Nguyễn Hồng Sến's debut feature, based on the novel of the same name by Nguyễn Quang Sáng. Members of the Viet Cong attempt to defend their fellow citizens from being forcefully relocated from their village by a South Vietnamese army officer while at the same time continue with their efforts to win the war in Vietnam.

As the new government takes over South Vietnam following the Fall of Saigon, civil engineer Dương Tấn is fearful of imminent repression. He and his colleagues are dispatched to fix a hydroelectric plant where they meet Đỗ Long, a bubbly engineer from the North.

A scientist dies while researching the toxins dropped by American bombers onto Southern Vietnam. His three students goes on a trip through the forest of Truong Son mountains to bring his remains and research documents back to the North, but soon find themselves developing the same symptoms like their professor.

Hai Cũ, a notorious outlaw robbing from the rich to give to the poor, writes to Hồ Chí Minh hoping to secure pardon for his subordinates and is then sent to work as a foreman for a military company. The company's officer turns out to be the student who has accidentally helped him to escape the police many years ago.

A special force group join hands to crack an intricate network of drug smuggling operations.