Chapter 8

No matter what country, being a pilot is a noble profession, and pilots receive the highest treatment. In the Soviet Union, the most respected people in society were KGB agents, followed by military personnel.

As a frontline base during the Cold War, the pilots at Sokolovka lived in a building specially constructed for them, with hot water available 24/7, two people to a room, each with an independent bathroom, and televisions in the rooms.

After taking off their anti-G suits in the pilot's duty room below the control tower and changing back into their own clothes, the two men walked towards the dormitory.

Pushing open the door to the dormitory, Andrei rushed to the bathroom due to an urgent need. Even in the bathroom, he could smell a strong odor of alcohol.

Pushing open the bathroom door, he saw Belenko, a tall man, sitting by the window, pouring alcohol from a bottle into a glass. The strong smell of alcohol filled the entire room.

"Captain Belenko, are you drinking alcohol?" Andrei was shocked.

This guy was a heavy drinker, and now, without any alcohol to drink, he had actually stolen industrial alcohol and was diluting it with water!

This was industrial alcohol, not made from grains, but produced industrially, containing a small amount of methanol, which could cause blindness!

In this base, getting industrial alcohol was very easy because the MiG-25 was a "drinker." The MiG-25's engine required a very high flow of air, but a large intake would also increase wind resistance. To increase the air density, the intake temperature had to be reduced, thus increasing the air intake. Inside the MiG-25's intake, there was a spray device like a showerhead that cooled the air, increasing its density. This was not just water but a mixture of water and ethanol, which enhanced the solution's volatility and effectiveness. Therefore, in addition to carrying a large amount of fuel, the MiG-25 also carried a 250-liter tank of water and ethanol mixture.

"The vodka near the base is all sold out," Belenko said. "This alcohol is what I got. Come, have a drink."

Andrei shook his head. Most Soviets were heavy drinkers, and after drinking, they often beat their wives.

"The base is on high alert, and a battle could break out at any time," Andrei said. "I need to keep a clear head."

"Andrei, here, you don't need to be too clear-headed. Being a little confused is the best," Belenko said. "I never thought that even in a frontline unit, it would be like this! It's the same as in the test flight center. Where is the pure land? By the way, you can write the flight report."

Belenko was deeply troubled and very dissatisfied with the current situation. Looking at this drinking man, Andrei knew what he was upset about.

It was no longer the time right after the Great Patriotic War when the whole country was filled with a positive and optimistic atmosphere. By 1976, the Soviet Union seemed quite powerful, having the upper hand in the Cold War with the United States, and Brezhnev was aggressive. However, the problems in the Soviet Union began to show: severe bureaucracy, the formation of interest groups, and especially Brezhnev's lifelong appointments, which turned the Soviet Union into a country ruled by the elderly, lacking any vitality, and ultimately leading to its collapse in the future.

Andrei, of course, knew all this. If he had been reborn as the leader of a republic or a high official in Moscow, he might have been able to change things, but now, he was just a low-level pilot.

There were only fifteen years left before the Soviet Union's collapse! With many thoughts in his mind, Andrei watched Belenko drink cup after cup of diluted industrial alcohol and quickly said, "Captain Belenko, don't drink that alcohol. I'll take you out for a drink!"

Go out for a drink? Belenko said, "There's no more alcohol near the base."

"We'll go to a bar," Andrei said. "I know there's a bar in the town of Chuguyevka. Let's go there and drink to our heart's content!"

A bar? Hearing Andrei's words, Belenko put down the cup he was diluting. The water in the last cup was too little, and the alcohol was too strong, making it very spicy.

"Alright, let's drink to our heart's content! But, Andrei, I remember you didn't used to drink?"

...

Chuguyevka was an ordinary Far Eastern town with no heavy industry. The residents mainly worked in collective farms, and the town was filled with low, flat houses. Only in the town center could you see a few two- or three-story buildings, with the hammer and sickle symbol visible everywhere.

In fact, this place was once just a small village. After the establishment of the Sokolovka base, it gradually prospered. The town's other main task was to support the consumption of the personnel at the Sokolovka base.

In the planned economy of the Soviet Union, mentioning consumption seemed redundant. From pilots to ground crew, everyone's underwear was uniformly distributed. However, people are not just about meeting basic needs; they also have material and spiritual demands.

Chuguyevka had a cinema, stores, a theater, a bookstore, and a bar.

Soviet men loved to drink, which was a basic necessity for people living in cold regions.

A convertible GAZ-69 car stopped in front of the bar in the town center. Andrei and Belenko jumped out of the car.

Just as they stepped onto the bar's steps, Belenko suddenly stopped.

A girl was walking down the street ahead.

She wore a black strapless top that accentuated her curves, with a chest so full it seemed about to burst out of the top. Her shorts were so short they almost reached her thighs, exposing her sexy calves, and she wore high-waisted boots. Just looking at her body, she was a goddess of desire.

Her face was even more exquisite, making one marvel at the Creator's favor. Her long lashes framed large, expressive eyes, a high nose, a small mouth, and wavy hair that cascaded down her back. Every smile and frown made her seem like a goddess, noble and beautiful.

Any man would have the same first impression when seeing a beautiful girl! Andrei couldn't help but look a few more times. In his past life, his aesthetic standards were Chinese, but now, Russian girls had a unique charm.

"Ouch." Before she reached the two men, the girl suddenly cried out. Her few-centimeter-high heel got stuck in a hole in the iron sewer cover. As she bent down, one could see the two mounds inside her top.

The handbag she was carrying flew out and landed at Andrei's feet.

Before Andrei could react, Belenko quickly picked up the bag, ran a few steps, and supported the girl. "Comrade, your bag. Do you need help?"

The girl smiled gratefully at Belenko. "I think I twisted my ankle. Could you unzip my boot so I can take my foot out?"

Belenko bent down, his hands trembling. In front of him were her white, smooth calves. He slowly unzipped her boot.

Damn, doesn't this guy have a wife and kids? How is he acting like a lifelong otaku who only jerks off to anime, suddenly facing his goddess in real life?