The narrative starts with Nazar Chagataev’s graduation from the Moscow Institute of Economics. In the courtyard, he meets a woman named Vera and goes home with her that night. At her home, he sees an interesting diptych on her wall and learns that Vera is pregnant, but the father of the child is dead. He immediately fosters a strange connection to Vera and to her young daughter, Ksenya. After frequent visits, he decides marry Vera, but then leaves after the summer to go to his posting to “bring socialism” to his people and assist the "Dzhan" nation into a better life. He sets off on a long journey by train across the steppe, by boat down the Amu-Darya, and finally reaches the "Dzhan" nation living in a delta called Sary-Kamysh. He meets Sufyan, Molla Cherkezov, Aidym and Gyulchatay, but his mother, Gyulchatay, does not seem to remember him. He sees that they are a sad, destitute nation living in a miserable state with very few possessions and little strength to live. He returns briefly to Chimgay for supplies, and there he receives a letter from Ksenya stating that Vera and the baby have died. Although the news gives him sorrow, he decides that he must carry on his mission with the "Dzhan". He returns to them and has a discussion with Nur-Mohammed who has been sent by the district executive committee to keep track of and assist the "Dzhan". Although Nur-Mohammed has no hope in the nation, Chagataev decides they must migrate to a better location, hoping that this move with result in better living conditions for the group. During this slow migration across the Kara-Kum sands, the group struggles to find sustenance and follows a fold of wandering sheep in hopes for food and direction. Some members of the nation die in the unforgiving sands. Chagataev slowly separates from the group as he falls behind and nearly dies from exhaustion and starvation. As he approaches death, he fights off two giant birds attacking him, shooting them with a pistol, and collapses into unconsciousness. Meanwhile, Nur-Mohammed stays with the group and in an act of desperation, intentionally separates from the group with Aidym. During a strange rape scene involving Nur-Mohammed, Aidym sees the giant birds fly overhead and hears the shots of Chagataev’s gun.