Episode Summary
The spies' intelligence successfully thwarts a KMT air raid on Shanghai, earning them praise from command. They are immediately given a new, high-stakes mission to gather intel on the Zhoushan Islands. Meanwhile, the failed raid triggers a furious mole hunt within the KMT. A rival, Gu Zhengwen, frames Wu Shi by planting his fingerprints on a leaked document, leading to a power struggle over whether to formally arrest him.
Spoiler Alert
A Mission Accomplished
This episode kicks off with a major victory for our guys. Chen Baocang and Wu Shi make sure their contact, Lin Yiliang, gets safely onto a boat. It’s a quiet moment. But it’s the calm before the storm they helped divert.
On February 6, 1950, Chiang Kai-shek orders a massive air raid on Shanghai. The planes take off from Zhoushan. This should have been a disaster for the Communists. It wasn't.
Because of Wu Shi's intelligence, the PLA knew it was coming. They were at a huge disadvantage with their anti-aircraft defenses. So they got smart. They moved their few anti-aircraft guns to Chongming Island. This was the enemy's final navigation point before the attack run. They also sent their own fighter jets up early to meet them. The KMT pilots were completely thrown off. The attack was a failure.
The Spies Get Their Props
The Communist leadership sends out a public thank you over the radio. They praise the "East Sea Intelligence Group" for their work. Cai Xiaoqian hears it and is seriously impressed.
Our whole crew hears the broadcast separately. Zhu Feng, Chen Baocang, Old Du, Nie Xi, and Wu Shi all tune in. They listen to the news that their intel stopped the KMT cold. They are all thrilled. It’s one of those rare moments where they get to see the results of their dangerous work.
Nie Xi is so excited he stays late at Wu Shi’s house. They listen to the broadcast again. Wu Shi’s wife, Wang Bikui, hears the news about the bombing. She panics. She thinks her husband and Nie Xi planned the KMT attack. She worries about their son in Shanghai. Wu Shi has to calm her down without telling her the truth.
Personal Lives Get Complicated
While all this is happening, life goes on. Nie Xi calls the hospital looking for Gao Xiumei. He finds out she was transferred a long time ago. He goes to their old apartment and leaves her a letter. She gets home from work and finds it.
Zhu Feng is trying to help her son-in-law, Wang Changcheng. He works all the time but makes very little money. His wife, A-Ju, is not happy about it. Zhu Feng asks her friend Yin Xuefen for help. Yin is feeling down because her own kid just went abroad. So Zhu Feng drags her out to play tug-of-war with some children. The simple fun of it all actually cheers Yin Xuefen up.
The Next Target: Zhoushan
The victory is short-lived. There is always another mission.
A New Mission from Command
Cai Xiaoqian sets up a new dead drop. Zhu Feng sees the signal and goes to meet him. He gives her a letter for Wu Shi.
She visits Wu Shi’s house. She uses the excuse of asking for help with her son-in-law's job. Wu Shi invites her into his study. Inside, she gives him the letter. The new orders are clear. The group needs to gather intelligence on all military forces and firepower on the Zhoushan Islands. This is prep for a full-scale liberation of the islands. Both Wu Shi and Nie Xi understand the stakes. Zhoushan is the gateway to taking Taiwan.
A Personal Request
The organization has another task for them. They need to find a woman. She is the sister of Lin Feng, a KMT pilot who defected in 1949 and was later killed. His sister was a student at Nanjing University. After his death, she vanished. A classmate said she might have come to Taiwan. Wu Shi gives this job to Nie Xi. Wu Shi himself will focus on mapping out the military situation in Zhoushan.
The Walls Close In
The failed Shanghai raid has serious consequences inside the KMT.
The KMT Hunts for a Mole
Chiang Kai-shek is furious. His perfect plan fell apart. His general, Zhou Zhirou, takes the blame. He tells Chiang there must be a leak.
Chiang orders a massive internal investigation. He tells Gu Zhutong to gather every military officer from the hall level up for a meeting. All of them are immediately detained. They can't go home or contact anyone. The hunt for the spy is on.
Mao Renfeng from the Secrecy Bureau gets to work. His men seal all the documents in every department of the Ministry of Defense. They start interrogating everyone. Yu Xiaonan's team seals up Wu Shi's office. Gu Zhengwen, who has always suspected Wu Shi, personally searches his office. He finds nothing.
Gu Zhengwen's Dirty Trick
Gu Zhengwen refuses to give up. He is absolutely convinced Wu Shi is the spy. If he can't find evidence, he'll make it. He comes up with a nasty plan.
Soon after, another agent gives Mao Renfeng a piece of damning evidence. It’s the "Sea Eagle" plan document. It has Wu Shi's and Nie Xi's fingerprints all over it. Gu Zhengwen stands by, looking pleased with himself. The trap is set.
Mao Renfeng immediately calls General Zhou Zhirou. Zhou is skeptical. He talks to his advisor, Duan Tuizhi. Duan doesn't believe Wu Shi would be so careless. He suggests letting Wu Shi and Nie Xi be investigated in their own office. That way, if they're cleared, Zhou doesn't look like a fool for defending them. But Mao Renfeng goes over his head. He goes straight to Chiang Ching-kuo. He recommends taking Wu Shi directly to the Secrecy Bureau for some serious questioning. Zhou Zhirou strongly objects, but the net is tightening.
