Episode Summary
Liu Zhendong presents the Shanhai Gang with a deal from Wilson: disarm and disband for legal status in Shicheng. While Cheng Hui outwardly agrees, he secretly plans a final cleanup. He, along with Zhao Tiehan, Hei Hu, and She Yan, spends two days eliminating rival gangs, drug traffickers, and human traffickers to protect the Chinese community before the Shanhai Gang dissolves. Liu Zhendong discovers their actions and confronts Cheng Hui, furious about the illegal methods. Though he handcuffs Cheng Hui, Liu Zhendong ultimately leaves, conflicted, after hearing Cheng Hui's motivations.
Spoiler Alert
The episode kicked off at the crack of dawn with Liu Zhendong escorting Cheng Hui to the Shanhai Gang's turf. They were there to pay their respects, but also for Liu Zhendong to deliver Wilson's final terms: if the Shanhai Gang hands over their weapons and swears off any future gang activities, they'll be allowed to operate legally in Shicheng. Now, Cheng Hui has never really bought into the idea that the Shanhai Gang is your typical criminal outfit, but he knew this was the best deal Liu Zhendong could possibly finagle. Cheng Nanping was pretty relieved by this development, but Liu Zhendong still had this nagging guilt he couldn't quite shake.
Back with the gang, not everyone was thrilled about disbanding. She Yan and his crew were definitely grumbling, and Hei Hu had a strong hunch that Cheng Hui’s dinner banquet later that night was about more than just a meal. And boy, was he right. Cheng Hui pulled Zhao Tiehan, Hei Hu, and She Yan aside and laid it out plain: what he had planned next was risky and could implicate them all, but if they pulled it off, they’d be doing a massive cleanup of Shicheng’s darkest elements.
See, Cheng Hui’s a smart cookie. He knew that the moment the Shanhai Gang officially disbands, every shadowy power player lurking in Shicheng would try to fill the vacuum, and the Chinese community would be caught in the crossfire all over again. So, his plan? Before they hang up their hats, he and his trusted trio would go on a spree to eliminate the other gangs that have been terrorizing the Chinese residents, especially the scumbags colluding with foreign merchants to traffic Chinese women.
And man, did they move fast. Over the next two days, it was a whirlwind of action. Zhao Tiehan, She Yan, and Hei Hu took down drug rings, smashed human trafficking dens, and cleverly lured the Da Fan Gang leader into a fatal trap. Meanwhile, Cheng Hui had a more personal score to settle, visiting an old acquaintance who’d been a plague on the city for years. Cheng Hui gave him an out: take poison, and his family would be left untouched. Cold, but effective.
Just when you thought things might settle, Cheng Hui walked into his house late at night to find Liu Zhendong waiting, and he was furious, his face like thunder. Liu Zhendong ripped into them for their vigilante justice, accusing them of not only breaking the law but also endangering every single member of the Shanhai Gang. Technically, Liu Zhendong should have slapped the cuffs on Cheng Hui right then and there for what they’d done. He did handcuff him, but it felt more like a gesture. Cheng Hui, cool as ever, just calmly explained why he did what he did, laying out his vision for Shicheng's future. Liu Zhendong listened, silent for a long, tense moment. Then, without another word, he turned and walked out, disappearing into the thick darkness of the night.
