Chapter 19 — Guess, MVP Heiress Has Returned

VCC tournament final day. Thien Truong Gymnasium was packed with spectators. Dozens of television cameras pointed towards the main stage. This is the biggest match of the year, and Bach Ung Gaming, for the first time in team history, is in the finals.

There are ninety minutes left until match time.

Yen Chi was warming up in the players' lounge when Bach Khang received an urgent call from the organizers. The representative's voice was urgent, unable to hide his confusion.

"Mr. Bach Khang, we just received an urgent request from Anh Kim Group, requesting to hold a special press conference right in the main area, just thirty minutes before the match time. They said there is serious information related to player Luc Yen Chi's eligibility to compete that needs to be announced immediately."

Bach Khang tightened his grip on the phone. "They don't have the right to unilaterally demand that right before game time."

"I know," the representative replied, his voice awkward, "but they contacted the tournament board directly, citing the sponsorship clause about 'protecting the reputation of the tournament'. We were forced to allow it, but I will try to delay as much as possible."

Hanging up, Bach Khang immediately ran to the waiting room and told Yen Chi the whole situation. She was sitting, her hands still on the keyboard practicing warming up reflexes. After listening, her eyes did not waver.

"They've dealt the final blow," she said, her voice strangely calm.

"That's right," Bach Khang replied, "and they couldn't have chosen a worse time — right before the finals, when all the cameras are pointing here."

"Do we have enough evidence?" Yen Chi asked, her voice urgent but not panicked.

Bach Khang opened the briefcase of documents he had prepared many days ago, in case of the worst situation. "Enough. Timestamp analysis. Video recording against three sources. Report signed by Quoc Bao. And this morning, I just received final confirmation from the technical council - they obtained a copy of the communication data between Bui Dac Long and Y Nhi's account, before she could completely delete it. The content clearly confirms the plan to edit the match log."

Yen Chi's heart beat fast. The final piece of the puzzle fits. "So we have everything we need."

"Yes," Bach Khang nodded, his eyes determined. "But if we don't speak up now, at the press conference they hold, the truth may come too late. The tournament board of directors could suspend you immediately just to 'ensure safety', and then, even if you are later exonerated, you will have missed the only final of your life."

Yen Chi stood up, clenched his fists. "So let's go there. Now."

The two left the waiting room and strode down the backstage hallway. The sound of shoes tapping on the tile floor echoed loudly. The tournament's security staff stood in front of the door to the press conference area, blocking it.

"Sorry, this area is only for people whose names are on the press conference list today," a security guard said.

"I am the manager of the player whose name is being mentioned in this press conference," Bach Khang replied, his voice unyielding. "And this is the player herself. If you prevent us from attending a public event discussing herself, that is a violation of her right to public feedback."

The guard hesitated. A head of the organizing committee standing nearby, hearing it, quickly signaled to allow them to enter. He is also restless under pressure from both sides, and does not want to bear the accusation of silencing a player.

The door opened. The flash flashed continuously.

In the audience seats near the final area, Luc Thanh Nam and Hoang Thi Nga had just arrived, holding two small flags with the Bach Ung Gaming logo printed on them to cheer their daughter on. A logistics staff rushed over, announcing the surprise press conference taking place right now.

"What press conference?" Luc Thanh Nam asked, his voice confused.

"I don't know the details, I just heard that it's related to Ms. Yen Chi, which is being broadcast live on the big screen," the staff replied, pointing to the giant screen hanging in the corner of the gym, where several media channels were live relaying the press conference.

Hoang Thi Nga held her husband's hand tightly, they both hurried towards the screen, their hearts pounding. On it, the image of two sisters standing opposite each other under flash light is being broadcast across the country.

"I have to go there," Luc Thanh Nam said, his voice urgent, pulling his wife's hand to squeeze through the crowd of spectators gathered to chat in front of the big screen. His every step felt heavy, not because of fatigue, but because of the premonition that what was about to happen on that stage would be the final answer to all the doubts he had deliberately avoided over the past weeks.

The press conference area was crowded with reporters when Yen Chi and Bach Khang entered. On the podium, Lam Dac Uy was standing next to Y Nhi, MC Cao Ngoc Tram held the microphone and prepares to speak. The two were stunned for a moment when they saw Yen Chi appear earlier than expected.

"Sorry for coming without notice," Bach Khang spoke up, his voice echoing throughout the room, "but as team manager, I have the right to attend any press conference directly related to my players."

Lam Dac Uy forced a smile, trying to stay calm. "Of course, Mr. Bach Khang. We are just fulfilling our responsibility to protect the reputation of the tournament."

Cao Ngoc Tram, unaware of the underlying conflict, began hosting the program according to the prepared script. "Ladies and gentlemen, today we have a special announcement regarding the eligibility of player Luc Yen Chi..."

Y Nhi stepped in front of the microphone, her face was carefully made up to look haggard and pitiful. She took a breath, preparing the speech she had memorized.

"I stand here today," she began, her voice shaking, "because I cannot continue to stay silent about what I know about my sister..."

"Please allow me to interrupt," Yen Chi stepped forward, her voice rang out clearly and decisively, interrupting the prepared speech. All cameras immediately turned towards her.

Y Nhi stopped, unable to react.

"Before my sister continues," Yen Chi said, her eyes scanning the crowd of reporters, "I think the public has the right to know the whole truth, not just the scripted half of the story."

Lam Dac Uy turned pale. "Miss Yen Chi, this is not the time..."

"This is exactly the time," Bach Khang interjected, his voice sharp, his hand holding up the documents. "Since you chose this right time to hold the press conference, we also chose this right time to release all the evidence."

The entire press conference area was silent. The red light camera records non-stop.

Yen Chi stepped onto the podium and stood opposite Y Nhi for the first time in front of all the media cameras. The two sisters looked at each other, the distance was only a few feet but seemed like an abyss.

"Y Nhi," Yen Chi said, her voice not shaking at all, slowly but clearly with every word, "do you want to tell the truth yourself first, or let me say it for you?"

Y Nhi clutched the microphone tightly, her fingertips turning white. She glanced at Lam Dac Uy, looking for instructions, but he was also frozen, there was no more scenario for this situation.

"You're just trying to set it up to distract public opinion," Y Nhi said, trying to keep her familiar trembling voice, but there was a small crack in it that only the closest people could hear. "Everyone, don't let her change concepts."

"That's good," Yen Chi replied, turning to the camera. "I'll let the evidence speak for itself."

She signaled to Bach Khang. He walked over, placed a small portable projector on the table, and quickly connected it to the large screen behind the podium - the same screen that the organizers had prepared for Y Nhi's press conference.

The press conference room, which was already noisy, suddenly fell silent.

Lam Dac Uy stepped up, trying to regain control of the situation. "I don't think this is the right place to present unverified material," he said, his voice trying to maintain an air of authority.

"This document has been verified by an independent data analyst and is partly included in the official investigation file of the tournament technical council," Bach Khang replied, not backing down at all. "If you want to prevent the release of a legally binding document to the entire media, I think that action is something people should question."

A few reporters below started whispering and their cameras clicked continuously. Lam Dac Uy looked around, realized that all eyes were focused on him with suspicion, so he took a step back, not daring to protest further in a crowded place.

Every lens, every eye, focused on the screen that was about to light up behind the two sisters. No one said another word. There was only the gentle sound of the cooling fan of the projection equipment, and the pounding heartbeats of everyone present in that room.