Episode Summary
Xu Xiao and Lin Guoqiang investigate a murder potentially linked to tomb raiding, uncovering connections between the victim, Wang Bingde, and his deceased son. Ding Dang recalls a detail about her kidnapper. The team races against time as Wang Bingde evades capture, leaving a trail of cryptic clues.
Spoiler Alert
"Hanging Mirrors" Episode 12: Recap & Spoilers
Episode 12 dives deeper into the mystery, with tensions rising and new connections emerging.
The episode opens with simmering conflict between Xu Xiao and Lin Guoqiang. Chen Nan observes Xu Xiao's concern for Lin Guoqiang. Xu Xiao confides in Chen Nan about a past case that profoundly affected him. Years ago, he handled a case involving a kind but not wealthy couple who sponsored a struggling student. However, the student proved to be unmotivated, fell in with a bad crowd, and was eventually cut off by the couple. In a shocking turn, the student murdered them out of resentment. This experience hardened Xu Xiao, making him believe in measured charity and fostering a sense of caution towards everyone.
Meanwhile, Ding Dang, plagued by memory loss, feels immense guilt and decides to leave. Lin Guoqiang, however, offers her a lifeline, suggesting she stay and rent a room for a mere 500 yuan a month. Touched by his kindness, Ding Dang is overcome with remorse for her past intentions to manipulate him and bursts into tears. During her emotional outburst, a crucial memory surfaces: one of her kidnappers was wearing a wig.
Xu Xiao immediately recalls Wang Bingde's suspicious gesture during a previous interrogation – a slight bow where he touched his hair. He orders an investigation into Wang Bingde's background. Later, Xu Xiao drives Chen Nan home, noticing the dim lighting in her garage. He offers to walk her to her door, but she declines, not wanting to trouble him.
Back at the station, Da Fei uncovers a significant link: Wang Yixuan, the person they've been searching for, is Wang Bingde's son from a previous marriage, making Wang Bingde even more suspicious. They put Wang Bingde under surveillance. Xu Xiao and Lin Guoqiang discover that Wang Bingde's company initially specialized in civil engineering and excavation before transitioning to landscaping. This connection raises the possibility of Wang Bingde's involvement in tomb raiding, as his company would have been among the first to know about potential burial sites during construction projects. Wang Bingde arrives at his company and makes a phone call, intending to meet with an accomplice named Zhao Zhengru. Xu Xiao and his team stake out Wang Bingde's company, eavesdropping on the phone call.
Da Fei follows Wang Bingde to Zhao Zhengru's location. Zhao Zhengru is giving an interview, forcing Wang Bingde to wait. While they wait, Lao Zheng unearths a critical piece of information: Wang Yixuan was shot and killed in the United States three days prior while allegedly using marijuana. Xu Xiao is puzzled by the fact that Zhou Daming, Zhou Daye, and Wang Yixuan all died shortly after being contacted. Lin Guoqiang suspects someone is racing against the police.
Wang Bingde murders Zhao Zhengru, and Xu Xiao and Lin Guoqiang rush to the scene. Lin Guoqiang notices a symbol painted on Zhao Zhengru's eyes, identical to the one found on his daughter before her death. Wang Bingde quickly changes his appearance in the restroom and leaves. Xu Xiao, Lin Guoqiang, and Da Fei review the surveillance footage and spot Wang Bingde, but he soon disappears from the cameras, leading them to believe he's deliberately avoiding surveillance.
Lin Guoqiang and Da Fei search for Wang Bingde, while Xu Xiao monitors the surveillance footage. Lin Guoqiang confirms that Wang Bingde entered the stairwell on the 10th floor and attempts to pursue him. However, Lin Guoqiang experiences a heart attack. By the time he recovers and resumes the chase, Wang Bingde has shed his disguise. Lin Guoqiang, battling his heart condition, pursues him to the underground parking garage.
Xu Xiao returns to the crime scene and notices that Zhao Zhengru's wounds were inflicted with a Luoyang shovel, a tool used in tomb raiding. He sends photos to Chen Nan for analysis. People at Zhao Zhengru's company describe him as a kind boss, but no one recognizes Wang Bingde. Lin Guoqiang discovers that Wang Bingde escaped in a taxi and tracks down the female driver. She reveals that Wang Bingde later left on a motorcycle taxi, and the driver says that Wang Bingde mentioned he would be back in a few days to find him again.
