Episode Summary
A sting operation at a restaurant to capture Luo Bingzhang goes awry, allowing him to escape but resulting in the capture of his subordinate. The instigator of the trap, Jin Yongxiang, is in turn betrayed and murdered by Luo. The master chemist, Lu Shaohua, is lured into a new, forced partnership with Zhou Shaoxiong and narrowly escapes a police stakeout at his home, forcing him to abandon his wife, who is then taken into custody.
Spoiler Alert
The Narcotic Operation Episode 21: A Web of Betrayal
The episode kicks off with Luo Bingzhang looking for a way out from under Zhou Shaoxiong's thumb. His plan is to partner with the elusive drug manufacturer, Lu Shaohua, to sell methamphetamine, cutting Zhou out of the picture. He tasks Jin Yongxiang with arranging the meeting, a move that backfires spectacularly.
Jin Yongxiang harbors a deep-seated hatred for Luo Bingzhang, who had cast him aside years ago. Fearing he'll be left out in the cold once again if Luo and Lu join forces, Jin devises a trap. He sets up a meeting at the Yue'ao Restaurant in Room 999, pretending it's on behalf of Lu Shaohua, and then promptly tips off the police.
The police, led by Lin Qiangfeng and Li An, orchestrate a careful raid, even collecting all officers' phones to prevent any information leaks. Wary of the setup, Luo Bingzhang sends his man, Liang Dongping, into the private room alone while he watches from the main hall. The police team, including Oufan and the "three musketeers," are in position. Oufan spots Liang Dongping waiting alone in the room.
The situation explodes when Liang Dongping gets a phone call and tries to leave abruptly. When confronted by Oufan, Liang opens fire, throwing the restaurant into chaos. Amid the panic, Luo Bingzhang escapes and jumps into a getaway car driven by Liang Dongchao. A wounded Liang Dongping manages to run out of the restaurant, and though Luo yells for him to get in the car, Liang foolishly turns and fires at the crowd. Lin Qiangfeng pursues and takes him down. Under pressure from Luo, Liang Dongchao speeds away, abandoning his brother.
While the raid is underway, other officers led by Li An and Jiang Huai successfully locate and arrest Wu Yanping, Lu Shaohua's wife, at a station.
The treachery continues at a bowling alley, where Jin Yongxiang is meeting with A Mai, a key associate of the powerful "Brother K." To Jin's horror, Luo Bingzhang and Liang Dongchao arrive, very familiar with A Mai. Jin's plan to use the police to eliminate Luo has failed. The final nail in Jin's coffin comes when A Mai gets a call from Brother K, revealing a new deal has been struck: Lu Shaohua will now work for Zhou Shaoxiong for three months. Realizing he has been completely outmaneuvered and is now a liability, Jin begs A Mai for his life, but is abandoned. Luo Bingzhang and Liang Dongchao then give him a brutal beating.
Luo Bingzhang isn't finished with him. He forces the battered Jin Yongxiang to call Lu Shaohua and lure him to the bowling alley with the lie that Brother K is waiting for him. Once the call is made, Luo Bingzhang kills Jin Yongxiang.
Lu Shaohua, after receiving the call, senses something is wrong. He had planned to flee the city of Lvteng with his wife, Wu Yanping, but now his plans are in disarray. He soon learns his associates, Wang Lin and Qiu Laibao, have also been taken to the bowling alley. Realizing it's a trap, Lu secretly heads to the bowling alley to retrieve a hidden gun, only to find Luo has already taken it.
There, he is forced to meet Mo Kang, who has been sent by Zhou Shaoxiong to bring him to the city of Wanbei. With his own deal with Brother K now void and Zhou Shaoxiong in control, Lu has no choice but to agree. He insists on bringing Wu Yanping, but upon approaching their home, he spots the police stakeout. In a heartbreaking moment, Lu realizes he must abandon his wife to save himself, and he escapes with Mo Kang by boat.
The police wait all night for a target who will never appear. Lin Qiangfeng, though frustrated by Lu's second escape, remains optimistic, feeling he now has a better understanding of his adversary. The episode concludes with Lin interrogating Wu Yanping. She tearfully confesses her love for Lu and her ignorance of his dealings, only for Lin to shatter her world by showing her Lu Shaohua's wanted poster.
