Danila Bagrov, just demobbed from the army, returns to his quiet, provincial home town. But life is monotonous and boring in this Russian backwoods, so he is heading for faraway Petersburg, to his elder brother who, as he heard, is doing quite well there and might help his darling little brother to start a new life. On his arrival in Petersburg, Danila discovers that his brother is indeed doing well, having mastered the profession of... a contract killer. And Danila decides to follow suit.