Episode Summary
Li Heng seizes a major opium shipment to gain his superior's trust, making an enemy of Wang Xiaofei. An official investigation into the opium trade begins, revealing Shen Yihe's suspicious behavior. When Qing Tian investigates Wang Xiaofei on Li Heng's orders, he is captured and injected with morphine. Li Heng tracks him down, rescues him from a warehouse, and rushes him to the hospital.
Spoiler Alert
The Opium Bust
Li Heng Makes a Move
So, Wang Xiaofei’s crew drives off. They think they're in the clear. But Qing Tian was watching. He slips into the warehouse they just left. He finds a massive stash of opium they didn't have time to move.
Qing Tian immediately reports this to Li Heng. This is a huge opportunity for Li Heng. He's deep undercover and needs Cao Peng's protection. A big bust like this is the perfect way to earn his trust. The opium is also tied to the Deqing Society. Li Heng knows he has to act fast. He needs a solid plan before everyone else starts making their moves.
The Fallout
Li Heng rolls in with his people and seizes the whole shipment. Cao Peng is ecstatic when he sees all the confiscated opium. He immediately tells Jia Yunwu to get the city's reporters on it. He wants to plaster this victory all over the newspapers to make the Sichuan Investigation Office look good.
Lu Kaide finds out Wang Xiaofei was selling opium behind his back. He is absolutely furious. Wang Xiaofei gets on his knees. He swears he wasn't doing it for himself. He claims he did it to stop the Central Bureau from taking all the profits. Lu Kaide is still angry. But he covers for Wang Xiaofei because of their history. He gives him a strict warning. This is the last time. This whole thing makes Wang Xiaofei hate Li Heng. And he has another secret warehouse. The opium deals are not over.
A New Investigation and Old Secrets
The Official Crackdown
Cao Peng calls a meeting. He tells everyone the higher-ups are ordering a major investigation. The opium problem in the southwest is out of control. The authorities suspect there's a mole inside the Central Bureau working with the dealers.
Jia Yunwu pushes back. He thinks their main job should be rooting out Communists. He argues that focusing on opium will distract them. Li Heng immediately shuts that down. He points out that opium is destroying the country from the inside. It's a critical issue. Shen Yihe chimes in and agrees. He promises he's fully committed to the mission.
Shen Yihe's Double Game
After the meeting, Shen Yihe pulls Li Heng aside. He tells him he found the person who killed Zhao Jun. It was Zhang Yunhu. But Shen Yihe wants to wait. Cao Peng's inspection is the top priority right now. Personal revenge can be put on hold.
The official investigation starts. Cao Peng quickly uncovers the opium transport routes. He confirms the Deqing Society is involved. During all of this, Li Heng notices Shen Yihe looks nervous. His suspicion grows.
Li Heng goes to see Lu Kaide alone. He asks him directly if he's involved in the opium business. Lu Kaide avoids the question. He just tells Li Heng to stay out of it. Later, Lu Shufen complains to Li Heng. She's upset he's been ignoring the society's affairs. Li Heng tells her to have Qing Tian start tailing Wang Xiaofei.
The Hunt for Qing Tian
A Dangerous Mission
Qing Tian follows orders. He tails Wang Xiaofei to a restaurant. He watches from a distance and sees him in a secret meeting with Shen Yihe. Shen Yihe is getting scared. He wants to pause the deals and find someone to take the fall.
Wang Xiaofei leaves the table and spots Qing Tian. He knocks him out and ties him up. He doesn't kill him, though. He knows Qing Tian is one of Lu Shufen's most trusted men. Instead, he has Zhang Hui inject Qing Tian with a high dose of morphine.
With his Central Bureau connection gone, Wang Xiaofei's business is hurting. He pivots. He starts working with Wang Liangcheng. He's the deputy station chief of the Military Intelligence Bureau. They decide to sell morphine instead. Wang Liangcheng uses the city's instability as an excuse. He demands an extra ten percent profit. Wang Xiaofei has no choice but to agree.
The Rescue
Lu Shufen realizes Qing Tian is missing. She panics and calls Li Heng for help. They search all night but find nothing.
The next morning, Li Heng goes to Lu Kaide's place. He warns him to be very careful with Shen Yihe. He also drops a heavy hint about staying away from certain types of business. Soon after, Da Kui reports to Li Heng. He says some Deqing Society men were seen taking a guy who matches Qing Tian's description.
Li Heng now knows Wang Xiaofei has Qing Tian. But he has no proof. He can't just storm in and demand him back. He tells Da Kui to watch Wang Xiaofei's every move. Li Heng then goes to the Deqing Society headquarters. He plays cards with Wang Xiaofei, testing him with questions. This makes Lu Kaide notice something is up.
That night, Li Heng is hiding outside another warehouse. He watches Wang Xiaofei's men load boxes of morphine onto a truck. He decides to act. He moves in, takes down the guards, and storms the warehouse. He finds Qing Tian inside, unconscious. Li Heng rushes him to the hospital. He begs Jia Yunying to do everything she can to save him.
