Episode Summary
In this episode, Balong sets an elaborate trap to expose the mole within his organization, but Ho Ho-fai's sharp instincts prevent Tse Ting-wai (Kieran) from being caught. After the failed setup, Tse Ting-wai successfully uses a video game to pass on real intelligence for Balong's actual operation. However, Balong employs decoy vehicles and a last-minute switch to evade police surveillance, bringing Tse Ting-wai and Siva to the true location under the radar.
Spoiler Alert
Homeland Guardian Episode 21: The Mole and the Decoy
The episode kicks off with Ho Ho-fai working cleverly behind the scenes to protect his undercover operative, Tse Ting-wai. By spoofing calls from food delivery services and loan sharks, he successfully throws the suspicious gang leader, Balong, off Tse's trail.
Meanwhile, Tse Ting-wai, who is using the alias Kieran, is in agony from a severe injury and can't sleep. Believing it's a critical time to pass intelligence, he asks his associate Siva to prepare a dish called "sirodat," likely a coded request to create an excuse to leave their base. The plan backfires when, after eating, Kieran develops a high fever instead of getting better. A concerned Siva pleads with Balong to let Kieran see a doctor, but Balong flatly refuses.
To verify the food delivery alibi, Balong sends his men to the restaurant. Although the owner's voice doesn't match the one on the phone, the owner coincidentally asks if they are the ones who ordered curry fish balls. This random comment is enough to convince Balong's men that the alibi is legitimate, and for the moment, Kieran is no longer suspected of being the mole.
As Kieran's condition worsens, Siva takes him to a clinic. Ho Ho-fai, who has been tailing them, sees his chance. Kieran spots Ho Ho-fai and, using the excuse of being hungry, sends Siva away to buy food. In the brief window of time, he manages to pass crucial information to Ho Ho-fai, revealing that a major operation is set to happen in two days and insisting that he cannot be extracted yet. Later, Balong gives Kieran a handgun, telling him to be ready to prove himself.
In a separate storyline, Officer Chiu Shiu-tong discovers that a young woman named Kwan Wing is connected to an online scam. After investigating, he learns that she is also a victim and bails her out. He encourages her to find a legitimate job and arranges for her to work with his old friend, Officer Chan. To make the offer more appealing, Chiu secretly agrees to subsidize her salary, then tells Kwan Wing she must pay him rent, teaching her a lesson in responsibility.
Balong, still wary despite not finding the mole, announces a major operation in three days. On the day of the mission, Kieran believes this is the final bust and sends a message to Ho Ho-fai. However, he is shocked to discover that their contact is the local village doctor. He realizes the operation is not what he thought, and his phone is confiscated by Balong's men for inspection.
The police prepare to move in on the location Kieran provided, but Ho Ho-fai senses something is wrong. He knows the target pier is a legitimate business and suspects the entire operation is a sophisticated trap set by Balong to expose the mole. His fears are confirmed when Kieran and two others are locked inside a shipping container, set to take the fall if Balong's "deal" goes sour. Ho Ho-fai makes the difficult decision to call off the police raid, a move that saves Kieran and temporarily clears him of suspicion once again.
Grateful to Kieran for a past deed, Siva starts to look out for him, warning him to be on his best behavior due to Balong's intensely suspicious nature. That night, while Siva is asleep, Kieran uses an online game to secretly communicate with Ho Ho-fai, finally relaying the correct intelligence: the real operation is happening now. As Ho Ho-fai and Chan Yiu-yeung scramble to plan their raid, Balong begins his own preparations.
The police set up an ambush along Balong's planned route, using a drone for surveillance. However, they soon realize the vehicle they are tracking appears to be empty and is driving in circles. In the car, Kieran also notices the route has changed and questions Siva, who is just as clueless. In a surveillance blind spot, they are swiftly moved to another vehicle and driven to the real destination: the pier.
