Chapter 13 — Swept into the Wave of Love

The next morning, Viet Khoi received a surprise summons from the organizing committee's office, asking him to be present urgently to "discuss some important issues related to competition eligibility." An uneasy feeling rose in his heart as soon as he set foot in Lu Khac Bon's luxurious office, where he was sitting behind a large wooden desk, his stern expression completely different from his usual warmth in front of the camera lens.

"Please sit down," Lu Khac Bon said, his voice colder than usual, there was no longer any artificial warmth in the way he addressed him.

Viet Khoi sat down, remaining calm even though he was on high alert. "What do you want to discuss?"

"I heard some information," Lu Khac Bon began, tapping the table with his fingers, "that you are conducting your own investigation, so to speak, regarding recent equipment problems, even digging up things that happened sixteen years ago. Can you explain to me why a reigning champion athlete has to be so preoccupied with things that are not within his scope of responsibility?"

Viet Khoi felt tense all over his body, but still tried to keep his voice calm. "I'm just trying to find out the truth, because both I and Ms. Khue are suspected of being involved in sabotage cases, when in fact we are the ones at risk of becoming the next victims. I think that is the legitimate right of an athlete who wants to protect himself."

"Legitimate rights?" Lu Khac Bon curled his lips and smiled coldly. "You should understand, Viet Khoi, your position as defending champion is not sacrosanct. The organizing committee has the full right to review any athlete's eligibility to compete if they detect disruptive behavior that affects the reputation and order of the tournament. I advise you to focus on training, don't waste time on past matters that have nothing to do with you."

"Is that really irrelevant, sir?" Viet Khoi asked directly, no longer as thoughtful as before, his eyes looked straight at Lu Khac Bon full of challenge. "Or is it because it is closely related to someone sitting in this room that I am so worried that I had to summon you here to warn you?"

The air in the room froze within seconds. Lu Khac Bon stared at him, his cold eyes lacking any pretense, revealing a part of his true nature hidden behind the polite shell he always wore in public.

"You're overstepping your bounds, Viet Khoi," he said, his voice low and menacing. "I will tell you frankly so you understand clearly. If you continue to pursue these baseless investigations, affecting the reputation of the tournament, I will not hesitate to propose that you be removed from the competition roster on the grounds of violating the athletes' code of conduct. Do you think three consecutive years of winning the championship is enough to protect you from that decision?"

Viet Khoi clenched his hands on his thighs, trying to control his rising anger. I know, this threat is not empty words. With the power he holds, Lu Khac Bon is completely capable of doing that, citing any reason to legitimize the decision to remove him from the tournament, destroying the career he has built over the years.

"I understand what you are warning me," Viet Khoi said, his voice still calm even though his heart was churning. "But I also hope you understand, I won't stop just because of a threat, even if it could cost me my whole career."

"Are you sure?" Lu Khac Bon raised his eyebrows, somewhat surprised at Viet Khoi's sudden toughness. "Are you willing to trade your title, your entire career future, just for a girl you've only known for less than two weeks?"

"This is not just about a girl I just met," Viet Khoi replied, his voice decisive. "This is a matter of justice, a matter of the honor of someone who has been slandered for the past sixteen years. If I have to trade my title to stand on the side of truth, I am willing to do it, without any hesitation." He paused for a moment, his voice lowered. "You know, in the past, my father was also forced by a referee in a small movement tournament, and he chose to stay silent, hung up, and live the rest of his life with resentment that no one knew about. I grew up with that story as a smoldering wound in the whole family, even though my father never told me directly. I don't want Lam Khue to have to live the rest of his life like my father did, holding on to an injustice that no one would listen to."

Lu Khac Bon was silent for a long time, his eyes searching Viet Khoi as if trying to find some weakness to exploit, but could not find any wavering in the determination of the young athlete in front of him. Finally, he stood up, his voice returning to its familiar false calm, as if the conversation just now had never had a threatening tone.

"Okay, I hope you think carefully about your decision," he said, opening the door to signal the meeting was over. "You're still young, you still have a long career ahead of you. Don't let unrelated things ruin everything you've tried to build."

Viet Khoi walked out of the office, his heart was heavy but his determination was not wavered, on the contrary, it was strengthened after the recent meeting. The direct threat from Lu Khac Bon, instead of making him falter, further confirmed that he and Lam Khue were on the right track, approaching the truth that the mastermind wanted to bury forever.

On the way back to the resort, he stopped by Uncle Long and told him all about Lu Khac Bon's threats. After hearing this, Uncle Long's face changed color and he stood up from his chair. "Does he dare to speak so frankly to you? It proves that he is really scared."

"I think so too," Viet Khoi replied. "But I'm worried, if he really disqualifies me from the tournament, I will lose my advantageous position to continue investigating from the inside."

"Then you have to be even more careful," Uncle Long said, his voice serious. "Don't give him any excuses to act. Play well, maintain your form, don't reveal any loopholes that could be exploited. As for the investigation, just do it quietly, don't make noise."

Viet Khoi nodded, secretly grateful for the wordless support of his uncle who guided him from the first days he stepped into the water. He knew that Uncle Long, even though he didn't say it out loud, was secretly worried about both his nephew's safety and his career in this slowly forming storm.

He found Lam Khue immediately afterward and recounted the entire tense conversation that had just occurred. After listening, her face turned pale with worry and she held his hand tightly. "Viet Khoi, you don't have to risk your whole career for me. This is my family's matter, I don't want to drag you into this danger."

"It's too late to say that," he replied, his voice gentle but firm. "I chose to stand by your side from the moment I decided to knock on your tent door that day. I will not back down, no matter what it takes."

Lam Khue looked at him, her eyes filled with tears from both emotion and fear. "If this causes you to lose your title, lose your career, I will never forgive myself."

"Then we have to find the truth faster, so that none of us has to pay the unjust price," Viet Khoi said, squeezing her hand. "I believe in justice, Lam Khue. And I believe, together, we have the strength to bring it to light, no matter how powerful the person behind all this is."

Outside the window, Mui Ne beach still rolled steadily as if it had never known the dark plots taking place right on its sandy shore, but in the hearts of the two young people holding hands tightly in that small room, a silent vow was engraved: no matter how many storms they face, they will never let go of each other, until the truth is finally fully revealed.

That night, Viet Khoi lay in bed, his mind reeling with a series of thoughts about what could happen if he was truly eliminated from the tournament. Three years of winning the championship, countless mornings waking up early to practice, countless times gritting their teeth and enduring injuries to maintain their form, all can disappear because of one arbitrary decision of a person trying to hide his past sins. But when he imagined Lam Khue's face trembling next to his father's wooden box, when he remembered Vu Dinh Trac's choked voice in the old cassette tape, he knew he couldn't turn his back, no matter how great the price was.

He looked out the window, where the moonlight still gently spread over the sea like every night, and told himself that the championship title, no matter how precious, cannot be compared to living according to what you believe is right. The ocean waves out there continue to lap at the sand without stopping, a reminder that no matter how much time passes, the truth, like the waves, will eventually find its way back to shore.