Chapter 11 — World Chess Game

"What do you mean?"

The car accelerated, tearing through the wind and rushing into the night.

“Do you think Dang Duoc is a unified unit internally?”

"Trieu Thien Thanh's ambition is too great, despite all means, and has long made many people dissatisfied."

“He wants to use this deal to consolidate power and even go further.”

“And you… and those behind you, will not let him succeed.”

“So… we are allies?”

I asked, unsure. He glanced at me, the corner of his lips curled up into a bitter smile.

“You could say so.”

“A temporary ally… can be sacrificed at any time.”

His words are cruel... but they are the truth that I cannot deny, a truth so cold that just touching it is enough to make people feel pain.

“So what is that thing you said, ‘second contract’… exactly?”

“It's not a contract.”

Lam Phong's expression became terrifyingly serious, as if every word he was about to say carried a weight that could crush everything.

"That is all evidence of Trieu Thien Thanh's crimes, from bribing Ly Thien, planning accidents, to money laundering and internal purges..."

"Those things were originally in Mr. Truong's hands, and he intended to hand them over to the disciplinary inspection agency."

"That's why Trieu Thien Thanh was cornered and forced to kill."

“And now… those documents are gone.”

My heart sank to the bottom of the abyss, so cold that I could barely feel it.

“Trieu Thien Thanh doesn't just want to get the documents back.”

His voice was low, cold as ice, his eyes glued to the red lights changing color on the street.

“He still needs a substitute.”

“One person bears all the blame… let him retreat cleanly.”

He turned to look at me, his eyes as deep as an abyss.

“Tham Nguyet, that person… is you.”

"The insurance beneficiary is me, the car's previous owner is me... the entire chain of evidence can be completely closed on me."

“Now he hasn't found the documents, so the target has switched to you.”

“He will take you… or…”

“So that I can never open my mouth again.”

The air in the car seemed to freeze, so heavy that every breath became difficult. At that moment, Lam Phong's phone rang, he connected via bluetooth headset, the voice on the other end was so urgent that it almost broke.

“Mr. Phong, it's not okay!”

“My people just reported back.”

“The girl named Ly Thien…”

“Dead.”

“Police initially concluded… it was suicide.”

13 Ly Thien's death Ly Thien is dead. The police initially concluded... it was suicide. Those words were like an evil curse, echoing in the closed space, making my whole body cold from the inside out. No way. A person who was both planning to kill and dreaming of moving to a higher level of life... would choose to end like that? She was halfway successful, only a few steps away from the finish line. There's no reason to die. Unless… she didn't commit suicide. But being gagged. My eyes unconsciously turned towards Lam Phong, clearly seeing blue veins bulging on the back of his hand as he tightened his grip on the steering wheel. The streetlight flashed across his cold face, sometimes light and dark, like a compressed volcano.

“Trieu Thien Thanh.”

He gritted his teeth and said that name, each word seemed to come out from between his teeth.

“He started clearing the flag.”

Ly Thien completed his mission, making him Truong was hospitalized, making Hoanh Dat confused. But at the same time… she also became a threat. She knows too much. It is a direct link to Trieu Thien Thanh. So... she had to die. I don't dare to imagine, before she died, what kind of fear she experienced. She thought she was a predator. But from beginning to end… it was just a hunting dog that was thrown away after it was finished. Tham Nguyet. The chess piece was chosen as the perfect substitute. Now that Ly Thien is dead, all clues about the murder seem to have been cut off. So who is Trieu Thien Thanh's next step...? No need to say it. He will turn me into an accomplice of someone who "committed suicide out of fear of crime". Put all the blame on me. Then let me… die in the same way. By then… everything will be perfect without a flaw.

“What should I do?”

My voice trembled, uncontrollably. Lam Phong suddenly steered the car, turned onto a deserted road, then stopped. He turned off the phone, turned to look at me, his eyes dark in the night. I don't answer. But I know... my face must have turned white.

“Fear is right.”