Episode Summary
In "The Lost National Treasure" Episode 35, Li Yuanguang executes a revenge-suicide plot, killing Liu Shusheng in a massive explosion in Luoshan after leaving a final message for Wenwen. Panicked, Wenwen confesses the secret of her child's parentage to the police. Simultaneously, the archaeology team, guided by a tip from a reformed Li Chunlai, discovers the long-lost rammed earth wall at a local brick kiln despite obstruction from villagers. The episode concludes with Mu Jianhui's release from custody, leading to a tense confrontation at his home as he and his wife, Liu Shulan, are confronted by Wenwen, who has come to claim her child.
Spoiler Alert
The Lost National Treasure Episode 35 Recap & Spoilers: A Fiery End and a Hidden Wall
In a devastating turn of events, Li Yuanguang enacts his final, tragic plan for revenge against Liu Shusheng, resulting in a deadly explosion. As the police close in, Wenwen reveals a life-altering secret about her child's parentage. Meanwhile, the archaeology team gets a game-changing tip from a reformed Li Chunlai, leading them to a confrontation at a local brick kiln and a monumental discovery. Just as one chapter closes in fire, another opens with Mu Jianhui's release from custody, setting the stage for a new and intense conflict over the child.
Li Yuanguang's Final Gambit
The episode opens with the police arriving too late at a recycling station, as key evidence has already been moved. Elsewhere, Li Yuanguang makes his final preparations. He walks into a shop and leaves behind an old magazine he once used for knitting, but tucked inside is a photo of his family and a bank card containing his life savings. On the back of the photograph, he has written a message for Wenwen: "You did nothing wrong. Live a good life."
When Wenwen sees the message, she is struck with the horrifying realization that Li Yuanguang is on a path of no return. Overcome with panic, she rushes to police officer Qi Dacang and confesses the secret she has kept for so long: the true identity of her child's father. With the police now aware that Li Yuanguang is heading to Luoshan, they race to intercept him, with a desperate Wenwen driving close behind.
Revenge in the Mountains
Deep in a ravine in Luoshan, the disgraced Liu Shusheng and his wife, He Xiaofeng, are living in squalor, their days filled with bitter arguments. Their world is shattered by the sudden appearance of Li Yuanguang. He calmly makes an excuse to send He Xiaofeng away on an errand, leaving him alone with his target.
Inside the house, Liu Shusheng taunts Li Yuanguang, calling him a "stray dog." Unfazed, Li Yuanguang coldly shows him a picture of the child, stating, "I have always considered Mu Jianhui my brother. It doesn't matter whose child it is." He reveals his two objectives for this visit: to get justice for his wife and to eliminate a future threat for Mu Jianhui.
Just as He Xiaofeng returns from her errand, she spots Qi Dacang and his police team ascending the mountain. She screams a warning, but it's too late. A massive explosion erupts from the house, engulfing it in a ball of fire that shakes the entire valley. Li Yuanguang has detonated explosives, taking Liu Shusheng with him in a final, fiery act of vengeance.
The Breakthrough at the Brick Kiln
A parallel storyline follows the return of Li Chunlai, who is met by his father-in-law, Qi Youliang. Li Chunlai is a changed man; he hands over the 20,000 yuan he earned working to his mother-in-law, and his wife, Qi Xiaoman, is overjoyed by his transformation, asking him to stay for good.
During a family dinner, the conversation turns to the archaeological team's search for a missing outer wall. Li Chunlai provides a crucial clue, recalling that he saw a similar structure at a brick kiln owned by a villager named Xingwang. Archaeologist Fang Kun immediately leads his team to the location, but Xingwang is hostile, maliciously puncturing their vehicle's tires to stop them.
Undeterred, the team scales the wall to enter the kiln, only to be surrounded by Xingwang and his relatives. In the ensuing chaos, team members Luo Qing and Qi Xiaoman bravely hold back the mob, buying Fang Kun precious time. The standoff is broken when a village elder, Chen Si-ge, publicly denounces Xingwang for his involvement in a corrupt landfill project and drags him away. At that critical moment, a shout comes from within the kiln: Fang Kun and his colleague Guo Shilin have found it—the rammed earth wall.
Aftermath and New Conflicts
The episode's final act deals with the fallout from the explosion. At the police station, a trembling Liu Shulan collects the belongings of her late brother, Liu Shusheng. She passes a catatonic He Xiaofeng, who is huddled in a conference room, and crosses paths with a grief-stricken Wenwen on her way out.
Due to the lack of evidence following the deaths of the key players, Mu Jianhui is released from custody. Qi Dacang is furious, confronting Prosecutor Song Ming and insisting on Mu Jianhui's guilt, but his wife comforts him, telling him that "dawn is coming."
Once free, Mu Jianhui first visits the suburbs to pay his respects at a makeshift memorial for Li Yuanguang. He then buys a birthday cake for his son, Liangliang, and returns home to face his wife, Liu Shulan. He confesses everything, pleading with her to accept the boy. "The child is not at fault," he says. "The adults are to blame for everything."
Before Liu Shulan can respond, the door bursts open. Wenwen stands in the doorway, her eyes fixed on the child, ready to fight for her son.
What to Expect Next
The episode ends on a tense cliffhanger, setting up several new conflicts: Wenwen's arrival ignites a three-way battle for custody of the child. The monumental discovery of the rammed earth wall will undoubtedly launch a new struggle over its preservation and protection. Meanwhile, Qi Dacang, still convinced of Mu Jianhui's guilt, is poised to begin a new, covert investigation into the man he believes has escaped justice.
