Chapter 8 — Reef Keeper

One week after the first three coral nursery frames were lowered, Khue and Thao began a routine checkup schedule twice a week to monitor the survival rate and growth of the newly transplanted coral branches. The work went more smoothly than expected, most of the coral branches were firmly attached to the frame and began to show signs of recovery, the living tissue gradually regained its bright color after the initial stress period due to the pruning and moving process.

But that small joy is not enough to dispel the tense atmosphere that surrounds the fishing village. Rumors about Kinh Duong Bay resort illegally discharging waste are increasingly spreading, although no official evidence has been published. People began to talk more about the increasingly sparse schools of fish in the sea near the southern tip of the island, and about the unusually turbid water color that some fishermen witnessed when passing by that area early in the morning.

On Friday afternoon, an unofficial meeting was held at the neighborhood cultural house, spontaneously gathered by the fishermen themselves, without the participation of the commune government. Khue was invited by Vu, along with Nguyen and Uncle Tam, to listen to the concerns of the people and find solutions together.

The atmosphere in the cultural house that day was much hotter than the previous official meeting. No longer reserved in meetings with commune officials present, people spoke frankly and truthfully about what they witnessed and feared.

"I passed by the resort at five o'clock in the morning and saw the sea water nearby was as muddy as rice water, with dead fish floating." A middle-aged fisherman stood up to speak, his voice angry. "I took a picture, everyone can take a look."

He held up his phone for everyone to see. A hastily taken photo showed a gray area of turbid water surrounding a few dead fish floating on the sea surface. Khue looked at the photo, the feeling of anxiety in her heart became even heavier. This is exactly the phenomenon she and Nguyen recorded at the bottom of the reef a week ago, which has now spread so much that it can be clearly seen right above the water's surface.

"Not only is the water murky, but these past few days my boat has set up nets nearby, and when I pull them up, the nets are torn and tattered, as if they were caught on something sharp at the bottom." Another added. "Before, the bottom of that area was smooth sand. There were no sharp rocks that could tear the net so badly."

Nguyen listened to every word shared, carefully taking notes in his professional notebook. He realized that these details, although fragmentary, were gradually painting a clearer picture of the severity of the problem, far beyond what he and Khue had recorded through official surveys.

"People should continue to record with pictures and videos every time they see unusual phenomena, in as much detail as possible, with specific date, time, and location if possible." Nguyen said, his voice serious. "This will be important evidence for us to have a basis for requesting an official inspection."

"How long has it been since you requested? Last time Ms. Khue and Uncle Tam reported the mine explosion, they also asked to check, but they didn't see anything." Vu spoke up, his voice still a bit skeptical even though it was much less harsh than before. "I'm afraid the guys in the commune and district are covering up that resort and won't be able to do it properly."

Vu's words made the entire meeting room silent for a moment. Everyone understood that this concern was not unfounded, especially after Mr. Cuong's clear defense attitude in the previous people's meeting, and the pickup truck with the Blue Ocean Group logo printed on it that Khue had noticed.

"I understand people's skepticism." Khue spoke up, trying to keep her voice calm even though she couldn't help but feel worried. "But I believe if we have enough evidence and the collective voice of the whole community, it will be difficult for anyone to continue to ignore it. I will also report to the research institute and seek more support from independent channels outside the island commune."

The meeting ended with a fragile but important consensus: the fishing community will work together to record and report any unusual phenomena, and coordinate more closely with the marine conservation station and Khue's coral restoration project, instead of seeing them as two opposing factions as before.

When everyone gradually left, a strange man entered the cultural house, looking like he was not an islander, wearing a office shirt that was wrinkled from the long journey, and carrying a large backpack that seemed to be full of equipment. He stood at the door, observed for a while, then approached the group of people remaining, including Khue and Nguyen.

"Excuse me, may I ask who is in charge of the coral restoration project here?" The man asked, his Southern accent mixed with a hint of city accent.

"I'm here, I'm Khue." She walked out, her eyes examining the stranger.

"Hello, I'm Phan Bao Duy, freelance journalist, specializing in writing about the environment." He gave Khue his business card, his smile was friendly but his eyes were sharp, carefully observing the reactions of the people around him. "I went to the island a few days ago to learn about the licensing records of Kinh Duong Bay resort. There are a few points in their environmental records that make me suspicious, so I want to find out the reality on the spot."

Khue and Nguyen looked at each other, a hidden sympathy flashed between them at the unexpected but potential appearance of this guest.

"What do you question in the file?" Nguyen asked, his voice cautious but unable to hide his concern.

Phan Bao Duy looked around, seemed to consider the level of trust he could place in people he had just met for the first time, then lowered his voice. "The environmental impact assessment report of this project was approved unusually quickly, in less than a month, while the normal process takes at least three to six months for such a large-scale project. In addition, the independent appraisal unit hired to re-evaluate has a business registration office with the same address as a subsidiary of the Blue Ocean Group itself."

This information made Khue and Nguyen stunned. If that's true, it means that the entire resort's environmental impact assessment process is just a staged show, with no independent monitoring actually taking place.

"We are also gathering evidence that the resort may be illegally dumping waste, and potentially involving dynamite fishing to make way for a private marina." Khue said, deciding to trust and share information with this journalist, even though it was just their first meeting. "We have photos of the explosion site, sediment samples, and a piece of plastic pipe suspected to be part of an underground discharge pipe."

Phan Bao Duy's eyes lit up clearly at this information, like a hunter who had just found traces of his prey after many days of following vague clues. "Then we can cooperate. I need such field evidence, you have scientific and field documents, and I can access legal and financial records from other sources. Combined, we can build a complete dossier, enough to convince higher-level authorities to get involved."

That evening, Khue, Nguyen, Thao and Phan Bao Duy sat together at a small restaurant near the wharf, reviewing all the information and evidence collected so far. Bao Duy took out a copy of the resort's legal documents and showed them the unusual points: the construction permit was issued quickly despite some initial criticism from the provincial appraisal council, and the investment capital involved a few individuals with family ties to some local officials.

"I suspect there is protection from a higher level than Mr. Cuong in this island commune." Bao Duy said, his voice low. "Mr. Cuong may just be the lowest link in the protection chain, the one who directly turns a blind eye and signs false reports at the local level. But for a project with so many violations to still operate openly, there must be someone at a higher level protecting it."

Khue felt a new worry mixed with stronger determination. This investigation is clearly expanding beyond the small island, reaching into forces she never imagined when she began her simple coral restoration project. But at the same time, she also feels more secure knowing she is no longer alone — now, by her side, she has Nguyen, Thao, Uncle Tam, and Bao Duy, each bringing an important piece to the picture of truth that is gradually being completed.

"We need to be more careful than ever." Nguyen said, looking around the bar as if to make sure no one else was eavesdropping on their conversation. "If it's true as Mr. Duy said, there is protection from high levels, then they certainly won't sit idly by if they find out we're investigating."

Nguyen's warning made the atmosphere in the small group slacken a bit, but no one had any intention of backing down. Khue looked out the shop door, where the night sea was spreading, quiet but containing many undiscovered secrets. She knows the road ahead will become more arduous and dangerous, but she also clearly feels that she is closer than ever to the truth — both about her father's death, and about those who are silently destroying the sea she is trying to save every day.