At the Bình Chánh headquarters, Demon King Satan was reviewing the financial reports from the companies under the Satanic royal family — documents discreetly sent by high-ranking demons disguised as CEOs. He calmly read each page, his amber-gold eyes gliding coldly across the rows of numbers on the laptop screen.

  A field agent stepped inside and bowed.

  – “My Lord, the agents at the boarding-house area just reported back. They said the humans are completely tangled up — truth and lies mixed together. They can’t figure out anything.”

  Satan nodded, his voice leisurely:

  – “Good. To defeat an enemy, you strike from within. When they no longer trust each other… they crumble on their own.”

  The elder Grand Madam Advisor spoke up with confusion:

  – “But my Lord, after what you did last night, I thought D?ng’s family would be too traumatized to even think about holding a wedding today…”

  Satan looked up, his gaze sharp yet regal:

  – “I have my own methods. Even if I show myself directly, they won’t remember a thing. I can make them forget, vaguely recall, or be unable to forget… all with a single command.”

  Master V?nh grew curious.

  – “So it wasn’t Erion or Trúc Di?n? Then… who acted?”

  Satan burst into laughter, the sound echoing across the hall.

  – “You will find out soon enough. My most trusted confidant is about to reveal themselves. All of you — along with my children — will be very surprised.”

  ---

  At B?n Thành Market, the sky had begun to dim, warm yellow lights glowing softly over the stalls.

  Yin smiled and spoke:

  – “Everyone, let’s head to my villa in District 9. I’ll treat you all to some Southern Mekong dishes.”

  The little demons cheered instantly:

  – “We’ve been starving! Will there be L?u M?m? We haven’t had that in ages!”

  Erion sighed:

  – “With subordinates who only think about eating and playing, I’m always embarrassed… and exhausted.”

  Din laughed:

  – “Vietnamese food is too good. That’s why they crave everything. Let’s grab the vehicles and head to Yin’s place.”

  Yin added politely:

  – “My chef has already arrived to prepare the meal. If anyone wants anything extra, we can buy it now.”

  The little demons jumped around like excited children:

  – “Milk tea! Fruit tea! Rice paper salad! Dried beef salad too!!”

  Trúc Di?n shook his head, smiling:

  – “Brother-in-law is going to spend a fortune today. But with the black diamond mine — and the ‘black gold mine’ — money isn’t a problem.”

  Erion shot him a glare:

  – “I’m still poorer than my brother-in-law. His palace is made of bamboo jade — pretty, yes, but completely useless economically…”

  L?p Thành stifled a laugh:

  – “Stop it. The two princesses just calmed down. If they get mad again, we’re doomed.”

  Nh? Phu suggested:

  – “Why don’t we stop by District 5? I’ll treat everyone to dumplings and Há C?o — a Ch? L?n specialty.”

  Chen perked up:

  – “Great idea. And they sell chrysanthemum herbal tea there. I like the one with chrysanthemum blossoms.”

  ??i Ng?c blushed lightly:

  – “If you like it… then let me treat you.”

  The group’s mood grew lively and cheerful. They quickly got on their vehicles and headed toward District 5, ready to pick up all the best Ch? L?n dishes before returning to Yin’s villa.

  Inside a large jewelry store, D?ng and the others were looking at wedding accessories and choosing a wedding ring for Anh Th?. The store owner — D?ng’s long-time friend — approached cheerfully with a tray of tea.

  – “It’s been ages since you two visited. Alright, what would you like to buy today? I’ll help you choose.”

  C?u D?ng smiled brightly.

  – “My daughter’s wedding is this Sunday. I want to order a pair of wedding rings, but her ring must be set with the highest-quality natural diamond.”

  The shop owner looked surprised.

  – “And the other ring? You’re planning to use a synthetic stone?”

  Mr. Tín and Mrs. Nguy?t flushed with embarrassment. Their difficult financial situation made them feel ashamed — they couldn’t afford a proper pair of matching rings.

  Huy tightened his fist, an ambitious thought flashing in his mind:

  – “I’m about to become the precious son-in-law… I’ll earn it all back several times over.”

  He then spoke up politely:

  – “I’ve saved a little… Please make both rings with natural diamonds. Otherwise they wouldn’t be a real wedding pair.”

