Episode Summary
Chen Baocang secures crucial military intelligence for Wu Shi. To prove his worth, a low-level agent named Weng Lianwang blackmails Wu Shi's driver, Xiao Qian, into finding evidence of treason. Xiao Qian gives him Wu Shi's son's songbook but regrets it, leading to a confrontation where Weng murders him. Though initially demanding justice, Wu Shi is forced to drop the investigation to protect his own secrets, letting the killer go free. The episode ends with Wu Shi watching Xiao Qian's sister being arrested as she tries to flee home, a moment that mirrors his own painful exile.
Spoiler Alert
A Calm Morning Before Everything Goes Wrong
The episode starts with a bit of spycraft. The defense director in Zhoushan has a stroke. This gives our guys an opening. Gu Zhutong sends Chen Baocang to "offer his sympathies." It's just a cover story, of course.
Chen gets there and immediately starts sketching out the entire military layout. He draws up the defense maps and troop deployments. He gets this vital intel straight to Wu Shi. Wu Shi pulls an all-nighter, processing everything.
When morning comes, he steps outside. He sees his driver, Xiao Qian, and the young boy, A Dou, sitting together playing the flute. It’s a quiet, peaceful moment. You just know it's the last one we're going to get for a while.
The Secrecy Bureau's New Power Play
Things are also shifting inside the Secrecy Bureau. Gu Zhengwen is making moves. He trusts Li Qing's skills and loyalty. So he promotes her to captain of Action Team One.
Li Qing Gets a Promotion (and a Problem)
Li Qing is worried the team won't respect her authority. Gu Zhengwen tells her not to stress about it. Then he puts her in the same office as the other team captain, Weng Lianwang. Weng is clearly not happy about sharing his space or his power.
Gu Zhengwen can see the tension. He tells Weng to cooperate with Li Qing. He even explains her impressive history with infiltration work. But you can tell Weng is just looking for a way to prove himself.
Weng Puts the Squeeze on Xiao Qian
Weng decides to go after Wu Shi's driver, Xiao Qian. He corners him and gives him an ultimatum. Find proof that Wu Shi is a communist in three days. Weng also threatens to arrest Xiao Qian's sister if he fails.
Xiao Qian is trapped. He has nothing on Wu Shi. When the three days are up, Weng hunts him down. Backed into a corner, Xiao Qian promises to deliver evidence the next night. He has no idea what he's going to do.
A Songbook Leads to Murder
This is where it all falls apart. It starts with a simple, stupid mistake.
A Son's Mistake Becomes a Driver's Betrayal
Xiao Qian is driving Wu Shi’s son, Wu Xuecheng, to school. The kid leaves a songbook in the car. It's filled with "progressive" songs. The kind of stuff the government considers communist propaganda.
Xiao Qian sees his chance. He's desperate to save his sister. He takes the songbook and gives it to Weng. Weng promises to leave his sister alone. It’s a done deal. Or so Xiao Qian thinks.
A Desperate Attempt to Save the Boy
Later, Xiao Qian goes to pick up Wu Xuecheng from school. Weng and his agents are there waiting. They're moving in to arrest the boy.
Xiao Qian panics. He can't let them take Wu Xuecheng. He shoves Weng into the car and speeds away from the school. Weng screams at him to stop, but Xiao Qian refuses. They start fighting inside the moving car. Xiao Qian manages to snatch the songbook back from Weng.
Weng pulls a knife. He stabs Xiao Qian. Then he stabs him again, and again. Even with three knife wounds, Xiao Qian does not let go of that songbook.
The Fallout
Xiao Qian, bleeding heavily, somehow manages to drive Wu Xuecheng all the way home.
A Final Warning
The boy gets out of the car. Then Xiao Qian collapses over the wheel. Wu Xuecheng starts screaming for help. Wu Shi runs out to see what’s happening.
With his last breaths, Xiao Qian apologizes for betraying Wu Xuecheng. He tells Wu Shi to be careful of the Investigation Group. Then he's gone. Wu Shi rushes him to the hospital, but it's too late. Xiao Qian is dead.
Wu Shi Wants Blood
The head of the Secrecy Bureau, Mao Renfeng, shows up to apologize. He promises Wu Shi he will find the killer. Wu Shi is beyond furious. He gives Mao exactly one day.
Gu Zhengwen knows who did it. He tells Weng he can't protect him. He tells him to write a will. It looks like Weng is about to pay for what he did.
A Chilling Calculation
But then Wu Shi makes a hard choice. Mao Renfeng comes to report the next day, but Wu Shi refuses to see him. He sends a message through Nie Xi instead. He says if anything like this ever happens again, he will personally walk into the Investigation Group's office and open fire.
It's a brutal threat. Weng overhears that Wu Shi is dropping the case and is massively relieved. Wu Shi realizes he can't push this. An investigation would bring too much attention. It would expose the songbook and, eventually, him.
He has to let his driver's killer walk free. To close the chapter, Wu Shi burns the songbook. It's a painful way to honor the man who died protecting his son and that book.
A Heartbreaking Goodbye
Wu Shi feels responsible for Xiao Qian's family. He tries to get a pension for them. He also goes to visit Xiao Qian's sister, Qian Xiaomin, to give her some of her favorite cookies.
She isn't at work. A colleague says she went to the beach. Wu Shi finds her there, swimming out into the ocean. She is trying to swim across the strait to get back to her hometown.
Soldiers show up to arrest her for trying to escape. Wu Shi tries to stop them, but he's powerless. He just stands there and watches her get taken away. The sight of her trying to go home makes him cry. He realizes he wants the exact same thing.
