Episode Summary
In this episode, Hong Liang uncovers that Yu Tiancheng is the true kingpin and confesses his own past investigative errors. Key witnesses are systematically silenced: Wanhai is murdered in prison by a nurse who swapped his medication, and Xie Hongfei commits suicide after confessing that Hong Liang's father-in-law, Jiang Xudong, is the syndicate's "protective umbrella."After being suspended for the incident, Hong Liang confronts his wife's family, leading to a tense standoff where his brother-in-law, Jiang Yuan, secretly calls on Yu Tiancheng to have Hong Liang killed.
Spoiler Alert
In the Name of Justice: Episode 35 Spoilers - The Walls Close In
The investigation into the "1/31 Shooting Case" takes a sharp turn as Hong Liang realizes his past judgment was flawed. He pens a self-criticism letter, but before he can submit it to his superior, Zhang Fang, he's assigned to the Special Investigation Team. He entrusts the letter to Zheng Yaping, who ensures it reaches Zhang Fang. After briefing Zhang Fang on the Wanchuan Mine disaster, Hong Liang confesses his mistake in the old case. Zhang Fang, already holding the letter, reassures him, urging him to focus on the current investigation first. The real bombshell drops when Hong Liang reveals what he learned from Li Renjun: the true mastermind behind Chen Shenglong is none other than Yu Tiancheng. The news stuns both Zhang Fang and Sun Xiangqun.
Meanwhile, in prison, Wanhai decides to come clean about Jiang Xudong. He just begins to write when he is called away. Shortly after, tragedy strikes. Hong Liang receives the shocking news that Wanhai has died of a sudden heart attack. He and Zheng Yaping rush to the prison immediately.
The Special Investigation Team takes over the case. During questioning, Ma Chongyang insists that Wanhai was in good health, especially after hearing his son, Wan Chao, had been rescued. He had even requested a pen and paper to write a statement. The investigation soon zeroes in on a nurse, who confesses to swapping Wanhai's regular medication, causing his fatal heart attack.
Feeling the heat, Yu Tiancheng gives Chen Shenglong a large sum of money, telling him to flee the country. However, he demands that Chen hand over incriminating audio recordings. Chen, fearing he'll be silenced permanently, refuses to give up his only leverage. An enraged Yu Tiancheng then orders Xiong Lei to kill Chen Shenglong. Xiong Lei hesitates, vouching for Chen's loyalty, but Yu Tiancheng forces him to choose between them.
In another part of the investigation, Zheng Yaping and Hong Liang question Wen Qin. She admits to acting against her conscience but denies breaking the law. She then reports Xie Hongfei for perverting justice and fabricating evidence to frame Wanhai as a gangster, claiming she was misled by him.
Xiong Lei finds Chen Shenglong and tries to persuade him to surrender the recordings. Chen, knowing Yu Tiancheng sent him, voices his fear of being killed. As he speaks, Xiong Lei attacks him from behind, strangling him. But just as Chen is about to lose consciousness, memories of their shared past flood Xiong Lei's mind. In a moment of weakness, he lets Chen go and returns to Yu Tiancheng to confess his failure.
The net tightens around Xie Hongfei. Zheng Yaping, Hong Liang, and Cao Ye track him to Datu Village, finding him cooking in the kitchen. It's his mother's 80th birthday, and he asks to wait for her to wake up before he leaves. Zheng Yaping agrees, even preparing a cake for the elderly woman. When his mother doesn't wake, Xie agrees to go with them, hoping to earn a lighter sentence and return for her birthday. On the way, he asks to speak with Hong Liang alone. Despite Zheng Yaping's initial refusal, she relents. Knowing he's doomed, Xie Hongfei confesses that Jiang Xudong is the "protective umbrella" for the Dongping underworld.Hong Liang is left stunned.
For his failure to prevent Xie Hongfei's suicide, Hong Liang is suspended and ordered back for an investigation.He reluctantly hands his work over to Cao Ye. Before he leaves, he tells Zheng Yaping what Xie confessed. Zheng Yaping sees him off, advising him to visit his family.
Connecting the dots, Hong Liang is now certain that his own father-in-law, Jiang Xudong, is the corrupt official they've been hunting.He calls his wife, Jiang Min, and learns that both her father, Jiang Xudong, and brother, Jiang Yuan, are at home. He decides to go there directly.
After his narrow escape, a heartbroken Chen Shenglong returns to the now-abandoned coal washing plant Yu Tiancheng had given him, reflecting on how his loyalty was repaid with a death sentence.
Hong Liang arrives at his family home in Haizhou and immediately confronts his father-in-law and brother-in-law. He questions Jiang Yuan about his relationship with Yu Tiancheng and demands the truth about the 1/31 case from Jiang Xudong. Jiang Yuan belligerently denies everything. As Hong Liang prepares to take Jiang Yuan to the Special Investigation Team, Jiang Xudong has Jiang Min pull her brother away.
Jiang Xudong insists on his son's innocence, playing the family card and bringing up Jiang Min and their daughter, Hong Dou, to manipulate Hong Liang. But Hong Liang is unmoved. Seeing that Hong Liang likely has solid evidence, Jiang Xudong pleads with him not to report Jiang Yuan. Meanwhile, a panicked Jiang Yuan sends a text message to Yu Tiancheng, asking him to send someone to "take care of" Hong Liang. Yu Tiancheng immediately dispatches Xiong Lei to kill him.
