Episode Summary
Qi Menglong, cornered and out of options, accepts a temporary surrender to Sun Yulin, while secretly planning a future uprising. Liu Baisong and Zong Jiasheng successfully ambush a Japanese column, but Zhuang Qifeng is critically injured in the aftermath. Intelligence on a new, brutal Japanese "three-all" campaign forces the Eighth Route Army to evacuate key personnel and adopt a strategy of feigned cooperation.
Spoiler Alert
Qi Menglong's Desperate Move
The episode kicks off with Qi Menglong trying to play two sides. On Zhou Mi's advice, he sends negotiators to both Li Shaotang and Sun Yulin. He's hoping to team up with one of them.
Li Shaotang is no fool, though. He knows Qi Menglong is a Major General loyal to Chiang Kai-shek. He figures there's no way this alliance is real. So, he plays along for a minute and then just vanishes. He pulls his entire force out, leaving Qi Menglong completely exposed.
Sun Yulin, on the other hand, seems eager to cooperate. He agrees to join forces to take down Li Shaotang. But with Li already gone, the deal changes. Qi Menglong is now in a terrible spot. He doesn't have enough soldiers, and he's slowed down by family members and logistics. He has no choice but to accept Sun Yulin's offer to "reorganize" his troops. It's a surrender in everything but name.
A Fake Surrender
Before he leaves, Qi Menglong has a heart-to-heart with Zhou Mi. He makes it clear he'd rather die than become a traitor. He promises he's just biding his time. Once he gets a chance, he plans to lead an uprising and get back to fighting the Japanese. He also gives his blessing to the Combat Team Leader staying with the Eighth Route Army, respecting his choice to join them if he wants.
The Battle for Zengma Peak
While Qi Menglong is dealing with his political mess, there's a real fight brewing. Zong Jiasheng has his troops on the high ground at Zengma Peak. He spots a Japanese reinforcement column coming down the road, complete with armored cars. He immediately sends Wang Yu to warn Liu Baisong. Zong promises to hold off the Japanese for an hour to buy them time.
Liu Baisong gets the message and instantly understands the Japanese plan. They're trying to encircle his forces. But with Zong holding the high ground, Liu decides to flip the script and set a trap of his own.
Turning the Tables on the Japanese
It's a classic ambush. Zong's men use their high position to snipe at the advancing Japanese. Down below, Liu Baisong has his soldiers hidden, waiting. The Japanese walk right into the kill box.
Zong's squad takes out an enemy tank with a bundle of grenades. That's the signal for Liu Baisong to unleash hell. His troops launch a fierce attack from their concealed positions. The sudden assault catches the Japanese completely by surprise. They break and run. The Eighth Route Army pursues them, and only a handful of the hundred-plus soldiers manage to escape.
A Hero Falls
The Japanese commander, Satoshi Yamashita, is furious about the defeat. As he retreats, he orders his artillery to bombard the position held by Zhuang Qifeng. In the chaos, Zhuang Qifeng is hit while shielding his comrades. He's severely wounded and falls into a coma.
Later, Zhou Mi's detachment links up with the main force. Liu Zhumei hears about Zhuang Qifeng and rushes to his bedside. He wakes up to see her there, and it's an emotional reunion. She tells him she's decided to stay in the Mengshui area to do local work. It's not Gucheng, but it's close enough for Zhuang Qifeng to be happy they'll see each other more.
Shifting Allegiances
The Combat Team Leader who was with Qi Menglong is disgusted when he hears his commander surrendered to Sun Yulin. He's been impressed by the Eighth Route Army's discipline and fighting spirit. He decides he wants to join them for good. Zhou Mi advises him to first make sure his family, who are still with Qi's forces, are safe. The man immediately agrees to sort it out.
A New Japanese Threat
Things get even more complicated. Zhuang Ziqiang, the weaselly landowner, shows up looking for Zhang Zhiping. He reveals that Satoshi Yamashita has a new, brutal plan called "Drain the Pond." The Japanese are going to implement the "three-all policy" (kill all, burn all, loot all) against several villages that are resisting them.
Zhuang Ziqiang is only worried about himself, of course. He wants Zhang Zhiping to use his influence with a Japanese officer named Ono to get Dawang Village taken off the list. Why? Because he owns three hundred acres of land and a mansion there.
Spies and Counter-Spies
Zhang Zhiping sees an opportunity. He pretends to be greedy and agrees to help in exchange for a cut of Zhuang Ziqiang's property. By playing the part, he manages to squeeze more details about the plan out of him.
As soon as Zhuang Ziqiang leaves, Zhang Zhiping passes the intelligence along. Zhou Mi calls an emergency meeting. They decide a direct fight is a bad idea. Their new strategy is to pretend to cooperate with the Japanese while secretly organizing. The first step is to move the advance detachment and any party members whose identities are known. They need to get them out of harm's way before the Japanese operation begins. Meanwhile, Yamashita calls his own meeting. He starts giving out assignments for the "Drain the Pond" operation. Zhang Zhiping asks for his regiment to be excluded, but Yamashita refuses.
