The car rolled out, leaving the bustling city behind.
Inside the vehicle, Uncle Ut focused on the road while Thien's father sat in the front, occasionally pointing out the way. In the back seat, Bao Uyen sat close to Thien, her hand gently resting on his.
"...Are you feeling better?" she asked softly.
"...Yeah," he replied.
The car merged onto the highway. Around them, motorcycles and cars zoomed past at high speeds. After a while, Thien looked out the window and saw sprawling industrial zones. Soon, a massive bridge appeared ahead. As they ascended, Thien noticed three towering H-shaped pillars reaching toward the sky.
The car slowed down at the toll booth at the bridge's entrance. Thien leaned forward to get a better look, while Bao Uyen had already drifted off to sleep beside him. Symmetrical cables stretched from the tops of the towers down to the bridge deck, forming sharp, geometric triangles.
As the car reached the highest point of the bridge, the scenery opened up: a vast expanse of water and sky. In the distance, the lush green of mangrove forests met the horizon, and further away, the seaport teemed with life. Massive cargo ships were docked or slowly navigating the waters of Hai Phong port, flanked by modern, towering container cranes. At the foot of the bridge toward Quang Yen, large-scale industrial projects were in full development.
Descending from the bridge, the car entered Quang Yen. As they moved deeper into the village, the atmosphere shifted. It was quiet, a stark contrast to the vibrant energy of Hai Phong. There were no high-rise buildings here; instead, the roads were shaded by ancient trees, especially in the central area. Rows of old tiled-roof houses stood alongside French-era structures—offices and schools—interspersed with newly built modern homes. Thien looked out and saw various rivers and small canals crisscrossing the landscape.
The car eventually pulled into the driveway of a two-story house with a red-tiled roof. Thien nudged Bao Uyen gently.
"Uyen, wake up. We're here."
Bao Uyen slowly blinked her eyes open. The four of them stepped out and entered the house. The interior was spacious, dominated by wooden architecture. The kitchen and dining area were open, and at the center of the house stood a traditional ancestral altar. Large windows lined the walls, rattling slightly despite the lack of wind.
Uncle Ut announced, "There are only two bedrooms. So, Brother Sau and Thien can take one, and Uyen will sleep with me in the other."
Bao Uyen pouted, immediately running to Thien's side. "No! I want to sleep with Brother Thien!"
"This girl…" Uncle Ut sighed, pointing at her.
Bao Uyen hid behind Thien's back. Thien's father laughed. "Forget it, Uncle Ut. Let the two of them sleep in one room; you and I can share the other."
Uncle Ut gave in helplessly. "Fine. You sleep with Thien tonight."
Delighted, Bao Uyen grabbed Thien's hand and pulled him toward the stairs.
At a bend in the river, inside the bridge of the warship resting on the riverbed, a hologram display flickered with a red dot. A black-clad soldier reported, "Sir, the target has entered the territory."
The Crimson-Eyed Black Dragon stared at the screen, his eyes burning with a sinister red glow. He let out a frantic, manic laugh.
"Good… prepare for action."
"…This time, I will bury this entire land along with him."
Back at the house, Thien looked out the bedroom window, watching the waves of the Bach Dang River. Strong gusts of wind blew past, causing his necklace to vibrate intensely.
But at a stretch of the river that no one noticed, the water… was no longer moving with the wind. Instead, it was swirling together, forming a massive vortex that looked like a gargantuan mouth opening wide.
At the center of that vortex, a pale blue light slowly opened its eyes.