Nam Duong, Gia Uyen Province, Thanh Tuyen District-a peaceful countryside where houses were separated by small garden courtyards and shaded by rows of lush green trees.
The sunset burned fiercely on the western horizon, and the laughter of children playing echoed through the neighborhood.
In a small, dark bedroom of a two-story house, the wind crept through the window, gently fluttering the deep blue curtains to let in the reddish-pink glow of twilight. A cold figure held a phone, dialing "0217-100176." When the other end picked up, a woman answered:
"Hello, Gia Uyên Provincial Police Department of Crime Investigation and Prevention. How can I help you?"
After a moment of silence, a man's deep voice responded. His eyes opened slowly, flashing a crimson light-a murderous glint like a herald from hell emerging from an eternal black mist:
"September 21st, 20CH, at 15:01. In the house of the woman surnamed Doan, I will come to take the life of a man surnamed Vuong."
With that, the call abruptly ended. The officer on the other end, bewildered, hurriedly called back, but only received an automated message stating the number was unreachable. Sensing something abnormal, she immediately reported it to her superior.
She brought the matter to a tall, mature male officer. Dressed simply and appearing to be around 48 years old, he was a renowned veteran named Da Dang Ha-an inspector for the Gia Uyen Provincial Police Department. After listening to the staff's report, he remarked:
"It's just someone looking for a thrill by challenging authority. Send a few people to investigate and file a report; no need to make a scene."
"Yes, sir."
He dismissed it as a prankster trying to toy with the police, a common occurrence in his many years on the force. But the young female officer didn't see it that way. Although she was a newcomer, she remembered the man's voice; it wasn't mocking. It sounded more like a warning.
19:17, September 20th. In less than a day, a life would fall. The Goddess would arrive to bless the "lucky one," granting him a beautiful death in the joyful embrace of an angel.
The figure in the dark room, eyes glowing blood-red with a thirst for slaughter, sat before a laptop and shut it down. The faint blue light vanished, taking the red hue with it and returning the eyes to a gentle blue. He didn't care whether the police took his warning seriously. In the end, it would not change the Divine decision.
Amidst the quiet peace, a loud argument suddenly erupted downstairs between a husband and wife. The husband, drunk and cursing, clutched a small stack of high-denomination bills wrapped in white paper in his left hand. With his other hand, he pointed at his wife, shouting loudly:
"I told you! You have to give me the money, but since you didn't, I took it myself!! Next time, don't be like this. Obey me and I won't hit you!!"
The woman wept bitterly, a red mark from her husband's slap visible on her face. Her hair was disheveled as she reached out, desperately grabbing her husband's arm:
"You can't! That's the money to feed the whole family! You can't take it!"
Annoyed, the husband slapped her hard-a stinging sound-sending her sprawling to the floor. He roared:
"Say one more word and don't blame me for beating you to death!"
The upstairs bedroom door creaked open, and a small figure stepped out. A young girl about 11 years old with short hair and eyes as blue as the sky. Dressed in simple pajamas, her legs trembled as she walked forward. Her face was heavy with sorrow, her sky-blue eyes drenched in tears as she watched the two of them struggle over the money wrapped in thin paper. Seeing the girl on the stairs, the mother sobbed:
"Diep La! Say something to make your father understand! Tell him not to take the money away..."
The mother screamed in agony. Tears rolled down Diep La's small face as she spoke to her father in despair:
"Father, please... stop..."
The father turned to look at his daughter with a violent, rambling gaze:
"Are you my daughter or hers?! (He turned stern, then shifted to contemptuous laughter). Ah... I see. So you two don't want to give me money so you can kick me out and take the property, right?!! (With disdain) A daughter truly is a useless burden! If I had a son, he'd be a thousand times better than you; he'd stand by my side... Truly, like mother, like daughter-a disgusting bunch. I'm leaving, just like you both want!"
Drunkenly clutching the money, he staggered toward the door. The mother tried to hold him back, but he shoved her away. The front door opened gently but slammed shut with force. When would this shattered reality end? Diep La watched her father leave, her chest suddenly heavy. Would the light fade and darkness consume everything? Her tears fell onto the floor in silence.
"Father... Why... Why don't you understand?..." she whispered in her heart.
Her mother-Ha Mien-looked up at her. Wiping away her tears and resentment, she snapped angrily:
"And you! Get out of here! You're useless!! I should never have had a daughter like you!!!"
She ranted through her tears. Diep La didn't stay; she quietly retreated to her room.
Closing the door and leaning against it, her tears continued to flow. Her eyes, filled with hopeless grief, suddenly shifted as she let out a laugh. She cried and laughed simultaneously. In an instant, her sapphire eyes turned blood-red, glowing in the pitch-black room.
"Human despair will arrive soon... My fear and my despair... they will be the weapons I use to kill you... Oh, humanity..."
She chuckled to herself-a frantic, crazed laugh-her gaze overflowing with murderous intent.