Episode Summary
In this episode, Li Heng outsmarts his pursuers, deepens his alliance with Lu Shufen, and tries to warn a skeptical Jia Yuying. He also delivers key intelligence to his organization, confronts his rivals at the Bureau, and unknowingly becomes the target of a diversion while his enemies plan a major operation against his ally, Wu Dafei.
Spoiler Alert
Li Heng Plays Cat and Mouse
The episode kicks off with Jia Yunwu getting more suspicious of Li Heng. He sees Li Heng and Yang Deng acting drunk and immediately thinks something is up. So, he sends two of his agents to tail Li Heng.
This was a bad move. Li Heng is not an amateur. He spots the tails right away. Instead of trying to lose them, he does something better. He walks right up to them. Then he invites them to join him at the bathhouse. It's a total power play. He's letting them know he's in control.
While all this is happening, Lu Shufen is waiting at home for Li Heng. You can see the disappointment on her face as the night drags on.
After the bath, Li Heng heads straight home. The agents realize he made them. They can't follow him anymore. To save face, they lie to Jia Yunwu. They tell him Li Heng went back to the Deqing Society headquarters.
A Tense Night at Home
A Test of Trust
Li Heng finally gets home. Lu Shufen is already in bed but gets up as soon as she hears him. She doesn't know the details of what he's doing. She just knows it's dangerous. She tells him to make sure the Deqing Society stays out of trouble.
He promises her the gang won't get caught in the crossfire. Then he drops a major hint. He suggests they are actually on the same side. He says the truth will come out eventually.
Lu Shufen trusts him completely. But she's still scared for him. She gives him a secret contact method in case of an emergency. She says she doesn't want anything in return. She just wants him to be genuine with her. Li Heng stays silent. It's a heavy moment, and she doesn't push him for an answer.
A Warning and a Rejection
The episode cuts to Wang Xiaofei for a second. He's still wasting his time at the Xinxianlin Dance Hall with a dancer named Sisi. She clearly has him figured out.
Then we get to the really intense stuff. Li Heng finds Jia Yuying. He looks dead serious. He warns her that her father, Jia Zhongzheng, is under surveillance. He tells her she needs to get out of the city fast.
She doesn't believe a word of it. She thinks it's just another loyalty test. She coldly tells him she has nothing to do with the Communists. She wants him to stop testing her.
Li Heng gets desperate. He reminds her of the time the Central Investigation Bureau raided the area. He tells her he saw her hiding behind a curtain. He knows the truth. She still denies everything. She even pulls out an old letter he wrote, full of his youthful ambitions. She basically dares him to arrest her. She says she won't thank him for going easy on her. Li Heng is clearly hurt. He just turns and walks away.
The Counter-Intelligence Game Heats Up
Passing Intel and Setting Traps
Li Heng meets with his contact, Yu Tong. He hands over a critical list. It contains the identities of several sleeper agents and their operational plans. It's a huge win for their organization.
They also talk strategy. Wu Dafei has offered to cooperate. Li Heng suggests they should play along. He wants to use the opportunity to figure out Wu Dafei's real agenda.
Then Li Heng drops a bombshell. He reveals that An Mi is a double agent. He has a plan to use her as bait to lure their enemies into the open.
The Confrontation
The next morning, the surveillance is back. Qingtian spots spies near the Deqing Society headquarters and reports it to Li Heng.
Li Heng has had enough. He takes his men, captures the spies, and drags them straight back to the Central Investigation Bureau. He confronts Jia Yunwu in front of everyone. He demands to know why he's being followed. The whole office is on edge.
Office Politics and a Final Gambit
Shen Yihe's Damage Control
The confrontation moves to the director's office. Li Heng uses the situation to drive a wedge between Cao Peng and Shen Yihe. He cleverly pretends to be completely loyal to Shen Yihe.
Shen Yihe knows he's in a bad spot. The surveillance was unsanctioned and sloppy. To calm things down, he publicly cancels the investigation into Li Heng. He then orders a humiliated Jia Yunwu to apologize.
The Secret Plan
Li Heng leaves the office, but he doesn't go far. He stops right outside the door to listen. It's a smart move.
We hear Shen Yihe chewing out Jia Yunwu. He's furious about his recklessness and inability to keep a secret. Shen Yihe admits he allowed Jia Yunwu to put pressure on Li Heng. But he told him to be careful. He's also angry that Jia Yunwu won't tell him the details of his plan.
Shen Yihe gives Jia Yunwu an ultimatum. If this next operation fails, he's off the case and stuck with a boring internal inspection job.
Jia Yunwu says his plan is for tonight. He needs help from the local garrison. He also needs Shen Yihe to keep Li Heng occupied. Shen Yihe reluctantly agrees. He invites Li Heng to dinner as a pretext to keep him at the bureau.
The episode isn't done yet. Word of the operation leaks. Lu Wenlu learns that the Bureau is planning to set a trap for Wu Dafei tonight. The information gets to Yu Tong, who immediately gathers his comrades to figure out a counter-plan.
