Early 20th century. A quiet provincial Russian town is shaken by high-profile crimes: an ancient figurine is stolen from a local museum under strange circumstances, and a few hours later, a famous millionaire manufacturer is found murdered in a vacant lot behind a restaurant. The police, accustomed to sorting out drunken fights and petty thefts, are confused, and then a young practicing doctor, hero of the Anglo-Boer War, Georgy Rodin, joins the investigation. Possessing analytical skills and an inquisitive mind, Rodin feels the connection between both crimes and finds out that their traces lead to Crimea, where, according to legend, in one of the rocks several centuries ago the cruel robber Akhmet Bey safely hid an ancient artifact of incredible destructive power.