Episode Summary
Zhao Ya Ru and James infiltrate a nuclear power plant under heightened security, revealing it as their true target, not the Peng Ze Hotel. While James, posing as a company representative, uses a disguised cane to secretly transmit data to Luca, Yang Guang grows suspicious. Discovering a potential security breach at the breakwater, Yang Guang confronts Luca, leading to a fight and Luca's escape attempt by sea. Li Jian pursues Luca underwater, ultimately subduing him. Meanwhile, James flees the plant, pursued by Yang Guang in a high-speed car chase. After a crash, James nearly overpowers Yang Guang, but Zhao Ya Ru intervenes, holding James at gunpoint. Before her identity can be fully revealed, James creates a diversion by blowing up his car, knocking Yang Guang unconscious.
Spoiler Alert
Things Get Real at the Nuclear Plant
The episode kicks off with Zhao Ya Ru and James arriving at the nuclear power plant, only to find security has been beefed up significantly. We're talking guards armed to the teeth, double checkpoints, and mandatory biometric scans plus metal detectors for everyone. Zhao Ya Ru looks a bit thrown by this sudden upgrade in caution, shooting James a questioning glance about their next move. James, ever the cool customer, just tells her to play along.
Turns out, this new, stricter security check was sprung on them last minute. Inside the surveillance center, Yang Guang and Li Jian are glued to a bank of monitors, watching every single move Zhao Ya Ru and James make. A message from Taylor comes through, and James seems pretty pleased. During a supposed tour break, he casually drops a bombshell on Zhao Ya Ru: the Peng Ze Hotel was just a smokescreen. The nuclear power plant? That's the real target.
High Stakes Negotiations and Sneaky Tech
During the tour, Manager Li from the Tianyu Group suddenly insists on getting a closer look at the nuclear operating technology. This throws Ou Qi Hong and Xiang Tai Sheng for a loop, and they have to scramble to get approval from their superiors. After some quick, tense discussions, the higher-ups agree to let a negotiation team into the core area, but under some seriously strict conditions: only one representative per group, and all electronic devices have to be left behind at the security checkpoint.
Meanwhile, Luca, having made it ashore, gets his own gear ready and pings James. James, representing the Li De Group, walks into the secure area carrying nothing but what looks like an ordinary cane. Security gives it a thorough once-over but finds nothing suspicious. They completely miss him discreetly pressing a button on the cane's handle, allowing Luca to start receiving data. Smooth.
Yang Guang's Gut Feeling Leads to a Showdown
Yang Guang, however, can't shake a bad feeling. He's been watching the surveillance feeds intently. He learns from Director Ren that foreign powers haven't quite cracked the fourth-generation experimental reactor technology yet, and the crucial operational data they're desperate for is located right in the central control room – exactly where James is headed. This sets off alarm bells for Yang Guang. He pulls up the power plant's blueprints and spots a potential security loophole: the breakwater area. It's relatively far from the core zone and isn't patrolled as frequently, making it a prime spot for spies to try and breach. Yang Guang decides he needs to check it out himself, ASAP.
Just as Luca is laser-focused on his equipment, with the data transfer over halfway complete, Yang Guang appears near the lighthouse. Luca, with lightning-fast reflexes, engages him, and the two are instantly locked in combat. It's a flurry of fists and kicks as Yang Guang tries to destroy the data device while Luca desperately defends it. At a critical moment, Li Jian and Chen Qiu arrive as backup. Seeing he's outnumbered, Luca makes a daring dive into the sea. Yang Guang doesn't hesitate; he smashes the equipment and then, despite his injuries, races back to the power plant, yelling at Director Ren to lock down James immediately. But it's too late. James has already ditched his disguise (a wig, apparently!) and is speeding away in a car.
Underwater Battle and a Fiery Escape
Li Jian, without a second thought, plunges into the sea after Luca. An intense underwater struggle ensues. Luca tries to break free, but Li Jian gets him in a chokehold. Deprived of oxygen, Luca eventually loses consciousness and sinks. Li Jian, completely spent, surfaces, gasping for air, and painfully makes his way back to shore.
Yang Guang, meanwhile, is in hot pursuit of James, their engines roaring as they engage in a life-or-death chase on the highway. Yang Guang aggressively rams James' car, trying to spin him out. James attempts to shake him, but Yang Guang sticks to him like glue. After several violent collisions, James' car loses control and slides towards the guardrail. Yang Guang seizes the opportunity, forces him to a stop, and quickly gets out. Just as he's about to slap the cuffs on James, James suddenly lunges, catching Yang Guang in a brutal chokehold.
In the nick of time, Zhao Ya Ru appears, pressing a gun to the back of James' head, forcing him to release Yang Guang. Yang Guang, gasping, demands to know Zhao Ya Ru's true identity. She looks conflicted and refuses to spill, only saying she's under the jurisdiction of his superior and he'll find out the truth eventually. Before Yang Guang can press further, James, ever the escape artist, has already slipped his cuffs and tosses a lighter towards the leaking fuel from the wrecked car. A massive explosion erupts, sending a shockwave that throws Yang Guang to the ground, knocking him unconscious.
