Chapter 7 — The Promise of a Demobilized Soldier

The signature verification results that lawyer Doan Bao Nghia sent were finally available after nearly two weeks of waiting. Just as Thanh Phong predicted, the signature on the loan note did not match Vu Dinh Khang's original signature. There were many discrepancies that experts affirmed could not be due to the same person writing at different times. This was clear evidence that the debt note was fake, created for the purpose of appropriating the assets of a single family.

With this result in hand, lawyer Vu drafted a denunciation to send to the economic police agency of Tan Hoa city, and at the same time sent a document requesting the lending company named on the debt paper to prove the legality of the loan, otherwise it will be handled according to the law on fraudulent appropriation of property.

Thanh Phong thought that with such definitive evidence, Chan Long would have to falter and retreat in silence like many other common civil disputes. But reality turned out to be completely different from what he predicted.

Just a few days after the denunciation was sent, Thanh Phong received a call from an acquaintance working in the agricultural product purchasing industry, warning him to be careful because his name had begun to be mentioned in the business world in Tan Hoa, not in a good way. This person revealed that the story of the dispute between him and Diep Chan Long had reached the ears of a much more influential figure in the region, the person behind the entire closed agricultural business network from purchasing to distribution and export.

"Mr. Phong, I sincerely say this because I like you, not to threaten you." That acquaintance, a small warehouse owner who had cooperated with Binh Minh many times, lowered his voice over the phone. "The name Diep Chan Long you just mentioned, his brother is not an ordinary person. Diep Chan Vi, Chairman of Dong Thinh Group, the group has a supermarket chain, real estate, exports agricultural products to foreign countries, and has extensive relationships from the province to the center. Chan Long is just the younger brother assigned to manage the purchasing department in this area, all the money collected will eventually flow to Dong Thinh's pocket."

Thanh Phong thanked his acquaintance, hung up the phone, his heart heavy with thoughts. He immediately called Ben, asking to learn more about Dong Thinh Group and its head, Diep Chan Vi. In just one afternoon, through old business relationships and public information in the local economic press, the picture of the true force behind Chan Long gradually appeared clearly before Thanh Phong's eyes.

Diep Chan Vi, fifty years old, comes from a small business family in Tan Hoa, started his career as a real estate broker more than twenty years ago. With his acumen and somewhat ruthless business sense, he gradually built Dong Thinh Group, expanding from real estate to a retail supermarket chain, then entering the field of purchasing and exporting agricultural products in the past ten years. In the press, he appeared as a successful businessman, regularly participating in charity activities, and was praised by many local leaders for his contributions to the budget and creating jobs for thousands of workers.

But behind that flashy facade, according to the stories of people who have done business with Dong Thinh that Ben inquired, is a system of market manipulation as sophisticated and cruel as what Chan Long is doing at Tan Thoi wholesale market, except that it is carried out under a much stricter contract and legal cover. Dong Thinh often signs long-term agricultural product purchasing contracts with farmers in neighboring areas, initially offering attractive purchasing prices to attract them, but then gradually tightens the terms of penalties for violating the contract, intentionally creating situations that make it difficult for farmers to meet the standards, thereby imposing heavy fines, pushing many farming households into heavy debt, and eventually having to sell their farmland to Dong Thinh himself at a cheap price to pay off debt.

"This isn't the first time they've done this." Ben spoke, his voice low as he presented what he had learned to Thanh Phong in the office late one evening. "I heard of a few cases of farmers in communes on the outskirts of the city, after signing contracts with Dong Thinh, they lost their land and houses, and had to work as laborers right on the land that used to be theirs. But everyone was afraid and did not dare to speak up, because Dong Thinh had too many connections, so the lawsuit would not go anywhere."

Thanh Phong sat silently listening, his hands clasped tightly on the table. He realized that the fake debt note incident with Bao Chau's family was not simply a personal act of bullying by Chan Long, but could be just a small part of a sophisticated system of oppression that the Diep brothers had built over the years throughout this land of Tan Hoa.

"So what do we do now, Mr. Phong?" Ben asked, his eyes worried. "It's easy to confront a gangster like Chan Long, but when it comes to a large corporation like Dong Thinh, I'm afraid my company won't have enough strength."

Thanh Phong was silent for a long time, looking out the window, where the factory lights remained bright until late, and the sound of packaging machines still running regularly to serve end-of-day orders. He thought of the more than two hundred veterans who were entrusting their lives and their families to this company, of the promise to Khang, of Bao Chau's steadfast eyes when she decided to stand up against injustice instead of resigning.

"I don't know where this is going, Ben." He spoke, his voice slow but determined. "But I know one thing, if I step back today because I'm afraid of their power, not only Ms. Chau and little An will suffer, but also countless other farming families out there who are still silently suffering from this oppression. Soldiers are not allowed to run away before knowing clearly what they are fighting for."

Ben nodded, didn't say anything else, just clasped his other hand tightly on Thanh Phong's shoulder, a familiar gesture of encouragement between people who have lived life and death together.

A few days later, by chance, at a party celebrating the establishment of the small and medium-sized enterprise association of Tan Hoa city that Thanh Phong was invited to attend as a representative of businesses employing disabled workers, he met Diep Chan Vi directly for the first time. That man is tall, has a neat demeanor in a tailored suit, a smile is always on his lips as he shakes hands with one person after another, exuding the confidence of someone who is used to standing at the highest position in every communication.

When the host introduced him to Binh Minh Agricultural Products Company and its founder, veteran Do Thanh Phong, Chan Vi proactively walked up and shook his hand with a warm, flawless smile. "Mr. Phong, I've heard your name for a long time. Your company can do something that not every business dares to do, which is very admirable."

"Thank you, Mr. Vi." Thanh Phong replied, his voice still maintaining the necessary politeness, but his eyes did not leave the other person's face, trying to find some sign of caution or foreknowledge about the incident between him and Chan Long. But Chan Vi did not reveal anything, still maintaining that perfect social smile, as if he was completely unaware of the fact that his younger brother had just been humiliated in front of a widow's house not long ago.

"I heard that your company has been doing quite well lately, and there are several major distribution partners in the city who also highly appreciate the quality of Binh Minh's agricultural products." Chan Vi continued, his voice still gentle but there was a sharpness hidden behind each word that only observant people would recognize. "I hope everything will continue to go as smoothly as that, Mr. Phong. In this land of Tan Hoa, the most important thing in doing business is knowing how to keep peace, win-win, and avoid unnecessary conflicts."

The last sentence made Thanh Phong pause in his heart, although on the outside he still remained calm. It wasn't exactly a direct threat, but the implication was so clear that it was unmistakable. Chan Vi knew, and this was a warning cleverly packaged in the guise of a polite greeting.

"I always believe that doing business properly and transparently is the most sustainable path, Mr. Vi." Thanh Phong replied, his voice not wavering at all. "And I also believe that, regardless of position, people should not oppress those weaker than themselves for personal gain."

Chan Vi's eyes cooled for a split second, the smile on his lips stiffened a bit before quickly returning to his usual affability. "Mr. Phong is right. Well, I wish you and your company a prosperous business." He patted Thanh Phong's shoulder and then turned away to continue communicating with the other guests, leaving Thanh Phong standing there, more certain than ever that the confrontation between him and the Diep brothers would no longer stop at a fake debt, but had officially escalated into a battle between two wills that no one would give in to.

Outside, the night of Tan Hoa was still quiet, but both men in that small room understood that a storm much bigger than what they had just experienced was silently forming, and it would soon come, challenging everything that Thanh Phong had worked hard to build over the past ten years.