Episode Summary
In this episode, Man Wai-sam secures a major sponsor by outsmarting a tech CEO in a city-wide puzzle game, proving her character in the process. Cheung Ka-yin is forced to publicly blame the late George Leung for a scandal to protect her boss. The episode ends with SNK News debuting AI-generated news anchors using the likenesses of Man Wai-sam and George Leung, prompting Man Wai-sam to sue the network.
Spoiler Alert
Man Wai-sam's New Playground
Hunting for Sponsors
So, Man Wai-sam is at a fancy press conference for Edison, a new energy car company. She’s not there for the cars. She's there to get sponsors for her new online platform. You have to respect the hustle. Of course, Mrs. Fong shows up. They get a photo together, and Mrs. Fong is dripping with passive-aggressive comments. Man Wai-sam doesn't even flinch. She just says she’s not afraid to break into new markets.
While she's networking, some guy gets handsy. Before she can even react, the CEO of Edison, Pak Shu-wan, walks over and slaps him. She has the guy thrown out immediately. It turns out she and Man Wai-sam already know each other. Man Wai-sam thanks her for the save and sets up an interview for after the event.
Trouble Back at the Old Office
Over at SNK News, Cheung Ka-yin is having a rough day. Her laptop is dying, and she forgot her charger. She has to ask Lau Yim for help. Lau Yim still calls her "master," which is a little awkward now. She also asks why SNK's reporting has gotten so biased. Ka-yin tells her not to rely on subjective feelings. This just confirms for Lau Yim that she made the right choice leaving. Ka-yin really has changed.
Then things get worse. Koo Chiu-wah was recorded bad-mouthing Pak Shu-wan with some friends. Someone leaked the audio online. He orders Ka-yin to issue a statement to clean up his mess. She's furious about being strong-armed but has no choice. She ends up at the gym, just punching a bag to let off steam.
The Game and the Billionaire
Uncovering a Secret
Man Wai-sam interviews Pak Shu-wan. She asks about the online rumors. Pak says she's too busy to care and that strong people aren't bothered by gossip. But Koo Chiu-wah's comments have stirred up a lot of anger online. He finds out the person who leaked the audio was an intern Ka-yin fired. He claims he's handled it, but he needs a press conference to do more damage control. He forces Ka-yin to be the one to front it.
Meanwhile, Man Wai-sam is digging into Pak Shu-wan's past. She finds out Edison was founded in 2015. Before that, nobody had ever heard of Pak Shu-wan. A popular puzzle game also launched that same year. Man Wai-sam suspects Pak used the game's prize money to start her company. Her guy, Ma Ka-ming, learns that a mysterious billionaire named Mr. Hung created the game. He wanted to leave his fortune to a brilliant mind.
Forcing the Truth
Man Wai-sam interviews Pak again. She asks her directly about Mr. Hung. Pak denies everything. So, Man Wai-sam goes back to her office and makes a bold move. She leaks the answer to the first level of the puzzle game online. This lets players skip straight to the third level, completely breaking the game's rules.
It works. Pak Shu-wan immediately ends the game and calls another meeting with Man Wai-sam. This time, she comes clean. She admits Mr. Hung is the creator, known as "Cicada." Pak was the first winner. She was a college student who won a million dollars and used it to start her company. To honor Cicada's memory, she started an angel investment fund.
The game is over, but Pak offers to reward Man Wai-sam's company for solving the first level. There's just one condition. She has to fire Lau Yim. Lau Yim says she's fine with it, but Man Wai-sam refuses. She won't be controlled. After a few days, she calls Pak to give her final answer. Just as she says no, Lau Yim appears and gives her a huge hug. It was all a test. Pak never wanted her to fire Lau Yim. She was just testing Man Wai-sam's character.
SNK Crosses a Line
Blaming the Dead
Cheung Ka-yin holds the press conference for Koo Chiu-wah. Following his orders, she blames the whole incident on the late George Leung. It's a low blow. Afterward, she goes for drinks with Hui Sze-ching. Sze-ching tells her not to feel guilty. She tells her to remember her real reason for staying at SNK. She needs to find out the truth about how George Leung died.
The AI Anchors
Man Wai-sam is celebrating her new sponsorship with Lau Yim and Ma Ka-ming. Then she gets a call from Chan Tsz-kit. He tells her to turn on the news. She can't believe what she sees. SNK is using an AI-generated version of her and George Leung to anchor the news. They are using her likeness without permission. She immediately calls her lawyer, Siu Chun-lok, to take legal action.
Koo Chiu-wah goes into hiding. He makes Cheung Ka-yin deal with the fallout. Ka-yin meets with Man Wai-sam and argues that since she's still technically under contract, SNK has the right to use her image. She also claims the laws around AI are not clear. Man Wai-sam isn't having it. She tells Ka-yin she'll see them in court. After she leaves, Ka-yin looks at Koo Chiu-wah, who is practically glowing. He doesn't care about the law or ethics. He only cares about the ratings the AI anchors are bringing in.
