Episode Summary
In episode 28, Luo Qing takes over the archaeological dig at Yin Village but struggles to find the tomb on Phoenix Mountain. Meanwhile, the police track the fugitive Liang Jianbin to the Hongxing Hotel after linking him to a woman named Lin Yuyu. A violent clash erupts when Liang's crew ambushes a rival tomb raider, Li Yuanguang, leaving him critically injured. The police successfully arrest Liang, who reveals he works for a mysterious figure called the "South China King." The episode ends with Luo Qing ordering a disheartened Fang Kun to stay with the team and continue his work.
Spoiler Alert
The Lost National Treasure: Episode 28 Recap & Spoilers
A New Leader and a Stalled Investigation
Episode 28 kicks off with Luo Qing officially taking command of the archaeological dig at Yin Village. Working from Fang Kun's original plans, her first order of business is to conduct a hands-on investigation at Phoenix Mountain to either prove or disprove its significance. Meanwhile, the injured Fang Kun is sidelined, with his doctor insisting that the blood clot from his injury must be allowed to dissipate naturally, warning him against rushing his recovery.
Elsewhere, a personal drama unfolds when Liu Shulan discovers an abandoned baby in the mountains. Her compassionate decision to take the child in leads to a call to her husband, Mu Jianhui. The unexpected arrival of the infant serves as a catalyst for their reconciliation, mending the rift between them.
Frustration on Phoenix Mountain
Luo Qing leads her team, including the impressively quick-witted Qi Xiaoman who rapidly masters the basics of soil layer analysis, in a meticulous survey of Phoenix Mountain. Despite their exhaustive efforts, they find no direct evidence of a tomb. The discovery leaves the tomb's long-time guardian, Old Chen, disheartened, making him feel as though he has spent years protecting an empty site. After a phone call with Fang Kun, Luo Qing and Guo Shilin decide to press on, planning a second, more intensive search in hopes of a breakthrough.
The Net Closes In
The police investigation makes significant headway. After discovering that Liang Jianbin has been in contact with a woman named Lin Yuyu, they successfully locate her residence. Qi Dacang leads a team to her apartment complex, where they conduct a thorough search of the underground parking garage and find Lin Yuyu's new car. More critically, phone records reveal Liang Jianbin's hiding place: a hotel in Qinchuan with a name that sounds like "Hongxing" (Red Star). This intel triggers a city-wide manhunt, with police units assigned to systematically search every hotel matching the description.
A Violent Clash Between Rivals
The criminal underworld erupts in violence when Li Yuanguang and his men are ambushed by Liang Jianbin's crew during their own tomb-raiding attempt. Li's team is brutally beaten, but their driver manages to escape and races to inform Mu Jianhui.
The Qinyuan County Public Security Bureau responds to the scene, quickly identifying it as a violent dispute between rival tomb-raiding syndicates. Li Yuanguang, suffering from severe injuries, is rushed to the hospital. Desperate, Mu Jianhui offers the hospital director a massive sum of cash, begging him to do everything possible to save Li's life. Despite the director's best efforts, Li's prognosis is grim; he has sustained damage to multiple internal organs.
A Key Arrest and a Shadowy Figure
Following the lead, the police pinpoint the Hongxing Hotel. In a tense confrontation, Zhou Yongfu successfully apprehends Liang Jianbin as he attempts to flee. During interrogation, Liang reveals that his crew takes orders from a mysterious figure known only by the codename "South China King." However, since their meetings always took place at night, Liang claims he cannot identify the man's face and continues to withhold other critical details.
An Order to Return
When Luo Qing, Qi Dacang, and Guo Shilin visit the hospital to check on Fang Kun, they are surprised to learn he has already discharged himself. They find him frustrated and dejected by his slow recovery, planning to leave Qinchuan and return to a normal life. In a firm assertion of her new authority, Luo Qing, as the archaeological team's leader, strictly orders him to remain. She reminds him of his duty, emphasizing that he must stay and fulfill his responsibility to protect the great tomb of Yin Village.
The episode concludes at a critical juncture: with Liang Jianbin in custody, the police are closer than ever to unmasking the "South China King." At the same time, Fang Kun is forced to confront his path to recovery as the archaeological expedition prepares to enter its next crucial phase.
