Episode Summary
The abrupt dissolution of the task force is revealed to be a strategic tactic to make their adversaries drop their guard. While Hong Liang faces familial shame for leaving his job, the consequences of the Wanhai case unfold: Wanhai is sentenced, his rival Wang Yu seizes his assets, and the family of the deceased prosecutor Qiao Zhenxing suffers public persecution.The true mastermind behind Wanhai's fall, Yu Tiancheng, reveals his long-term plan to acquire the last of Wanhai's assets through a bank auction.
Spoiler Alert
In the Name of Justice: Episode 17 Spoilers - The Aftermath
With the task force disbanded, the fallout ripples through the lives of everyone involved. Hong Liang, preparing to reunite with his wife Jiang Min in Beijing, makes a final visit to his parents' home. He dons his prosecutor's uniform one last time, only to break the news that he has left the procuratorate. His father, whose pride in his son knew no bounds, erupts in anger, while his mother weeps quietly. The situation becomes excruciatingly painful when the unsuspecting village chief gathers the community to take photos with their local hero, forcing a shame-filled Hong Liang to flee under the pretense of a phone call.
The news hits others just as hard. Zheng Yaping returns home on her birthday to a surprise celebration from her husband, who believes she has returned a victor. Overwhelmed by the truth she cannot yet speak, she breaks down. Meanwhile, Zhang Fang reports the dissolution to his superior, Yan Licheng, who reveals a larger strategy: the move is a feint. By appearing to retreat, they are luring the dark forces of Dongping and Landao into a false sense of security, setting the stage to ensnare them all at once.
The Wanhai case concludes with a sentence of ten years and ten months for Wanhai, who confesses to all charges. As Li Renjun gives a press conference, Hong Liang watches on television, a complex mix of emotions stirring within him. The spoils of Wanhai's empire are quickly divided, with his rival Wang Yu celebrating the grand opening of the newly acquired distribution center.
In the wake of the trial, the lives of those connected to it are irrevocably changed. A month after the verdict, lawyer Zhang Wenjing has become a celebrity in Jiangnan but refuses all new offers for representation. The family of Qiao Zhenxing, the prosecutor whose death was ruled a suicide, faces public persecution.Vicious rumors and slander fill the comments section of the video channel for the school where his wife, Zhou Mei, works. Under pressure from parents, the school fires Zhou Mei and expels their daughter, Qiao Yiran.
A new player's long game is revealed. Liu Yun of the development zone committee suggests to Chen Shenglong of the Tianlong Group that he acquire Wanhai's copper-nickel mine for a new energy vehicle city project. Chen Shenglong takes this proposal to his boss, Yu Tiancheng, the chairman of Tianyu Group. Yu Tiancheng then discloses his master plan: he was the architect of Wanhai's downfall. Four years prior, after suffering a major loss at Wanhai's hands, Yu Tiancheng ordered Chen Shenglong to destroy him. He had the mine seized and is now waiting for the bank to auction it off so he can acquire it legally.
The remnants of the Wanhai family are in turmoil. In prison, Wanhai learns from his brothers, Wan Chao and Wan Hong, that their empire has collapsed. Wang Yu has seized their businesses, leaving only the mine, which is paralyzed by a 300 million interest payment on a bank loan. Wanhai, prioritizing his family's safety, orders them to sell the mine and tells Wan Chao to flee the country. However, Wan Chao vehemently refuses to sell, leading to a violent confrontation with Wan Hong, whom he accuses of colluding with Wang Yu.
The episode closes with characters at their breaking points. Zhou Biao, brother of Zhou Mei, descends into alcoholism after his wife leaves him, prompting a desperate Zhou Mei to seek help from Hong Liang. At a provincial procuratorate meeting, Li Renjun takes the stage to speak about the Wanhai case but finds himself unable to recount the events, speaking only of his feelings.
