Episode Summary
Kawano uses an addicted Tian Xiaogui to trap Lu Changshan, but Tian's last-minute guilt allows for a narrow escape. Lu Changshan dies from his injuries, inspiring Tang Deyuan to rejoin the Resistance. Tang creates a cover story, convincing Kawano he has switched sides, and formally joins the anti-Japanese cause while secretly plotting revenge.
Spoiler Alert
A Trap and a Betrayal
The Set-Up
Kawano has Tian Xiaogui right where he wants him. He gets him hooked on an addictive drug called Pervitin. The goal is simple. He wants Tian Xiaogui to find the Resistance and report back on their plans. The withdrawal is brutal, and Tian Xiaogui is desperate. He starts tailing Tang Deyuan. He then reports to Kawano that Lu Changshan and Tang Deyuan are meeting at a gambling house.
A Guilty Conscience
The trap is set. Japanese police surround the building. But just as they're about to move in, Tian Xiaogui has a change of heart. He can't go through with it. He starts yelling and causing a scene at the entrance. This commotion is just enough to warn Lu Changshan that something is wrong.
The Aftermath in the Woods
A Leader Falls
Wan Fuqing and Gao Yunhu provide cover at the back exit. Lu Changshan gets Tang Deyuan out of the building and they escape in a car. After a chase, they manage to lose the police in a dense forest. Lu Changshan welcomes Tang Deyuan back to the cause, but Tang is not convinced. He thinks the plan is a failure.
Then, things get worse. Lu Changshan suddenly collapses. He was bleeding heavily the whole time. He tells Wan Fuqing and Gao Yunhu to hide. His final plan is for Tang Deyuan to lead the Japanese forces to their location. Before Tang can even process this, he realizes Lu Changshan is dead.
Tang Deyuan's New Mission
The loss hits everyone hard. For Tang Deyuan, it's a turning point. He decides he has to finish what Lu Changshan started. He tells the others to run. Then he fires his gun into the air several times, calling the enemy right to him.
The Cover-Up
Selling a Lie to Kawano
Kawano arrives with his men. Tang Deyuan immediately starts spinning a story. He claims he was taken hostage and forced to kill Lu Changshan. He says the other two Resistance members got away. Tang also tells Kawano about Lu Changshan's supposed two-part mission: kill Xiao Tielin, then kill Kawano himself.
A Test of Loyalty
Kawano is suspicious, as you'd expect. He asks Tang how he killed Lu. Tang says he shot him from behind. To test him, Kawano tells Tang to shoot Lu's body again to prove his story. Tang can't bring himself to do it.
This is where it gets interesting. Kawano doesn't see this as proof of a lie. He knows an old Chinese saying about respecting the dead. He thinks that if Tang had shot the body without a second thought, it would have been more suspicious. Tang then asks to bury Lu properly, and Kawano agrees. Kawano introduces himself, and Tang realizes he is face-to-face with his son's killer. He shakes his hand, burying his rage. After tearfully burying his leader, Tang Deyuan is now fully committed to the fight.
Loose Ends and New Problems
The Traitor's Guilt
Back at their hideout, Gao Yunhu and Wan Fuqing are suspicious of Tian Xiaogui. They find him and tell him that Lu Changshan is dead. The news makes Tian Xiaogui cough up blood from guilt and shock. They ask him why he was at the gambling house. He lies, claiming he was just following Tang Deyuan, hoping to rejoin the group.
Meanwhile, Kawano decides to keep using Tian Xiaogui, believing the drug's hold is too strong for him to truly resist.
A Corrupt Cop's Punishment
Zhao Qingtian rats out Xiao Tielin for selling opium on the side. Kawano confronts Xiao Tielin, who claims he was just raising money for the secret police. Kawano doesn't buy it. He "punishes" him by demanding he donate enough money for a fighter jet. If he does, Kawano will send him to Japan. Xiao Tielin is terrified but agrees. He later calls Tang Deyuan for help raising the cash.
The episode ends with a doctor giving Tian Xiaogui another injection. As the drug hits, he remembers Lu Changshan and is overwhelmed with regret.
