Truyền Thuyết Về Quán Tiên (Wartime Flowers)

ORDERED BY THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS, AND TOURISM.

He's alive!

He's still breathing but seriously wounded!

Hurry!

Chief Lam!

There's a new report on the fleet under attack at Ta Muon Pass.

I know.

The new report is more detailed

about the number of deaths and damaged goods.

You should have a look, Chief.

Between counting the deaths and preventing new ones,

what do you think is more important now?

Damn it!

-Chief, which way are we heading? -Go straight until I tell you to stop.

We have to find a new route for the fleet.

Roger that.

You may have the sky, but we own the ground.

I dare you to bomb Truong Son Forest into ash.

Let's go, Ku Xe!

BASED ON A SHORT STORY BY XUAN THIEU

Comrade Mui!

Hey, Mui! Dan is looking for you.

You'll be sent to an army post.

Chief Lam signed the order himself.

Is it about Comrade Thuc?

Comrade Thuc, the deputy?

Yes. The last time I lost control, I--

Comrade Thuc's conduct was deemed inappropriate.

Chief Lam has demoted and transferred him to another unit.

Then will I be disciplined too?

Here we are.

Attention!

Assemble!

-Mui! -Yes, sir!

-Phuong! -Yes, sir!

-Tuyet Lan! -Yes, sir!

Good!

Do you three understand your mission?

-No, sir! -No, sir!

Then listen carefully.

In order to win this battle,

our troops need sufficient provisions of weapons,

food, and drink across multiple fronts.

Motor vehicles are the only way to transport them.

We've known this since we were babies.

Our comrades drive day and night.

They drive through the forest and the mountains

to ensure that the provisions make it to the troops.

A lot of good men did so…

at the cost of their very lives.

Do you know why many couldn't make it?

Chief.

A lot of vehicles fell prey to enemy fire or minefields.

Some drivers were exposed to malaria.

There were also several cases with unknown cause, sir.

Yes.

Some of them were simply exhausted.

They had to keep driving without any rest

even when their eyes couldn't see

and when their hands were tired.

Take this route, for example.

Our drivers have traveled hundreds of kilometers

from the woods entrance to Huoi Phan, Xe Khoong.

They drove all night on just a few K rations

and a bottle of water.

So our mission is…

Is to open a food station in this cave,

a Quan Tien!

There is an old tale about three princesses

who were left in the forest by their father who was a king.

He only gave them a flame.

He made a deal that the three princesses must not let the flame die out.

What would happen if the flame dies out?

Then light it up again.

Then the three of them would forever be imprisoned in the woods.

That's the tale though.

Chief!

Would you please listen to me?

Would you let me go back to Suoi Can?

Do you think this mission is not important?

No, sir.

But I'm used to roadworks.

Your attitude is highly regarded.

And so was the slap you gave Thuc when he tried to harass you.

Therefore, nobody is more suited to run this station than you.

But…

it's just us, three girls, in a cave.

I'm scared, sir.

It's a mission.

I'll sleep with you. Let Mui sleep alone on the mat.

I'll set up the hammock.

You sleep on the mat with Mui.

Should I sleep on the hammock too?

Let Mui sleep on the mat.

Hurry, we still have to find a place to put up the clothesline.

I wonder why Mr. Lam asked us to stay in the cave.

It's hard to dry clothes in this humidity.

You know how to knead the dough?

My mother has been selling sticky buns in the market for years.

I did all of this when I was home.

Then you will be able to find a job after the war.

I don't know how about me.

Afraid of being left on the shelf?

Don't worry.

I'll be just as old and ugly as you by then. We'll be in the same boat.

I heard that Mui is already married.

You're the luckiest here.

She must have experienced the pleasure of married life.

We don't even know what pleasure in life is.

You're better off…

not knowing.

Oh my gosh.

Even animals will have a hard time finding shelter with all these bombings.

Won't they be interested in this cave too?

No. They're scared of humans.

Not all animals are scared of humans.

All right, you two take a rest.

Let me stand guard.

But…

Han, give that back to me!

No way! You've got to earn it back.

Quick!

Him again, Mui?

Aren't you sleeping?

I was sleeping, but my bladder woke me up.

Can I see the photo of him?

There's nothing to see.

Mui! Look!

Wow, your husband's dashing.

People would say you two are well-matched.

I'm sorry.

Five years ago…

we married in a rush so he could leave for the southern front.

I only had three days with him…

before he went away.

You didn't even have the time to get used to him as your husband.

You're telling jokes all the time.

I just feel sorry for you.

All right, go back to sleep.

But I'm not sleepy yet.

Go wash clothes over there, will you?

Tuyet Lan!

Tuyet Lan!

What happened?

Tuyet Lan!

What happened?

Tuyet Lan!

Tuyet Lan!

Tuyet Lan!

Tuyet Lan!

Tuyet Lan, get a hold of yourself. It's me, Mui.

Tuyet Lan!

Tuyet Lan!

Tuyet Lan!

What happened?

Lan had a seizure. I was so frightened.

We had cases like hers in my old company.

Is this what people call hysteria?

Some young soldiers stopped by our camp right when some of the girls had seizures.

They scared the hell out of them.

I think having a man can soothe this illness.

I almost forgot.

Will you fetch me the bean sprouts by the springs?

Our clothes drifted away when Lan was having the seizure.

My bra I only wore once…

-Where did these clothes come from? -Stop teasing me.

You hung them on the rock.

I was busy wrestling with Lan. How could I have done that?

You like playing around more than me. If it wasn't you, was it a ghost?

Phuong, wake up.

Tuyet Lan, get up! We have guests.

You're stationed at Quan Tien, aren't you?

Yes. How did you know?

Chief Lam announced the news throughout this route.

Let me help you.

It's okay.

You only act nice in front of girls.

Shut up. Stop your nonsense.

He almost died because of a bullet.

Don't listen to him.

We're starving, so we stopped by. Do you have anything to eat?

We have sticky rice, sticky buns, and also hot tea. Please come with me.

You're our very first guests.

This is truly Quan Tien.

Please, enjoy.

Yummy sticky rice with hot tea to boost us.

I truly admire Chief Lam.

Come on. Just hurry the hell up. We only have 15 minutes.

Come on, let me relax.

Spending the whole day with you makes me sick.

You see,

he got shot yet didn't let go of the wheel.

I had to watch him endure the pain.

Then Mr. Quynh can stay here, and Mr. Cuong can go on alone.

Someone might be happy if you stay.

What's with your nonsense?

Nothing.

I merely made a suggestion.

Tuyet Lan.

Are you hurt? I'm sorry, my bad.