The brilliant golden light bathed Thanh Tuyên, as birds played and soared over the trains, trailing behind one another in long lines before darting into the sky.
The silence of the hallways at Khanh Dong Middle School was gradually shattered by the recess bell and the boisterous laughter of students.
In classroom 6A1 at the end of the hall, An Binh was fumbling through her bag, searching for something she couldn't seem to find. Tue That—An Binh's best friend—asked anxiously:
"Still haven't found your wallet?"
On the verge of tears, An Binh frantically rummaged through her things, saying:
"I remember clearly putting it in my bag! Why is it gone?! There was over 300 dong in there!"
"Let me help you."
Tue That joined An Binh in the search.
Curious onlookers from the class began to gather around.
Whispers started to rise, followed by suspicion and guesswork. A female student in the crowd spoke up with a bitter tone:
"Hey An Binh... maybe someone stole it. Think back, have you offended anyone lately?"
Her words were like oil poured onto a fire already raging in everyone's hearts.
The murmurs grew louder, and suspicion toward everyone in the class intensified.
Tue That, also growing suspicious, began a preliminary search around the classroom.
Suddenly, when she reached the back desk of the inner row, Tue That stared in shock at Diep La's desk drawer. A pink wallet, identical to An Binh's, appeared. Tue That quickly grabbed it and held it high, shouting:
"FOUND IT!"
The class swarmed over to look, the gossip now narrowing down to a single target—Diep La.
An Binh walked over, clutching the wallet as she sobbed:
"This... this is my wallet. But... why was it in Diep La's desk?"
Tue That clicked her tongue and scowled, kicking the chair at Diep La's desk in anger:
"You even have to ask?! She must be jealous of you!"
The crowd erupted with questions, eager to dig up any conflict between An Binh and Diep La, indifferent to the truth behind the scene.
To them, the evidence at hand was the blade used to indict a person who wasn't even in the room.
Truth, it seemed, was sometimes very cheap in the eyes of some.
A moment later, Diep La entered the classroom, her hair soaking wet. Her face bore its usual hint of melancholy, but it quickly turned to surprise when she saw the entire class staring at her.
Their gazes weren't merely indifferent as before; they were laced with contempt and, for the most part, disgust.
Diep La blinked and asked:
"Guys? Is something wrong?"
Tue That walked up and slapped Diep La across the face before the girl could even process what was happening.
Pulling her hand back, Tue That shouted in a rage:
"Diep La! I didn't think you could be such a disgusting person!"
An Binh stepped forward to comfort and soothe Tue That, saying:
"Tue That, please calm down. Diep La... she didn't mean it... anyway, you found my stuff, right?..."
As she spoke, An Binh's eyes flickered toward Diep La. Her facade of sadness was momentarily replaced by the haughty gaze of a victor.
Diep La remained silent for a moment, clenching her fists and trying to suppress the memory of the unprovoked slap. She spoke:
"I didn't steal anything!"
"You're still lying!!" Tue That screamed, lunging to attack Diep La again, but the others held her back.
The group feigned "advice," urging Diep La to confess to her crime.
But she didn't. She could not accept a sin the world had forced upon her.
"I have done nothing wrong."
No matter what others thought, her self-respect would not be so easily trampled.
I cannot apologize for things I didn't do, and I certainly won't kneel and beg before those who insult me.
Knowing that any defense would be futile in the current situation, Diep La quietly returned to her seat.
Let time answer everything. This is how the world is; human nature has always been thus. Justice always... arrives late....
After school, An Binh said goodbye to Tue That at a three-way intersection and turned onto the path home.
An Binh was in high spirits today, feeling as though she had just caught a massive fish.
Internally, she was gloating; those who were better than her, those who stole her spotlight, all had to pay a price.
Suddenly, Diep La appeared in the middle of An Binh's path, taking her by surprise.
She remained the same—cold and solitary, like a still, frigid pool of water amidst a storm.
Approaching slowly, Diep La looked An Binh straight in the eye and said:
"You framed me, didn't you?"
An Binh couldn't help but smirk. Her face, usually so gentle, was now etched with arrogance and triumph. She shrugged and said:
"Why did you steal my spotlight? A top geography student? Did you think that title and your 'excellent' grades gave you the right to stand confidently in front of me? No matter what, I will always take it back."
An Binh sneered at Diep La as if looking at a small prey that could be easily swallowed.
Facing An Binh's mockery, Diep La did not cry or beg. Instead, she smiled—a bizarre, eerie smile—and said:
"How pathetic for someone to be devoured by extreme pride."
Diep La's words were like a sharp shard of glass piercing An Binh's ego. She clenched her fists, gritting her teeth.
She couldn't believe she was being insulted to her face by a loser, an outcast. An Binh suppressed her anger and spat:
"Diep La! If you apologize to me right now, I might just forgive you!!"
Diep La continued to smile.
"Apologize? It's not that I don't know how to apologize... it's just that my apologies are only for those who deserve them."
She turned to walk away, adding:
"I'll show you my world soon. Just wait."
Mixed with An Binh's anger was a flicker of bewilderment at Diep La's final words. A flash of unease crossed her mind, but it was quickly dismissed by her innate narcissism and pride.
How could someone like her ever make me afraid?
Deep inside a dark room, in an effort to maintain her sanity after her "executions," Diep La doused her head with cold water.
Her blood-red eyes gradually softened, returning to their natural, clear sky-blue.
Diep La walked out and looked at the dossier on her bed, which contained the crimes of the An family. She smiled, reaching out her hand.
"The conditions for 'execution' have been met."
A phone call was made to the Gia Uyen Provincial Police Station. A female officer was about to pick up when Da Dang Ha suddenly snatched the receiver.
"Gia Uyen Provincial Crime Investigation Department, speaking."
On the other end, Diep La was slightly surprised to hear a mature, middle-aged male voice instead of the usual soft female one.
Rather than being flustered, Diep La broke into an amused grin. Her eyes shifted back to red; the police had finally noticed a "small" killer like her.
"When the moon hangs at the peak between the last two days of the month, I will come, bearing a plea from the gods to execute one within Moc Bach. The blessing of creation bestowed upon him shall be death amidst the clouds over Gia Uyên. When the cat finds it, the mouse's hand will be lost. If you wish to find the mouse's hand, wait until the beginning of the month."
Da Dang Ha was about to speak to buy more time, but Diep La quickly hung up. She wiped all traces and data, having no intention of prolonging the conversation.
Vigilance was a necessity if she wanted to keep the game going until the very end.
The call ended, but its echoes lingered in Da Dang Ha's mind. Turning to Lang Dinh, he asked:
"Well?"
Lang Dinh, sucking on a lollipop while typing furiously on his laptop, replied:
"Inspector, don't think tracking someone is as easy as eating candy."
Hitting the 'Enter' key, Lang Dinh stared in shock at his screen. The location was showing as being abroad, despite him bypassing dozens of security layers. Even the service provider couldn't trace it.
"Inspector... don't tell me Gia Uyen has hackers moonlighting as serial killers now?"