Chapter 8
Karmic hindrance
As the four individuals have yet to cleanse the filth from their bodies, JK and Anh Dao appear. A suffocating pressure of demonic origin envelops the entire space, making it hard to breathe.
Although JK agreed to let them go, the victims still feel fear, uncertain whether the old man is truly satisfied or will force them to endure humiliation once more. Even though JK seems pleased, the four remain unsure if he will keep his promise. Thus, Hoang Kim asks first:
- Do you only come personally to bring this to an end when you are satisfied?
A bodyguard brings over a chair, respectfully allowing JK to sit down. The old man flashes a sinister smile, his gaze sweeping across the three women. Since they have not yet retrieved their clothes, the girls panic, using their hands to cover their chests and pressing their legs tightly together, attempting to hide the filth still leaking from their bodies.
Anh Dao bends down, picking up the clothes that have fallen to the ground, but is harshly reprimanded by JK. It is clear that JK intends to humiliate these women. The blonde girl feels indignation for the victims but outwardly responds to the old man in a calm tone:
- Everything is over now. Consider this my plea to you, Father!
Anh Dao has never begged the old man for anything, but this time, she makes an exception for these strangers. As a woman, she cannot bear to watch other women suffer such humiliation any longer.
JK falls silent. Hoang Kim repeats the question once more:
- Are you satisfied?
JK takes a puff of his cigarette and then blows the smoke toward Hoang Kim's face.
- Satisfied? Of course. You all brought rain clouds and floods—if I weren't satisfied, would that mean I'm 'artistically' blind?
The bodyguards erupt in laughter, joining their master in crude remarks. Hearing filthy words is less humiliating than being naked in front of countless piercing gazes. Hoang Kim grabs onto the old man's weak spot.
- You said letting go meant no more humiliation for us!
JK shrugs and sneers:
- I never said I'd allow you guys to wear clothes!
The master and his servants scoff. Hoang Kim smiles calmly and adds:
- This brings you no benefit, but for us, it is dignity. Powerful people cunningly swallow their promises. Aren't you afraid of being betrayed for breaking your word? A moment of satisfaction in exchange for future regret—do you think it's worth it?
The subordinates chatter noisily, shouting loudly to express their absolute loyalty. Listening to these flattering words, JK lets out a sneering laugh. The old man has no interest in such trivial matters—he only wants to mock the victims once more. However, Hoang Kim's words seem to have an effect on him. His twisted pleasure is disrupted, and JK loses interest, waving his hand to order Anh Dao to bring clothes to the victims.
At the last moment, Hoang Kim remains worried about the mother and two daughters. The Lan sisters and Ngoc express their gratitude to Anh Dao, while secretly feeling grateful to Hoang Kim but not daring to say it outright. JK raises his eyes and watches as the mother and two daughters finish dressing.
- I still don't understand why you would burn yourself for strangers. You've had sex, and the task is done. Yet here, you've poured all your thoughts into them. Perhaps I guessed right—you have feelings for all three of them?
JK slightly parted his lips, revealing a sly smile, and looked at the girls, whose faces were redder than gac fruit:
- Oh? Why are your faces so red? Did I hit each of you right in your black hearts? – JK laughed gleefully – Haha, the culprit protects the victims, the victims develop feelings for the culprit, and in the end, they fall in love! So salty—so salty it's making me thirst to death! Hahahaha...
Seeing the smug smiles on the scoundrels' faces, the three girls felt both embarrassed and furious, wishing they could kill JK and his underlings with their own hands. Hoang Kim calmly put on his clothes and said:
- Because we are still human!
JK chuckled, his shoulders trembling, and his old face twisted into something half-human, half-demon:
- Are you still human? Are you all still human? – The old man swept his contemptuous gaze over each victim and sneered – A bunch of incestuous creatures—can they still be considered human?
The foursome with the mother and daughters, which occurred earlier, was indeed incest from a moral perspective. Although JK forced them, the four committed an immoral crime, and thus all bowed their heads in shame. However, things were not as simple as the victims misunderstanding JK's meaning. The old man shook his head and stretched out his voice:
- Hey, do you think I'm comparing this crime to incest?
JK pretended to twitch at the bullet-like stares aimed at him:
- I really fear you incestuous bastards! - The old man pulled out a paper and threw it in front of Hoang Kim, sneering - How about you clean up this mess, national hero?
