20. Dilemma

The moon shines and illuminates the night. Thousands of stars are scattered in the sky, giving a beautiful atmosphere at night. Supporting Ammar's footsteps, he walks towards the bus stop near his house. He deliberately left his car at home because that way, he could reduce his footprint.

"Beautiful night. Hopefully, every night is like this," he said softly, looking at the moon and stars that decorated the darkness.

Yes, tonight Ammar will look for Ela. He is ready for all the risks that await him. Ammar has a strategy to face Layzal one day when he comes to him.

Ammar is already at the bus stop. But because it was late at night, no buses were operating, and he had no choice but to call a taxi. Not long after, the taxi arrived. Ammar immediately got into the taxi and went to Lago Village. When Arriving in Lago Village, Ammar spent the night at his farm.

***

The next morning, Ammar continued his journey. Armed with confidence and determination, he was ready to enter the Lore Lindu forest area. Using a map and compass, he set out to explore the wilderness.

"Good morning, Sir. Sorry, why are you standing here alone?" asked a man who wanted to look for firewood near the border between Lago Village and the Lore Lindu forest.

"I'm resting for a while, Sir," Ammar answered, smiling at him. Then he asked the man, "Excuse me, Sir, have you ever entered the Lore Lindu forest?"

"Never, Sir, because I still want to live in this world," he answered.

Because Ammar was curious about what he said, he asked, "What do you mean? I don't understand."

"Don't you know anyone who dares to enter the Lore Lindu forest will not survive? The proof is that many hunters hunt in the Lore Lindu forest and never go home. You can imagine all the wild animals are ready to wait for the bait. They are ready to pounce on anyone in front of them. So, if you have the intention to enter the Lore Lindu forest, it's better to abandon your intention. It's not like I am stopping you, but the Lore Lindu forest is dangerous. Instead of dying in the forest without your family knowing, it is better to die in the village or city with your family knowing about it. Once again, Sir, just a suggestion--don't enter the Lore Lindu forest if you still want to live," he said. After that, he said goodbye and left Ammar alone.

Meanwhile, Ammar, when he heard what the man said, he thought twice. He was worried that if he entered the forest, he would die from being attacked by wild animals. But, if he gives up his intention, it is the same as giving up before trying.

"Ela, whatever happens in the future, please know that I have tried my best to find you," thought Ammar, standing on the road near the border between Lago Village and the Lore Lindu forest.

***

Meanwhile, in the city of Archipelago, Layzal returned to Ammar's house. He repeatedly rang the doorbell, but there was no answer. Because none opened the door for him then, he sat on the terrace at Ammar's house. He would wait until Ammar and Ela came out of his house.

Layzal not only waited in front of Ammar's house, but he also tried to call Ammar and Ela. Unfortunately, they could not be reached. Layzal feels that Ammar and Ela are hiding something from him. Moreover, he waited almost all day and tried to call the two of them, but he couldn't see their appearance. Layzal felt that everything he did was in vain. What he thought about Ela was that her vampire was getting stronger. He also speculated that Ammar knew about it and would protect Ela. With his thoughts, Layzal felt hurt. He felt dumped by his two friends. It occurred to him that maybe because he was a detective, the two of them had conspired not to tell him.

On the other hand, he realized that even though he loved Ela, he couldn't possibly have her. Layzal also knows that Ela has spent more time with Ammar, so it makes sense that Ela prefers Ammar to him. According to Layzal, it is natural that they are working together to cover up the whole truth.

Realizing that, he would not remain silent. He immediately got up from his seat and left Ammar's house. He thought about how to solve the problem he was facing. He didn't want to hurt Ela, but if one day what he thought was true, then he wouldn't hesitate to kill Ela. He also didn't want to ruin his friendship with Ammar, but unfortunately, Ammar dumped him. How could it not be--from the beginning, they would work together to catch the vampire, but now it's just Layzal alone.

Disappointed, Layzal returned to Trinity Police Academy. He and other police officers immediately held a meeting. With this meeting, he would be able to resolve the problems. Because he knew that, no matter how smart he was, he couldn't solve everything alone. In Layzal's mind, he would deploy police personnel to search for Ammar and Ela's whereabouts. Thus, he hoped to find the two of them and interrogate them.

Even though he knows Ammar and Ela, they were once part of his life, but sometimes his obligations and responsibilities as a detective must take priority. So, he did not hesitate to kill them if they both had to die.

Whatever it is, he hopes to find an idea or solution to solve all his problems without killing them.