Chapter 18 — Guess, MVP Heiress Has Returned

News that the technical council was preparing to convene an expanded hearing, with the participation of witnesses and contact evidence, reached Lam Dac Uy through an internal source that he had previously installed in the tournament organizing committee. He clearly understands that if this hearing goes smoothly with enough evidence as Bach Khang's side is preparing, not only Y Nhi but also his entire group will have to face serious legal consequences.

He convened an emergency meeting with the group's private lawyer team to discuss response options. But when all legal options proved insufficient to stop the danger, Lam Dac Uy, in despair because his huge investment was at risk of going up in smoke, decided to turn to a more dangerous direction: putting direct pressure on those holding evidence against him.

That afternoon, Bach Khang received a call from a strange phone number. The caller's voice on the other end of the line was polite but contained an unmistakable underlying threat.

"Mr. Bach Khang, I'm calling on behalf of a party interested in the long-term stability of the Bach Ung Gaming team," the man said. "I heard you're conducting a rather extensive investigation, involving multiple parties. I just want to remind you that sponsorship relationships in the esports industry are fragile, and once trust is broken between parties, the consequences can affect many innocent people on the team — young players who need sponsorship to maintain their careers, logistics staff who need stable work."

"What specifically are you trying to tell me?" Bach Khang asked, his voice calm even though he clearly understood the nature of this call.

"Just some sincere advice," the man replied, his voice still outwardly polite. "Sometimes, stopping at the right time, letting things be resolved peacefully internally, is better for everyone, than pushing things to the point of irreversibility."

Bach Khang tightened his grip on the phone, his voice became much tougher. "I understand clearly what you are trying to say. But I'm afraid, this is not an offer I can accept. The truth must be revealed, regardless of the consequences for anyone who has chosen the wrong path."

The other end of the line was silent for a moment, then the man's voice became much colder. "Well then, I hope you're mentally prepared for what might happen next."

The call ended suddenly. Bach Khang sat quietly for a while, feeling worried not only for himself but also for Yen Chi. He immediately called her and told her the entire content of the call.

"They are really panicking," Yen Chi commented after listening, her voice calm even though her heart was also alert. "Such a direct threat shows they no longer have many legal options to stop us."

"That's true," Bach Khang replied, "but that also means they can become more reckless and unpredictable. I have reported the entire content of this call to the team's security department and consider reporting it to the authorities if the situation escalates."

That same evening, Yen Chi also received a strange text message sent to her personal phone number, from an unidentified number: "You should advise your manager to stop. Not everyone can withstand the pressure of having all their family's secrets exposed to the public, including the secrets she doesn't want anyone to know." That message, vague but full of threatening implications, made Yen Chi feel a cold streak running down her spine.

She took a screenshot of the message and immediately sent it to Bach Khang with a few lines: "They just texted me directly to threaten me. It seems like they are trying to use fear to force us to back down." Bach Khang responded immediately, his tone through the text message was determined: "Don't be afraid. This is a sign that we are on the right track, close enough to make them panic enough to resort to such desperate tactics. I will ensure your safety. We will not back down."

Yen Chi read that message, a feeling of protection and companionship spread in her heart, dispelling some of the fear that had just risen. She looked back on the entire journey she had gone through since the day she was reborn - from a girl who once resigned and gave in to the point of losing her life, now becoming someone who dares to confront an organized conspiracy head-on, with the support of those who truly believe in truth and justice.

That night, although the worry about the safety of herself and Bach Khang was still there, Yen Chi told herself that there was only a short way to go before this entire conspiracy was completely exposed - right at the most important moment of the whole season, the national finals were about to take place in just a few days.

The next morning, Bach Khang worked with the training center's security department, increasing camera surveillance around the dormitory area and asking security guards to pay closer attention to strangers appearing near the team area. He also contacted a lawyer he knew and explained the entire situation to get advice on the possibility of reporting to the authorities if the threats continued to escalate.

"Do we have enough grounds to report?" Yen Chi asked when the two sat down to discuss in the management office.

"Attorneys recommend preserving sufficient evidence — text message screenshots, call recordings if possible — before officially reporting," Bach Khang replied. "If we act too early without enough clear legal basis, it may be completely denied by the other side, and we will lose the element of surprise in the upcoming hearing."

Yen Chi nodded, understanding the necessary caution in this situation. She also spent time chatting with Trinh Gia Linh, sharing a part about the recent threats, although she did not go into too specific details to avoid causing unnecessary confusion for her friend.

"You have to be more careful," Gia Linh said, her voice filled with worry when she heard the news. "If they dare to text threats directly, who knows what else they could do."

"I know," Yen Chi replied, "but I can't let fear make me back down now, when things have come this far. The final match is coming up, and I believe that will be the decisive moment for everything."

Meanwhile, at the Anh Kim Group office, Lam Dac Uy continued to meet privately with his team of advisors to consider the final plan. Realizing that covert threats were not effective enough to make Bach Khang and Yen Chi falter, he began to consider a more reckless plan: taking advantage of the final match - when the attention of the entire media and fans was focused on the tournament - to organize a large-scale media attack, aiming to eliminate Yen Chi from the most important match right before the match, before the expanded hearing could reach any unfavorable conclusions for him.

"If we can't prevent the truth from being exposed," he told Y Nhi over the phone, his voice filled with cold calculation, "we will make sure that, before that happens, your sister is irrevocably eliminated from the tournament. Once the championship title belongs to someone else, even if the truth is proven later, it will be too late to change the result."

Hearing that, Y Nhi felt a mixture of fear and excitement rising in her heart. She knew that this would be the final gamble, there was no way back, and its outcome would determine her entire future.

"What specifically are you planning to do?" she asked, her voice both worried and curious.

"We will hold a press conference right before the opening time of the final, inviting all the media to be there," Lam Dac Uy said. "I will use the group's influence and relationships to request the organizers to suspend your sister's eligibility to compete immediately, citing 'a serious investigation that has not yet concluded', enough to put public pressure on them to act immediately, not having time to wait until the official hearing takes place."

Y Nhi remained silent, feeling the extreme recklessness in this plan, but also understood that, at the present time, this was probably the last chance for her to turn the situation around before all unfavorable evidence came to light. "Okay, I'll prepare myself for that day."

Hanging up the phone, Y Nhi sat quietly in her room, looking out the dark window, her mind filled with thoughts. She knew this would be the final battle, there would be no second chances, and no matter the outcome, her life would never be the same again.