Chapter 8 — Brilliant Youth Ahead

9While the project team was urgently preparing to collect the net, Luu Phoi began to fall into a state of frantic panic. Perhaps she had smelled something from familiar news channels. First, she rushed to disperse her assets, finding ways to launder money, hoping to erase her traces. But all accounts have been blocked. All her efforts were in vain. In despair, Liu Phoi vented all her resentment on me, thinking that I was the one who destroyed her family. That night, after working overtime, I was just driving home to the apartment basement when suddenly two figures rushed out from a dark corner. In their hands were sharp knives glinting under the light. "Please take Ms. Tham on a trip. Someone has paid for your life." One of the two men lowered his voice, his voice cold and threatening. I was shaken inside, but on the outside I remained calm: "How much did Liu Phoi pay you guys?" The two men looked at each other and laughed coldly: "It has nothing to do with you." I looked straight at them and coldly suggested: "I'll pay double. Just tell me who the tenant is, and agree to go to the police station to testify." They hesitated. At that moment, many strong beams of light from flashlights came from all four directions, surrounding us. "It's the police! Don't move!" The other two men were so scared they were shaking, their knives dropped "clang" to the floor. They knelt down on the ground, completely disillusioned. "It's not our fault! It was... a woman named Luu Phoi hired us!" "She said that if she broke your leg, she would pay us two hundred thousand!" I approached, bent down and looked straight at them: "So now, please follow me back to the station." The crime of hiring someone to intentionally injure a witness - complete evidence is the final knife straight into the crime network of Pho Hao's family. The investigation team decided to make the arrest earlier than planned. The operation was launched at dawn the next morning. Dozens of police cars divided into many directions, simultaneously acting like a storm. One shot went straight to the Pho family's house. Liu Phoi was still sleeping when the door was broken open by special forces. She was pinned down on the bed, her hands were cold and handcuffed. When she was awakened by this real nightmare, she screamed in panic: "What are you doing?! Why are you arresting me?! I am Pho Hao's mother!" The lead police officer coldly issued an arrest warrant: "Luu Phoi, you are suspected of being involved in many serious criminal crimes. Please come to the station to coordinate the investigation." Meanwhile, another working group was present at the hospital where Pho Kien Quoc was being treated. He was recently transferred from the ICU to a regular room and is recovering. When the specialized project team officers appeared at the hospital bed, officially announcing the arrest, the "exemplary old party member"'s face immediately turned pale. He opened his mouth to say something, but because he was so shocked and angry, he couldn't breathe - he immediately fainted on the spot. At the same time, in another city, Vuong Cuong - the leader of a financial fraud ring - had not yet had time to spend a huge amount of illegal money when he was arrested at a high-class headquarters. A net of crime that once covered the whole city was finally torn apart that day. In the interrogation room filled with cold fluorescent lights, Pho Hao was escorted inside. Here, he witnessed with his own eyes his mother - Liu Phoi - being detained in another interrogation room, and saw his father - Pho Kien Quoc - being transferred straight from the hospital bed to the police car by the doctor. On the big screen, every piece of evidence of his parents' crimes was being replayed: bank statements he'd never seen, secret documents he didn't dare think about, surveillance videos recording his father's secrets.

Secretly discussing with others... Pho Hao was stunned, his whole body turned to stone. "No... it's impossible..." - he whispered, his eyes were empty and lifeless. "This... is not true... my parents... they can't be people like that..." Captain Trieu walked up to his side, put his hand on his shoulder, his voice was quiet and heavy: "Pho Hao, are you still deceiving yourself to this day?" "Your father took advantage of your trust to gather information. secret." "Your mother hid behind your identity as a police officer to carry out insider trading, even hiring people to assault you." "And you, from beginning to end, were just the tool they used - the most convenient tool, and also... the stupidest." "Tool..." - Pho Hao repeated that word like a shadow, his whole body trembling uncontrollably. He suddenly turned, his eyes bloodshot, almost crazy: "What about Tham Nguyet? "It's all because of her! She destroyed my whole family!" "She's more cruel than anyone! She's the devil who deserves to go to hell!" Captain Trieu looked at him with cold eyes, shaking his head slowly: "You're wrong." "Tham Nguyet, from beginning to end, was just a victim." "You were the one who pushed her to hell..." "...and she was just trying to crawl out of there." Those words were like the final nail in Pho Hao's coffin of faith. His legs were weak and he collapsed to the floor. His family was once proud. The love he once believed in. The future he had bet everything on — in that moment, it all collapsed. Pho Hao's entire world was shattered into ashes. The Pho family's case shocked not only the entire province, but also spread nationwide. The media called this "the most typical case of family-based corruption in recent years." The final verdict was announced very quickly. Pho Kien Quoc - as the mastermind - was sentenced to life in prison. Luu Phoi - with many crimes stacked against him - was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Pho Hao - although not directly participating, but for disclosing industry information, being irresponsible, and violating professional ethics - was expelled from the industry and sentenced to 5 years in prison. At the same time, Vuong Cuong and Hua Dao - along with the entire financial fraud ring - were also arrested and prepared to face the harshest sentence of the law. It's all come to an end. The divorce procedure between Pho Hao and I was completed quickly. Because at this point, he has nothing left to keep. I saw him one last time at the gate of the marriage registry office. Pho Hao was wearing a prison uniform, being led away by the police, his hair was white, and his face was haggard as if he had aged decades. He looked at me, his lips moving as if he wanted to say something — but then fell silent. In his eyes there was only numbness. I didn't look back, just quietly walked past him and went straight out. Outside, it's a beautiful sunny day — bright and serene. Run out of