Chapter 9 — I Return From The Deep

"I already got the notebook and index. But there might be something else——the electronic device registration sheet, stored on the old computer in the lab."

I closed my eyes. If Tong Uyen Nghi had formatted that computer's hard drive, part of the chain of evidence would have been broken.

“Is there still time to save it?”

"It depends on how Lawyer Chau operates. If today during the testimony, the council can be asked to simultaneously make a decision to preserve evidence at the laboratory——"

“You have to do it quickly.”

"That's right. So today's testimony is not just about you presenting. You also have to ask to preserve evidence."

I nodded. Take a deep breath. At 8:45 a.m., the car parked in front of the administrative building of Linhai University. I pushed the door to get out of the car. Legs are a bit weak——not sure if it's due to stress or health. Luc Tham sat in the car and said: "I'll wait here. I have to make a phone call." I said yes. Turn around and enter the building. The Academic Ethics Council meeting room is on the third floor. A long table, on one side are 5 commissioners, opposite are 2 chairs. When I walked in, one chair was already occupied. Tong Uyen Nghi. Today she is dressed especially simply. Light colored shirt, light makeup, hair tied neatly behind the head. His hand was holding a stack of documents, his fingertips were still shaking slightly. A pitiful appearance as if being bullied. Seeing me enter, she raised her head, her eyes slightly red. Lips moved, expression wanting to say something again. Really expressive. I sat down in the remaining chair without changing my expression. Lawyer Chau was present in the audience and nodded slightly at me. The council chairman cleared his throat: "Okay, everyone is full. Let's begin."

“First, please ask Ms. Giang Niem So to present.”

I pulled the microphone in front of me closer. Speak up.

"Hello professors. I am Giang Niem So, a Master's student of Professor Trieu Dung's class of 2019. The application for academic review that I submitted today is related to the allegation of academic fraud against Professor Trieu Dung in March 2020."

"I have enough evidence to prove that the accusation that year was fabricated. Professor Trieu Dung's experimental data has never been fraudulent. The person who actually edited the data is Associate Professor Tong Uyen Nghi, the current person in charge of this research group."

As soon as the words ended, the meeting room fell silent for a second. Tong Uyen Nghi's body slightly tensed. But she didn't look up at me. Just hold the stack of documents in your hand a little tighter. I continued talking. Present each timeline, each chain of evidence. USB data, experimental manual table of contents, device profile. Written expert opinion of Professor Wen Nhuoc Duong. The full video tape proves that I only went to retrieve a personal research relic with Professor Trieu Dung's name on it. Each of these things has clear evidence. Every single thing points to a single truth—— In March 2020, Tong Uyen Nghi altered group B experimental data, falsely accused Professor Trieu Dung of fraud, and through a fake police report sent the person who knew—that was me—to jail. When I finished speaking, the atmosphere in the meeting room seemed to freeze. The expressions of the five commissioners were different, but no one spoke. The chairman pushed his glasses: "Associate Professor Tong Uyen Nghi, do you have any feedback?" Tong Uyen Nghi slowly raised her head. The edges of her eyes turned redder. Lips trembling.

"I..." Her voice trembled, "I don't know why Niem So slandered me like that. What happened that year, the police agency came to a conclusion, the court passed the sentence. I just reflected the truth about the abnormal situation in the laboratory..."

She turned to look at me, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Nien So, you hate me, I understand. But you can't just because you hate me, you can falsify evidence to accuse me..."

What a perfect victim pose.