Chapter 1 — The City Behind the Mist

The bus stopped at the central bus station of Van Son town in the early morning, when the thick fog still covered the winding slopes, revealing only the undulating moss-tiled roofs as if floating in mid-air. Bach Khanh Linh got out of the car, pulled up the collar of her jacket to protect against the typical cold of the highlands, and stood still for a long time, letting the memories of fifteen years rush back to her chest.

She swore to herself that she would never return to this place. But now, when the architectural company where she worked won the bid for the "Renovate Van Son Old Quarter" project - one of the most important urban planning projects in the province this year - she had no choice but to return, as the chief architect in charge of the entire design.

"Khanh Linh, right?" A familiar voice rang out from behind, causing her to turn around in surprise. He was a tall, thin man with tanned skin typical of someone who often works outdoors. His eyes shone with surprise and joy.

"Viet Hoang?" Khanh Linh asked again, unable to hide her surprise when she recognized her childhood friend whom she had not seen for fifteen years. "Are you still here?"

"I have never left Van Son," Dinh Viet Hoang replied, a warm smile on his lips even though his eyes still had a hint of complexity that was hard to name. "I heard that your company won the bid for the project to renovate the old town. I am also participating as an independent geological engineer, invited by the Town People's Committee to survey the ground in the project area."

That coincidence made Khanh Linh both happy and a little uneasy. Viet Hoang, the son of the man who worked in the rescue team on the night of the disaster fifteen years ago, is one of the few people in Van Son who has never treated her family maliciously, even though his father was also one of the victims seriously injured on that fateful night.

"I didn't know how to react when I found out I would be working with you on this project," Khanh Linh admitted, her voice somewhat hesitant. "After everything that happened..."

"That's exactly why I think you need to be here," Viet Hoang interrupted, his eyes becoming serious. "There are things about the new project area that I think you need to know, before the design goes too far."

Before Khanh Linh could ask more, a pickup truck belonging to the town People's Committee stopped nearby, and a middle-aged man got out, looking imposing in a business suit even though he was in a small highland town. "Architect Bach Khanh Linh, right?" he asked, his voice affable but somewhat formulaic. "I am Bui Quoc Bao, Chairman of the People's Committee of Van Son town. It is an honor to welcome you here to take charge of this important project."

Khanh Linh shook his hand, trying to maintain a professional look even though her heart was still filled with emotions. "Thank you for your welcome, Mr. Chairman. I look forward to working with the town government to complete this project in the best possible way."

"We have arranged a project introduction meeting this afternoon, attended by relevant parties, including the main investor — Mr. Ho Xuan Truong, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Van Son Land Real Estate Company," Mr. Bao announced. "This is a project that will have enormous significance for the economic development of our town in the years to come."

The name Ho Xuan Truong made Khanh Linh slightly stunned. A vague memory of the engineer who worked under her father appeared in her mind, although she could not remember the details clearly because she was too young at that time. She glanced at Viet Hoang, and noticed that his eyes also flashed with a hard-to-conceal tension when he heard that name.

After Mr. Bao left to prepare for the afternoon meeting, Khanh Linh turned to Viet Hoang, her voice filled with worry. "You seem uncomfortable when you hear Mr. Truong's name. Is there anything you need to know?"

Viet Hoang sighed, his eyes looking far away toward the mist that still covered the valley below the town. "Mr. Ho Xuan Truong used to be a construction supervision engineer under my father, right before the disaster," he said, his voice low. "After that, he left the public construction industry, switched to real estate, and has now become one of the wealthiest and most influential businessmen in this area."

"Do you think he had anything to do with the disaster that year?" Khanh Linh asked directly, her heart beating faster when thinking about that possibility.

"I don't have concrete evidence," Viet Hoang replied, his voice cautious. "But I always felt like there was something wrong with the way all the responsibility was put on your father's shoulders, while other people directly involved in the construction process were not thoroughly investigated at all. I've been meaning to tell you this for a long time, but never had the chance, because you left Van Son so quickly after your father passed away."

Those words made Khanh Linh feel a surge of complicated emotions — both an old pain that had never subsided, and a faint glimmer of hope that, perhaps, the truth about her father had not been completely revealed.

“I need to know the whole truth, whatever it is,” she said, her voice steady even as her eyes filled with tears. "My father endured the contempt of this entire town for the last two years of his life, and I have lived for fifteen years with the specter that, perhaps, it was my father who caused the deaths of seventeen innocent people."

Viet Hoang placed his hand on her shoulder, his eyes full of sincere sympathy. "I will help you find the truth, Linh," he said. "But you need to prepare yourself, because the road ahead may not be easy, especially when it may touch the people who hold the most power and money in this town."

Khanh Linh nodded, looking towards the mist that still covered the entire valley below, where the ancient Van Son market was hidden - where the disaster happened fifteen years ago, and now, also the center of the beautification project she was assigned to be in charge of. She knows that the journey ahead will not only be a simple architectural project, but also a journey to find the truth that has been buried for too long under the thick fog of her hometown.

Viet Hoang offered to take her to the small hotel where she would stay during the project, passing through the familiar streets that Khanh Linh had memorized every paving stone in her childhood. But now, many things have changed — the rows of old wooden houses have been replaced by modern but out-of-place concrete structures, completely breaking the typical architecture that her father worked hard to preserve in the town's first master plan.

"So many things have changed so much," Khanh Linh said softly, her eyes scanning over the new constructions that were crowded and lacking in planning. "Is this part of the reason why this beautification project is so urgent?"

"That's right," Viet Hoang replied, his voice low. "After the disaster, the town government relaxed many construction regulations to attract investment and quick economic recovery. But as a result, the old town has now become a mess between old and new, between safety and recklessness. This project is expected to correct everything, but he is worried that, if not careful, it could repeat the same mistakes that led to the disaster in the past."

When they arrived in front of the small hotel, Viet Hoang stopped, his eyes seriously looking at Khanh Linh. "This afternoon, during the project introduction meeting, you should carefully observe Mr. Ho Xuan Truong's reaction when mentioning the old geological area," he said. "He tried to include some warnings about weak ground in the preliminary survey report, but was always dismissed on the grounds of 'unnecessary, costly, slow progress.' I need you, as chief architect, to support my voice in this matter."

"I promise to carefully review all technical reports, not to let any pressure affect the safety of the project," Khanh Linh replied, her voice determined. "It's the least I can do, not only because of my professional responsibility, but also because of what my father paid for."

Viet Hoang nodded, a relieved smile flashing across his face. "I believe you can do it, Linh," he said. "Welcome back to Van Son, although I know, this is not an easy return."