Episode Summary
In this episode, time jumps forward significantly, revealing the long-term consequences of past events and setting up new conflicts. Wang Hui is left in a vegetative state, while Lin Qiangfeng's hunt for drug lords continues with a frustrating undercover operation to find the elusive "Long Ge." Two years later, the drug trade has evolved, with Zhou Shaoxiong now leading the Wanbei syndicate. The fugitive Lu Shaohua has resurfaced in another city with a new identity, but his cover is threatened by a factory incident and, more critically, by Fu Li, who accidentally discovers his picture in a newspaper.
Spoiler Alert
The Narcotic Operation: Episode 18 Spoilers
The episode opens on a somber note as Wang Hui, despite the medical team's best efforts, is left in a vegetative state due to his severe injuries. His police academy classmate and close friend, Lin Qiangfeng, is devastated to see him lying in a hospital bed, kept alive only by machines. While Wang Hui's wife, Suli, with whom he had a strained relationship, is absent, his brother, Wang Qi, remains at his side, providing devoted care.
In a lighter moment, Yang Wei and Fu Li, deeply in love, are having their wedding photos taken, where Yang Wei steals a sweet kiss. Meanwhile, the fate of Meng Hanchiu is sealed with a death sentence. In a final act of kindness, Gu Meixin visits him, bringing a new set of clothes and traditional dumplings for his last meal.
Haunted by memories, Lin Qiangfeng finds himself at Xu Desheng's old house. He sits in the exact spot where he first met Lu Shaohua and lights a cigarette. As he discards the empty pack into a dark culvert, he has a sudden epiphany: this must be how Lu Shaohua smuggled the methamphetamine out of the house. Following the water's path, Lin Qiangfeng traces the culvert to the edge of a small river, realizing the drug lord's ingenious escape route.
A two-year time jump reveals that Zhou Shaoxiong has successfully taken over the Wanbei drug syndicate. He summons Luo Bingzhang to investigate a new batch of methamphetamine that has flowed into Wanbei from Xigang. Wary of the new boss, Luo Bingzhang first seeks advice from Mo Kang.
Lin Qiangfeng's investigation leads him to "Long Ge," a major drug lord in Xigang. Posing as a buyer from Nanchuan named Feng Jinya, Lin Qiangfeng, along with Yang Wei, Feng Hao, and Ban Dehai, attempts to lure him out. After three failed encounters with impostors, they meet a seller named "Dong Ge" on a boat. Suspicious of Lin's identity, Dong Ge forces him to sample the drugs to prove he's a genuine buyer. To maintain his cover, Lin Qiangfeng is compelled to take a puff. The tense standoff, with guns drawn on both sides, de-escalates as Dong Ge agrees to the deal. Lin Qiangfeng requests a large quantity of fifty kilograms, and Dong Ge promises to introduce him to the real Long Ge. However, it's another deception; Dong Ge leads him to a secret room and claims he is Long Ge, a lie Lin Qiangfeng immediately sees through. Just then, Li An's team, lying in ambush at sea, moves in and captures Dong Ge's entire crew, leaving a frustrated Lin Qiangfeng to deal with being duped for a fourth time.
The story then jumps to 1997. At a city-wide anti-drug conference, it's revealed that methamphetamine seizures in Xigang have skyrocketed, now rivaling the amount of heroin. The pressure on Lin Qiangfeng and Li An is immense. Lin Qiangfeng visits Wang Qi, who is still tirelessly caring for the comatose Wang Hui. Though Lin has arranged for Wang Hui to be moved to a sanatorium for professional care, Wang Qi refuses, insisting she can provide better care herself.
Elsewhere, the fugitive Lu Shaohua, along with Wang Lin and Qiu Laibao, has been hiding out for the past year. They escaped Xigang and established a health product factory in Lüteng City. Their new life is disrupted when a damaged sewage pipe pollutes a nearby village's fishpond, killing all the fish. Led by Hu Guangping, the enraged villagers storm the factory demanding compensation. As Wang Lin and Qiu Laibao struggle to control the chaotic scene, villagers begin looting products, and Hu Guangping seizes the opportunity to steal a bag from a car. The situation is only diffused by the arrival of the local police director, Cai, and an official from the environmental bureau, Liu. Lu Shaohua agrees to pay for the damages to placate Director Cai, but Section Chief Liu insists on conducting a full inspection of the factory.
The episode concludes with a pivotal discovery. Fu Li has given birth to a healthy baby boy. Her senior colleague visits her in the hospital and shows her a recent newspaper article. As Fu Li glances at the paper, she is stunned to see a photograph of a man who bears a striking resemblance to the fugitive drug lord, Lu Shaohua. She immediately rushes to show the newspaper to Yang Wei, setting the stage for the next chapter in the chase.
