluent in Chinese and English, is recruited by Russian military intelligence. From now on, he leads a double life; even his beloved Katya does not know about his mission. The best instructors teach him the craft of a scout, and military doctors “format” his memory. After successfully completing his internship, Nazarov, who received the agent pseudonym “Chinese,” is sent to the Celestial Empire as an illegal immigrant to prevent a series of chemical sabotage on the border with Russia. Working in different parts of China, making useful contacts, he obtains valuable information, but one day he finds himself on the hook of Chinese counterintelligence. He is arrested, tortured and decides to use the lethal torture “three eights”... How will Russian military intelligence respond? The clock is counting…