Hoang Kim picked up the paper and glanced at it; his face darkened, and the hand holding the paper trembled. His pupils dilated, and bloodshot eyes angrily stared at the words. Ngoc and the daughters saw that Hoang Kim was enraged; the girls panicked and shifted their gaze from him to JK. The old man made a gesture as if pointing a microphone forward, 'interviewing' Hoang Kim:
- Tell me, how does it feel to commit incest?! Pleasure? Pain? Or both pain and pleasure?!
Hoang Kim suddenly roared and charged at JK. Bodyguards quickly rushed over, grabbed his arms, and pinned him to the ground. Hoang Kim screamed wildly:
- JK, you damn old bastard, explain this to me clearly!
JK picked up the paper, threw it to the mother and two daughters, and said:
- Calm down. Only by making them feel guilty like you is it fair.
Hoang Kim's anger unsettled the three girls. They wanted to look, but the invisible pressure from the lifeless piece of paper filled them with fear. After hesitating for a long time, Ngoc bent down, picked up the paper, and began reading:
"Genetic test results: Kim is blood type AB, Ngoc is blood type AB, Hang is blood type AB. Genetic feature matching shows the three share the same blood relation.
This result is officially confirmed by the Far East City Biotechnology Research Institute of Prehistoric Kingdom. Genetic test date: October 15; result confirmation date: October 20.
Verified and certified by: Director of Biology Department — Doctor Kim Lien."
The gene test results recorded in detail the matching gene sequences of the three individuals. Ngoc was shocked to realize Thanh Hang's true identity. Trembling, she turned to Hoang Kim, hoping he could deny this cruel truth. However, that final hope shattered when she saw the bitter tears welling up in the corners of the hero's reddened eyes. The pain of a strong man further confirmed the authenticity of the gene sequence. Hoang Kim could not change the fact that Thanh Hang was his biological mother.
He was bewildered and didn't understand. JK wanted to test Hoang Kim's genes—he needed to collect blood, skin, or hair samples. Yet JK had never approached Hoang Kim. Except for the end of athletic tournaments or Tet holidays, he was busy training and competing abroad all year round. That place was like a military camp, heavily guarded, making it impossible for outsiders to infiltrate. The old man had no way to steal samples for testing.
JK looked at Hoang Kim, who was frowning. His bloodshot eyes, streaked with red, suddenly shot toward JK like sharp blades, as if he wished to pierce him to death. At that moment, the mastermind's excitement was completely ignited.
- Tsk tsk, hero, why are you so tense? While you weren't home, I sent someone to sneak in and find something that could be used for gene testing. Heh, your mother is truly sentimental—she cherished your childhood hair like a treasure and carefully kept it in a pouch. A mother's love is as vast as the sea and sky. - The old man sneered - Calm down. Even if you kill me, people like you who've committed monstrous crimes no longer deserve to be considered human.
Hoang Kim dared not face his mother and sisters. The Lan sisters were full of worry, gently tugging at their mother's clothes and calling out to her repeatedly. Ngoc seemed to have turned into a soulless corpse. She couldn't hear the sobs echoing in her ears, nor see anything before her eyes. Everything was swallowed by darkness; her senses and soul seemed to have completely died.
The two sisters picked up the piece of paper that had fallen from their mother's hand. The words of guilt swirled in their minds, twisting into images filled with desire. The intimate moments, the passionate kisses, the seductive allure of a heated breath bringing a bewitching sound to devour the soul... now turned into a terrifying echo from hell.
Sublimation and obsession left indelible marks on the skin tainted with filth. The grime stirred waves of intoxicated yearning within, eternally possessing both the sullied soul and the defiled body. The sensation of sin turned into demons that pounced on the panicked spirit, licking the soiled bodies writhing in sin, tearing apart shattered hearts and souls.
The Lan sisters curled their bodies and tightly covered their ears with their hands until blood seeped out. Amid JK's demonic laughter, they nearly collapsed into madness. In the blurry illusions, the high-pitched laughter echoed continuously. JK was ecstatic because those incestuous people cried their tears dry.
- Retribution! The mother's life eats salty food, causing the children's life to thirst![1]
Making love amid suffering and humiliation, Hoang Kim was the toughest person. He was banished to a hell of despair, his sanity being torn apart as he fiercely struggled under the claws of ghostly shadows. In this battle of the mind, he fought hard to rise from the endless mire, questioning the root of karma.
- What does this have to do with my mother?
JK turned and smoked, flicking the ash onto Hoang Kim's hand. The old man leaned back in his chair and began to tell a story from the past:
- Thirty-three years ago, a young man fell in love with a girl at the age of the full moon. They spent a sweet period of love and jointly made a solemn oath of eternal fidelity.
