Episode Summary
In "Abyss Dweller" Episode 4, Liang Shuo's search for his identity leads him to infiltrate the funeral of Yan Jiu. There, he experiences memory flashbacks and discovers a hidden box containing a photo and a blood-stained maple leaf, key clues to his past. His presence alerts multiple factions, including No. 76 secret police and the Japanese Kempeitai led by Hirata Kiko, who has set a trap. After a tense chase, Liang Shuo's "back from the dead" status is exposed but cleverly covered up by Jiang Feiman. The episode ends on a cliffhanger as Hirata Kiko corners them, offering answers about Liang Shuo's father in exchange for his cooperation.
Spoiler Alert
Abyss Dweller Episode 4 Recap & Spoilers: A Funeral of Lies and a Past Unearthed
This episode throws Liang Shuo, still grappling with amnesia, directly into the hornet's nest of 1940s Shanghai espionage. A risky investigation into his own identity collides with a meticulously planned trap at a funeral, forcing long-held secrets into the light and putting him in the crosshairs of three powerful factions. As alliances are tested and new players reveal their hands, Liang Shuo discovers a tangible link to his past, but the truth comes at a deadly price.
A Desperate Gamble
With all leads on his identity gone cold, Liang Shuo decides his only option is to return to the residence of Yan Jiu, a man central to his fragmented memories. His comrade, Xie Nianci, concerned about his still-healing injuries, volunteers to get medicine for him. However, her trip to the pharmacy turns into an ambush. A team led by Jin Chengwen corners her, accusing her of being a traitor and demanding she hand over a safe key. Thinking fast, Xie Nianci creates a diversion by toppling a large shelf, allowing her to escape in the ensuing chaos.
Meanwhile, back at their hideout, Liang Shuo senses search parties closing in. He scribbles a hasty note for Xie Nianci—"Stay low, don't look for me"—and vanishes into the city.
New Players, Shifting Tides
The political landscape of Shanghai grows more complex with the arrival of Xie Jun'an. His initial plan to infiltrate an upcoming "Peace Conference" has already been thwarted, as his two key assets have been eliminated. He immediately dispatches an agent to contact Jiang Feiman, a woman at the Hirakawa Academy, tasking her with identifying the shadowy figures behind the conference.
Jiang Feiman is already a person of interest. Gu Chengchun approaches her for intelligence on the operational movements of the notorious secret police, No. 76. She feigns cooperation while skillfully playing for time. Elsewhere, after finding Liang Shuo’s note, Xie Nianci correctly deduces his destination and races towards the Yan residence.
The Funeral Trap
The solemn funeral of Yan Jiu is the stage for the episode's central conflict. Unbeknownst to the mourners, Hirata Kiko of the Japanese Kempeitai has the entire residence surrounded. Disguised as a household servant, she moves among the guests, ordering her agents to scrutinize every attendee.
All key players converge on the location. Jiang Feiman learns of the memorial service through her own intelligence network, while Xie Nianci watches from the perimeter. Liang Shuo, avoiding the main entrance, slips in through a side gate, dons mourning clothes, and melts into the crowd. Inside the main hall, the sight of Yan Jiu's funeral portrait triggers a powerful memory flash, causing Liang Shuo to collapse from dizziness. He is helped to his feet by a family servant, but his strange behavior catches the eye of Chen Gengsheng, a spy from No. 76.
The Blood-Red Maple Leaf
Acting on pure instinct, Liang Shuo makes his way to the study. He's hit by another memory: seeing Yan Jiu at his desk and hearing himself call the man "A-bo" (Uncle). On a bookshelf, he finds a wooden puzzle piece shaped like half a maple leaf, which perfectly matches a broken piece he has carried with him. Fitting the two halves together reveals a hidden compartment.
Inside is a yellowed envelope containing three items: a photograph of a young military officer with a small boy, a letter written in code, and a dried maple leaf stained with blood. Liang Shuo secures the evidence and attempts to leave, but Chen Gengsheng has already noticed the disturbance in the study and orders the residence to be sealed.
Identity Exposed, a Crisis Averted
As Liang Shuo scrambles over a wall to escape, he is spotted by both Xie Nianci and Jiang Feiman. Jiang Feiman intercepts him in a nearby alley, calling him by an old nickname, "A Shuo," which only deepens his confusion. Just as Xie Nianci catches up, the trio is cornered by Director Cui Zhensheng of No. 76 and his agents.
Cui is stunned to see Liang Shuo alive. "You're alive! Why didn't you report back?" he demands. Overwhelmed by a splitting headache and warring memory fragments, Liang Shuo’s silence is taken as confirmation. In a brilliant, desperate move, Jiang Feiman grabs Liang Shuo’s arm and puts on the act of a scorned lover. "It's time to pay your romantic debts!" she declares, before turning to taunt Xie Nianci, "Why not let him choose between us right now?"
Playing along, Liang Shuo puts his arm around Jiang Feiman. Director Cui scoffs at the dramatic scene and leads his men away, defusing the immediate threat.
An Unsettling Truce
The moment Cui is out of sight, Liang Shuo releases Jiang Feiman. The three find refuge in a hidden room where Liang Shuo presents the photograph and the blood-stained maple leaf. "This is the only past I have," he says. Jiang Feiman stares at the photo, her expression turning to one of shock. "Yan Jiu," she begins, "was your biological father's sworn brother..."
Before she can say more, the chilling voice of Hirata Kiko cuts through the silence from outside. "Mr. Liang, the Empire deeply regrets the death of your father. Cooperate with us, and the truth is within your grasp." Her words are followed by the sharp, unmistakable sound of a rifle bolt being pulled back.
The episode ends with Liang Shuo trapped between factions, with the promise of truth being used as bait by a deadly enemy. Hirata Kiko's offer hangs in the air, hinting that the mystery of the blood-red maple leaf is tied to a secret file from the Whampoa Military Academy dating back twenty years—a secret that has just turned Shanghai's intricate power struggle into a fight for survival.
