Episode list

Metropolitan investigator Oleg Khlebnikov is temporarily sent to serve in the remote taiga town of Vakhta. A 12-year-old boy, Andrey, disappears here, and only thanks to Khlebnikov's powers of observation, the child is found, and presumable evidence is found in the pocket of his jacket - a dried St. John's wort flower.

Khlebnikov and department driver Korneev discover the body of a local businessman in the forest and again find St. John's wort flowers at the crime scene.

As soon as progress is made in the investigation, Khlebnikov's superiors seek to close the case as soon as possible, ignoring minor inconsistencies. Oleg is in direct conflict with the leadership, defending his version.

Khlebnikov continues to develop a version of serial murders, in which Korneev helps him. Meanwhile, in the forest, someone attacks drug couriers serving an underground laboratory.

One of the versions leads Oleg to the old boarding school, but the management still does not approve of Khlebnikov's line of investigation. The boy Andrey, who was in a coma, comes to his senses.

Due to an unauthorized investigation, the entire department is subject to reprimand, and Khlebnikov becomes an outcast. Despite strained relations with Anna, Oleg asks her for help.

Khlebnikov goes to the lair of the Beast in the taiga. However, an attempt at an organized capture does not lead to anything, the maniac slips away.

Khlebnikov follows the trail of the Beast alone, and the terrible truth confronts him with a difficult choice.