The colors of the border region make the space in the market seem to light up. The forest patrol car carrying officials of the Management Board of the Cao Vit Gibbon Species and Habitat Conservation Area, Cao Bang sped across the pass. Today, according to the plan, the Management Board of the Cao Vit Gibbon Species and Habitat Conservation Area, Cao Bang and Bang Luong Nature Reserve, China will organize a "Landmark Talk" in the border marker area No. 778 and deploy joint patrols to strengthen the prevention of deforestation, affecting the habitat system in the protected area.
Comrade Nong Hoa, Director of the Management Board, told the driver to stop halfway up the slope, then with an expert from the International Union for Conservation of Wild Fauna and Flora got out of the car. He reached out as if inviting the guest to move towards the negative slope of the pass, speaking fluent English:
- It's still early, please take a break from Mr. Phillip to admire the scenery of Cao Bang mountains and waters for a bit.
The visitor smiled brightly, walking along with Nong Hoa, although this was not the first time he had come to this border region, but each time he felt overwhelmed by the beauty of this Karst forest region. He looked into the distance, the Ngoc Con - Phong Nam valley is as beautiful as a picturesque landscape. From Ngoc Con, the stream - Quay Son river "crosses the border" flowing into Vietnamese territory and then winding through Lung An mountain, Lung Khuot mountain, Lung Qua, Lung Thoang, Po Dao, Tom Deng... collecting water pouring abundantly at Ban Gioc fairy waterfall. Creating mountainous hamlets hidden in the clouds and fields fragrant with new sticky rice. Beside the healthy water and in the midst of that cloud valley, the communities of Kinh, Tay, and Nung ethnic groups have lived together for generations, becoming a "fence" at the dangerous outpost.
- Your homeland is very beautiful - Philip exclaimed - The rarest black-nosed oriental lemur in the world was so wise to choose this remote forest region as his home.
- Yes, we often joke with each other that each patrol leg of the forest patrol team is "luxurious" no less than the old people who made the revolution in the past. Because the beauty of the mountains and forests, the symbiosis of animals and the brilliant color of the tropical vegetation here have revived. Moreover, the Gorilla monkeys keep humming melodiously as if leading the way, their singing mixed in the white clouds and green leaves, just soaring high like the silver bell of the Forest God hanging at the windbreak.
- Your comparison is very interesting. Let's go or the Chinese delegation will wait.
The two returned to the car. The car started and sped into the stone-paved road along the stream in the border forest. Arriving at the gathering point, they saw the forest patrol team, who were local people recruited to work in the Management Board, neatly dressed and waiting, their clothes still wet from the dew, but their appearance was restless, different from usual. Seeing the director arrive, Dam Thanh, the young captain, with a gentle face, quickly stepped forward to report:
- Reporting to the director, last night's patrol, we discovered that the group of gibbons did not return to the Vietnamese forest area as usual. We expanded the scope of supervision and discovered that in the area of landmark 184 there were many strange footprints, suspecting that someone had illegally entered the border.
Nong Hoa slightly changed her appearance, asked:
- Have you informed the Border Guard yet?
- Sir, yes, we are waiting for another patrol team from the Northwest to arrive and ask for your opinion first! Please see...
Nong Hoa and Philip huddled together on the Ipad filming the field of the forest patrol team, their shiny footsteps pedaling on the thin sharp rocks. The forest patrol team worked very responsibly, following each footprint on the layer of rotten leaves. The space was still pure and quiet, but there was no sound of the old leader ape singing to greet friends. It was the ape that led its herd from the deepest mountain crevice here to multiply and develop. Small herds separated from the main herd would usually leisurely sleep in China at night, return to Vietnam in the morning to find food and play, and then return to China in the evening. The large herd, no matter how stormy, windy or snowy, would be in Vietnam, singing loudly in the forest early in the morning, announcing dawn. So not seeing them all night is unusual, signaling that the forest area has strangers or signs of danger.
Immediately, Nong Hoa pressed the phone to report to Ngoc Con Border Guard Station. After discussing the combat plan, he returned to deploy the next steps for the forest patrol brothers. Immediately, the teams took positions, successively spread out in all directions to examine more carefully in dangerous places, where it is highly likely that people are hiding. Although he had been to many dangerous geological areas, coordinating with many functional forces of countries, Phillip realized that the forest patrol team here is particularly resourceful and professional. Occasionally on the way, they would bend down to remove the traps of animal hunters planted in the deep forest and then leisurely walk on the rocky moss again. As if understanding his curiosity, Nong Tao explained:
- Forest rangers are all professional hunters. Day and night rolling around in the deep forest, so they know each tree mark, animal's disguise. The Eastern Black-crowned Gibbon was also discovered by their fathers and brothers and reported to the forest rangers. The Tay people here hear the very clear, very resonant singing "cao... vít, huýt... cao... vít, huýt... huýt..." that just passes through the forest leaves, blends into the stream sound and reaches the village above, hamlet below, so they call it Cao-vít Gibbon.