JK was immersed in the curling smoke, as if lost in a dream, recalling those beautiful days of the past.
- The boy was only seventeen — at an age when one could break a buffalo's horn[2] — foolish like an ox. Back then, he had nothing but burning passion, yet he naïvely believed in a love built on a thatched hut and two golden hearts!
JK spoke with deep resentment. Hoang Kim vaguely sensed that JK was about to reveal the true reason behind tonight's incident:
- Despite his family's strong opposition, he resolutely abandoned them. For her, he worked tirelessly day and night, striving for a future filled with happiness.
JK gave a sarcastic laugh:
- Damn it, six months later, he never expected that the woman he loved would betray him and sleep with another man. She cheated on him and made him a fool.
This story reminded Hoang Kim of the phrase: "The mother's life eats salty food, causing the children's life to thirst!" He knew clearly who JK was mocking as "the woman who made her child thirsty"—but he couldn't accept that truth.
- She lay on her back and let that young master screw her all night. Then that bitch told him: 'We're not right for each other. Let's break up.' After that, she cut all contact and went on to live a luxurious life with that dead dog bastard.
The old man sneered with contempt, mocking his own past stupidity.
- Good deeds are rewarded. After receiving a great favor, he started accumulating wealth from the lowest jobs, and swore to the heavens that no matter the cost, he would become richer and more powerful than that pair of adulterous scum. In the end — the rest became history!
Hoang Kim hadn't yet figured out the truth. His heart was still in shock, and his countenance, filled with inferiority, turned pale with anger. The old man sneered coldly and turned to look at Ngoc, who could not remain indifferent to the insults. JK exhaled a puff of smoke, which merged with the burning hatred in her eyes. That searing gaze seemed intent on incinerating not only herself but also the sinner who had dragged all four of them into hell.
The hatred of the victims was JK's ultimate pleasure, and he was so smug that he almost completely lost all semblance of his human form.
- Curse your mother—she was a slut, and you bastards must pay the price for this unforgivable sin!
Hoang Kim had lost his father as a child; his mother raised him alone for over twenty years. When he grew up, he urged her many times to remarry, but she chose to live in solitude. She had always been gentle and refined, never offending anyone. Even when Hoang Kim became a celebrity, she refused to appear on television or accept interviews. This model mother is certainly not an unfaithful or ungrateful woman like the one JK fabricated.
The pain of being mocked by JK drove Hoang Kim mad. JK flinched when he saw Hoang Kim's face distort in rage—for a moment, the old man thought he was staring face-to-face with a monster. Hoang Kim lunged forward, wanting to tear JK apart, but the bodyguards held him down by the nape and pinned him to the floor. Like a wounded beast, he roared:
- My father was a chef, not some rich young master. You lied to me!
JK opened one eye and looked at Hoang Kim with a pitying gaze:
- Hey, how pitiful! Didn't your damn father and that whore mother of yours tell you that your grandfather went bankrupt? Because of that bankruptcy, your bastard father spent three years shining shoes, and your bitch mother worked as a waitress in a karaoke bar. I heard your bitch mother was the best catch in that place, but she was self-righteous and kept her dignity, never selling herself. Many men tried repeatedly to seduce her, but failed. In the end, they all raped her. A fate so cruel, of course, that humiliating past had to be hidden.
Hoang Kim's parents were humiliated by JK, and he could not defend the honor of those who gave him life. His fury was so intense that he cried blood.
Ngoc came from an orphanage. The nuns said that thirty-three years ago, Ngoc was left in a cradle at the orphanage's doorstep. Although abandoned, she comforted herself, thinking perhaps the orphanage was burned down, and the nuns had no choice but to take her south. Her mother might have thought she was dead and therefore never searched for her.
For years, she had been restless, searching for her biological parents. That wish neither arrived early nor late but appeared again amidst bitter tears, with cruel fate digging into her pain as she listened to JK reveal:
- Your mother hid her past, and your father was even more of a bastard. He once suspected that your sister was my daughter and forced your mother to have an abortion. He was unlucky, but your sister was fortunate. The doctor said that your mother was pregnant as a minor, and if she had an abortion, it would damage her uterus and body, causing infertility. In the end, your father could only force your mother to send your sister to an orphanage after she was born.
