Text Chapter 1 This is Redemption

At seven o'clock in the evening on August 17, 1991, the big bronze clock on the Kremlin bell tower, covered with age wrinkles, had just struck its seventh bell, and the streets were already sparsely populated and could be described as desolate. The empire established on this long and late land is like the sunset that is gradually getting colder. As the last ray of light dissipates, it exudes a heavy silent but desolate sigh.

The red polar bear entrenched in Siberia reluctantly raised its head and looked back at the glory of the past years, and then became old and feeble, waiting for the death sentence of ending its life.

At this time, Yanayev, who was holding a goblet at the banquet, felt as melancholy as his motherland, especially when he looked at the young, hopeful faces at the banquet, who were full of longing for reform and the future. and hope. Yanayev understood that his negative emotions at this time were not suitable for a cheerful banquet, even if it was just a desolate prosperity at the end of the road.

He stood up slowly, and the joking crowd immediately stopped whispering. Due to bureaucratic rules, everyone was ready to stand up with him, but Yanayev firmly stopped this behavior. He picked up his wine glass and said slowly under the puzzled eyes of the audience, "Our motherland is undergoing various crises and tests. As you can see, not everyone understands and supports us." Construction, our lofty ideal, but we cannot deny her greatness, our warriors, and the sacred faith will never be erased. Her brilliance still shines on each of us and guides us forward. "

When he finished speaking, the audience burst into mechanical and unchanging applause. Yanayev knew that these subordinates were just perfunctory, even if they were speaking from the bottom of their hearts. So he chose to close his eyes and said nothing.

He was originally a poor guy whose name no one could remember, but time travel accidentally gave him a high-ranking but destined to end his career in tragedy, the Vice President of the Soviet Union Gennady Ivanovich Yanaye. husband. As a participant and instigator of the August 19th Incident, he fell into despair after the failed coup and passed away in 2010.

The simple fact is that Comrade Yanayev traveled a year ahead of time on the timeline, which gave him better than no preparation time.

"Comrade Yanayev, can you announce what you want to say now? I summoned all the members of Alpha according to your instructions, although I don't know what you are planning." Sitting Yanayev Next to him is a middle-aged man with Mediterranean hair and a pair of thick black-rimmed glasses who looks like an amiable intellectual. But those who know his identity immediately think of that face when they see it. What came out was the appearance of a demon. Because he was Vladimir Alexandrovich Kryuchkov, who held the infamous position of Chairman and Chief of the First Main Directorate of the KGB.

"Of course, Comrade Kryuchkov. In fact, I will assure you that this was a wonderful speech." Yanayev smiled mysteriously at Kryuchkov, picked up the glass and drank it all.

However, Director Kryuchkov does not have Yanayev's calm expression, because what he will do tomorrow is a shocking conspiracy, and if it fails, they will be punished with treason. Comrade Yanayev was actually in a good mood at this time, summoning thirty members of the Alpha Special Forces to hold a banquet at the KGB's secret stronghold on Lenin Street. What was he thinking?

Yanayev stood up together. Everyone in the audience was watching the vice president's strange behavior, but Yanayev walked down from the stage as if no one else was around and walked to these people. He walked to these people with a wine glass in his hand. In front of a former KGB member, he asked softly, "Do you believe in democracy? Do you believe that freedom can save the Soviets?"

In an instant, everyone could barely breathe, even though people were privately discussing democracy, freedom, and criticizing the Soviet Union's centralization and dictatorship. But the country's top leader openly talks to them about democracy, which is not a good thing. The members of Alpha and Signal Flag all looked at each other. They did not dare to answer this question casually. Yes or no, it may ruin their own future. To put it bluntly, it may even threaten their lives.

Yanayev did not expect these people to answer his questions. He said to himself, "Democracy, democracy, I'm sorry that democracy is not what we need. And to the disappointment of everyone here, in the past hundred years, Americans have tried to get democratic institutions to take root in other countries, but they have never succeeded. Instead, they have established a lot of firsts. The dictators of the three countries, Diem, Syngman Rhee, Saddam Hussein, and Pahlavi, did not even have the most basic conditions for establishing democracy. Also, they said they should be tolerant of those with different political opinions. It’s not important to show respect to people of different faiths, to be humbly accepting of journalists who disagree with the president.”

Yanayev's speech stirred up a thousand waves. Even Vice Chairman Kryuchkov beside him changed his expression in an instant, not to mention the members of the special forces who had not seen much of the methods of high-level officials.

He continued, "Do you really think that you can establish democracy by relying on fundamentalists and religious principles, throwing a few bombs and electing a dictator? You are wrong. People don't need freedom or democracy. They need living security, rules and regulations, someone to defend them from foreign invaders, and also need to be wary of internal groups. Someone needs to lead them, give them protection and confinement, so that wars and famines will no longer occur. As long as you give them enough benefits, everyone will be willing to obey your orders. Power changes everything, understand? Everyone."

Yanayev's words were too explicit, even heartbreaking. What feeds you is not the bullshit ideology or faith, but the sword and shield in my hand.

Yanayev was too involved in his speech, and he had to put down his glass when he made some body movements. After the speech, he picked up the glass on the table again and looked at these poor guys with a pitying look. It was this group of people who were brainwashed by democracy and freedom who refused to carry out the task of assassinating Yeltsin in the attack on the White House the day after tomorrow, which led to the failure of a series of domino collapses. I don’t know if they will regret not agreeing to the Soviet high-level’s request in 1991 when they also opposed Yeltsin’s bombardment of the White House in the Kremlin two years later.

The atmosphere of the banquet fell to the freezing point. No one dared to say a word, and no one even dared to answer Yanaev. This is the terrible thing about power. It can even turn an unarmed coward into a supreme monarch in an instant. Yanaev sighed, his eyes swept across everyone’s faces, and then slowly asked, "If I give you a task tonight and ask you to assassinate Yeltsin, will you go?"

This is Yanaev’s last request. He hopes that someone will stand up, instead of all the Alpha soldiers putting down their officer certificates and shaking their heads to refuse to execute orders as in history.

"No, I won't agree." Sure enough, the first voice of resistance sounded. Although it was weak, it hit Yanaev's heart like a heavy hammer, like the last straw that broke his remaining hope. Yanaev didn't even see the face of the first person who refused, and then someone followed the words of the previous person and made a series of rejections. Never agree.

Their slogan? It's nothing more than for democracy, for freedom, for hope, I choose to refuse.

The flame of hope in Yanaev's eyes quickly dimmed. In fact, he never had hope at the beginning. He had given these people a chance, but they didn't cherish it. The answer of the Alpha members even made him feel relieved. Yanaev smiled and stepped back a few steps. When he reached a safe distance, he raised the empty wine glass and toasted them, saying, "Very good. This is to pay tribute to your freedom and... your sacrifice for freedom."

Then Yanaev let go of his hand. In full view of the crowd, the exquisite crystal wine glass fell to the ground at the speed of free fall, breaking into pieces and making a crisp sound. This was a code known only to Yanaev and the traitors. Even KGB Deputy Chairman Kryuchkov, who was sitting on the stage, had a confused expression.

The masked men who were ambushing outside the house rushed forward, and according to the script that had been laid out long ago, they all took out a submachine gun from their jackets and pointed it at the people at the banquet.