Chapter 84 — Shrimp Street Without Name

The day of sentencing arrived on a clear, cloudless morning, as if nature itself wanted to give this important moment a rare clarity. Hai Yen woke up very early, when it was not yet fully dawn, sat quietly in the room for a long time before getting ready, her hand holding her father's notebook tightly as a ritual that had become familiar during the past important days.

The area around the court, right from early morning, was filled with people, reporters, and security forces were deployed more densely than ever after the break-in a few days ago. The crowd gathered not only to wait for the outcome of a case, but seemingly to witness a historic moment, a milestone that the whole community had been waiting for for nearly three long months since the first secrets began to be revealed.

When Hai Yen, along with her mother and Kien, stepped inside the court, she realized that almost all the familiar faces that had accompanied her throughout the journey were present: Mr. Tam sitting in a wheelchair in the front row, Mrs. Ut Phuong even though there were still traces of wounds that had not yet fully healed, Mrs. Tuyet, Mr. Son and his family, Mrs. Hong, Mr. Bay Correct, Hung and his mother, lawyer Hoang solemnly in a business suit, Minh Khang and a team of reporters, and Elena, international observer, sitting in his usual neutral position.

At exactly nine o'clock in the morning, the bell rang, signaling the official start of the trial. The presiding judge walked in, and the whole room stood up in such a tense silence that Hai Yen could clearly hear her heart pounding in her chest.

“After a comprehensive review of the evidence, the testimony of the witnesses, along with arguments from both sides,” the judge began, his voice ringing solemnly in the absolute silence, “the jury issues the following verdict.”

He began reading the verdict, each crime and each defendant was named one by one. Dang Quoc Bao was found guilty of organized commercial fraud, obstruction of justice, and complicity in illegal detention, with a sentence of fifteen years in prison - a harsh sentence, although somewhat reduced compared to the maximum penalty frame thanks to circumstances of cooperation during the investigation and trial.

Nguyen Dang Hoai, as a direct intermediary in carrying out many of the most specific criminal acts, was sentenced to eighteen years in prison for the crimes of fraud, obstruction of justice, organizing the illegal sending of people abroad, and accomplices in illegally detaining people - the highest sentence among the defendants present at the trial.

Mr. Son, thanks to his full cooperation and willingness to testify, despite being found guilty of falsifying test results and obstruction of justice ten years ago, received a five-year prison sentence, significantly less than what would have been without that cooperation — a fair recognition by the court of the difficult journey of redemption he went through.

The other accomplices in turn received sentences commensurate with their role and level of participation, from three to twelve years in prison. Each sentence had the reason and legal basis thoroughly explained by the judge, demonstrating the caution and fairness of the entire trial process.

When it comes to the sentencing of the individuals involved Directly involved in the human trafficking ring on fishing boats - those who directly organized and carried out the illegal smuggling of people abroad - the judge especially emphasized the serious nature of this crime, sentencing the heaviest sentences in the entire case, with some receiving up to twenty years in prison.

Hai Yen sat quietly listening to each sentence announced. Her emotions were a complex mixture of relief, satisfaction that justice had been served, and a fleeting sadness when thinking that, even though justice had come, it could not completely erase the losses that her family and so many other families had suffered over the past ten years.

When Mr. Bao's name was mentioned along with his sentence, Hai Yen looked over at him and saw him standing still, his head bowed, without any signs of resistance or surprise, as if he had fully prepared himself for this outcome. In that brief moment, their eyes met again, and Hai Yen saw that in his eyes there was not hatred or resentment, but a quiet acceptance, almost relief.

After the sentencing for the defendants present at the trial ended, the judge turned to another particularly important part: an official update on the status of Tran Quoc Vinh, who is still awaiting extradition abroad.

"The court noted," he said, "that the arrest warrant and extradition request for defendant Tran Quoc Vinh are still being processed in accordance with international legal processes. The court will continue to closely monitor this process, and will hold a separate trial for defendant Vinh as soon as he is extradited to the country, fully ensuring procedural rights according to the law."

This announcement, while not entirely final, clearly affirms that, although Tran Quoc Vinh may temporarily avoid direct punishment for now, he is not out of reach of justice, and the day when he must face his charges, although it may be far off, is still certain to come.

When the trial officially ended, the courtroom erupted in mixed emotions — gentle applause from some audience members, choked cries from the victims' families, whispers of discussion about the sentence that had just been announced. Hai Yen stood up, hugged her mother, and both cried in a moment of releasing emotions that had been pent up for nearly three stressful months.

“It's over, mom,” Hai Yen whispered, her voice choked with tears. "At least this part. Dad has been exonerated, the guilty have been held accountable."

Mrs. Sau, tears rolling down her face, nodded and hugged her daughter tightly. "You did it, daughter. You accomplished what your father could not accomplish."

Kien stood next to him, his eyes filled with pride and emotion, waiting for his turn to hug Hai Yen in the shared joy of this historic moment. Around them, all the people who had accompanied them throughout the long journey — Ms. Ut Phuong, Ms. Tuyet, Mr. Tam, Hung and his mother, lawyer Hoang — together formed a loving circle of hugs, a living testament to the power of solidarity that had helped them get to where they are today.

Outside the courthouse, as news of the verdict spread to the waiting crowd, one The applause and cheers rang out, not in gloating over the punishment of the guilty, but in joy at a justice that had, albeit belatedly, finally been served. Many people, faces Hai Yen had never known, came to shake her hand, hug her, and whisper sincere thanks for what she had done for the whole community.

The representative of the Procuracy, when meeting Hai Yen and lawyer Hoang right after the trial, expressed his appreciation for her irreplaceable contributions throughout the entire investigation and trial process. “Not every case is lucky enough to have someone as persistent and courageous as you,” he said. “The evidence she collected, although sometimes beyond the usual framework, created a solid foundation for this entire case.”

Lawyer Hoang, standing nearby, smiled proudly. “This is only half the journey,” she reminded, her voice both excited and matter-of-fact. “We still have to wait for the results of Mr. Vinh's extradition, and his separate trial when that day comes.”

Hai Yen nodded, although in her heart, the joy of today was still great enough for her to allow herself to temporarily put aside worries about the remaining journey, at least for this moment. She looked around, saw all the familiar faces beaming in shared joy, and felt deeply that, despite the journey ahead, this day deserved to be fully celebrated, as an important milestone marking the initial victory of truth over the darkness that had covered it for so long.

In the evening, the group held a small party at Mrs. Sau's house to celebrate, with the participation of everyone who had accompanied them throughout the journey. Amidst the laughter, the stories told, and the emotional tears, Hai Yen felt a rare peace, a moment that allowed her, even if only temporarily, to let go of the burden she had been carrying for nearly three months.