Episode Summary
An Gexiong kidnaps Cheng Nanping, planning to murder her to instigate a war between the Shanhai Gang and Zheng Qiu, aiming to seize control of Shicheng. Zheng Qiu sends Officer Lin to negotiate, but Lin attempts to assault Cheng Nanping. Meanwhile, Liu Zhendong learns of Zheng Qiu's plot and heads to An Gexiong's former hideout. Cheng Hui, with his allies Zhao Tiehan, Huang Zhongxin, Hei Hu, and She Yan, ambushes An Gexiong's men. An Gexiong, discovering Lin's assault, kills him. During a tense standoff where An Gexiong holds Cheng Nanping hostage, Liu Zhendong arrives and shoots An Gexiong. Cheng Hui then fatally wounds An Gexiong, ending his scheme.
Spoiler Alert
"Contenders" Episode 25 Recap & Spoilers: All Hell Breaks Loose!
So, we kick things off with Cheng Nanping in a seriously tight spot – held captive by An Gexiong in a secluded cabin deep in the woods. An Gexiong's goons are all smirks and jokes, ribbing their boss about "getting a bride tonight." But An Gexiong shuts that down fast. Turns out, he's not after romance; he's got his eyes on a much bigger prize: becoming the top dog in Shicheng. His twisted plan? To brutally murder Cheng Nanping and leave her body in the streets. Yeah, dark stuff. He figures this will ignite an all-out war between the Shanhai Gang and Zheng Qiu, and while they're busy tearing each other apart, he can just waltz in and pick up the pieces.
Meanwhile, Zheng Qiu isn't just sitting around. He sends his trusted man, Officer Lin, to try and negotiate with An Gexiong. But An Gexiong, already picturing himself on the throne, is feeling pretty smug and basically dismisses him. He even orders his men to lay off the betel nuts – guess he’s trying to project a more "boss-like" image already? Officer Lin pretends to leave, but nope, he’s a sneaky one and circles back, heading straight for the cabin where Cheng Nanping is being held.
On another front, a panicked Gou Wendao rushes to find Liu Zhendong, spilling the beans that Zheng Qiu is actively trying to stir up a gang war. Liu Zhendong doesn't miss a beat. A cold glint in his eyes, he knocks Gou Wendao out cold, snatches his gun, and speeds off towards a place An Gexiong used to stash his opium. This guy Liu Zhendong is clearly not messing around.
Back at the cabin, Cheng Nanping sees Officer Lin approaching and probably thinks, "Finally, a rescuer!" Oh, how wrong she is. Instead of helping, Officer Lin starts getting handsy, and it's clear he has some vile intentions. This is just not her day.
But wait, the cavalry is coming! Cheng Hui, along with his crew – Zhao Tiehan, Huang Zhongxin, Hei Hu, and She Yan – has already set up an ambush nearby. Cheng Hui, like a one-man army, takes on a bunch of An Gexiong's thugs with some seriously lethal hand-to-hand combat, while his buddies provide covering fire from the back.
Seeing his men getting pummeled, An Gexiong panics and makes a dash for the cabin, planning to use Cheng Nanping as a human shield to threaten Cheng Hui. But when he bursts through the door, he gets an eyeful: Officer Lin in the middle of assaulting Cheng Nanping. An Gexiong, surprisingly (or maybe not, given his own brand of crazy), flies into a rage and stabs Officer Lin to death on the spot. Talk about a complicated villain!
Now An Gexiong has Cheng Nanping at gunpoint, screaming at Cheng Hui to back off. He tries a sneaky move, pretending to have Zhao Tiehan hand over a gun, but his real plan is to shoot Cheng Hui. Luckily for Cheng Hui, the shot goes wide. To make sure Cheng Nanping stays safe, Hei Hu makes a quick decision and tosses his own gun to Cheng Hui. Cheng Hui, in a classic hero move, drops his knife, ready to take on An Gexiong one-on-one.
Just as An Gexiong is about to try another underhanded attack, who shows up in the nick of time? Liu Zhendong! He fires a shot, hitting An Gexiong in the shoulder. Seeing an opening, Huang Zhongxin brilliantly kicks a long knife lying on the ground straight to Cheng Hui. Cheng Hui catches it mid-air – total action movie moment – and with a flash of steel, he slits An Gexiong's throat. Blood everywhere, and An Gexiong drops dead.
