Chapter 23 — Reef Keeper

Nguyen dived into the middle of the dark water, the power of the fierce waves pushed him continuously in the wrong direction, making swimming towards Khue much more difficult than the previous time to save people. The safety rope tied around his body stretched and tugged with each wave, but he still struggled persistently, his eyes trying to open wide in the salty water to search for a familiar figure.

There were moments when he thought he had swum completely off track, when a huge wave submerged him deeper, forcing him to surface to catch his breath amid the torrential rain that stung his face. But then, with the instinct of someone who grew up with the sea, he redefined the direction based on the flickering light from the canoe behind him, and continued to swim forward with all his remaining strength.

Finally, in the midst of a dim darkness, he felt an arm touch him. He grabbed Khue tightly and pulled her closer, clearly feeling her body trembling from cold and exhaustion, but still conscious, still trying to cling to him with the last bit of strength.

"I have you!" Nguyen shouted, even though he knew his voice was almost completely swallowed by the howling wind and crashing waves. He wrapped his arms tightly around Khue, signaling the people on the canoe to pull the safety rope.

Uncle Tam and the two fisherman brothers put all their strength into pulling the rope, little by little bringing both of them closer to the canoe amid the waves that continued to bounce violently. These are the most tense moments, when just a small mistake can cause both of them to be swept further away, or be submerged by the big wave itself.

"Come on, it's almost there!" Uncle Tam shouted loudly, sweat and rainwater mixed on his worried face.

Finally, after what seemed like endless minutes, Nguyen and Khue were pulled safely onto the canoe. Khue lay down on the floor of the boat, coughing and choking, vomiting a large amount of seawater she had swallowed. Her body trembled from the cold and from the extreme panic she had just experienced.

"Khue, can you hear me? Khue!" Nguyen knelt next to her, his hands trembling to check her breathing and heart rate. His face was white with fear.

After a few seconds of extreme tension, Khue opened her eyes, coughed a few more times, and then whispered. "I... I'm fine. Where's the camera... where's the camera?"

Her first question, even in a state of exhaustion and panic, was still about the precious evidence they had risked their lives to collect, making Nguyen both want to cry and laugh at her extraordinary resilience.

"The camera is still there, I can keep it, don't worry." Uncle Tam said, holding up the waterproof camera that was still attached to the strap around Khue's wrist even when she fell into the sea. "The data was transmitted before you fell, the inspection team has received it all."

Hearing that, Khue breathed a sigh of relief, even though her body was still shaking violently. Nguyen hugged her tightly, no longer caring about the danger still lurking from the surrounding storm, just wanting to hold her tightly, very close, to clearly feel that she was still safe, still here with him.

The two fishermen quickly took a dry blanket and wrapped it around Khue's body, and at the same time checked all the equipment on the canoe, making sure no one was left out amid the recent chaos. One of them, his hands still shaking because he had just experienced a suffocating moment, muttered thanks to the sky and sea for lovingly keeping everyone safe, his voice mixed with the sound of rain falling on the boat's roof.

"We have to bring Khue to shore immediately, she needs to be warmed up and her health checked." Nguyen said, his voice was still shaking but had regained the necessary decisiveness in an emergency situation.

The canoe, although still struggling with the fierce winds and waves, began to head towards the shore at the fastest speed possible safely. On the way home, Uncle Tam continuously communicated via radio with Bao Duy's group and Uncle Suu, confirming everyone's safety and updating the inspection team's developments.

"The inspection team has departed, on its way to Da Bac reef area, expected to intercept Sau Cong's ship as it tries to return to port safely before the storm." Bao Duy's voice rang out over the radio, filled with excitement and anxiety. "We have enough evidence, the video recording of the mine explosion is extremely clear and cannot be denied anymore."

When the canoe reached shore, a crowd had gathered at the wharf, despite the wind and rain, to wait for news about the group going out to sea tonight. Mrs. Bay Xuyen, Thao, Vu, and many other people stood there, their eyes filled with worry when they saw the canoe appear in the middle of the torrential rain.

"Khue! Oh my god, are you okay?" Mrs. Bay Xuyen rushed over and hugged Khue as soon as she was helped to shore. Her voice was choked with emotion and fear. Her trembling hands touched Khue's whole body as if to make sure she was intact, not a single piece was missing.

"I'm fine, Mrs. Bay, I'm fine." Khue said, although her voice was still weak, her eyes shone with relief and pride at what the group had just achieved.

Thao and several women in the neighborhood quickly wrapped a warm blanket around Khue's body and helped her into a nearby house to warm up and rest. Vu and a few other young men helped Uncle Tam and the fishery monitors safely anchor the canoe, and at the same time prepared to assist if necessary for the next developments.

"Miss Khue scared me to the point of having a heart attack." Thao said, her voice still shaking, her hand wiping the rain from Khue's face while trying to hide the tears that had just flowed out of joy. "Next time you go somewhere dangerous, you must take me with you. Don't leave me alone like that again."

Khue laughed weakly, held Thao's hand, touched by the sincere concern of her little sister who had been with her since the first, most difficult days. "I promise, next time I won't hide anything from you anymore."

Uncle Suu, even though his small boat was slightly damaged by the collision, promptly returned to shore safely. He immediately ran to Khue, held her hand tightly, his voice trembling because he had just experienced a life-or-death moment. "Miss Khue is okay, it's okay, it's okay."

In the warm little house, wrapped in a thick blanket, Khue took a sip of hot ginger tea that Mrs. Bay Xuyen hastily brewed, feeling the warmth gradually spread throughout her body, dispelling the bone-chilling cold from the rescue in the stormy sea. Nguyen sat next to her, not looking away for even a second, still holding her hand tightly as if to reassure himself that everything was okay.

"Thank you." Khue whispered, looking up at Nguyen with eyes full of gratitude and deep affection. "For the second time, you saved me from the ocean."

"I will always be there, every time you need me." Nguyen replied, his voice was absolutely sincere, his hand squeezing her hand tighter. "I can't imagine what life would be like if I didn't find you in time tonight."

He leaned down, pressed his forehead against hers, closed his eyes, letting their breaths mingle in a rare moment of quiet amidst the storm that was still roaring outside. Without another word, they both understood that the bond between them, forged through each encounter with danger, had become stronger than anything could shake.

Uncle Suu sat down on the doorstep, still wet, his eyes looking out at the wind and rain, his face showing a mixture of relief and sadness. "Tonight, standing in the middle of the rough sea looking at that ship, I kept thinking about that night twelve years ago, about Mr. Dam." He said, his voice low. "This time, at least I didn't stand by in silence anymore. This time I did something, even if it was late."

No one in the room spoke, only the sound of rain falling steadily on the corrugated iron roof and the crackling sound of the fire in the charcoal stove that Mrs. Bay Xuyen had just lit to warm everyone. Khue looked at Mr. Suu, then at Nguyen, at Mrs. Bay Xuyen, at Thao, at Vu standing on the porch watching, and she clearly felt that, in the midst of the most intense storm of the season, she had never felt so protected and loved.

Outside, the storm was still roaring fiercely, but inside that warm little house, in the loving arms of close people, Khue felt she was safe, having overcome the most dangerous night of her life. And most importantly, she knew that tonight, they had the final weapon needed to bring those who had caused so much suffering to her father, to the entire coral reef, to her beloved fishing community, to the light of justice.