Episode Summary
Liu Zhendong narrowly escapes death from Robert's poisoned dagger thanks to a protective vest from Cheng Hui. Hei Hu, after revealing Huang Jinhu's identity, seeks Liu Zhendong's help regarding Cheng Hui, who is facing multiple revenge attacks in prison. Cheng Hui defends himself, leading to an inmate's death and brutal punishment from the warden. Liu Zhendong intervenes, demanding a public trial for Cheng Hui. Concerned for Cheng Hui's safety, Hei Hu initially plans to enter prison himself, but Zhao Tiehan volunteers instead, suggesting She Yan accompany him to prevent further trouble. Meanwhile, Liu Zhendong deals decisively with arsonists targeting Hong Yan's home.
Spoiler Alert
First off, remember that nasty business with Robert's dagger? Well, the forensic report is in, and surprise, surprise, it was coated with a potent poison. Luckily, Liu Zhendong is one fortunate guy. He was wearing that special horsehide armor, a gift from Cheng Hui, which, get this, was hand-stitched by A'Zhen. This isn't the first time that piece of gear has saved his skin, and Cheng Hui had apparently told Liu Zhendong to wear it always. Talk about a good call – it literally saved him from a fatal blow!
Meanwhile, Hei Hu, after being questioned by the cops for his Good Samaritan act, gets pulled into Liu Zhendong's office. Liu Zhendong, understandably, wants to know how Hei Hu just happened to know his whereabouts. Hei Hu comes clean, admitting he was specifically looking for Liu Zhendong and had figured out his probable return route, lying in wait. He then brings up Cheng Hui's situation again, hoping for Liu Zhendong's help, and drops a little nugget: Huang Jinhu is, indeed, the real deal.
Things are not going so well for Cheng Hui in the slammer. In the dead of night, he gets jumped by a group of inmates. Turns out, these guys all have old beefs with him and ended up in the same prison, just waiting for a chance at revenge. Cheng Hui, ever the fighter, manages to get one of them in a chokehold. The guards finally rush in, and Cheng Hui, smart cookie, requests solitary confinement to avoid getting shanked in his sleep.
As Liu Zhendong and Hei Hu are heading back, Liu Zhendong tries to convince Hei Hu to step up and take over as gang leader immediately. Their journey gets interrupted when they spot a couple of thugs trying to set Hong Yan's house on fire. Right in front of Hei Hu, Liu Zhendong doesn't hesitate – he straight-up shoots and kills the arsonists. Message sent, loud and clear.
The next day, back in prison, another inmate tries to take out Cheng Hui, this time with a shiv. But Cheng Hui turns the tables and ends up killing his attacker. This, of course, doesn't sit well with the prison warden, who hauls Cheng Hui off for some "special" off-the-books punishment, furious that Cheng Hui's actions are bringing heat down on him.
Liu Zhendong pays a visit and finds Cheng Hui battered and bruised. He keeps his cool, though, and instead starts grilling the witnesses one by one. He calls out the warden for rushing to report the incident, hinting that someone higher up might be pulling the strings. Playing it strategically, Liu Zhendong states that while he has his own personal issues with Cheng Hui, a private killing wouldn't be satisfying enough. He insists Cheng Hui's case needs a public trial and orders the warden to rethink his approach.
Later, Hei Hu meets with Liu Zhendong, admitting that even with connections, Cheng Hui is still in a world of danger in prison. As the group brainstorms what to do, She Yan gets all fired up, suggesting they just bust Cheng Hui out by force. Hei Hu quickly shuts that down and proposes that Zhao Tiehan should take over as gang leader instead.
Zhao Tiehan, however, sees right through Hei Hu's plan – he knows Hei Hu intends to get himself into prison to protect Cheng Hui. Zhao Tiehan praises Hei Hu's calm demeanor and fitness for leadership, saying Cheng Hui didn't misplace his trust. Then, in a pretty selfless move, Zhao Tiehan volunteers to go to prison himself to watch over Cheng Hui. He even suggests She Yan go with him, figuring it would keep She Yan from stirring up trouble on the outside.
