Episode Summary
In this episode, Yan Tuo escapes captivity with the help of some convenient chaos. He and Lin Xirou pretend to be allies, but both are hiding crucial information. Nie Jiuluo is offered a deal to hunt a "human-form owl" in exchange for her freedom. She has a violent run-in with Yan Tuo, which ends with him kidnapping her and driving them both into the sea to get answers. The episode ends with both of them uncovering more secrets; Nie Jiuluo reveals a hidden sword, and Yan Tuo finds Lin Xirou's secret notebook.
Spoiler Alert
A Messy Escape
The episode kicks off right in the action. Dog Tooth is chained up in a dungeon. An assassin shows up to finish the job. At the same time, Yan Tuo is stuck in a freezing ice cellar. He hears Xiong Hei's voice and starts shouting for help.
Some Nanshan hunters hear him. They rush in and stop Xiong Hei from getting any closer. This creates total chaos. Lin Xirou's people use the confusion to grab Dog Tooth and get him out.
While everyone is busy fighting, Yan Tuo manages to break free from his ropes. The Nanshan hunters turn back and spot him trying to escape. A fight breaks out. Yan Tuo waits for his moment. He knocks them both unconscious and gets away.
A Deal on the Table
Nie Jiuluo gets a phone call. It's Jiang Baichuan, and he sounds pretty serious. He tells her that the "owl" she sent him was something special. Apparently, Hua Zi's whip reacts to it in a weird way. He calls it a "human-form owl."
This thing is a big deal. It's also already gone. Jiang Baichuan says a "ground owl" came and rescued it. He then makes Nie Jiuluo an offer. If she can successfully capture this human-form owl, he'll finally let her leave the organization. She can have the normal life she wants. He sounds like he really needs her help.
A Web of Lies
Yan Tuo is finally safe. His doctor friend, Lu Xian, is there to patch up his wounds. Lin Ling also runs in, clearly worried about him.
Later, Yan Tuo sits down with Lin Xirou. He tells her about his kidnapping. But he intentionally leaves out the part about the "ground owl." He only says he overheard his captors talking about Dog Tooth. Then he puts her on the spot. He asks why she wanted Dog Tooth in the first place.
Lin Xirou comes up with a quick lie. She says they're competitors working on a new drug. You can tell they are both sizing each other up. Neither one of them trusts the other at all.
The Hunter Becomes the Hunted
The next day comes. Lin Xirou realizes she messed up. She completely underestimated the Nanshan hunters. She thought they were just a disorganized bunch wandering around. But now they've managed to track down Dog Tooth's exact location. Their skills are clearly not to be taken lightly.
An Unwelcome Visitor
That night, Nie Jiuluo is sleeping. A strange gust of wind wakes her up. She gets out of bed and walks to her window. She is shocked to see Yan Tuo standing inside her house.
Her first instinct is to grab her carving knife. Yan Tuo sees it and immediately tries to explain. He says he just wants to know why he was kidnapped. She doesn't wait for an answer. She just attacks him. They get into a serious fight.
During the brawl, they knock over a statue. It smashes on the floor. The loud crash wakes up Lu Jie. Yan Tuo uses the distraction to bolt.
A Very Bad Date
The next morning, Nie Jiuluo's friend shows up. She gives her two tickets to a Li Sheng'er performance. She encourages her to get out of the house and try something new. Nie Jiuluo agrees and heads out.
She gets into a taxi. The driver turns out to be Yan Tuo. He starts complaining about how she attacked him when all he wanted was a conversation. He then drives her to the seaside. He corners her and demands to know what a "ground owl" is.
His plan works, but maybe a little too well. The car lurches forward and plunges into the ocean. Nie Jiuluo has a serious fear of enclosed spaces. She starts to panic as the car fills with water. Yan Tuo tries to calm her down and tells her to breathe. She passes out. The next thing she knows, she's waking up back at home.
Secrets and More Secrets
After she wakes up, Lu Jie finds a note in her coat pocket. It's from Yan Tuo. He's making fun of her for being so afraid of water. Nie Jiuluo actually cracks a smile.
She goes into a hidden room. Inside, there is a detailed statue holding a pipa. She plucks the strings. A hidden sword slowly reveals itself from inside the instrument.
Later that night, we see Yan Tuo in a backyard. He's quietly moving stones aside. He uncovers a hidden safe. He opens it and pulls out a notebook. The handwriting inside belongs to Lin Xirou. It looks like he just found a whole book of her secrets.