  The shop owner nodded approvingly.

  – “The boy’s right. Wedding rings must match. Give however much you can, I won’t charge labor.”

  Dì T? gently added:

  – “If it’s not enough, the bride’s parents can cover the rest. I’ve saved a little too…”

  C?u D?ng quickly waved his hand.

  – “Just make them. I’ll pay for everything. As for the amount Huy was planning to contribute — let him use that to buy my daughter’s wedding dress.”

  Mrs. Nguy?t brightened.

  – “Thank you so much. We truly appreciate it.”

  Huy spoke softly:

  – “Then I’ll use the money to buy Anh Th? a beautiful wedding gown.”

  The shop owner immediately pulled out a tray of rings.

  – “Here. These are the most popular natural diamond wedding rings this year. Choose what you like, and if the size doesn’t fit, I’ll adjust it.”

  At that moment, Charles’ phone rang. He took it out and said gently:

  – “Probably a teacher from the school. I’ll step outside to take the call.”

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  He walked out and stood near the shop sign before answering.

  – “I’m listening, Deep.”

  Deep’s voice on the other end was tense.

  – “I’ve had my team look into Mr. Nhan… but something’s wrong.”

  Charles frowned.

  – “What do you mean wrong?”

  Deep lowered his voice:

  – “My assistant discovered that Mr. Nhan and Mr. Phúc — the two men we met and even had lunch with — are, in fact… nonexistent. No records, no documents, no trace that they ever lived.”

  Charles stiffened.

  – “Impossible. We met them in person!”

  Deep continued:

  – “I thought my assistant messed up too. So the three of us went back to the boarding-house neighborhood to check. Everything was the same as before. Even the guy at the repair shop said no one there knows a Mr. Nhan. I’ve been racking my brain over this.”

  Charles glanced inside. C?u D?ng’s family was still happily picking out wedding rings.

  – “They’re busy choosing rings. I’ll call you later. Thanks.”

  He hung up.

  But he had no idea — A pair of ears with extraordinary hearing had caught every single word of that conversation.

  And the identity of that listener…

  remained a mystery.

  The evening in District 5 was as lively as a festival. The food streets lit up brightly, filled with the aromas of dumplings, char siu, hot tofu pudding, and satay noodles — creating the unmistakable atmosphere of Ch? L?n’s Chinese community. Along H?i Th??ng L?n ?ng Street, laughter mixed with the constant sizzling of frying pans.

  The group stood in front of a steaming dumpling stall, hot vapor rising into the air.

  The cheerful Chinese-Vietnamese vendor greeted them:

  – “How many would you like? Quail egg or salted egg?”

  H?u K? smiled comfortably:

  – “Give us thirty, a mix of both.”

  Lita blinked in surprise.

  – “Why are you buying so many?”

  L?p Thành glanced at the little demons eagerly crowding behind them and chuckled:

  – “We need a lot just to feed them.”

  Erion, staring into the distance as if doing calculations, said:

  – “I’m going to buy grilled chicken.”

  Trúc Di?n shot him a teasing side-eye:

  – “Brother-in-law, buy five. I’ll get five orders of dumplings too.”

  Yin nearly tripped:

  – “Buy less! There’s already a whole banquet cooking at my villa!”

  Trang quickly suggested:

  – “Then let’s buy drinks. Smoothies, fruit juice, milk tea, soft drinks… all kinds.”

  The group spread out — some buying chicken, others getting drinks, others waiting for dumplings. The little demons bounced around like they were at a festival.

  ---

  While the outside was bustling with food shopping, inside the jewelry store was a completely different scene — bright, sparkling, elegant.

  Anh Th? and Huy had finished choosing their wedding ring design. The shop owner smiled warmly as he placed the pair into a red velvet box.

  – “The sizes fit perfectly, no adjustment needed. I won’t charge labor — just the gold and diamonds.”

  The lights shone on the rings, making them sparkle like stars.

  Huy looked at them and spoke softly:

  – “They’re beautiful… Tomorrow morning I’ll take you to buy the wedding dress. We’ll keep it as a memory.”

