Chapter 24 — Forest Keeper

When the station's vehicle approached the headquarters of Kim Phat Company, they saw the main gate wide open, headlights from many trucks illuminating a large yard, where dozens of people were hurriedly moving packages and logs of wood that had been covered with tarpaulin and quickly loaded onto trucks preparing to leave. The chaotic, urgent atmosphere covered the whole area, completely different from the orderly, closed-door appearance that Khue had observed before.

"They are dispersing real assets," Loc said, his voice tense, stopping the car a safe distance from the company gate. "I can't rush in alone, it's too dangerous and I don't have enough authority to stop it directly without an official order."

"But if we let them all escape, all physical evidence will disappear," Khue said, her voice filled with impatience, her eyes carefully observing the scene inside through the still open gate. "At least we need to record more evidence, confirm the number, type of vehicles, and the direction they may be moving."

Nguyen quickly took the camera, trying to remotely record what was going on, while Khue called to report the situation directly to Mr. Duong, who confirmed that the provincial police working team was on the way, expected to arrive in about twenty minutes.

"Twenty minutes is too long, by then they might have all dispersed," Khue said, her voice filled with worry, looking at the first trucks that had started their engines, preparing to leave the yard.

At that moment, a figure stepped out from the company yard, with a familiar imposing appearance under the headlights - it was Ta Quoc Bao, directly directing the movement of goods, his face tense, no longer confident and leisurely like in the photos Khue had seen.

Unable to hold back, Khue opened the car door, got out, and walked towards the company gate. "Khue, what are you doing?" Loc called out in panic, but she was going too fast for him to stop her.

"Mr. Bao!" Khue shouted loudly, standing right in front of the gate, her voice echoing throughout the chaotic yard. "I know what you are doing. I know about your timber and wildlife trafficking ring. And I know you are involved in the death of my father, Nong Van Thai, eight years ago!"

The entire yard seemed to stop for a moment, all eyes turned to Khue. Ta Quoc Bao turned around and stared at her, his face flashing with an unpredictable expression — both surprise and something like a tacit admission, before regaining his familiar fake calmness.

"Who are you to dare slander me like that?" he said, his voice cold, signaling several men standing nearby to approach Khue menacingly.

"I am the daughter of Mr. Nong Van Thai, who died because he discovered his network eight years ago!" Khue shouted, not flinching even though he clearly realized the danger surrounding him. "And I have enough evidence to bring you to justice!"

Nguyen and Loc, seeing that the situation was becoming dangerous, quickly ran to stand next to Khue, forming a fragile protective barrier against those approaching. "We've notified the police, they're on their way," Loc said loudly, trying to use this information as a deterrent. "You have no way to escape anymore."

Bao smirked, a cold and dangerous smile. "Then we have some time to resolve the problem before they arrive, right?" He signaled to his men, and Khue realized the situation was escalating to a truly dangerous level.

One of Bao's men rushed forward, trying to snatch the camera from Nguyen's hand. He dodged, but was pushed hard by another person from behind, falling to the hard ground, his head lightly hitting a nearby concrete block, causing him to be stunned for a moment. Khue shouted, rushing to help him up, her trembling hands examining the wound on his forehead that was bleeding slightly, while Loc tried to stop the others from approaching, spreading his arms in front of both of them.

"Are you okay?" Khue asked, her voice panicked, her hand gently pressing on the wound to stop the bleeding.

"I'm fine, just a slight bump," Nguyen replied, although his face was still wrinkled in pain, trying to stand up. "Don't worry about me, be careful behind you!"

Khue turned around and saw another man approaching, holding a short iron bar in his hand, his eyes full of ferocity. She stepped back, her heart pounding, there was no way back when her back touched the iron fence of the company gate.

In the midst of that chaos, red and blue lights flashed and sirens rang out from afar, getting closer and closer - the provincial police convoy, in coordination with the mobile forest rangers, arrived earlier than expected, perhaps thanks to the speed and urgency of Mr. Duong's report.

"Everyone stand still, no one can move!" A police commander's voice rang out through a handheld speaker as dozens of mobile police rushed into the area, quickly controlling the situation, surrounding the entire company yard and stopping trucks trying to escape.

Ta Quoc Bao, realizing that the situation had completely reversed, tried to flee inside the office building, but was quickly approached by the police, controlled and handcuffed on the spot. His face now no longer had any majestic or confident look, only the panic and bitterness of a person who had just realized that all his calculations had completely collapsed.

When being escorted to the car, Bao suddenly turned to look at Khue, his eyes were full of malice. "Do you think catching me is enough? There are many others, you never know. You will regret getting involved in this."

"I'm not afraid of you," Khue replied, her voice cold but steady. "And I believe your accomplices will soon pay the price, no one will be left behind."

Immediately after that, a text message from Mr. Duong was sent to Khue's phone, announcing another important news: at the same time, a separate provincial working group came to work directly with Vi Dinh Thuan at his home, based on evidence about the illegal financial relationship between him and Kim Phat Company that the investigation unit had quietly collected in parallel in recent days. Reading that text message, Khue felt a great relief spread throughout her body - the last link in the chain of assisting and covering up this crime ring, finally unable to escape the law's net.

Khue stood still looking at that scene, the emotions in her heart burst into an irrepressible waterfall - eight years of waiting, eight years of pain, eight years of silently searching for the truth, finally leading to this moment, the moment the person behind her father's death was handcuffed before her eyes.

While the authorities continued to search and seize evidence at the scene, a provincial police commander approached Khue and introduced himself as the representative of the unit coordinating with Mr. Duong. "Miss Khue, right? We have received all the documents you sent through Mr. Duong. This is a big project, you have contributed a lot in collecting evidence."

"What about my father's death?" Khue asked, her voice trembling with excitement and anticipation.

"We will reopen a full investigation, based on the new evidence you provide, including the statements of witnesses," the commander replied, his voice serious but also full of sympathy. "With what we have gathered tonight, I believe we will soon have a full answer for you and your family."

Khue nodded, tears rolling down her cheeks, no longer trying to hold back. Nguyen came to her side, wrapped his arms around her from behind, letting her lean on him, releasing all the pent-up emotions for eight long years in the middle of the yard that had now become the scene of justice, under the flashing red and blue lights and the hurried footsteps of the authorities completing the work of seizing evidence, closing a dark chapter that had lasted for too long in the land of Thousand Clouds.

Loc stood nearby, quietly observing the scene, his face a mixture of relief and a deep sadness that was hard to name. He approached Khue, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Your father can rest assured, Khue. Finally, the truth has come to light."

"Thanks to you and everyone, this matter could come today," Khue replied, turning to look at him, her eyes no longer had any resentment, only sincere gratitude. "Thank you, for finally daring to stand up."

In the distance, trucks carrying wood and evidence began to be sealed, preparing to move to the police headquarters to serve the investigation, marking the official end of a crime ring that has brought pain to countless families and entire forests for many years.