Chapter 25 — The City Behind the Mist

One week after the storm, the official handwriting assessment results were announced, confirming that the notebook found at the Dai Phat Materials warehouse was genuine, with the handwriting completely matching the handwriting sample of Mr. Dang Huu Loc - the deceased head of the construction management department, Mr. Dang Quoc Huy's father-in-law. The expenses recorded in the book, spanning nearly a year before Mr. Loc's death, were all transferred to an account in the name of Ho Xuan Truong's relatives, with the abbreviation "H.X.T" appearing repeatedly next to each expense.

"This is evidence that the relationship between Ho Xuan Truong's family and the old network of interests does not stop at the past, but continues to operate silently until recently," Mr. Nguyen Trong Hai announced in an emergency meeting with Khanh Linh and Viet Hoang. "With this evidence, along with all previously collected records, we have enough grounds to request additional charges, and at the same time request the court to consider revoking Mr. Truong's right to bail."

This news quickly spread throughout the town, arousing a strong wave of public indignation. Many major newspapers from the central government also began to pay attention to the case, sending reporters to Van Son to learn and report on the entire developments of this fifteen-year-long case.

Faced with increasing public pressure, Ho Xuan Truong suddenly proactively contacted and proposed a direct meeting with Khanh Linh, through the official arrangement of the lawyers representing both sides, at the headquarters of the Town People's Committee, in the presence of the authorities.

Khanh Linh, after careful consideration with Viet Hoang and Mr. Hai, decided to accept the meeting, even though her heart was filled with complicated emotions. "I think this might be the last chance to bring this whole thing to a close, no matter the outcome," she said, her voice calm but determined.

The meeting took place on a cloudy afternoon, in a solemn meeting room of the town People's Committee. Ho Xuan Truong entered, his appearance no longer retained the confidence and authority as in previous confrontations, but was somewhat haggard and clearly tired after weeks of intense pressure from all sides.

"Miss Linh," he spoke first, his voice no longer threatening or arrogant like before. "I want to talk frankly with you, one last time, before everything comes to its inevitable end."

"I'm listening," Khanh Linh replied, her voice calm, her eyes looking straight at the man who had caused so much suffering to her family.

Ho Xuan Truong was silent for a long time, as if trying to organize the chaotic thoughts in his head. "I don't expect you to forgive me," he finally spoke, his voice low, taking on a completely different tone than before. "But I want you to understand, it didn't start because I wanted to harm anyone. My father, at that time, just wanted to protect me from the consequences of a mistake at work. But the more I hid it, the more uncontrollable it became, to the point where I no longer knew how to stop."

"Do you know," Khanh Linh replied, her voice unable to hide the pain that had been pent up for fifteen years, "seventeen people died in that disaster? And my father, an innocent man, had to live in shame, turned away by an entire town, until he died, still not vindicated?"

Ho Xuan Truong bowed his head, his shoulders trembled, unable to hide the torment evident on his face. "I know," he replied, his voice choked. "And I will have to pay the price for that, with the justice of the law. I don't come here to ask for your forgiveness, but just want to tell you that I will not resist anymore. I will fully cooperate with the investigation agency, and declare the entire truth, including the details that I tried to hide before."

That unexpected confession made the whole room fall into a heavy silence. Viet Hoang, sitting next to Khanh Linh, gently held her hand as a solid fulcrum amidst the complex emotions swirling in her heart.

"Why did you change your attitude at this time?" Khanh Linh asked, her voice still full of doubt.

"The storm just passed," Ho Xuan Truong replied, his eyes looking far out the window. "When I heard the news that no one died, thanks to your careful and honest preparation, I suddenly realized that I had spent fifteen years running away from a truth that should have been faced a long time ago. You did what I, my father, should have done fifteen years ago — protect human life with honesty, instead of burying it with lies."

Before leaving the meeting room, Ho Xuan Truong turned to look at Khanh Linh one last time. “There's one more thing I want you to know,” he said, his voice shaking slightly. "I will voluntarily repay all the money that my family has illegally profited over the years, and use it to set up a support fund for families who lost loved ones in the disaster in the past. That is not a way to completely atone, I know, but it is the only thing I can do now."

Khanh Linh, although her heart was still filled with emotions, nodded slightly. "I will pass on this request to the victims' families," she replied, her voice calm again. "The final decision will belong to them, not me, because it is they who have suffered the greatest loss over the past fifteen years."

That afternoon, through his representative lawyer, Ho Xuan Truong officially submitted an application to plead guilty to all charges in court, and pledged to fully cooperate with the investigation agency in recovering ill-gotten assets. This news was quickly reported widely by media agencies, marking an important turning point, almost closing the entire case that lasted for fifteen unjust years.

Mr. Bui Quoc Bao, when hearing the news, could not hide his relief mixed with emotion. "Justice, even if it comes late, is always justice," he said in a brief press conference held immediately afterward, in the presence of a large number of people and the press. "Van Son can now truly close a painful chapter, to begin writing new, more transparent and solid pages."

The meeting ended in a complicated atmosphere, not quite a complete victory, nor a complete reconciliation, but a tormenting ending to a series of tragedies that lasted for fifteen years. When walking out of the meeting room, Khanh Linh stood silently in the hallway, tears silently rolling down her cheeks, not from suffering, but from a liberation that was hard to name.

"It's over," Viet Hoang whispered, embracing her in a warm embrace. "The road to finding the truth for my father has finally come to an end."

Khanh Linh nodded, leaning her head on his shoulder, letting the last tears of a long journey fall completely, no longer having to be suppressed. "Now," she whispered, "we can truly begin to build something new, from where all the pain began."

The next afternoon, Khanh Linh returned alone to the small cemetery on the hillside where her father was buried. This time, she did not carry melancholy like the previous times, but a rare peace that crept throughout her soul after many years of struggling with her family's injustice.

"Dad, it's all over," she said, sitting down next to the grave that she had cleaned up, fresh flowers replaced regularly every week for the past months. "The person who caused all the suffering to his father and his family finally had to admit his guilt before the law. His name, from now on, will forever be recognized for what he truly is — a dedicated, upright architect who always puts people's safety first."

The afternoon wind swept through the green pine rows, carrying the gentle cold air of the plateau after the storm, like a silent response from a deceased father. Khanh Linh smiled, her heart felt more relieved than ever, knowing that the journey to find the truth that she had been pursuing for many months had finally come to a worthy stop, so that she could truly move on to a new chapter of her life, with the person she loved, and with the whole land of Van Son that had taught her so many valuable lessons about steadfastness and truth.