Episode Summary
"The Seven Relics of Omen" Episode 1 introduces a mystery rooted in a 22-year-old "fishing line murder" case committed by Zhang Guanghua. In the present day, investigator Huo Zihong's adopted daughter, Mu Dai, seeks information about a related case from a broker named Wan Fenghuo. During the meeting, which is secretly monitored by the resourceful Luo Ren, an informant claims the killer died five years ago after being possessed. This information is quickly debunked by Li Tan, whose fiancée, Li Yaqing, was one of the original victims. After a tense confrontation and a brief chase, Li Tan reveals the killer has been active again recently. The episode concludes with Huo Zihong discovering that the original killer, Zhang Guanghua, is still alive.
Spoiler Alert
"The Seven Relics of Omen" Episode 1 Recap & Spoilers: The Sins of the Past
A chilling tale begins with a legend. In ancient times, a meteorite fell from the sky, unleashing a terrifying, mysterious power upon the world. Though this evil was eventually sealed away, it is said to be eternally seeking a chance to escape.
The story then jumps to a cold winter's night 22 years ago. A man, Zhang Guanghua, stealthily climbs the side of a residential building. Inside, a woman remains oblivious to the danger lurking just outside her window. The scene cuts abruptly to a terrified young girl, Li Yaqing, hiding in a closet, her hand clamped over her mouth to stifle her screams. We are then shown the horrifying aftermath: Zhang Guanghua sits calmly in the center of a room, admiring his grotesque masterpiece—bodies suspended in the air by fishing line.
Fast forward 22 years to the present day in the city of Lixi. We meet Huo Zihong, who cracks a wry smile upon receiving news about the Luoma Lake case she is investigating. She opens a cabinet containing a statue of the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha, but her attention is on the knife she picks up from within, handling it with practiced ease.
At the behest of her adoptive mother, Huo Zihong, a young woman named Mu Dai heads out alone to meet with an information broker, Wan Fenghuo. The meeting takes place in a private room at Lao Jiu Hot Pot. Inside, Mu Dai finds Wan Fenghuo, along with two other men, Li Tan and Ma Tuwen. The house rule is clear: no audio or video recording. However, unbeknownst to them, a man named Luo Ren is monitoring the entire scene from a vehicle outside. When Ma Tuwen informs him that the signal needs to be blocked, Luo Ren instructs him to comply but then remotely activates a hidden pinhole camera, continuing his surveillance.
Wan Fenghuo brings in his source, a woman named Cen Chunjiao. She drops a bombshell: the supposed perpetrator of the fishing line murders, Liu Shuhai, has been dead for five years. She recounts a strange story from her time as a night-shift attendant at a low-end motel. A guest, Liu Shuhai, had called for hot water. When she entered his room, she helped him up from the sofa, but he collapsed and died moments later. As she panicked and ran for help, Liu Shuhai’s body suddenly sat bolt upright as if possessed. In a robotic, report-like fashion, he recited the personal details of two victims from the fishing line murders.
Cen Chunjiao insists that Liu Shuhai is indeed dead, and his body is proof. However, she adds one more disturbing detail: a large patch of skin had been surgically removed from his back.
The group is highly skeptical of her story. Li Tan is the first to call her out, bluntly accusing her of lying. He reminds Wan Fenghuo that he is the buyer, he's investigating the Luoma Lake case, and he's only interested in credible information. From his car, Luo Ren coolly tells Ma Tuwen to pay for the information. Despite her own reservations, Huo Zihong instructs Mu Dai to do the same, acknowledging that Wan Fenghuo has at least put in the effort.
Furious, Li Tan throws his share of the money on the table and storms out, with Mu Dai close behind him. Suddenly, the restaurant's power cuts out. When the video feed flickers back to life, Luo Ren urgently warns Ma Tuwen not to return to the car. He gives him instructions to run through a nearby shopping mall while he personally takes care of the individuals who were tailing them.
Meanwhile, Li Tan stops to buy a drink, and his wallet is snatched. Mu Dai springs into action, swiftly subduing the thief, Cao Yanhua, and retrieving the wallet. Li Tan tells her the money isn't important; what truly matters is the photograph tucked inside. Mu Dai explains her involvement, revealing that her adoptive mother, Huo Zihong, was a student of a certain Professor Li.
This strikes a chord with Li Tan. He reveals that he is investigating the case because of Professor Li's daughter, Li Yaqing—his fiancée. He shows Mu Dai the photograph. Mu Dai is stunned to see that the woman in the picture bears a striking resemblance to her own mother, Huo Zihong. She cautiously suggests that perhaps Li Yaqing didn't die.
Li Tan becomes intensely emotional. He reveals that he was a police officer back then and was the first to arrive at the horrific crime scene. He describes the unforgettable horror of finding Li Yaqing's body entangled in the fishing lines. Before they part ways, Li Tan delivers a crucial piece of information: the fishing line murders started again two years ago, and he personally had a run-in with the killer. Therefore, Liu Shuhai, who supposedly died five years ago, could not possibly be the culprit.
As the night winds down, the thief, Cao Yanhua, tells Mu Dai that Luo Ren is spying on her. Unfazed, Mu Dai walks directly up to Luo Ren and confronts him, asking why he's following her. In response, he simply writes down his phone number and hands it to her.
Later, a check of official records confirms their suspicions: Liu Shuhai had never even been to Luoma Lake. The lead is a dead end. Just as the team feels a sense of disappointment, Wan Fenghuo provides Mu Dai with another file—the background check on Zhang Guanghua that Huo Zihong had requested.
The episode closes with Huo Zihong reading the file, her expression turning to one of shock as she learns a terrifying truth: Zhang Guanghua, the killer from 22 years ago, is still alive.
