Episode Summary
Detective Liu Ziming investigates a series of manhole cover thefts, leading him to a scrap yard owner who agrees to help catch the thief, Xiao Pang. Simultaneously, Ziming is devastated by news that his girlfriend, Fang Tingting, might have lung cancer. Xiao Pang, once caught, reveals a larger operation involving cable theft at Yaohai Port led by Liu Dong. While Ziming juggles the dangerous undercover operation to bust Liu Dong's large gang and Fang Tingting's scheduled surgery (which he ultimately misses), she receives good news: her tumor is benign. The episode culminates in the successful arrest of Liu Dong and his crew. A time jump to 2008 shows Xiao Pang getting a fresh start, and Ziming immediately diving into a new murder case.
Spoiler Alert
The episode kicks off with a peculiar crime wave: manhole covers are disappearing left and right across the city. It sounds like small potatoes, but the local police are stretched thin. So, Captain Huang calls in the big guns, tasking Liu Ziming from the criminal investigation team to crack the case. Ziming, ever the dedicated detective, goes undercover, posing as a potential seller at scrap yards. It doesn't take him long to pinpoint a shady operation willing to buy the stolen city property. He even schedules a "delivery" for that very night, setting the stage for a sting.
Later that evening, Ziming, along with his reliable colleagues Xia Yu and Li Yugang, closes in on the scrap yard. They manage to flip the owner, who agrees to cooperate in catching the actual thieves. Just as they're settling in for a stakeout, Ziming's world gets rocked by a personal crisis. He gets a call from Fang Tingting, and the news is dire: doctors suspect she has lung cancer following a recent check-up. Talk about a punch to the gut.
Ziming, understandably, drops everything and rushes to a distraught Fang Tingting's side. He tries to comfort her, clinging to the hope that it's a misdiagnosis, and they plan for a follow-up hospital visit the next morning. Meanwhile, Xia Yu and Li Yugang keep the stakeout going, now disguised as scrap yard workers. The thieves contact them to arrange an evening delivery. When they update Ziming, Fang Tingting, showing incredible strength, urges him to go and catch the criminals, not wanting her situation to impede his work.
Back at the scrap yard, Ziming arrives just as the thief, a young man named Xiao Pang, shows up with a cartload of manhole covers. Ziming recognizes him instantly. He and his former partner, Wei Jie, had arrested Xiao Pang and his brother in the past. During that previous encounter, after Wei Jie had taken the brother into custody, Ziming and Wei Jie had given Xiao Pang all the money they had on them, and Xiao Pang had tearfully sworn to turn his life around. This time, Xiao Pang’s excuse is that his mother desperately needs cataract surgery and he’s out of options for money. After a stern lecture, Ziming sees an opportunity. Xiao Pang confesses that besides the manhole covers, he's also involved in stealing cables from a construction site at Yaohai Port with a man named Liu Dong. Ziming tells Xiao Pang this is his chance to atone.
Xiao Pang then leads Ziming to the construction site for a bit of reconnaissance. Spotting security cameras, Ziming instructs Xiao Pang to go home and alert him when the next theft is planned. Ziming reports this organized cable theft ring to Captain Huang, who gives him the green light to pursue the investigation. Amidst this escalating case, Ziming makes it to the hospital to be with Fang Tingting. Her surgery is scheduled for 3 PM the following day, and Ziming promises her he’ll be there.
But, as crime dramas love to remind us, a detective's work is never done, and personal plans are often collateral damage. Xiao Pang calls with an urgent tip: Liu Dong's crew is planning to hit the construction site that very night at midnight. Fang Tingting, ever supportive, tells Ziming to go, believing he can handle the case and still make it to her surgery. Just as he's about to leave, another problem arises. His landlord calls to inform him that his friend, Li Wei, has given up his rented apartment and is now staying at a local bathhouse. Ziming finds Li Wei, who explains he used his rent money to buy a computer for a young woman named Nizi and now needs to borrow 10,000 yuan from Ziming to start a business. Ziming, not carrying that kind of cash, promises to get it to him the next day.
That night, Ziming, Li Yugang, and Xia Yu go undercover, posing as Xiao Pang’s associates. They meet Liu Dong (also known as Dong Ge) and his crew. Dong Ge leads them to the construction site, where his men overpower the security guard. They begin loading up steel and cables, with payment based on the amount each person hauls. Dong Ge then announces an even bigger operation for the following night, involving over a hundred of his "brothers."
Ziming wants Xiao Pang to tail Dong Ge, but Xiao Pang is too frightened. Ziming reports to Captain Huang, suggesting they install hidden cameras to gather solid evidence before making arrests. Captain Huang, however, wants immediate action that night. This proves difficult as the gang members are dispersed and their movements unpredictable. Captain Huang tasks Ziming with quickly tracking down Liu Dong and his core group. Xiao Pang provides some leads: Liu Dong rents a place in Faxin Village, and his girlfriend resides in Mapo. Ziming assigns Xia Yu to get the exact number of people involved in that night's operation from Xiao Pang, sends Li Yugang to Faxin Village to try and intercept Liu Dong, while he himself heads to Mapo. Unfortunately, Liu Dong doesn't appear at the Mapo location.
The clock mercilessly ticks down. It's 3 PM, and Fang Tingting is at the hospital, but Liu Ziming is nowhere in sight. Her mother steps in to support her through the surgery. Ziming, caught up in the critical phase of the investigation, is in agony, knowing he's breaking his promise and missing her surgery. To add to the pressure, Xia Yu texts him that the planned heist involves around 150 people. Meanwhile, Li Wei is still waiting at the bathhouse for the money from Ziming, even resisting temptation from a drug user. Ziming manages to have his colleague Liu Yang deliver the 10,000 yuan to Li Wei. Then, a ray of hope: Fang Tingting's surgery is successful, and the tumor is found to be benign! The relief is immense for everyone.
With the operation against Liu Dong's gang now in full swing, Liu Ziming, Xia Yu, and Li Yugang, guided by Xiao Pang, join Dong Ge's crew as they head to the construction site for the theft. Just as they begin, Captain Huang and a large contingent of police officers swoop in, arresting Liu Dong and his entire gang in a well-executed takedown. After the successful bust, Captain Huang, hearing about Fang Tingting's surgery, urges Ziming to rush to the hospital and apologize. Ziming arrives to find Fang Tingting asleep. Not wanting to disturb her, he waits anxiously in the hallway.
The episode then jumps forward to 2008. Xiao Pang, having cooperated with the police, is released early from custody. Liu Ziming, in a kind gesture, helps him enroll in a driving school run by a friend, offering him a chance at a fresh start. Back at the criminal investigation team's office, Ziming learns it's Xia Yu's birthday. However, any potential celebration is cut short by an urgent call: a decomposed body has been discovered in Huacui. Without hesitation, Liu Ziming, accompanied by Li Yugang, heads straight to the new crime scene.
