Episode Summary
In "Abyss Dweller" Episode 13, Wang Qiaosu confesses under torture that explosives have been moved, prompting Liang Shuo to devise a plan to frame Chen Gengsheng as the mole to mislead the Japanese. The plan involves abducting Chen during his transport, which Liang's allies successfully execute. Meanwhile, Lu Xijian discovers a clue about a warehouse possibly hiding the explosives, but his superior, Hirata Kiko, ignores the warning due to her trust in Liang Shuo. The episode culminates in a massive explosion set by Xie Nianci at a location tracked by the Japanese. Liang Shuo is caught in the blast and injured, leading a furious Takagi Yugi to blame him for the casualties.
Spoiler Alert
Abyss Dweller Episode 13 Recap & Spoilers: The Hijacking and the Blast
This Episode , the hunt for the mole inside the secret service headquarters spirals into chaos. A confession under torture points the investigation in one direction, but Liang Shuo sets a dangerous counter-plan in motion to frame a different operative. The scheme hinges on a brazen public abduction, leading to a deadly climax where a massive explosion rocks the city, leaving one of our own caught in the crossfire and the Japanese command enraged.
Key Developments in Episode 13:
- A Confession Under Duress: Wang Qiaosu breaks under torture and confesses, revealing the explosives have been moved to North Shanghai, but the identity of his contact remains a mystery, fueling paranoia within No. 76.
- Liang Shuo's Gambit: Liang Shuo devises a cunning three-step plan to manipulate the Japanese into believing Chen Gengsheng is the traitor, thereby discrediting Wang Qiaosu's testimony.
- The Abduction: Chen Gengsheng is brazenly hijacked during his prison transport by a mysterious group, causing the Japanese to become highly alarmed.
- A New Lead Dismissed: Lu Xijian uncovers a critical clue about a renovated warehouse possibly hiding the explosives, but Hirata Kiko's unwavering trust in Liang Shuo leads her to overlook the potential danger.
- An Explosive Climax: The episode ends with a devastating explosion that injures Liang Shuo. Takagi Yugi furiously blames him for the casualties, putting him in even greater peril.
Full Recap
A Confession and a Calculated Frame Job
Faced with the terror of relentless torture, Wang Qiaosu spills everything. He admits the explosives were successfully transported to North Shanghai, but he swears he doesn't know the identity of his contact. The confession sends shockwaves through No. 76, confirming a mole in their ranks. Hirata Kiko immediately points the finger at Chen Gengsheng, but her superior, Mizuho Genxin, remains unconvinced, hesitant to trust the word of a broken man.
Meanwhile, Liang Shuo meets with the arrogant but desperate Xie Jun'an, offering to solve his Wang Qiaosu problem. Liang Shuo lays out a masterful three-part strategy designed to turn the tables. First, they will send a deliberately vague telegram to Chongqing, ensuring the Japanese believe Chen Gengsheng and Wang Qiaosu's mission is still active. Second, they will establish a new, false contact method for Wang Qiaosu. The crucial final step: prevent Chen and Wang from ever meeting. If the Japanese can be led to believe Chen is Wang's subordinate, Wang's entire confession will be called into question.
The Hijacking Plan Takes Shape
Jiang Feiman briefs her team on Liang Shuo's audacious plan: they must abduct Chen Gengsheng during his transport. They deduce that Director Cui will be in charge of the route. Despite being assigned to the escort detail by the Director, Liang Shuo repeatedly refuses to participate, raising suspicions. His official task is to bring Chen Gengsheng to Meihua Hall for identification by Wang Qiaosu, an event Liang Shuo knows must be prevented at all costs.
In his cell, Chen Gengsheng has descended into apparent madness, raving incoherently. No one pays him any mind, except when he mutters that Liang Shuo's mind is "broken" and that he can't remember things. Director Cui overhears this and later tries to probe Liang Shuo about his past. Liang Shuo expertly deflects, avoiding any discussion of the transport route and focusing instead on retrieving decrypted files from the communications group. His strange behavior is compounded when Lu Xijian arrives at the archives to access a file, only to find Liang Shuo absent and helps himself—an act Liang Shuo finds deeply suspicious.
The Ambush
Just before Chen Gengsheng is moved, Liang Shuo visits him, delivering a barrage of cold taunts that push the already unstable man over the edge. As the transport vehicle makes its way through the city, it’s suddenly blocked by the chaos of a film crew shooting a scene on the street. In the ensuing confusion, the operatives succeed: when the crowd clears, Chen Gengsheng is gone.
A New Clue and a Deadly Trap
Chen Gengsheng’s disappearance solidifies the Japanese belief that he is a Military-Statistics Bureau agent. An infuriated Takagi Yugi takes Wang Qiaosu to the scene of the abduction to search for clues, where Wang discovers a marker left behind by the Bureau.
Liang Shuo, having avoided the transport, returns to headquarters to report. There, Lu Xijian goes to Hirata Kiko with a new lead he uncovered in the archives. The file, sourced from Liang Shuo’s office, shows that a man named Yan Jiu renovated a warehouse in Pingjia Lane just before leaving Shanghai. Lu Xijian theorizes this is where the explosives are hidden. Hirata Kiko orders a search, but they find nothing. Lu Xijian remains determined to investigate further, pointing out that the intel came via Liang Shuo. However, Hirata Kiko’s complete faith in Liang Shuo blinds her to the potential warning sign.
Taking a huge risk, Liang Shuo meets with Xie Nianci. He urges her to leave Shanghai immediately after the upcoming Peace Conference, warning that the city is about to erupt. She refuses, reminding him that he is only free once her contact, "Scorpio," fulfills their side of the bargain. He thanks her for her help. Following their meeting, Xie Nianci proceeds to the location where the Japanese are tracking the Bureau's marker and sets a devastating trap.
The Blast
As Takagi Yugi and his men arrive at the location, they spot a vehicle and realize too late that it's packed with explosives. Just as they try to flee, Xie Nianci detonates the bomb. Liang Shuo’s car, coincidentally parked directly in front of the building, is engulfed in the massive explosion, and he is seriously injured. Watching from a distance, a horrified Xie Nianci nearly breaks cover to run to his aid. In the fiery aftermath, Takagi Yugi turns his rage on the wounded Liang Shuo, blaming him for blocking the only exit with his car and causing the deaths of his men. The situation has just gone from bad to worse.
