Episode Summary
In this episode, Li Minhao confesses to being hired by Moss Business Group to spy on the nuclear conference and attempting to bribe Sun Yaokuan. Moss Business Group, led by Sander, faces immense pressure from their superior, Henry, to acquire the nuclear technology after their initial plan fails. Tragedy strikes as Sun Yaokuan dies from a heart attack. Yang Guang takes full responsibility for the security lapses and vows to uncover the truth. The investigation intensifies when a critical computer at the Nuclear Energy Research Institute, containing sensitive data, is found to have been illegally accessed. Yang Guang explores leads involving a suspicious rental car and a stolen ID. Meanwhile, Tian Ziwei begins assisting Yang Guang by examining the compromised computer, and Yang Guang has a cryptic encounter with the increasingly suspicious Zhao Yaning at Sun Yaokuan's grave, further solidifying his belief that she is hiding something.
Spoiler Alert
Li Minhao Sings (Sort Of)
So, Yang Guang and Li Jian finally have Li Minhao cornered, and after some serious prodding and maybe a few not-so-veiled threats, the guy starts to crack. He admits he was poking around Xia Chuanmin's affairs to check an account balance. Turns out, an unexpected eighty bucks popped up, which immediately set off Yang Guang's Spidey senses. They traced that transfer, and guess where it led? Straight to Moss Business Group – yep, their direct competitors.
But wait, there's more! Li Minhao also fesses up that Moss Business Group hired him to do some sneaky recon on the nuclear power conference. He even dangled a whopping twenty million in front of Sun Yaokuan for some juicy intel, but Sun wasn't biting and shut him down hard. Li Minhao tried to get another word with Sun, but Sun was basically dodging him like a pro. Crucially, Li Minhao swears he had absolutely nothing to do with what eventually happened to Sun Yaokuan. Hmm, the plot thickens!
The Heat is On for Moss Business Group
Meanwhile, over at Moss, Sander gets a rather unpleasant call from his superior, Henry. This Henry isn't just anyone; he's the head honcho for the Zhounan Power Plant's fourth-generation nuclear project, and – surprise, surprise – he's the one pulling Moss Business Group's strings. Henry is furious that their grand plan didn't quite stick the landing. He lays down the law: get the job done, no matter the cost, or Moss Business Group will be ancient history. Ouch. A stressed Sander then takes it out on his underlings, Shirley and Duke, blasting them for not anticipating the hiccups with their remote copy plan. Now, with the target computer under the National Security Bureau's lock and key, getting close is going to be a nightmare.
Tragedy and a Vow for Justice
Speaking of Sun Yaokuan, the news is grim. He suffers another heart attack, and this time, tragically, the hospital can't save him. The National Security Bureau immediately convenes a meeting. Yang Guang presents his detailed analysis of how these foreign spy outfits operate, and he voices a strong suspicion: he thinks Sander and Zhao Yaning are working together, possibly as superior and subordinate, using their jobs at different companies as cover.
It's a solid theory, but as Zhang Baiqing points out, they're still short on concrete evidence. The boss is understandably livid about the massive security failures that led to one death and two injuries on their watch, and he orders both Yang Guang and Li Jian to write up formal self-criticism reports. The next morning, Yang Guang hands his in, taking full responsibility for the blunders. He then makes a solemn promise to Zhang Baiqing: he'll do whatever it takes to uncover the truth and bring the masterminds to justice. If he fails? He's out. Impressed by his resolve, Zhang Baiqing agrees to give him one last chance.
The Compromised Computer
Back at the Nuclear Energy Research Institute, they desperately need their computers for ongoing project development. However, when Yang Guang and his team inspect the hard drives, they discover something alarming: the F drive, which holds all the critical files for the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor core technology, was illegally accessed within the last 24 hours. As a security measure, it's automatically locked down. Faced with this new crisis, Yang Guang decides the compromised computer will stay with his Third Division. He's confident his own people are clean, which means the breach had to have come from an external source.
A Tailing Car and a Rented Ride
Yang Guang meticulously reviews surveillance footage, but nothing seems out of place. Then, a crucial piece of information comes from Li Jian, who mentions they were followed by a mysterious vehicle on their way back from a previous operation. This sparks an idea for Yang Guang. He pulls the traffic camera footage from near the overpass and traces the rental car. It was supposedly rented by an elderly woman named Liu Yuwen, who was said to be away on vacation. This doesn't match the description of the person actually seen in the car at all. Tan Yaoduo then tracks down Liu Yuwen, who is completely bewildered and has no idea her ID was used to rent a car. Somebody's been playing identity games!
Pressure Cooker for Moss, Round Two
The big boss at Zhounan Power Plant Group, a certain Robert, is absolutely incensed when he learns Moss Business Group's plan went belly-up. He leans hard on Henry, demanding they get their hands on that core technology, and fast. Henry, feeling the squeeze, passes the ultimatum down to Sander: they have two months to make it happen. Sander, who relies heavily on Shirley and Duke as his go-to operatives, decides it's time to activate their backup plan, sternly warning them that failure is not an option this time.
Side Hustles and Suspicions
On a slightly different note, Xie Xiaoman lands a new gig as a novel translator and signs her contract with none other than Zhao Yaning. When Zhao Yaning hears the news about Sun Yaokuan's death, her expression becomes notably somber.
Meanwhile, Tian Ziwei has her own suspicions about the compromised computer – she thinks it was remotely hacked. Her theory aligns perfectly with Yang Guang's own thoughts. Seeing her sharp insight, Yang Guang agrees to let her examine the computer to try and find the truth, with the condition that he'll be supervising her every move. Later that evening, Tian Ziwei gets to work on the computer in Yang Guang's office, and in a rather sweet gesture, he buys her some of her favorite late-night snacks.
A Cemetery Encounter
Earlier in the day, Yang Guang visits Sun Yaokuan's grave to pay his respects. In a twist of fate, he runs into Zhao Yaning, who is also there to mourn. Yang Guang strikes up a conversation, but Zhao Yaning denies ever having met him before. This denial only fuels Yang Guang's growing suspicion that she's more involved than she lets on. They exchange business cards, and Yang Guang leaves the encounter more convinced than ever that Zhao Yaning is a key player with a hidden agenda.
