Episode Summary
In this episode, Lu Xijian discovers his organization has betrayed him, intending for him to die. Meanwhile, Xie Nianci confronts her uncle over her father's death and uses her connection to Liang Shuo to remain in Shanghai to fight the Japanese. Liang Shuo, under suspicion at the collaborationist agency No. 76, orchestrates a raid to secretly send a message to his old contacts, testing his own forgotten past. Tasked with an undercover mission in a bar to prove his loyalty, he creates a diversion but is abducted by a mysterious group, leaving his true identity and allegiance more uncertain than ever.
Spoiler Alert
"Abyss Dweller" Episode 7 Recap & Spoilers: A Dangerous Gambit
In a tense episode filled with betrayals and desperate gambles, Liang Shuo walks a tightrope at No. 76, trying to clear his name while secretly testing his past allegiances. Elsewhere, Lu Xijian is confronted with the cold truth of being a disposable pawn, and Xie Nianci defies her family to stay in Shanghai and fight, using her connection to Liang Shuo as her only bargaining chip. The episode culminates in a chaotic undercover mission that leaves Liang in the hands of a mysterious new faction, deepening the central mystery of his identity.
A Pawn in the Game
The episode opens with a devastating revelation for Lu Xijian. Mizuho Genxin presents him with a telegram, its contents confirming his worst fears: his organization knowingly sent him on a suicide mission. They were aware his contact, Ma Yu'an, wasn't in Shanghai and planned to use Lu's inevitable death as a pretext to seize control of the Shanghai station. Lu is left staring at the message in stunned silence, his knuckles white.
A Family Divided
Meanwhile, a family reunion turns into a bitter confrontation. Xie Nianci comes face-to-face with her uncle, Xie Jun'an, whom she hasn't seen in three years. He coldly informs her that since she's been expelled from the Shanghai station, she is useless and must leave the city at once. Enraged, Xie Nianci unleashes her pent-up fury, demanding to know why he never avenged her father's death.
Refusing to leave, she plays her trump card: she knows Liang Shuo and has information on No. 76. The mention of Liang Shuo's name causes a sudden shift in her uncle's demeanor, and he agrees to let her stay. However, the exchange leaves Xie Nianci with a new, unsettling question: is Liang Shuo truly one of them?
Liang Shuo's Desperate Gambit
At No. 76, Liang Shuo is in a race against time. He frantically digs through the archives, knowing that his only path to survival is to clear himself of suspicion and prove his value, with finding the traitor known as "Scorpio" being his top priority. His erratic behavior doesn't go unnoticed, but his calculated moves keep his subordinates off-balance. When his rival, Chen Gengsheng, attempts to obstruct a raid he initiates, Liang's men swiftly put him in his place.
During his investigation, Liang uncovers a lead and uses it to launch a surprise raid on a stronghold belonging to Jin Chengwen. While Chen Gengsheng searches his office—discovering Liang has been investigating everyone, including him—Liang is busy setting his own plan in motion. He also presses Director Cui for information about the "Yulong Mountain Hunter Incident," a brutal operation led by Japanese officer Mogi Kazuhisa.
During the raid, he spots Jin Chengwen cowering under a table. Instead of exposing him, Liang covertly kicks a piece of paper towards him. On it is the insignia of the "Flying Eagle Special Training Class"—a secret code from his training days under Xie Jun'an. When word gets back to Xie Jun'an, he deduces that Liang's memory hasn't returned and this is merely a test. "It's time," he decides, "to make him remember who he is."
Undercover in the Chaos
Liang's successful raid earns him a dangerous new assignment. After the Japanese intercept a secret message from the Military-Statistics Bureau, Hirata Kiko decides to use Liang for an undercover mission at a bar—a move eagerly endorsed by Chen Gengsheng as a perfect test of loyalty. Liang agrees without hesitation, but with one condition: he wants the notoriously brutal Mogi Kazuhisa to accompany him. Though Hirata Kiko and Mizuho Genxin are wary, they ultimately gamble on Liang's skills.
That night, inside the bar, Liang makes his move. Excusing himself to the washroom, he tosses a lit candle into an electrical box, plunging the venue into chaos. In the ensuing panic, he attempts to assassinate Mogi but is intercepted by agents from the Military-Statistics Bureau. In a masterfully staged sequence, Liang pretends to be taken hostage, allowing him and the agents to escape with Mogi.
But the final twist awaits. When the vehicle stops in a remote location and Liang steps out, he finds himself at a secret base he has never seen before, leaving him—and the audience—stunned and questioning everything.
