Episode Summary
Yan Tuo recruits Nie Jiuluo to help him investigate his mother's death, revealing the new Lin Xirou is an imposter. Lin Ling and Yan Tuo realize a childhood cave is likely a lab for turning Dixiao into humans. As Master Sun violently mutates, Lin Xirou reveals her cruel past to a captured hunter, and Yan Tuo finally locates the secret cave.
Spoiler Alert
A Meeting in a Graveyard
Yan Tuo's Pitch
So, one of Nie Jiuluo's sculptures sells for a huge amount of money. The mysterious buyer wants to meet her. The meeting spot is a cemetery, which is not creepy at all. You probably guessed who it is. The buyer is Yan Tuo.
He doesn't just want to buy art, though. He brings her to a specific grave. The name on the headstone is Lin Xirou. That was his mother's name. Here's the twist. The current director at his company is alsonamed Lin Xirou. She basically stole his dead mother's identity.
Yan Tuo gives us some backstory. When he was a kid, his mom was pregnant. His dad brought another woman home from a trip. After his mother died, he grew up and started connecting the dots. He is convinced the new Lin Xirou was involved in his mother's death. He needs Nie Jiuluo's skills to help him investigate. He wants revenge.
The Legend of the Dixiao
Nie Jiuluo thinks about his offer. She then takes him to an abandoned temple on Nanshan. Inside, the walls are covered with old paintings. These murals tell the story of creatures called "Dixiao," or Earth Ghouls. They also show why the Nanshan hunters are needed to protect people from them. It's our first real look at the lore.
Secrets and Suspicions
Lin Ling's Investigation
While this is going on, Lin Ling is doing her own detective work. She brings Yan Tuo some food. Then she tells him that Dog Tooth's identity is completely fake. This makes Yan Tuo think. He remembers Dog Tooth had an injury that healed unnaturally fast.
He tells Lin Ling about the Dixiao and their abilities. This triggers a memory for Lin Ling. She had recorded Auntie Lin's voice earlier. It had that strange, high-frequency sound. She realizes it might not have been a human sound at all. It could have been a Dixiao signal.
The Secret Cave from Childhood
Lin Ling also found a secret compartment. Auntie Lin had hidden documents inside. Lin Ling took pictures and shows them to Yan Tuo. Seeing them makes them both remember something from when they were kids.
They once found a hidden cave in the woods. They peeked inside. They saw a bunch of people lying around, almost like they were part of an experiment. Now, they both suspect the same thing. That cave was probably Auntie Lin's secret lab for turning Dixiao into humans.
The Alliance Forms
Nie Jiuluo originally turns down Yan Tuo's request for help. But then she gets a call from Jiang Baichuan. We don't know what he said, but it changes her mind. She decides to team up with Yan Tuo after all.
She invites him to meet. Yan Tuo gets the wrong idea. He puts on a sharp suit, clearly expecting a fancy dinner. He arrives at the location. It's a cheap fast-food joint right across the street from an expensive restaurant. He looks pretty ridiculous, and you can tell he's both annoyed and amused.
The Situation Gets Worse
Master Sun's Transformation
Things are not going well for Master Sun. He wakes up locked in a small room. Xing Shen shows up and tells him to just rest. He claims Master Sun has a "virus" that needs to be cleared out.
Then it gets much worse. Master Sun's body starts to change. His genes are mutating for some reason. He becomes extremely violent and aggressive. His eyes are completely bloodshot. He's basically turning into a feral beast.
Lin Xirou Makes a Move
Xiong Hei has captured one of the Nanshan hunters. He's trying to get information out of him. Just then, Lin Xirou walks in. She looks at the captured hunter. She tells him she has a hint to help him remember her. She was the one who broke his leg years ago. The mask is officially off. She's not even trying to hide it anymore.
The Cave is Found
Yan Tuo follows Lin Xirou. The trail leads him back to that old farm. He uses his faint childhood memories to search the property. After some looking, he finds it. He's standing at the entrance to the secret cave. He looks both nervous and determined to find out what's inside.
