Chapter 72 — Shrimp Street Without Name

From exile abroad, Mr. Tran Quoc Vinh, although he had never appeared publicly since the case broke out, began to fight back through a powerful team of international lawyers. They filed an objection to the arrest warrant in the country where he resides, citing complex legal reasons about jurisdiction and the validity of evidence collected from Vietnam.

“This is a complicated cross-border legal battle,” lawyer Hoang explained as the group updated the situation. "Mr. Vinh has huge financial resources to hire the best lawyers, prolong the proceedings as long as possible, hoping that public opinion will gradually forget the case over time."

At the same time, a new smear campaign appeared on unofficial media channels, this time more sophisticated, using fake articles purporting to be independent experts, questioning Hai Yen's motives and the objectivity of the entire investigation, trying to sow doubts in the public's mind.

Minh Khang, as someone who closely followed the case from the beginning, decided to write a detailed criticism article, exposing each false argument in this smear campaign, comparing it with specific evidence verified through the official investigation process.

“I won't let them rewrite the story however they want,” he said, his voice fierce. “The truth has been verified through many independent sources, and cannot be erased with just a few hastily crafted fake articles.”

At the same time, a serious incident occurred at the investigation agency's evidence archive: a small fire broke out overnight in the secondary document storage area, which was promptly extinguished before spreading, but was enough to destroy a number of copies of unimportant documents. Although the official cause was determined to be an electrical short circuit, the lieutenant could not hide his doubts when reporting this news to Hai Yen.

“We cannot rule out the possibility that this was a deliberate act of sabotage,” he said, his voice cautious. "Fortunately, all of the most important originals have been backed up and stored in a separate, much safer location. But this is a warning that shows that, even though Mr. Vinh is far away, his ability to influence is still very great."

That news made Hai Yen worried, and that worry quickly became reality in a much scarier way. Three days after the fire, Ms. Sau, while on her way home from the market, was stopped by a strange man who did not attack directly, but made a naked threat.

"That person told me," Mrs. Sau told Hai Yen as soon as she ran over, her voice trembling but trying to stay calm, "that if you don't retract your statement in preparation for the trial, you won't be safe anymore. He said the exact same thing, then left immediately, without giving you a chance to see his face clearly."

Hai Yen hugged her mother, anger and fear mixed in her heart. She immediately called the lieutenant, who immediately sent a security team to be on duty around Ms. Sau's house, and at the same time launched an urgent investigation into the identity of the person who threatened.

“This is blatant witness intimidation,” lawyer Hoang said in an emergency meeting that evening, her voice filled with indignation. “We will put this case into the official file, and I will address it request the court to consider applying special protection measures for Mr. Sau during the trial process."

Hai Yen nodded, but in her heart, the fear for her mother's safety still could not completely subside. “I'm sorry, Mom,” she said, her voice choked up. “I promised to protect mom, but—”

"Don't apologize," Mrs. Sau interrupted, holding her daughter's hand tightly, her voice unusually steady even though she had just experienced a huge shock. “I'm not afraid of those threats. Mom has decided to testify, and she will keep her promise. No one can silence her again.”

That night, Hai Yen stayed at her mother's house, not wanting to leave her alone even though there was a security team standing outside. She lay next to her mother on the old bed, just like in the old childhood nights, listening to her steady breathing gradually falling asleep, while she herself still tossed and turned restlessly.

She thought about everything that had happened over the past two and a half months, about the price that each of them had to pay: Mr. Tam with the accident that almost took his life, Mrs. Ut Phuong with the fearful days of being detained, Kien with the intentional car accident, and now, her mother, a woman who had lived quietly for ten years, now had to face a direct threat just because she dared to tell the truth.

The next morning, she called Sarah, the international reporter who wrote the first report, recounting the entire latest threatening incident. Sarah, after listening, proposed writing an update, emphasizing the level of danger the witnesses were facing, hoping to create more international pressure on relevant parties to ensure their safety.

“I think it's time for more publicity about what's going on,” Sarah said over video call, her tone serious. “Silence sometimes allows threatening acts to continue in the dark. Public lighting, while it has its own risks, is still an important layer of protection.”

Hai Yen agrees, although she also understands that greater publicity also means that her family, especially her mother, will have to face greater attention and pressure from the public, not just from those who want to harm them. But between the two options — suffering silently in the dark, or openly facing the light — she and her mother both chose the second path, even though it was much more arduous.

In the afternoon, another urgent meeting took place between Hai Yen, lawyer Hoang and the lieutenant to review the entire security plan for the trial preparation phase, now more urgent than ever after the direct threat aimed at Ms. Sau.

“We will increase security for all key witnesses, especially in the weeks leading up to and during the trial,” the lieutenant pledged. “This is our top priority right now.”

Hai Yen nodded, grateful for that commitment, even though in her heart she understood that no protective measures could completely eliminate the constant anxiety that she and her loved ones were carrying, until this entire criminal network was truly brought to the full light of justice.

That night, Kien went to Ms. Sau's house, bringing with him some basic security equipment that he installed around the house himself — surveillance cameras, motion sensor lights — even though the official security team was stationed outside. “Multiple layers of protection remain better," he explained when Hai Yen asked why he did that even though the authorities were present. "I wanted to be absolutely sure, not to leave any loopholes that could be exploited."

Mrs. Sau, observing Kien working meticulously, smiled slightly even though there was still some worry in her eyes. “You remind me of your father from before,” she said. "He's the same, every time there's a storm, he takes care to thoroughly repair the house, even though mom says it's not necessary."

“Maybe that's how men show their love,” Hai Yen said, smiling as she looked at Kien diligently working, feeling a warmth spreading in her heart amid stressful and anxious days.

When the work was completed, the three sat together in the small living room, drinking tea and talking about simple things, trying to create a peaceful silence in the midst of the storm that was still continuing outside. It is small moments like that, Hai Yen realized, that have become an important source of strength to help her and her loved ones continue to stand firm in the face of all the challenges that lie ahead.

Before Kien left, he advised Hai Yen again to keep in constant contact and notify immediately if any other unusual signs appeared. She nodded and gave him a tight hug before he left, a small gesture that contained both gratitude and deep affection that she had for the man who had always stood by her side throughout this long and arduous journey, never once wavering or backing down, no matter how great the dangers were, no matter how long and arduous the road ahead was, no matter what they still had to face.