Episode Summary
In episode 10, Zhao Ken is unmasked as the vengeful "Corpse Puppet" killer, Zheng Zukang. He lures his lover, Gao Yue, to an abandoned mental hospital, intending for her to be his third victim. Xia Mo's team arrives just in time to save her, but the victory is cut short when Gao Yue's father, Gao Susheng, murders the captured killer to prevent him from revealing a dark secret connected to the Zhuque Hall.Proving his own villainy, Gao Susheng then tries to have Xia Mo and Tang Zhenyun killed, but they are saved by the timely intervention of Tang Boju.
Spoiler Alert
Rosefinch Episode 10: The Puppet Master's Final Act
The story picks up with Xia Mo's lingering suspicions about Zhao Ken. After Gao Yue leaves, Xia Mo confronts Zhao Ken, pulling off his hat to check for a wig or signs of hair loss. Finding none, he switches tactics, asking if Zhao Ken knows a man named Zheng Zukang. Zhao Ken calmly admits they were photography apprentices together, but his story is cut short when Cao Yin arrives to forcibly take him to the Gao family estate. As they leave, Xia Mo and Tang Zhenyun discover a photograph of Zhao Ken with Gao Yue.
Meanwhile, Gao Yue bravely confesses her feelings for Zhao Ken to her father, Gao Susheng, declaring she's willing to renounce her wealth and status for him. In a surprising turn, her father agrees to their relationship but on one condition: she must leave Shanghai immediately. Zhao Ken, hearing this, asks to accompany her.
The trip to the docks takes a sinister turn. Gao Susheng and Zhao Ken escort Gao Yue, but their car suddenly changes course, heading towards an abandoned mental hospital. At the same time, Xia Mo, Tang Zhenyun, and Gao Ying get confirmation of Zhao Ken's true identity from a doctor after showing him the photograph. Piecing together the clues, Xia Mo has a terrifying realization—the abandoned mental hospital is the killer's next location.
His fears are confirmed in the most horrifying way. Gao Yue awakens inside the derelict hospital, her body suspended by ropes in a standing position. Her father, Gao Susheng, is tied to a chair nearby, bleeding from a head wound. Then, her beloved Zhao Ken appears, but he's wearing the grotesque mask of the "Corpse Puppet" killer.
The truth is finally revealed: Zhao Ken is, and always has been, Zheng Zukang. His entire relationship with Gao Yue was a meticulously planned act of revenge against her family. Gao Yue was destined to be his third "Corpse Puppet." As Zheng Zukang prepares to murder Gao Yue in front of her helpless father, Xia Mo, Tang Zhenyun, and Gao Ying burst in, subduing the killer.
But the victory is fleeting. Pinned down, Zheng Zukang begins to shout about a secret concerning the "Zhuque Hall."To silence him permanently, Gao Susheng grabs a gun and shoots him dead.
Later that night, the depth of Gao Susheng's ruthlessness becomes clear. He drags Xia Mo and Tang Zhenyun to a remote location where Zheng Zukang's body is being buried. He then orders his own daughter, Gao Ying, to execute them both. Just as all hope seems lost, Tang Boju arrives. He brokers a deal, offering the loyalty of the Zhabei Chamber of Commerce in exchange for their lives. Gao Susheng, ever the opportunist, accepts.
