Chapter 18 — Swept into the Wave of Love

The small fishing village where Dong Vong Khang lives is located about half an hour's drive from Ghenh Rang beach, a peaceful land with old tile-roofed houses nestled under the shade of coconut trees, completely separate from the bustle of the international tournament taking place not far away. Viet Khoi and Lam Khue arrived early in the morning, according to the address Cao Boi Nghi provided, stopping in front of a small surfboard repair shop located right at the beginning of the village, the signboard had faded over the years.

Viet Khoi parked his car under the shade of an old almond tree, looking around at the peaceful fishing village scene, the sound of dogs barking in the distance mixed with the gentle sound of waves outside, completely different from the hustle and bustle of Ghenh Rang beach in recent days. "It's so quiet," he commented quietly. "Hard to believe this place is less than half an hour away from the tournament."

"Maybe that's why he chose this place to live in seclusion," Lam Khue replied, her voice thoughtful, her hand tightening the handle of the bag she was carrying, inside was her father's diary, in case she needed to compare information.

The man was diligently sharpening an old board in front of the store. His figure was skinny but his hands were still quite strong. His hair had turned a lot of gray but his eyes still exude the sophistication of a person who had gone through many ups and downs. When he saw two strangers coming, he stopped and looked at them with cautious eyes.

"Who are you looking for?" he asked, his voice somewhat wary.

"I'm Vu Lam Khue," she said, her voice trembling slightly with excitement. "Uncle Vu Dinh Trac's daughter."

Hearing that name, Dong Vong Khang was stunned, the board sharpening tool in his hand fell to the ground without him noticing. He looked at Lam Khue attentively, his eyes gradually changing from surprise to an emotion that was difficult to describe in words. "You... you're Trac's daughter? Oh my god, you look so much like him, especially your eyes."

"You know my father?" Lam Khue asked, her voice full of hope.

"I know," Dong Vong Khang replied, his voice choked with emotion. "We've been close competition friends for many years, growing up together in this surfing world. Father and son are the best brothers I've ever had." He invited the two into the shop and made a pot of hot tea, his hands still shaking from unresolved emotions.

"Do you know what really happened sixteen years ago?" Viet Khoi asked, after Lam Khue introduced him and summarized everything they had discovered over the past time, including the recording and suspicions about Lu Khac Bon.

Dong Vong Khang was silent for a long time, his eyes looking far away as if recalling a painful past that he had tried to bury for many years. "I know," he said at last, his voice low and filled with regret. "I have seen Lu Khac Bon, who was still an ambitious young referee, repeatedly express his resentment when he saw Trac being nominated for the position of head coach instead of him, even though he was also eligible to run."

"Do you have any proof?" Lam Khue asked, her voice shaking with excitement.

"There is no direct evidence," Dong Vong Khang shook his head, his expression full of regret. "But I remember, about a week before the scandal broke out, I happened to see Lu Khac Bon secretly meeting with a young sound technician named Ho, at an empty cafe. At that time I didn't think much, I just found it strange because the two of them were not close to each other. After the incident happened, I remembered and began to have doubts, but at that time I did not dare to speak up, for fear of being implicated, for fear of losing my position in a world that was already too small and harsh. hey."

"That technician named Ho, do you know where he is now?" Viet Khoi asked immediately, his heart beating fast because he realized this could be the last missing piece.

Dong Vong Khang pondered for a moment. "I heard that after that incident, he left the union and switched to working as a sound technician for normal civil events. I heard vaguely a few years ago that he was still living in the Phan Thiet area, working as a sound system installer for weddings and small conferences. But exactly where, I don't know. It's been a long time since I've contacted anyone in my old circle."

"Are you willing to be a witness, confirm what you just told me, if we find sufficient evidence to bring the case to light?" Lam Khue asked, her voice both hopeful and hesitant, understanding that this was no small request for someone who had chosen to live in seclusion for many years to stay away from trouble.

Dong Vong Khang looked at Lam Khue for a long time, his eyes gradually changed from hesitation to strong determination. "I have been silent for too long, allowing a good friend to suffer unjustly for the rest of his life without me daring to speak up to defend him. That is the thing I regret most in my life. If Trac's daughter now stands up to demand justice for her father, I will not stay silent again, no matter what the cost is."

Lam Khue could not hold back his emotions, his eyes were red, he tightly held the hand of his father's old friend. "Thank you. I don't know what to say other than thank you from the bottom of my heart."

"No, it's you who should thank me," Dong Vong Khang replied, his voice choked. "I gave you the opportunity to atone for the mistake of remaining silent for the past sixteen years."

Before leaving, Dong Vong Khang promised to try to find out more information about the technician named Ho through old relationships left in the world, and write a detailed report about what he knows, ready to provide it to the tournament security board or any investigative agency when necessary.

He also searched in an old drawer and took out a yellowed photo of a group of young athletes in the past, including a picture of Vu Dinh Trac standing and smiling brightly with a few friends, and a young face standing in the corner of the photo that he pointed at, his voice low. "Here, this person is the technician named Ho that I just told you about. Keep this photo, maybe it will help you in your search."

Lam Khue received the photo, her hands trembling as she saw the image of her father in his youth, his radiant and enthusiastic smile before all the tragedies struck. She carefully put the photo in her bag, next to the diary, like another precious piece of the puzzle for her father's journey to find justice.

On the way back, Viet Khoi and Lam Khue both felt a new breath of vitality, a real ray of hope after a long day of facing doubts and threats. "We have our first witness," Viet Khoi said, his voice filled with excitement. "Now we just need to find that technician named Ho, we will have enough evidence to uncover the entire conspiracy."

"The final round is only two days away," Lam Khue said, his eyes both worried and determined. "We have to find that person before the match, otherwise, I'm afraid the best opportunity to reveal the truth to the public and media will pass."

Viet Khoi nodded, tightly grasped the steering wheel, his eyes steadily looking towards the coastal road stretching ahead, where waves were still diligently crashing against the sand, as if urging them to quickly move towards the truth that was very close, just one last step away.

As soon as he arrived at the resort, Viet Khoi contacted a few acquaintances in the event organization industry in Phan Thiet, asking them to ask for help about a sound technician named Ho who used to install loudspeaker systems for weddings and small conferences in the area. Lam Khue, at the same time, posted an old photo to several veteran surfing community groups, along with a discreet message seeking information, careful not to reveal too many details to avoid alarming Lu Khac Bon's side.

Less than an hour later, an unexpected response message appeared from a strange account, claiming to be the nephew of the technician in the photo, stating that he was currently working at a small event sound company on the outskirts of Phan Thiet, about a forty-minute drive from Ghenh Rang beach. Viet Khoi and Lam Khue looked at each other, both clearly feeling a new ray of hope rising, strong enough to dispel some of the fatigue and pressure that had weighed heavily on their shoulders over the past few days.

"We have to get there as soon as we can," Lam Khue said, his voice filled with determination, even though the clock was approaching midnight. "Time is running out."

"Early tomorrow morning, as soon as it's dawn," Viet Khoi replied, holding her hand, his eyes filled with hope and determination. "We need to rest a bit to regain our composure, because tomorrow could be the most important day of this entire journey."