Ngoc refused to believe her family could be so cruel, while Huang Jin dismissed JK's words as nothing but garbage. His mind seemed to be caught in a storm—screaming voices dragged him into an endless death loop with no way out. He felt as though the entire world was collapsing before his eyes, and every memory of his mother was being brutally twisted by reality.
JK pulled a stack of photos from his pocket. The victims stared wide-eyed at the images, seeing a young JK gently kissing Thanh Hang on the cheek. They were half in disbelief. The old bastard cast a scornful glance at Ngoc:
- You think these photos are fake? - He said, pointing to Thanh Hang's neck. - Your mother had a birthmark on the back of her neck shaped like butterfly wings!
Hoang Kim's mother had always worn her hair long. Once, when she lifted it to wash, he had glimpsed that birthmark by accident. JK was a stranger, yet he knew something no one else could have known. Hoang Kim couldn't refute it—he could only nod slightly to Ngoc in confirmation.
Hoang Kim fell silent, but JK wouldn't miss any chance to humiliate his enemies. He moved his hand to a private part of the photo, his lips curling into a sneer aimed at Hoang Kim, while glancing toward Ngoc's lower body.
- Your mother is just like her daughter—she has a lustful mole on her groin. Both mother and daughter are equally hairy. Lust beyond limits. - The old man smacked his lips. - Tsk, indeed, mothers are the same as their children; sons and daughters are equally lustful. Especially daughters—are as lustful as their mothers. Lust comes from the inside out, from the flesh to the nature. The granddaughter is very promising; she may even be more lustful in the future!
The victim fell into madness, and JK once again showed some other photos. Ngoc couldn't determine whether the couple in the pictures were her biological parents. She was puzzled, staring blankly at Hoang Kim, seeing him with eyes red from crying. All of this ruthlessly proved the cruel reality.
- The family went bankrupt, and your parents had to do some lowly work. - JK flipped through a few of his favorite photos, smugly holding one close to Ngoc's eye, and said - What a pity. If you were my daughter, you wouldn't have to suffer like this!
There were photos of her father forcing her mother to abort at the hospital, and after her parents left her at the orphanage, nuns picked her up from the cradle. All of this turned into obsession in her ash-colored eyes. JK did not let go—using a photo of Thanh Hang being gang-raped in an alley to shatter the victim's spirit.
Her father fell ill out of anger and eventually died a miserable death. The mother she longed to meet was the mother who had to suffer retribution for being forced to abandon her child. The father, who also had to bear retribution, died with his eyes wide open. The mother and Hoang Kim silently cried beside the father's coffin. This tragic ending tore into Ngoc's heart like thousands of blades.
Hoang Kim still remembers all these memories to this day. The family eating today's meal, worrying about tomorrow's life. Although hardworking, they always loved each other. However, on that night of destiny, warmth and happiness completely collapsed. The sleeping tragedy from the past resurfaced once again. The wound in his heart and the guilt of incest deeply tormented Hoang Kim. He held his chest tightly, clenched his teeth, trying to stop the boiling blood from flowing out of the corner of his mouth. JK sarcastically laughed as he waved a bunch of photos.
- When I took these photos, I just thought that if I was upset, I could take them out to seek pleasure. I didn't expect these photos would become powerful tools for my revenge!
JK laughed loudly, threw the stack of photos into the air, and each one deeply planted fear into the victims' hearts.
- As a souvenir for you all!
JK deliberately picked up his ringing phone and turned on the speaker so the victim could hear:
- Boss, we've finished editing the Hoang Kim sex video clip.
Fear was beginning to come true, and nightmares drove the victim to rush toward JK. The bodyguards quickly took control of the scene. Things had escalated to this terrible point, causing the mother and daughter to scream and curse JK. His subordinates pressed the girls' mouths shut, leering lewdly and saying:
- Are you bored with life?
- Do you like being raped?
They asked for JK's permission:
- Boss, give us these three prostitutes as a reward!
- I've wanted to gang-rape these prostitutes for a long time!
The mother and daughter spat angrily at them. The subordinates tried to use force, but JK stopped them:
- Women are subdued by guns, not by hands!
The lecherous crowd pulled down their pants and violently tore the girls' skirts and clothes. Hoang Kim was afraid her family might be violated; he begged and endured humiliation, pleading with JK to let them go. Anh Dao couldn't remain indifferent and allowed the girls to be assaulted. Her conscience was torn apart by the filthy conspiracy. The accomplices, unwilling to bear shame and guilt any longer, the blonde girl whispered to JK:
- If the mother and daughter are raped, their feelings will become calloused, and incest will no longer be a taboo in their minds!
