Chapter 20 — Reef Keeper

Phan Bao Duy spent an entire week comparing the description Mr. Suu provided — tall and thin man, with a southern accent, wearing a big ring, accompanied by a younger assistant — with old personnel records he was able to access from his contacts in the press. The work required extreme patience, rummaging through hundreds of old photos, business registration documents, and business interviews in economic magazines from more than a decade ago.

Finally, one evening, Bao Duy called Khue and Nguyen with an excited voice, asking them both to come see him immediately.

"I found it." He said that as soon as they both entered the room, his laptop screen displayed an old photo taken thirteen years ago, during a groundbreaking ceremony of another coastal real estate project, hundreds of kilometers away from Hon Vong Ngu. "Look at the man standing in the middle."

Khue and Nguyen stared at the photo — a tall, thin man standing next to the inauguration ribbon, wearing a large shiny ring, the confident smile of an investor at the peak of his career.

"This is Thuong Ba Phat, at that time he was the deputy director of a small real estate company, the predecessor of the Blue Ocean Group now." Bao Duy explained, his voice full of determination. "Records show that this company had a survey project in the Hon Vong Ngu area exactly twelve years ago, but that project was suddenly suspended, for unknown official reasons."

"Stopped because they caused my father's death, and had to retreat to avoid investigation." Khue said, her voice was cold but full of resentment. "Then they waited for things to calm down, changed the company name, and then came back under a new guise."

"Exactly so." Bao Duy nodded. "And now, Thuong Ba Phat has become Chairman of Blue Ocean Group, behind the entire Kinh Duong Bay resort project. He has close relationships with many provincial officials, which is why all official inspection efforts were disabled before they began."

Nguyen clenched his fists, his face hardened with anger. "So we have enough links - from Mr. Dam's death, to Sau Cong, to the resort, and now Thuong Ba Phat himself. But how can we prove this connection before the law, when it all depends only on testimony and inference?"

"That's why we need decisive evidence, hand-captured, right at the time the illegal act was taking place, witnessed by higher-level authorities, outside of Mr. Cuong's influence." Bao Duy said. "I have a reliable source that Kinh Duong Bay resort is expected to hold an inauguration ceremony for phase one, including the marina, at the end of this month. To keep up with the schedule, it is likely that they will accelerate the clearing of the channel with explosives in the coming days."

This information made the group suddenly realize that time is more urgent than ever. If Bao Duy's prediction is true, this could be the last chance to catch the entire chain of illegal acts red-handed before the marina is completed and all traces are erased under a new layer of concrete.

"Once the marina opens, all evidence on the seabed is considered lost." Khue said, her voice urgent. "Not only that, once there is a media spotlight and provincial-level dignitaries coming to attend the ceremony, Thuong Ba Phat will have even more legitimacy and be more difficult touch. This is truly the last chance."

"That's right." Bao Duy nodded. "And according to what I understand, in order to complete the channel before the inauguration day, there is a high possibility that they will have to conduct a much larger-scale blasting session than before, in the next few nights, in the remaining area of Da Bac reef. This will be irrefutable evidence, if we are present at the right time, in the right place."

Uncle Tam pondered for a moment, then spoke, his voice full of caution. "If it is truly a large-scale explosion, they will certainly mobilize many people and be on guard much more carefully. We cannot act alone like previous times, we must have synchronous coordination at the right time, otherwise we will easily be in danger and still not get any results."

"We need to plan carefully." Nguyen said, his voice serious. "This time we cannot rely solely on the local fisheries surveillance force. We need coordination with provincial agencies and even the central press to ensure that when we take action, no one can use power to suppress everything like previous times."

Bao Duy nodded in agreement. "I will contact a few trusted colleagues at central television stations and newspapers, and be prepared to report as soon as there is any change. At the same time, I will also try to approach an honest provincial inspector that I once worked with in another investigation, asking him to help propose a sudden, unannounced inspection for the locality."

The plan was gradually outlined in detail in the following days, with the participation of the entire group - Khue, Nguyen, Uncle Tam, Bao Duy, along with the silent but important support from the volunteer watch network of fishermen in the neighborhood, who have now become effective eyes and ears to help monitor any unusual movements around the Da Bac reef area and the resort.

In the midst of busy days preparing for this important plan, Khue and Nguyen still spent precious moments with each other to nurture their budding love. On a rare free afternoon, the two dived together into the nursery area that had been almost completely restored thanks to the cooperation of the community, just to watch the young coral branches gradually adapt and grow in the new environment.

Under the clear blue water, among the coral nurseries sparkling with sunlight filtering through the sea surface, Nguyen held Khue's hand, both of them quietly watching a school of small fish swimming freely around the new coral branches, like a vivid symbol of the gradually spreading revival. When they emerged from the water, they both burst into laughter, a rare laugh of relief amid stressful days.

"Can you believe it? Just a few months ago, I didn't even dare to think that I would find happiness in the same place that took away my father." Khue said, seawater still lingering on her eyelids, sparkling in the afternoon sunlight.

"I believe." Nguyen replied, pulling her closer, their foreheads lightly touching each other. "Because the sea not only takes away, it also gives us many things, if we know how to appreciate and protect it. You taught me that, even though you probably didn't realize it."

Mrs. Bay Xuyen, when she learned about the love story between the two, could not hide her joy. "Oh my god, finally some good news amidst all this chaos." She said, hugging Khue. "Your father must be very happy, you know, he and Uncle Suu used to joke that when they grow up, they will definitely have to marry you to Nguyen."

That joke from the past made Khue both laugh and cry, feeling a magical connection between generations, between the painful past and the hopeful present. She held Nguyen's hand tightly, filled with determination that no matter how difficult the battle ahead was, they would walk through it together, to not only find justice for her father, but also build a new future for themselves and for the entire island that they both loved deeply.

The night before the scheduled action, the group gathered one last time to review the entire plan. The tense but determined atmosphere covered the small room at the marine conservation station. Khue looked around and saw the dear faces that had accompanied her through a long and arduous journey - Nguyen, Uncle Tam, Bao Duy, Uncle Suu, and even the spirit of her father, seemingly always present, following her every step on the path to finding justice and truth.

Nguyen spread a map of the Da Bac reef area on the table, used a pen to mark each important location - where the observation point was located, the safe retreat route, the expected location where the groups would hide and wait for the opportunity. "We will split into three shots." He spoke, his voice clear and decisive. "One observation post from Mo Vong, one station on duty at sea with full recording equipment, and one direct contact with the provincial inspection team waiting on the mainland, ready to depart as soon as there is a confirmation signal."

Uncle Suu, sitting in the corner of the room, suddenly spoke up, his voice filled with determination. "Let me join. I know those waters better than anyone else, I know where big ships can hide, where shallow water is dangerous. I want to personally contribute to redeeming my mistakes, even if it's late."

No one objected to his proposal. Khue looked at the man who had carried a heavy secret in his heart for twelve years, now standing straight, ready to face the very people who had silenced him, and she felt a deep respect for that late but sincere courage.