Episode Summary
In this episode, Lu Shaohua's past is explored, revealing his scientific breakthrough in creating methamphetamine without ephedrine, which leads to a new, powerful alliance with the Wanbei drug syndicate. Meanwhile, Lin Qiangfeng's investigation uncovers crucial clues about Lu's methods and confirms his suspicion of a mole within the police force. In a dramatic climax, Lin and Li An set a trap that successfully exposes Oufan as the traitor, leading to a heartbreaking confrontation.
Spoiler Alert
The Narcotic Operation: Episode 22 recap
This episode dives deep into the intricate cat-and-mouse game, revealing both the origins of a drug lord's genius and the devastating consequences of betrayal within the police force.
The story flashes back two years to Lvteng City, where Lu Shaohua, along with his associates Wang Lin and Qiu Laibao, established a seemingly legitimate health supplement factory. Their real business, however, was producing methamphetamine. A crucial moment came when their supply of ephedrine ran out. While auditing a chemistry class at a local university, Lu Shaohua was inspired by a lecture on chiral synthesis. He envisioned a new method to produce meth without relying on ephedrine. His initial experiments failed at the crystallization and purification stage, nearly causing a fire. Undeterred, Lu consulted the unsuspecting professor about his "purification problem." Through relentless trials, he discovered that using a specific concentration of hydrochloric acid was the key. With this breakthrough, Lu Shaohua revolutionized his operation, freeing it from the constraints of ephedrine supply.
In the present, the police investigation is closing in. Officer Lin Qiangfeng learns that Lu Shaohua had previously consulted a chemistry professor. This piece of information proves vital. Lin Qiangfeng and his colleague Yang Wei visit the professor, who, unaware of Lu's true intentions, had kept detailed notes of their conversations. Lin takes the professor's notebook, which contains the scientific foundation of Lu's new method. Meanwhile, other officers, Feng Hao and Ban Dehai, confirm that a deceased bowling alley owner, Wan Jinlai, is actually Jin Yongxiang, a key figure in the drug trade. The police also discover Lu Shaohua's abandoned drug lab in a deserted school.
As Lin Qiangfeng pieces together the evidence, he becomes convinced that there is a mole within the police force—the same person who leaked information during an operation two years prior. He confides in his trusted colleague, Li An, and they resolve to uncover the traitor.
The narrative then shifts to July 1, 1997, the day of the Hong Kong handover. As the nation celebrates with fireworks, Lu Shaohua is on a boat with his new partner, Mo Kang, heading to the Wanbei region. The sight of the fireworks stirs mixed emotions in Lu, reminding him of Wu Yanping, a woman he left behind in Lvteng.
In Wanbei, Lu Shaohua is given a grand welcome by Zhou Shaoxiong, the head of a powerful armed drug trafficking syndicate. Zhou hosts a banquet for other major drug lords, including the Kilo, Meng Bo, Ka Qiao, and Bo Gan cartels. These bosses, who primarily deal in heroin, are skeptical of Zhou's proposal to switch to methamphetamine, citing the difficulty in sourcing ephedrine. Zhou confidently presents Lu Shaohua and his new, ephedrine-free production method, promising to deliver a hundred million yuan worth of high-purity meth in just one week. Forensic analysis of meth seized in Lvteng confirms the new threat: a synthetic, 90% pure substance made from legal chemical ingredients.
The episode culminates in a tense and dramatic plot to expose the mole. The police receive news that a key witness, Liang Dongping, has awakened from a coma. Lin Qiangfeng and Li An rush to the hospital, but it's a ruse; Liang is already dead. They seal off the ICU and let it be known that Liang is confessing everything, hoping to force the mole's hand. As a disciplinary team arrives, Lin and Li gather their respective teams and falsely announce that Liang has identified the traitor. Under the immense pressure of Li An's questioning, officer Oufan breaks down and confesses. Li An is devastated by the betrayal of a man he considered a brother. Overcome with guilt, Oufan attempts to take his own life but is stopped by his fellow officers, leaving Li An to turn away in sorrow.
