Episode Summary
A long-standing misunderstanding between the legendary artist Zhuge Tong and his former partner Zhong Yunchi is finally cleared, prompting Zhuge Tong to use his skills to draw the "Night Devil" killer. The portrait leads the team to a beggar who is revealed to be a second, unwilling Night Devil trained by the deceased Miao Jie. Just as the case seems closed, Xiao Beiming realizes a critical piece of information is still missing, leading him to a new destination.
Spoiler Alert
Years ago, Zhuge Tong was a star artist in the renowned Divine Capture Camp, possessing a unique ability to sketch a suspect's face with stunning accuracy just by examining the victim's wounds. Though his colleagues were initially skeptical, a portrait he drew led them directly to a vicious killer. This case forged a deep bond between him and his partner, Zhong Yunchi. However, tragedy struck when Zhuge Tong lost an arm and an eye in an attack, ending his promising career. While he spent two years recovering, his partner, Zhong Yunchi, rose through the ranks. Bitter and broken, Zhuge Tong came to believe Zhong Yunchi had stolen his rightful place and deliberately had him reassigned to a menial clerical job. After receiving an unexpected promotion from the emperor, Zhuge Tong began a campaign of revenge against his old friend and his apprentice, Xiao Beiming, whom he distrusted equally.
To solve the ongoing "Night Devil" case, Xiao Beiming secretly enters the city and seeks out Zhuge Tong's son, Zhuge Kongyun. He asks him to persuade his father to use his legendary forensic sketching skill one last time. To clear up the years-old misunderstanding, Xiao Beiming provides a crucial document: proof that Zhong Yunchi had actually petitioned the emperor to promote Zhuge Tong. When presented with the evidence, Zhuge Tong is overcome with guilt, realizing he has wrongly hated his best friend for years.
Xiao Beiming then appears in person, explaining how his master always spoke fondly of his friendship with Zhuge Tong. Deeply moved, Zhuge Tong picks up his brush again. After a detailed analysis of the Night Devil's victims, he works through the night to produce a portrait of the killer. The next day, sketches of a man named Miao Yun are posted across the capital. Zhong Xueman is surprised to see the Dark Detective Camp helping them and feels a strange sense of familiarity looking at the face in the drawing.
Meanwhile, a redeemed Zhuge Tong visits his old colleague Fang Zheng in prison, and the two share a drink, with Fang Zheng celebrating the return of the just and spirited man he once knew. Zhong Xueman suddenly recalls seeing a beggar three years prior who bore a striking resemblance to Miao Yun. She takes the portrait to the city's beggar encampment and finds the man. He looks identical to the sketch and even has similar scars. However, he acts like a fool, leading the team to suspect he's faking it. Their suspicions grow when they give him a bowl of rice laced with an excessive amount of salt, which he eats without any reaction.
That night, Feng Qingzhuo gives the beggar a drugged drink, and under its influence, the man confesses. He reveals that the real Miao Yun is dead and that he is the second Night Devil. He leads the team to a hidden chamber filled with torture instruments, proving he was trained to kill there by a man named Miao Jie. He explains that he never wanted to be a killer and suffered greatly for his defiance. During a high fever, he faked insanity, escaped his captors, and went into hiding as a beggar in the capital, believing it was the safest place to be.
With the second Night Devil captured, the case seems to be resolved. However, Xiao Beiming feels that a crucial detail has been overlooked. As he mentally reviews the entire investigation, he has a sudden epiphany and rushes off with Zhuge Kongyun, convinced he now knows where to find the final piece of the puzzle.