  Anh ?ào chimed in, her eyes shining:

  – “We should buy the wedding gold here too. No need to go anywhere else.”

  Mr. Tín suddenly remembered and slapped his forehead:

  – “Oh right! The wedding gold — I completely forgot.”

  The shop owner nodded happily.

  – “I’ve got all kinds of 24K wedding jewelry — necklaces, bangles, earrings. I’ll bring them out for you to see. It’s better to buy now since the next few days will be hectic, and the wedding is so close.”

  M? Linh smiled brightly:

  – “Exactly. My husband has already sponsored the wedding rings, so you should handle the wedding gold for the kids.”

  Mrs. Nguy?t turned to her daughter-in-law, her voice warm:

  – “Anh Th?, choose whichever design you like. These are gifts from us — to give you two something valuable to start your life together.”

  The atmosphere inside the jewelry store was warm and joyful, filled with excitement for the upcoming big day.

  Inside a private room at the international hospital, My was finally awake. Mrs. Lan sat by her bedside, gently feeding her spoonfuls of porridge.

  – “Try to eat a little, dear. Vú N?m cooked this exactly the way you like it.”

  Vú N?m, while preparing a glass of orange juice, smiled kindly.

  – “Finish this porridge and drink some juice to regain your strength. I also brought American grapes — the kind you love the most.”

  My whispered weakly:

  – “Where’s Tu?n… and the other two?”

  Mr. Quy answered softly, not wanting her to worry:

  – “They went out for some work. Probably a client called. Don’t mind it — your health comes first. That’s what matters now.”

  ---

  At a nearby café, Tu?n’s team was packing up to leave.

  Tu?n spoke quietly, his voice low and troubled:

  – “We have to visit Mr. D?ng’s house. Only his family should have pictures of Trang from her childhood.”

  Deep nodded:

  – “We’ll go in the morning. At this point, I can’t tell what’s real and what’s not.”

  Tan scratched his head, frustrated:

  – “Same here, boss. The investigation files clearly say Mr. Nhan doesn’t exist, but when we checked the neighborhood, people there insisted he lived there for a while.”

  Ti?n frowned:

  – “Something’s really off. And what about that Trúc Di?n guy and his girlfriend? Who are they, that their info is protected behind a military-grade firewall? And that firewall even has insignias linked to Satan and the Serpent God.”

  Tan turned to Th?ng:

  – “Can you break into it?”

  Th?ng shook his head instantly:

  – “If I could, I wouldn’t be sitting here. Even Quang — my friend, a top-tier hacker — gave up.”

  The more Tu?n listened, the more suspicious he became.

  – “This is bad. Tell the professor and see what he thinks. He’s good with IT too.”

  Th?ng exhaled sharply, then set his jaw:

  – “I’ll try again tonight. But that security system… it’s like a labyrinth with a thousand layers. And if that labyrinth is real… anyone trapped inside would just have to sit there and wait to die.”

  A few meters away, a janitor was mopping the floor with his head bowed. His lips curled into a faint smirk.

  He was, in truth, a demon — an operative of the Black Diamond unit under Erion’s command.

  And the conversation of Tu?n’s group had been recorded without them knowing.

  – “Oh, that labyrinth is real… It’s a spatial cube created by the General himself. Anyone who gets locked inside… will only wait for death.” he whispered, just loud enough for himself.

  ---

  At the Qing-dynasty-style mansion in District 9, the dinner feast had been set.

  On the table, dishes from the Southwestern Mekong region filled the air with fragrant steam:

  Snakehead fish grilled in bamboo tubes, scented with banana leaves and lemongrass

  Fermented hotpot brimming with Linh fish, shrimp, and salted crabs, served with bright yellow ?iên ?i?n blossoms

  Sour fish soup balanced between tamarind, herbs, and fresh river fish

  Crispy golden Bánh Xèo

  Field rat roasted to a golden crisp, sprinkled with chili salt

  Beside them was a line of Chinese dishes:

  Dumplings with salted egg or quail egg filling

  Nine varieties of dim sum — shrimp, pork, vegetables, and more

  Wonton noodles fragrant with fried shallots

  Grilled chicken with M?c M?t leaves, its skin glossy with oil

  The little demons piled food into their bowls, eyes sparkling.