- They are very good... And also very responsible. They are real soldiers - Philip raised his hand to express admiration.
Nong Tao smiled gently:
- Our compatriots always teach our children and grandchildren that the earth should not only be the homeland of humans, but must be the homeland of all species. This is our eternal homeland, we will wholeheartedly protect it.
The sound of birds echoed from the top of the tree behind the red leaves. Philip was startled and looked up. Dam Thanh quickly said:
- Birds "difficult to overcome" are singing, expert! The Tay people in my hometown every morning hear the sound of birds chirping and get up to go to the fields and into the forest. Birds keep mentioning "difficulties, overcoming" so no villagers can be lazy. Especially since the Management Board deployed for forest patrol brothers to propagate seedlings and intercrop under the canopy of the natural forest nearly 10,000 seedlings of 40 species to make food and shelter for gibbons, many birds and animals have also come here.
Radio headlines reported back, Nong Tao received a report that the Northwest forest patrol team discovered suspicious signs in a canyon near the border. At that moment, the reconnaissance team of the Border Guard Station also mobilized to march. Major Tran Hung - Deputy Head of Professional Station vừa chào mọi người, vừa giở bản đồ địa hình để mọi người cùng xác định hướng đi. While pointing through each point on the map, he explained:
- Recently, the Station is developing a professional plan to monitor a number of subjects trading and transporting drugs. Their tricks are to pretend to visit relatives, go to work in the fields or go to collect firewood, pick bamboo shoots, hunt wild animals,... to illegally cross the border to the other side of the border to buy drugs to transport and hide in the forest, shacks and then find ways to transport them back to the inland.
Dam Thanh seemed to realize something, softly a... a voice. Realizing everyone was looking, he was confused:
- It's true that in recent days, some groups go to the forest at very unusual times. I asked and they said they had discovered a nest of ironwood mushrooms deep in the mountain range. Because of their business, I didn't bother to ask carefully, just reminded them not to trap animals and to be careful with firewood to avoid forest fires.
Tran Hung nodded in confirmation, he continued:
- According to intelligence reports, the ringleaders have not yet exported goods, but they may hire some people to pretend to operate to mislead. We need to be very careful. Especially with the people, if we listen to seduction and unintentionally help them, we really need the brothers of the forest patrol team to support mobilization. It is both a family and ethnic relationship, and helping people not to violate the law because of greed.
The walkie-talkie reported again that strangers were moving towards the border, and they would soon cross the border. Immediately, border guards and the forest patrol team ran quickly towards the identified direction. Rain began to pour heavily. Mountain winds chipped in gusts. Arriving there, it was a deserted mountainside, with tall reeds almost reaching the chest. Philip also followed Nong Tao and Dam Thanh, following in the footsteps of the special task force scouts. At the same time, on the hilltop, shadows of people hiding in the reeds silently approached the border. Dam Thanh recognized some of them as Ngoc Chung villagers and whispered to Tran Hung. Everyone strained their eyes to observe and recognize the group of people and see if they were carrying hot weapons or not. When confirming that most of them were local people, to avoid pulling ropes to disturb the forest, Tran Hung signaled to Dam Thanh and the forest patrol team to appear, as if they were accidentally passing through this area.
When the group arrived close to the border, they chose a hidden corner with many bushes and opened backpacks worn around them, whispering and exchanging with each other in a rather strange language. Dam Thanh and the forest patrol team cut through the reeds, pretending to suddenly call out loudly:
- Hey, Uncle Dam Quang, why are you here? Being so close to the border is a violation of border management regulations. And these people are also in our village, uncle? Why do I find it so strange?
The person named Dam Quang slightly changed his appearance. Seeing the patrol team with 3 people, he threw his sharp eyes back. Those in the group who had just intended to act rashly were immediately knocked down by the forest patrol team and had their forest knives taken away in the meadow. Dam Quang rolled his eyes up, realizing that two sharp gun barrels were close to his head, his eyes turned dark, obediently raised his hand high and followed the border guards to the Station to confess his illegal border crossing act with his accomplices. From this link, a new case will be opened for border peace.
After saying goodbye to the border guard detectives, Nong Tao, Dam Thanh and Phillip and their forest patrol team returned to their familiar route to continue the conversation by the milestone. On the way, the animals in the forest seemed to feel that danger had passed, whispering and dragging each other to hunt for food. Dam Thanh put two fingers on his lips, whistling a long sound imitating the sound of the Cao vít ape... Forest rangers brought his voice into the deep valley. And then as if blurred, somewhere far away, there was a gibbon response as if sending a message: "... I am here, I am here... hello you.. hello you...".
The entire forest patrol team looked up. In their eyes, they could only see the vast green mountains thousands of years old, the singing of the precious ape kept approaching and disappearing as if playing a chase game. The border spring rushed back with the singing. To make the entire spring field bustling, bustling...
