Episode Summary
In Episode 9, Du Ke and Xue Li's attempt to steal classified data from the compound is foiled by Yang Guang, but they deny being spies. The discovery of detailed plant blueprints in their possession reveals an internal mole at Hedian Er Suo (Nuclear Power Plant No. 2). Meanwhile, Tian Ziwei tracks Sander's suspicious travel plans, indicating he's awaiting a signal. Yang Guang cleverly exposes Liu Xinnian as the mole. After an emotional confrontation and reassurance about his family's safety, Liu Xinnian confesses he was coerced by Sander, who was waiting for his call. The team then tricks Sander into believing the mission was successful, prompting him to return to Yanping. A coded message for Sander is intercepted and deciphered, revealing a warning and a location. Liu Xinnian finally explains how Sander manipulated him by threatening his family after initially feigning friendship and offering help.
Spoiler Alert
So, the episode kicks off with Du Ke and Xue Li trying to pull off a high-tech heist right under everyone's noses. We're talking interfering with surveillance signals, cutting the main power – the whole nine yards – all to remotely snag some top-secret computer files from the compound. But, plot twist! Yang Guang, being the sharp investigator he is, had the whole place wired and was waiting for them. Busted! During the interrogation, though, Du Ke and Xue Li play it cool, or rather, play dumb. They totally deny being part of any foreign spy ring, insisting they were just in it for the cash. Yeah, right!
Back at the National Security Bureau, the team starts dissecting what they found in the spies' backpacks. And what do they discover? Super detailed blueprints of the place, including the exact locations of all surveillance cameras at the Hedian Er Suo (Nuclear Power Plant No. 2) and even the guards' patrol schedules. This screams inside job! Clearly, there’s another mole still lurking, and our heroes' every move is being watched by this traitor.
Meanwhile, Tian Ziwei uncovers Sander's travel itinerary: he's booked a flight from Zurich, with a layover in Moscow, landing in Yanping. But get this – he's also got a ticket booked to Paris. Hedging his bets, much? Yang Guang guesses Sander is waiting for some kind of signal. If he doesn't get it within a specific timeframe, he's probably jetting off to Sydney instead.
Over on Sander's side, his contact Lu Ka messages him saying there's still no sign of Du Ke and Xue Li. Sander starts to get a bad feeling but tells Lu Ka to just keep waiting. By the next morning, still nothing from Hedian Er Suo. Yang Guang, determined to unmask the real insider, sets up a clever trap using a cell phone as bait. And who walks right into it? None other than Liu Xinnian!
When Yang Guang confronts him, Liu Xinnian initially tries to deny everything, playing tough. But when Yang Guang lays out all the evidence and brings up the sacrifices of everyone at the nuclear plant, not to mention the hopes his own wife and daughter have for him, Liu Xinnian finally cracks. Through tears, he insists he's not a "Hanjian" (traitor).
After giving Liu Xinnian some time to compose himself, Yang Guang delivers some news: the National Security Bureau has located his wife and child, and they're both safe. Liu Xinnian has a video call with them, fighting back tears and forcing a smile. That's the moment his defenses completely crumble. As soon as the call ends, he confesses everything to Yang Guang, revealing that Sander has been waiting for his call all along.
To keep Sander on the hook, Yang Guang has Liu Xinnian call him. Just as Sander is about to board his flight to Paris, he gets the call from Liu Xinnian. After a moment's hesitation, he answers. Liu Xinnian feeds him a line, saying Du Ke and the team got the goods and will be smuggled out at night since it's too risky during the day. Then, Sander throws a curveball – he wants to speak to Du Ke. Quick on his feet, Yang Guang signals Tian Ziwei and the others to try and create a fake audio of Du Ke's voice. But before they can, Sander suddenly hangs up!
Just when Yang Guang and his team think Sander has sniffed out their plan, they get word from their colleagues in Zurich: Sander has changed his flight and is heading back to Yanping! It seems he actually bought the story (or at least, they think he bought the fake audio that was presumably played or was about to be).
Next up, following Yang Guang's instructions, Liu Xinnian, pretending his cover is still intact, contacts Du Ke (who must be in custody) to get a digital code. Time is critical, so the entire Third Division of National Security throws themselves into deciphering it. Li Jian has a stroke of genius and figures out the code is an old-style Morse transmission: "Sander Wu Gui Liang Ma 3302," which translates to "Sander, don't return. Liang Ma Apartment 3302." A quick search confirms Liang Ma Apartment.
With the immediate crisis somewhat managed, Liu Xinnian, deeply regretting his actions, finally tells Yang Guang the whole story from the beginning. He met Sander at a dinner party. Sander then helped him get his son into the best local high school and found his wife a cushy, well-paying job. For three years, Sander asked for nothing in return, leading Liu Xinnian to believe he’d found a true friend. That all changed when Sun Yaokuan made a breakthrough with the fourth-generation nuclear technology. Suddenly, Sander wanted to know all about China's research and development progress.
Liu Xinnian initially refused to hand over any R&D materials. But then, strange and unsettling things started happening to his wife and son. Later, his son disappeared. That’s when he realized Sander had his entire family's lives in his hands. Cornered and desperate, Liu Xinnian had no choice but to provide the blueprints for Hedian Er Suo and its security protocols.
So, Sander is heading back to Yanping, likely into a trap, and the mole has been caught, but the reasons why are just heartbreaking. What a tangled web! Can't wait to see how they reel Sander in!
