There, they encounter a group of young thugs who attack Kulik and attempt to assault Nina, only to be thwarted by a passing police officer.
Kulik decides to delay his studies for a year and instead joins the police force, where his early efforts are met with amusement and frustration from his superiors.
Meanwhile, his boss, Major Sorokin, is preparing for an operation to capture a notorious gang led by the seasoned criminal "Paleny," responsible for murders, prison escapes, and organized thefts.
Short on personnel, Sorokin reluctantly includes the inexperienced Kulik in the plan, assigning him to back up Lieutenant Guladze, who is traveling with the gang’s courier, Shpunko, to intercept stolen gold and forged documents.
In a dramatic showdown, Kulik pursues Paleny alone, eventually capturing him after a grueling struggle through trains and rivers, bringing the criminal to justice.