Chapter 3 — Reverse Chess

A huge commotion erupted in the hall. The chatter was like a tidal wave, rushing, terrifying. Many people were so surprised that they stood up from their chairs, their eyes widening in disbelief. I stood in the center, looking straight at the crowd, my voice was slow, each word seemed to be engraved in everyone's ears: "In other words... my mother... was intentionally poisoned to death." As soon as the words ended, Hua Du Du let out a shrill scream. “You talk nonsense!” “You are crazy!” “How can you slander your mother's death like that!” I slowly turned my head to look at her, the corners of my lips curled up, my smile was cold and scary: "Slander?" My eyes locked tightly on that pale face, each word was like a nail: "Du Du, for the past half year, it was you - and only you - who took care of mother's food and activities, right?" "Mother's medicine, mother's drinking water, every pill, every drop... were brought to me by myself." I took a step forward, looked straight at her, my voice low and cold: "Tell me... besides you... who has a better chance than you... to put 'a little special spice' in mom's medicine?" "Not me! Not me!" Hua Du Du almost went crazy, crying and shaking her head, her mascara was smudged, her face was distorted in panic. She rushed towards Luc Can Ngon, clutching his arm like a drowning person clinging to a stake: "Can Ngon! You have to believe me! It's really not me! How could I harm my mother!" She choked, her voice broke, her hands trembled: "It's her! It must be her! She's so sad that she's gone crazy, giving birth to hallucinations! Yes, she's gone crazy!" In the hall, everyone's eyes switched back and forth between me and her. Some people were skeptical, some people were skeptical, some people had started whispering... Only Luc Can Ngon - He didn't say a word. He stood there, his face cold as stone, his dark eyes as deep as an abyss, his gaze locked on me, so complicated that I couldn't guess. My eyes locked on Luc Can Ngon's face — that face finally showed an emotion I had never seen before: panic. It was just a glimpse, but I definitely didn't see it wrong. As for Hua Chan Van — he was as stunned as petrified. The trembling finger pointed straight at me, his lips moved several times without being able to utter a complete word: "Nim Niem... Is... this... true? Do... do you... have any evidence?" I tilted my head slightly, the corner of my lips curled up, and laughed, a smile that made the corners of my eyes wet: "Evidence?" “Dad, you want proof…” I raised my head, the crystal light reflected in my eyes, cold as ice: “Then I'll give you proof.” My voice was sharp, each word resounding in the suffocating silence: "Not only do I have a toxicology report from the world's leading inspection agency... I also have evidence - proving who... was the person who gave this special medicine to Hua Du Du." As soon as the words ended, the entire hall suddenly became so quiet that you could clearly hear a pin drop. I turned around, my gaze like a sharp sword, stabbing straight at Luc Can Ngon: "Luc Can Ngon. This special medicine ingredient... comes from the biopharmaceutical company that you own. Is that true?" I took a step forward, my voice lowered, each word like the sound of a hammer: "This drug research project, Codenamed ‘Snake Bites Its Tail’… It is the highest secret project of his company. Only a few senior personnel know of its existence.” I looked at him, my eyes unblinking: "And you... are the person in charge of that project." “Boom—” If the previous news was just a thunderclap exploding in the clear sky, then at this moment, it was an atomic bomb thrown directly into the auditorium. The air exploded, the sound of cold air rushing in, the sound of gossip like a tsunami coming: The general director of Luc Thi Group... and his future sister-in-law... were suspected of colluding to poison and kill her biological mother, who was also his legal mother-in-law?! This news is so shocking. Too unbelievable. But no one dares to take it lightly. Luc Can Ngon finally spoke up. His voice was low, a bit hoarse, but still trying to keep the last bit of calm: "Hua Niem. Rice can be eaten indiscriminately... but words cannot be said indiscriminately." He raised his chin, his cold eyes carrying a kind of authority born from his habit of standing high and looking down at sentient beings: "Our company's medicine management always has the strictest procedures. There is absolutely no way anything could get out.” He stared at me, his voice lowered and suppressed, each word seemed to come out through gritted teeth: “This report that you call 'evidence'... the origin is ambiguous, the authenticity is doubtful. I have every reason to believe that… all of this… was intentionally fabricated by you.” I stood there, silent for a second. Then... I burst out laughing, a sharp laugh that seemed to tear apart the atmosphere that was already as tense as a string. “Fabulous?” I tightened my grip on the microphone, my eyes were cold, my voice was low, each word was clear: "Luc Can Ngon... are you sure?" I smiled softly, a cold smile like the cutting wind. "Luc Can Ngon, do you really think... I'm still the same idiot as before, just needing a few sweet words from you to believe me?" “I dare to stand here today, revealing everything in front of everyone…” I looked straight at him, each word and sentence cutting into the air like a knife: “Do you think… I am not fully prepared?” Having finished speaking, I gently clapped my hands three times. “Clack——” The large door of the hall opened once again. This time, entering were several police officers wearing uniforms and leather shoes stepping on the marble floor, making heavy sounds. I recognized the leader immediately — Captain Ly, head of the criminal squad of the City Police Department. He walked straight towards me, seriously nodded in greeting, then turned around, his sharp eyes sweeping straight towards Luc Can Ngon and Hua Du Du - two faces without a drop of blood. He took the papers from his briefcase and held them up in front of everyone: "Mr. Luc Can Ngon, Ms. Hua Du Du. We have officially received the complaint, suspecting that the two of you are seriously involved in Ms. Lam Uyen's death." He paused for a moment, his voice echoing like the sound of a pile hammer: "This is an official investigation order. Please follow us to the police department and coordinate to clarify the case." In that moment, Hua Du Du felt like he was struck by lightning. She was stunned, then let out a shrill scream, her whole body shaking, like a drowning child finding the last lifeline. She clung tightly to Luc Can Ngon's arm, her cry broken, desperate as if the whole world had collapsed: "No... I'm not going! I don't kill people!” “Can Ngon! Save me! Please save me!” “I won't do it! Believe me!” Scene That statue caused the whole hall to burst into chatter. The crystal lights sparkled, falling on the faces of horror, curiosity, and excitement because they were witnessing the play of the century. Luc Can Ngon stood motionless, his face so gloomy that he could bleed. His hand was clenched so tightly that his joints turned white, and the veins on the back of his hand were bulging, hiding the ultimate suppressed anger. He looked at me. That look... for the first time, did not hide a layer of deep hatred. “Hua Niem.” His voice was low and hoarse, as if squeezing out each word from his throat: "Do you have to do this?" I faced him, my eyes as calm as a winter lake, my tone as light as a spring breeze: "You forced me." I paused for a moment, my hand tightening on the microphone, each word coming out cold to the bone: "When I knelt in front of my mother's shrine, staying up all night to guard her incense... My 'dear' brother and sister, in the room next door... were madly entwined with each other." The whole hall simultaneously took a deep breath, some people gasped in surprise, some covered their mouths and whispered, their eyes mixed with complicated expressions. I continued, my voice choked but carrying a crushing weight: "While the two of you put on gorgeous gowns and stand here to receive blessings... My mother... is still lying alone in the cold ground." I raised my chin, my eyes swept around, clearly seeing every shocked expression of all the guests. “If you ask why I'm standing here today…” “I'll tell you…” I paused, my voice as deep as a winter night, each word as heavy as nails: “I came to claim my mother's life.” “I swear to myself…” I tightened my grip on the microphone, my voice was low, each word falling like a hammer: “I will definitely make you… blood for blood.”