Hoang Kim and Ngoc and her daughter's feelings are hard to describe; normal emotions have been corrupted into incestuous sin. Huang hated his enemies to the bone, but family ties forced him to bow before them.
When Anh Dao came to rescue the victims a second time, she didn't dare to beg and had to take a detour. The alarm's words pleased JK, who waved his hand to order them to leave. The green-beard demons, about to devour their prey, were forced to stop, becoming angry and silently cursing as they retreated. JK lifted the corner of his mouth into a cold smile as he looked at the girls sitting with their knees drawn up and their heads bowed.
Relatives suffer humiliation but cannot protect themselves. He is a victim and must bear part of the karmic punishment. Hoang Kim was laughed at by JK with sex videos on his phone; a mesmerizing voice echoed in the room, transforming into a naked, degenerate scene filled with lust toward the four victims. Guiltful moans covered their bodies, crawling into their minds and causing curses to enter their subconscious.
- Rest assured, I will not let the whole world admire you!
JK lifted the corner of his mouth, gazing at each enemy's face. The four were trapped by hallucinations of his strange smile, as if JK's mouth extended to the old man's ears. The old man looked exactly like a demon breaking open a grave, crawling out from the depths of hell:
- I just want to see what your husband—dad—grandmother—mother—see their wife—children—granddaughters having sex like pigs and dogs—that's how they'll react! Hahaha…
He feels a tightness in his chest, heavy breathing, and his hands trembling uncontrollably. His eyes are bloodshot, as if they are about to explode. Anger shatters Hoang Kim's will. The ground is stained red with resentment as blood bursts forth. JK doesn't care how much pain the mother and daughter have endured. The old man is eager to take revenge on the unfaithful woman.
- Anh Dao and Zero stay behind to prevent the four from committing suicide, locking them in to make them suffer for their sins. After an hour, Zero takes the mother and daughter back home.
The old man pats Anh Dao's shoulder, winks at her:
- I've given Hoang Kim to you, absolutely no mistakes.
Anh Dao waits JK and the bodyguards leave the villa, until their footsteps completely fade away. She then quietly turns and steps out. Moments later, she rushes back, clutching three sets of clothes tightly. The mother and daughters never blame her because the daughter must obey her father's orders. The girls thank the blonde lady for her kindness. All feelings are shattered by overwhelming karma. The Lan sisters resentfully turn their fiery eyes toward Anh Dao. The terrifying pressure makes her feel as if she is burning to ashes.
With an expressionless face, Ngoc fiercely slaps Anh Dao in the face—like thunder. Glasses fly out, crashing against the wall, shattering into pieces and scattering everywhere. Furious, Zero is about to rush forward to defend her, but Anh Dao quickly stops him. She shakes her head and looks sadly at the victim. Her eyes still hold endless guilt deep inside; the burden of a thousand pounds still weighs on her, but her mind is no longer oppressed. Anh Dao does not wipe the blood from the corner of her mouth.
- Thank you! This slap has helped me feel a little more at peace!
Every time she thinks about the blonde girl helping JK, the mother and daughter hate her, always wanting to tear to pieces the one who pushed them into hell. They have not forgotten the scenes where Anh Dao repeatedly begged JK to spare them. She tried to bring neat clothes, bowed her head, and apologized. No one asked her to do these things, nor did anyone force her. She could have been so indifferent. Yet, Anh Dao was still willing to do small acts for her, and to those who had been insulted, these little gestures meant a lot.
The mother and daughter realize that when Anh Dao was about to be beaten, she had already foreseen all this but let the victim vent her anger. The resentment softens slightly, and at the same time, the girls feel a kinship with those who have lost their autonomy. After all, Anh Dao was just a tool for revenge, and in JK's eyes, she was nothing more than a pile of lonely photos lying on the ground.
After forgiving the 'enemy,' the mother and daughter avoid the man who was once loving and caring but has now become their kin. Hoàng Kim loses the courage to face his dearest person.
The four cannot approach each other to offer comfort; only stumbling along with heavy steps, each searching for their own corner. Some lower their faces, some hang their heads—torturing and cursing themselves amidst heavy thoughts, but unable to confide in anyone.
Footnote
[1] Vietnamese idiom:
It means that if you commit many evil deeds, your descendants will suffer bad consequences. Good deeds bring blessings, while evil deeds bring disaster.
[2] Vietnamese idiom:
Breaking the horn of a water buffalo at the age of 17 indicates a youthful, vigorous age full of enthusiasm.