This is an automatically translated description

The novel is centred on the so-called "first guy in the village" Vasyl Shybko, nicknamed Shybenyk. Vasyl creates a kind of Cossack centre around him and, with his military experience of the war in Afghanistan, fights back against the city bandits who have imposed poppy and hemp tribute on all the surrounding villages. Having defended his fellow villagers, Vasyl unnoticed becomes the only real power in the village, as the Cossack centurions once were.

Any power corrupts a person. Vasyl did not escape this. Not everyone liked the order established by Vasyl, and some people wanted to come to power by removing the ataman. There was treachery, betrayal, and Vasyl, fleeing from the court case, left his native place for ten years.

But these events were only the beginning, the main drama began when the ataman returned to his home.