Episode Summary
The investigation into the trafficking ring's leader, "Brother Cripple," points to a recently released convict, Zhou Hongcai. At the same time, a case of mistaken identity gives false hope to a mother searching for her daughter who was kidnapped years ago. These threads connect when Zhou, hired for a new abduction, kidnaps a young girl with a severe heart condition, triggering a desperate, high-stakes manhunt as police race against the clock to save her life.
Spoiler Alert
The investigation into the elusive trafficking kingpin, "Brother Cripple," takes a sharp turn as the Anti-trafficking Office, led by Xiao Wenjin, pushes for a breakthrough. With key members Qingpi, Huang Chuan, and Auntie Hong in custody but unable to identify their boss, officer Deng Yan proposes a new theory: what if the limp is just a clever disguise?
Re-interrogating Huang Chuan, Deng Yan learns that the only link to the boss is a dog trafficker named Zhou Hongcai. A background check reveals Zhou is a repeat offender for trafficking, and Deng Yan begins to suspect he is the man they've been hunting. Fresh out of prison and desperate for cash, Zhou reaches out to an old contact, Liu Gang, to get back into the business, even bringing up the kidnapping of Lin Ranran from over two decades ago.
This need for money makes Zhou the perfect pawn for a new player, Zhen Ni. The owner of a high-end beauty salon, Zhen Ni promises to find an adopted daughter for a wealthy client, Man Jie. Learning of Zhou's situation from Liu Gang, she offers him 30,000 yuan to abduct a young girl. Without hesitation, Zhou heads to Jiushan City to find a target.
Meanwhile, a deeply emotional scene unfolds at the Reunion Diner. The owner, Auntie Zhang, is stunned when a customer named Jiang Feifei walks in. From her appearance to her specific order of noodle soup with no pickles, she is the spitting image of Auntie Zhang's own daughter, Lin Ranran, who was abducted years ago. Auntie Zhang calls Deng Yan in a panic and confronts the bewildered Jiang Feifei, convinced she's found her long-lost child. Deng Yan arrives and is also shocked by the resemblance, but after a gentle investigation, it becomes clear that Jiang Feifei is not Lin Ranran. As Jiang Feifei leaves, a heartbroken Auntie Zhang collapses in grief, and Deng Yan swears she will not rest until the real Lin Ranran is found.
The two plotlines violently collide when a young girl, Fan Xinran, is snatched from a supermarket. The Jiushan police issue an alert: Zhou Hongcai is the kidnapper, and he's on a bus to Linshan with the girl. The situation becomes a desperate race against time, as Fan Xinran has a serious heart condition and requires surgery within eight hours.
Deng Yan and her team mobilize to intercept him, but the cunning Zhou gets off the bus a stop early to avoid capture. He hides under a bridge with Fan Xinran, who is stashed in a large sack. Just as he gives the waking child a sip of water, he receives a call from Zhen Ni, promising to deliver the "package" soon. The police track Zhou's movements from the bus to an unlicensed van heading towards Linshan. As the team closes in, they face a difficult choice: publicize Zhou's identity to get help from the public, or keep it quiet to avoid spooking him and endangering the child. Deng Yan makes the tough call to prioritize the girl's life over the risks, and the team prepares to corner their suspect.
