Episode Summary
Feeling betrayed by his benefactor Yu Tiancheng, Chen Shenglong conspires with his loyal associate Xiong Lei to sabotage the Wanchuan Mine, preventing his rival Jiang Yuan from acquiring it. They orchestrate a catastrophic failure of the mine's lift, trapping over twenty miners and creating a massive disaster. Simultaneously, prosecutor Li Renjun's investigation into the original case against the mine's owner, Wanhai, zeroes in on the key witness, Wang Yu, uncovering his suspicious ties to the Tianlong Group and suggesting a deeper conspiracy.
Spoiler Alert
A Conspiracy's Deadly Fallout at the Wanchuan Mine
The simmering conflict over the Wanhai mines boils over into a full-blown catastrophe, driven by deep-seated grudges and ruthless ambition. When Wan Chao breaks the official seals to conduct illegal mining and pay his desperate workers, he walks right into a trap set by his brother, Wan Hong, who anticipated the move. With no money to pay the miners, Wan Hong is forced to allow the dangerous, unauthorized work to proceed.
Meanwhile, a darker plot is set in motion. Chen Shenglong, after three years of scheming to acquire the Wanhai mine for his benefactor Yu Tiancheng, is enraged to learn Yu now supports Jiang Yuan's plan to use the mine for a new energy vehicle project. Feeling betrayed, Chen Shenglong proposes a horrific idea to his associate, Xiong Lei: orchestrate a mining disaster. This would prevent the mine from being legally auctioned, ensuring that if he can't have it, Jiang Yuan won't either.
Their conversation reveals a long and complicated history. Twenty-five years ago, Chen Shenglong begged Yu Tiancheng to give a man named Yang Dayou a chance. Later, after Yang Dayou was imprisoned for armed robbery at the very same mine, Yu Tiancheng saved him by faking a cancer diagnosis. Yang Dayou was given a new identity as Xiong Lei and pledged eternal loyalty. Chen Shenglong, however, harbors a bitter resentment toward Jiang Yuan. Years ago, a drunk Jiang Yuan killed a pedestrian in a car accident. While Yu Tiancheng was ready to take the fall, Chen Shenglong knocked him unconscious and served a year in prison in Jiang Yuan's place. Fed up with being a pawn, Chen decides to act for himself, and Xiong Lei, despite his reservations, agrees to the plan.
As the conspiracy unfolds, prosecutor Li Renjun reopens the Wanhai case, convinced of a miscarriage of justice. He quickly identifies Wang Yu, the initial whistleblower, as the key. An investigation into Wang's phone records reveals frequent contact with Cheng Zijian, the legal counsel for the powerful Tianlong Group. When Li confronts Wang with inconsistencies in his original testimony, Wang becomes flustered and flees.
On the night of May 16th, the plot is executed. Xiong Lei, disguised as a miner, sabotages the lift's control room while Wan Hong leads a crew underground. Just as an accomplice, Sun Fei, learns of the plan and rushes to stop it, it's too late. Xiong Lei sends a photo of his sabotage to Chen Shenglong. The lift cage plummets, trapping more than twenty miners below.
In the chaotic aftermath, the old mine chief urges Wan Chao to run as police arrive, but not before secretly filming someone attempting to cover up the sabotage. Emergency services descend on the scene, with City Secretary Wang Jianning personally directing the rescue. A traumatized Wan Hong, having narrowly survived the crash, tries to get help from prosecutor Li Renjun's wife, Liu Yun, who has arrived at the scene, but she impatiently brushes him aside. In prison, Wanhai watches the news of his mine's destruction, his heart filled with anguish.
