Episode Summary
Wan Chao and his brother are captured by Chen Shenglong's men after their hiding place is discovered. The investigation team, led by Zheng Yaping, identifies lawyer Cheng Zijian as the central figure connecting Chen Shenglong to the Wanhai case and other key players, suspecting a mastermind is directing him. Flashbacks reveal Cheng's ambitious pact with Chen Shenglong to take down Wanhai. Meanwhile, prosecutor Hong Liang confronts the detained Sun Fei, cutting through his manipulations to question his escape plans.
Spoiler Alert
In the Name of Justice: Episode 28 Spoilers
Hiding out in a sealed-off mine, Wan Chao depends on his brother, Wan Hong, who secretly brings him food every night. The situation gets tense when Chen Shenglong calls Wan Hong, pressuring him to convince Wanhai to hand over the mine. During the call, Chen Shenglong casually asks about Wan Chao, and Wan Hong accidentally lets it slip that his brother is safe. Realizing his mistake too late, Wan Hong is now on Chen Shenglong's radar. Convinced that Wan Hong knows Wan Chao's whereabouts, Chen Shenglong has him followed.
Meanwhile, Wan Chao is growing desperate. He had sent evidence, captured by the old mine director, to prosecutor Zheng Yaping, but days have passed with no response. Wan Hong tries to persuade him to give up, suggesting he should transfer the mine and pay the compensation for the deceased victims to end his life on the run. But Wan Chao adamantly refuses, determined to clear Wanhai's name. Their time runs out when Chen Shenglong's subordinate, Xing'er, storms the mine with his men. Though Wan Chao and Wan Hong fight back fiercely, they are outnumbered and captured.
On the romance front, Qin Feng's feelings for Yang Jing are complicated by his past. He learns that she is the daughter of Yang Zheng, the victim in the "1.31 Case" from thirteen years ago. Qin Feng and Ma Chongyang were the investigators on that case, which led to the wrongful conviction of Sun Yihu. Burdened by guilt, Qin Feng has been avoiding Yang Jing. However, she understands his predicament and confesses her feelings for him, a gesture that moves him to tears.
The investigation into the present-day case intensifies. Li Renjun visits Cheng Zijian's home, but he isn't there. He speaks with Cheng's fiancée, Li Yanxin, who complains that with their wedding approaching, Cheng is too busy to help with the planning. She reveals that Cheng introduced his sister-in-law, Liu Yun, to Chen Shenglong, who plans to build a new energy base in the development zone. She even suggests Li Renjun should accept a house Chen Shenglong is selling them at a low price, calling it something Liu Yun deserves. Li Renjun dismisses her naivety, warning her that using a house for a quid pro quo is illegal.
When Cheng Zijian arrives home, he is startled to find Li Renjun waiting. He asks if the special task force is investigating the Wanhai case, admitting he heard about it from Xie Hongfei. When Li Renjun probes his connection to Chen Shenglong, Cheng becomes guarded. The investigation team, led by Song Yanchuan, has already identified Cheng Zijian as a key figure. His law firm was funded by Chen Shenglong, and he is closely connected to a web of individuals including Xie Hongfei, Jiang Hongjun, Sun Fei, Chen Shenglong, Wang Yu, and even Wen Qin, the judge who presided over Wanhai's trial. Zheng Yaping suspects a mastermind is pulling the strings behind Cheng Zijian and Wang Yu, and she orders Song Yanchuan to focus the investigation on Cheng to uncover who it is.
Later, Cheng Zijian reveals to Li Renjun that Chen Shenglong is protected by a powerful "big brother" who once saved his life. Feeling the pressure, Cheng Zijian meets with Chen Shenglong that night to reassure him. A flashback shows their first meeting: Chen Shenglong hired Cheng to completely ruin Wanhai. In less than a week, the ambitious Cheng had uncovered all of Wanhai's secrets and even found the perfect person, Chen Youcai, to execute the plan. Driven by his desire to rise to the top, Cheng assures a worried Chen Shenglong that he will not be exposed.
In the interrogation room, Hong Liang confidently takes on Sun Fei. Sun Fei tries to play mind games, bringing up their shared past as new prosecutors on the "1.31 Robbery and Murder Case." He claims he was the one who recommended Hong Liang to his father-in-law, Jiang Xudong. Hong Liang is unimpressed and cuts to the chase, confronting Sun Fei with three fake passports and demanding to know where he was planning to escape.