  Erion shook his head helplessly.

  – “Your masters are royal demons and royal vampires… none of them eat like this. I don’t understand who these brats take after.”

  Arian shrugged.

  – “They’re just like kids who found candy.”

  H?u K? picked up a dumpling and placed it in Erion’s bowl.

  – “Try it. It’s still hot and crunchy.”

  Nh? Phu placed a shrimp dumpling into Trang’s bowl.

  – “Princess, try this. These dumplings are firm, not mushy like the frozen ones.”

  Trúc Di?n placed two pork-and-chive dumplings each into Lita’s and H?ng Nhung’s bowls.

  – “Eat before they cool. Once the dough gets cold, you’ll have to reheat it again.”

  Everyone glanced at Chen, whose face was as red as a ripe tomato.

  Yin cleared her throat and hinted:

  – “Chen, serve something to Miss ??i Ng?c. Let her try the snakehead fish or the fermented hotpot with ?iên ?i?n blossoms.”

  Shy but obedient, Chen placed a piece of grilled fish into ??i Ng?c’s bowl.

  – “Please eat. If you like it… I’ll cook it for you.”

  ??i Ng?c giggled softly.

  – “Thank you. Then you must cook it for me.”

  Warmth and laughter filled the room.

  In an era tangled with schemes and secrets, this small breath of family — this simple joy — was a rare treasure.

  Near midnight, after the warm family dinner, C?u D?ng’s family, Mr. Tài’s family, and Professor Charles returned to the villa district in District 2. Mr. Tài opened the gate and still remembered to turn back and thank them:

  – “Thank you for inviting us over. Today was really fun.”

  C?u D?ng smiled kindly:

  – “Oh, don’t mention it. Back when my family was in trouble, yours helped us. This is just a small meal in return.”

  M? Linh turned to Mrs. Nga:

  – “Tomorrow morning let’s go get our áo dài tailored. There are a few shops across from Tan ??nh Market that are really skillful.”

  Mrs. Nga nodded happily:

  – “Let’s go early then. We can buy a few more things while we’re there.”

  Even though he knew perfectly well that C?u D?ng and his wife were scheming people, Charles still maintained a polite smile:

  – “Thank you, both of you.”

  Then he turned to Join and Mary:

  – “Tomorrow the two of you will come with me. I need help preparing lecture materials for my online class.”

  Anh ?ào looked confused:

  – “Huh? Why not bring Anh Ph??ng instead?”

  Charles smiled gently, explaining:

  – “Mary and Join study physics. That’s my field. Anh Ph??ng studies something else — she can’t help me prepare physics lessons.”

  Anh ?ào slapped her forehead:

  – “Ah — right… I forgot.”

  Dì T? looked around and reminded everyone:

  – “It’s late. You should all get some rest. Tomorrow will be busy. I still need to check the tea and pastries and order more for the wedding.”

  C?u D?ng nodded:

  – “Mrs. T?, just tell me whatever needs paying for. It’d be embarrassing if we ran short of anything on the day.”

  After that, everyone split off to their own rooms, resting after a long but pleasant day of shopping.

  ---

  A Strange Discovery in the Living Room

  When Anh Ph??ng walked into the living room, she suddenly noticed a few small black strands — soft and thin — lying on the carpet.

  – “Do we have any pets in the house?”

  She picked one up and inspected it.

  C?u D?ng shook his head:

  – “Of course not. The only animals we have are the koi fish outside.”

  Dì T? came over, bending down to take a look:

  – “You’re saying this is animal fur? We don’t have any pets. And… what animal does this even come from?”

  Join approached and held the strands under the light. His brows knit slightly:

  – “This is… black cat fur.”

  Mary shuddered a little, whispering:

  – “Black cats are usually… well, witches keep them…”

  Dì T? frowned immediately:

  – “Witches? What are you talking about?”

  Join quickly reassured her, avoiding unnecessary panic:

  – “Mary just meant in stories and movies, auntie. Witches often have black cats. It’s nothing serious.”

  Dì T? nodded, though her eyes remained uncertain. No one in the house knew that the appearance of those strands of black cat fur was a sign of something… not ordinary at all.