Episode Summary
Li Heng rescues Jia Chang'an and teams up with Jia Yunwu to intercept a prison convoy. The rescue mission turns into a bloodbath where Qingtian sacrifices himself and they kill the villain Lu Wenlu, only to find Jia Yunying has already been executed. An Mi kills Shen Yihe for revenge, Jia Yunwu commits suicide out of guilt, and Li Heng finally welcomes the peaceful liberation of Chengdu.
Spoiler Alert
The Fallout at the Jia Residence
Lu Wenlu is on a warpath. He raids the Jia Residence with his secret agents. He finds nothing but a single servant. Jia Chang'an is missing. Lu Wenlu isn't stupid, so he leaves a few spies behind to watch the place before he takes off.
Night falls. Li Heng slips into the compound. He moves like a ghost. He takes out the spies without making a sound. He searches the entire house for Jia Chang'an. The kid is nowhere to be found inside. Li Heng does find a letter written by Jia Yunying.
He hears a noise on the roof. He grabs a ladder. Jia Chang'an is up there. The kid is terrified. Li Heng brings him back to the Deqing Society. The emotional weight hits him hard. He kneels before Lu Kaide’s spirit tablet and breaks down. Qingtian sees this. He knows immediately that Lu Shufen is dead. The grief in the room is heavy.
Settling Scores
Li Heng and Qingtian bury Lu Shufen. Li Heng makes a promise at her grave. He vows to spend the rest of his life with her spirit once the country is liberated.
Elsewhere, Shen Yihe is packing his bags. He thinks he is taking An Mi out of Chengdu. He is wrong. An Mi pulls a gun. She empties it into him. That is payback for her sister, An Ping. She gets her revenge. She says her goodbyes to Li Heng and wishes him well for the new future of Chengdu.
The Prison and the Pact
Jia Yunying is in a dark, damp cell. She is locked up with dozens of other patriots. Guards drag people out for execution every day. The fear is palpable. A young girl is shaking in the corner. Yunying gives the girl her red scarf. She tells the girl not to be afraid. She believes Li Heng will come for them.
Li Heng is indeed coming. He plans a rescue. Qingtian insists on going with him. He pledges to protect Li Heng with his life. They go to the Jia Residence first. Jia Yunwu is back in town. Li Heng confronts him. He uses logic. He tells Yunwu that his sister is in jail and his son is safe at the Deqing Society. Yunwu softens. He drops his weapon. He agrees to help. It is the first time they actually work together.
The Ambush on the Mountain
The three men hide by a mountain road. They wait for Lu Wenlu’s prisoner convoy. The target enters their range. They attack. The firefight is brutal. Qingtian gets hit hard. An explosion blows off his right arm. He doesn't stop. He drives his vehicle straight into Lu Wenlu’s convoy. He takes them out with him.
Li Heng and Jia Yunwu finish the job. They kill Lu Wenlu. They check the survivors. A young girl tells them the bad news. Jia Yunying is already dead. She sacrificed herself. The girl hands over the red scarf. It is the only thing left of her.
The End of an Era
Jia Yunwu loses his mind. He screams at Li Heng. He demands to know Li Heng's real identity. Li Heng tells him it doesn't matter anymore. History is moving forward. He explains that Jia Zhong and Jia Yunying died for a reason. They wanted peace for the people.
Li Heng tells Yunwu to stop fighting the inevitable. Yunwu knows he has done too much evil. He cannot turn back. He shoots himself.
The Nationalist generals surrender. Chengdu is peacefully liberated. People flood the streets to celebrate. Li Heng stands in the crowd. He watches the PLA march in. He sees Jia Chang'an waving from across the street. Li Heng finally smiles.
Later, Li Heng takes Chang'an to a hillside outside the city. They bury Yunying’s letter under a pine tree. Li Heng recites a poem. He remembers his fallen friends. Deng Xilin arrives with a PLA delegation. They salute the underground hero. They pay their respects to the land soaked in the blood of martyrs.
