— And I am a colonel from the Internal Investigation Division. I’ve come here by order of the ministry to see how you “serve.” There have been far too many complaints about you. They all say the same thing: that you mistreat your soldiers.

The lieutenant colonel’s face turned pale. He froze, unable to speak. The woman crossed her arms over her chest and added with a cold smile:

— And what’s this? No salute? That’s another violation on your part.

A heavy silence fell over the parade ground. No one dared to move — only the lieutenant colonel stood there, lost, speechless for the first time in his life.