Episode Summary
In "Abyss Dweller" Episode 9, surveillance on Liang Shuo intensifies from his superior, Chen Gengsheng, at No. 76. Simultaneously, the Military-Statistics Bureau sends agent Xie Nianci to "awaken" Liang Shuo, believing he is their sleeper agent. However, it's revealed to another agent, Jiang Feiman, that Liang Shuo is actually a deep-cover Communist Party operative whose contact was lost. The episode culminates in a tense standoff when Chen Gengsheng makes a surprise visit to Liang Shuo's apartment, forcing Liang Shuo and Xie Nianci to pretend to be lovers to avert a disastrous search.
Spoiler Alert
"Abyss Dweller" Episode 9 Recap: A Dangerous Alliance and a Desperate Ploy
With the "Peace Conference" approaching, the web of intrigue around Liang Shuo tightens, pulling him deeper into a multi-faceted conflict where allegiances are blurred and every move could be his last. This episode sees multiple factions vying for control, forcing Liang Shuo into a series of dangerous improvisations to protect his life and his true mission.
A New Mission and Heightened Surveillance
The episode opens with growing paranoia at No. 76, the collaborationist secret police headquarters. The Director, already suspicious of Liang Shuo, doubles down on surveillance ahead of the high-stakes Peace Conference. He gives the ambitious Chen Gengsheng full authority to monitor Liang Shuo's every move, escalating the immediate threat to our protagonist.
Simultaneously, the Military-Statistics Bureau (the Nationalist intelligence agency) is making its own moves. Agent Xie Jun'an, concerned about potential failures during the conference, orders his niece, Xie Nianci, to activate Liang Shuo, whom they believe is their sleeper agent.Since Xie Nianci is already known to the Japanese, her uncle reasons that her sudden disappearance would be more suspicious than a direct approach. Her orders are to get close to Liang Shuo—as a friend or even a lover—to ensure he keeps an eye on the internal movements of No. 76.
A Sleeper Agent with Too Many Masters
Liang Shuo, escorted home by his new bodyguard Zhao Di, is acutely aware of the eyes on him. Once inside his apartment, he immediately sweeps for bugs and surveillance devices, discovering a hidden weapon planted in his wardrobe—a clear message from a past affiliation. His suspicions are confirmed when an agent from the Military-Statistics Bureau pays him a clandestine visit. However, Liang Shuo staunchly refuses to be drawn back into their affairs, rejecting any connection to the Bureau.
Watching this tense exchange from a distance is Jiang Feiman. She is initially baffled that the Bureau would let Liang Shuo off so easily. Her confusion is cleared when she receives a shocking directive from her own superior: Liang Shuo is not a Nationalist agent but a comrade from the underground Communist Party.If successful, Liang Shuo will become a crucial asset inside the enemy's ranks.
A Traitor's Vow and a Close Shave
Meanwhile, the turncoat Lu Xijian solidifies his betrayal. In a chilling display of loyalty to his new Japanese masters, he personally executes a fellow countryman in front of the officer Mizuho Genxin. As a reward for his brutality, Mizuho gifts him a custom Japanese military sword and assigns him a critical task: hunt down and eliminate a high-level Military-Statistics Bureau spy known only as "Shadow."
The episode's climax arrives as Liang Shuo heads home. He spots the familiar figure of Xie Nianci waiting for him and, to avoid exposure, brings her back to his apartment. She confesses that her uncle is Xie Jun'an and pleads with him to surrender "the key," a significant object her uncle is desperate to retrieve. Liang Shuo readily agrees, but just as he hands it over, a knock echoes at the door. It's Chen Gengsheng, arriving with a gift as a flimsy pretext to search the premises.
Thinking on his feet, Liang Shuo makes a split-second decision. He tells Xie Nianci to get into his bed and pretend to be his girlfriend. While he stalls Chen Gengsheng at the door, she complies. The suspicious agent barges in and begins a meticulous search of the apartment. Just as he reaches the bedroom door, Xie Nianci lets out a convincing scream of fright. Believing he has stumbled upon an intimate moment, a frustrated and embarrassed Chen Gengsheng finally leaves. The crisis is averted, but Liang Shuo's position has become even more perilous, caught between multiple agencies who all believe he belongs to them.
