Chapter 19 — Secret Explosive Burning of Cow Dung

“Van Duong, stop wasting your time with her.”

“Something happened at the photography shop.”

I woke up. Tham Kieu also heard it. She immediately asked: "Mr. Luc, where have you been?" Luc Van Da's side heard the sound of sudden braking.

“The town head.”

“There was smoke outside the old photography shop.”

My heart suddenly sank. The screen transitioned, and Luc Van Da's phone lens shook violently. In the dark, an old street is blocked by a median strip. At the end of the street is a photography shop with a faded sign, black smoke is pouring out of the second floor window. There were people screaming. Someone carrying a bucket of water rushed inside. I turned around and ran out. Tieu Hoa panicked and chased after him.

“Miss Duong, the car is at the back door!”

Bach Nhiem suddenly shouted behind me.

“Van Duong!”

I don't stop. Her voice was so sharp that it seemed to break.

“What if you find her?”

“Do you think she definitely wants to take you back?”

I stopped walking. The old wound in her chest was torn open and bleeding profusely. But just stop for a second. I turned my head to look at her.

“Whether she wants to accept me or not is her problem.”

“Whether I go looking or not, is my problem.”

“Someone like you who steals someone else's silver lock and wears it around his neck has no right to make decisions for us.”

The expression on Bach Nhiem's face completely crumbled. I turned and rushed into the hallway. From behind came Tham Kieu's voice.

“The program's recording vehicle has departed.”

“Van Duong, please pay attention to safety.”

When I ran to the back door, the wind outside was very cold. Tieu Hoa put his coat on my shoulders. As soon as I sat in the car, my phone suddenly vibrated. It's a text message from that strange number. There's only one sentence. *Don't go to the photo shop, you'll regret it.* I stared at that line, my heart pounding. The next second, another photo was sent. In the photo, Luc Van Da is standing in front of the smoking photo shop. Behind him was a man wearing a hat and holding a knife in his hand. 14 I looked up.

“Driver, go faster!”

The driver was startled by me and stepped on the accelerator. Tieu Hoa saw the photo on my phone, her face turned pale.

"Miss Duong, should I call the police?"

“Newspaper.”

I sent the photo to Tham Kieu, then sent it to Luc Van Da. But Luc Van Da did not answer. His side's livestream screen is still connected. The lens was pointed straight at the photo shop, the screen shook once, then suddenly half went dark. I heard a dull “thump” sound. Like the phone fell to the ground. My heart jumped into my throat.

“Luc Van Da!”

No one answered in the headset. There were only chaotic footsteps and screams in the distance. Tieu Hoa also panicked.

“Brother Luc, nothing will happen, right?”

I stared at the screen. In the darkness, someone cursed softly. Then came Luc Van Da's suppressed voice.

“It's okay.”

“The phone just fell.”

Just as I breathed a sigh of relief, he continued: "He ran into the back alley." My anger immediately flared up.

“Don't chase me!”

He did not answer. When the screen lit up again, only a wet paved road could be filmed. He ran into the small alley. Both sides of the old street are shabby shops. Walls are peeling, signs are hanging crooked. Fire at the photography shop It doesn't seem big, but there's a lot of smoke. It's like someone intentionally set a fire near the photo studio, just wanting to destroy things and not burn down the whole street. When we arrived, the fire department was already outside. Tham Kieu's camera car also arrived. She got out of the car, her hair was messed up by the wind, but she still tried to maintain the composure of a presenter.

“Van Duong, don't come in yet.”

How can I hear it?

“Where is Luc Van Da?”