Episode Summary
In this episode, a police operation to rescue kidnapped businessmen goes tragically wrong, resulting in the death of officer Chung Lan-kwun and the severe injury of Ho Ho-fai. The mastermind, Chow Hung, escapes and begins a cruel psychological game against the recovering Ho Ho-fai, targeting his young son to inflict fear and paranoia rather than direct harm. While Ho Ho-fai's family life is thrown into turmoil, Chow Hung remains at large, secretly rebuilding his strength.
Spoiler Alert
Homeland Guardian Episode 17: The Hunter Becomes The Hunted
The episode kicks off with high tension as Chow Hung lays down his terms: Shiu Tsz-chun must deliver the ransom money alone. He makes a chilling threat that if any tricks are pulled, Lam To will be the first to die. While the team scrambles, a small mistake from Chan Yong, who places an online bet, inadvertently gives away their general location to the site's trackers. Meanwhile, the meticulous Ho Ho-ming analyzes a takeaway food box seen in a video, which leads him straight to Chow Hung's hideout.
The next day, Shiu Tsz-chun proceeds with the ransom drop as instructed. Simultaneously, Chan Yiu-yeung's unit successfully locates and rescues Lam To and the other two captive businessmen. However, the situation escalates when Chow Hung drags Chow Sai-ho to a pier, using him as a direct hostage to control Shiu Tsz-chun.
In a clever move, Ho Ho-fai shows Chow Hung a photo proving Lam To and the others have been saved. Seizing the moment of Chow Hung's distraction, Ho Ho-fai pulls Chow Sai-ho to safety. Enraged, Chow Hung and his men open fire on Shiu Tsz-chun. Just in the nick of time, Ho Ho-fai and Chung Lan-kwun arrive, sparking a fierce gunfight. Tragically, Chung Lan-kwun is shot. In his final moments, he grabs Ho Ho-fai's hand, urging him to bring Chow Hung to justice. Fueled by grief and rage, Ho Ho-fai chases after Chow Hung, but the villain manages to escape. Ho Ho-fai, severely injured himself, collapses and falls into a coma.
Sometime later, Ho Ho-fai awakens in the hospital to a call from his son. The boy's innocent voice tells him he never wants them to be apart again. Ho Ho-fai relays this to his wife, Choi Cheuk-yan, who tearfully agrees. After only a few days of rest, Ho Ho-fai is back on duty, convinced that Chow Hung survived his escape by jumping into the sea and insisting they broaden the search.
Elsewhere, a wounded Chow Hung painfully removes a bullet from his own body. Anna finds him in a remote area, bringing him food to survive. On a positive note, Ho Ho-fai makes good on his promise to his son, Hin Hin. He picks him up from school, where Hin Hin proudly introduces his father as a police officer to his teacher. Later, he takes the boy to an amusement park.
The family outing takes a dark turn. While Choi Cheuk-yan is shopping, Ho Ho-fai takes Hin Hin to the restroom. He momentarily spots a man with a striking resemblance to Chow Hung and gives chase, only to realize it was a mistake. When he returns, Hin Hin is gone. A frantic search ensues, and Ho Ho-fai calls the police. The boy is eventually found sleeping behind the haunted house. It's revealed that this was a cruel mind game orchestrated by Chow Hung, who used a disguise to lure Ho Ho-fai away. A note bearing the image of Chow Hung's tattoo is found on Hin Hin, making it clear that Chow Hung had the chance to harm them but chose not to. His goal is not to kill Ho Ho-fai, but to torture him with the constant fear of losing his family.
Deeply shaken, Ho Ho-fai urges his wife to take their son and leave the country for their safety. Choi Cheuk-yan firmly refuses, vowing never to leave his side and arguing that nowhere is truly safe from a man like Chow Hung.
In a side plot, journalist Lam Wai-yin investigates a viral video of a South Asian man, Mr. Gupta, hitting another man, Kevin. Mr. Gupta admits to the assault without remorse. Lam Wai-yin learns that Kevin had previously insulted Mr. Gupta during a delivery and later escalated the conflict by shoving his child in public, provoking the attack. When she interviews Kevin, he lies about the incident, but Lam Wai-yin sees through his deception and promises to uncover the truth. The episode closes with Anna finding a new henchman, Ba-pi, for Chow Hung, signaling that the fugitive is already rebuilding his resources.
