Episode Summary
In this episode, Liang Shuo discovers a trap set by Mizuho Genxin, but the warning comes too late for Jiang Feiman, who is captured by No. 76 while trying to save a comrade. During a tense interrogation, Jiang Feiman brilliantly turns the tables by accusing both Liang Shuo and Director Cui of being conspirators, sowing discord among her captors. Meanwhile, an internal conflict between Japanese officers Mizuho Genxin and Asai Hisashi intensifies over a secret list. Risking his life, Liang Shuo visits the severely injured Jiang Feiman in her cell to give her instructions for the "Trinity Plan," a desperate gambit that represents her only hope for survival.
Spoiler Alert
Abyss Dweller Episode 26: Recap & Spoilers
Key Moments from the Episode:
- Liang Shuo uncovers a deadly trap, but the subsequent evacuation attempt fails.
- Jiang Feiman is captured by the ruthless agents of No. 76 after returning to save a comrade.
- During a high-stakes interrogation, Jiang Feiman masterfully turns her captors against one another.
- A fierce power struggle erupts between the Japanese officers Mizuho Genxin and Asai Hisashi over a secret list.
- Risking everything, Liang Shuo slips into the prison to deliver instructions to the gravely wounded Jiang Feiman for a new strategy: the "Trinity Plan."
Full Recap
The Trap Is Sprung
The episode opens with Liang Shuo accessing a safe belonging to Nakayama Kazuo, only to find the notebook inside is completely blank. He instantly realizes it’s a sophisticated trap laid by Mizuho Genxin. Playing it cool, Liang Shuo replaces the notebook and withdraws, immediately sending an urgent message to his comrade, Jiang Feiman, to evacuate. However, their enemy is one step ahead. Agents from No. 76, led by the hot-headed Director Cui, have already surrounded the area. Amid a hail of gunfire, Jiang Feiman manages to break through the encirclement, but she makes the fateful decision to go back for a trapped comrade. This heroic act leads to her capture by Director Cui.
The Interrogation
Jiang Feiman is dragged before Liang Shuo and Director Cui. The cunning Director Li of No. 76 attempts to manipulate her, suggesting she confess to using Liang Shuo to get close to their intelligence network. Jiang Feiman remains stoically silent, even as the threats escalate. Only when the lives of her fellow comrades are on the line does she break her silence. In a stunning reversal, she "confesses" that Liang Shuo leaked the intel but adds a shocking twist: Director Cui was his accomplice.
The accusation throws the room into chaos. Director Li, a master of psychological games, leaves without a word, letting his subordinates stew in suspicion. An enraged Director Cui begins to torture Jiang Feiman. Liang Shuo is forced to turn away, hiding his anguish. Seizing the moment, Jiang Feiman loudly curses Liang Shuo, calling him a "traitor," a calculated performance designed to further convince their enemies of his innocence.
A List Worth Fighting For
Meanwhile, the real Nakayama Kazuo arrives in Shanghai and is met personally by Mizuho Genxin. Mizuho confronts his subordinate, Asai Hisashi, demanding he hand over a critical list needed to establish a "new autonomous region." When Asai refuses, insisting the list must be kept secret from military headquarters, Mizuho places him under house arrest.
Elsewhere, Lu Xijian suggests killing Jiang Feiman to silence her permanently. Liang Shuo intervenes, warning him, "Director Li already suspects me. If we make a move like that, we’ll be exposing ourselves." Instead, he tasks Lu Xijian with investigating the origins of the blank notebook.
Hope in a Hopeless Place
In the blood-stained interrogation room of No. 76, Jiang Feiman is left battered and barely conscious. Liang Shuo seizes an opportunity to dismiss the guards and sneak into her cell. He finds her in a terrible state. Ashamed to be seen by a comrade in such a condition, she tries to turn away. Liang Shuo leans in and whispers a critical, life-saving instruction: she must convince her captors that she holds the key to a highly-valued operation known as the "Trinity Plan." He believes Director Li's greed for this plan is her only ticket to survival, as it will compel him to send her to Nanjing, creating an opportunity for rescue. Liang Shuo is resolute: he will not sacrifice another comrade.
A Tangled Web of Deceit
As the episode closes, the various factions continue their deadly chess match. Mizuho Genxin keeps the pressure on the imprisoned Asai Hisashi. Liang Shuo subtly advises Lu Xijian that mentioning "the list" could give him the upper hand in future negotiations. Later, arriving home with Director Cui, Liang Shuo finds his ally Xie Nianci skillfully managing Mrs. Cui. Under the guise of an intimate moment, Liang Shuo and Xie Nianci exchange critical intelligence: Jiang Feiman's life hangs by a thread, and her only hope rests on their ability to exploit Director Li's insatiable greed for the "Trinity Plan."
