Episode Summary
Xie Huaian orchestrates a complex revenge plot against the assassin Liu Ziyan using Pu Nichuan as bait. Pu, seeking his own vengeance against Liu, sacrifices himself in a brutal duel after settling his affairs. Xie reveals he planned Pu's death as retribution for Pu's involvement in his father's murder. Witnessing Xie's ruthlessness, a terrified Xiao Wenjing abandons his escape plans and swears total allegiance to Xie.
Spoiler Alert
The Undertaker’s Last Job
We start with Xiao Wenjing. The guy just can’t catch a break. He wakes up in a swamp with a massive headache from the clubbing Xie Huaian gave him the night before. He thinks he’s slick. He thinks he escaped. He drags himself out of the mud, desperate to crawl back to the safety of Huzhou. He has no idea what he’s walking into.
A Drink Before Dying
Let’s talk about Pu Nichuan. He’s a "sender of funerals," which is a polite way of saying he makes money off dead people. It’s a grim gig. He has a soft spot for Ah Hua, the lady running the wine shop. He goes there to drink, but he reeks of death and refuses to change his clothes. Ah Hua hates it. The customers hate it. Everyone clears out when he shows up.
Xie Huaian drops by with news. Liu Ziyan is making his move tonight. This is the moment Pu has waited for. Years ago, Liu buried him alive. You don’t forget that kind of grudge. Pu goes back to his shop and empties the safe. He splits his life savings among his crew. His men look devastated. They know this is a one-way trip.
The Smile
Pu knows he’s walking into a death trap. Liu Ziyan is a top-tier assassin. But hate is a powerful fuel. Before the showdown, Pu visits the wine shop one last time. He has one wish. He wants to see Ah Hua smile. She just scowls at him.
Xie Huaian steps in. He whispers something in Ah Hua’s ear. Suddenly, she beams at Pu. It’s a genuine smile. Pu is confused but happy. Xie promises to explain the trick after the job is done. It’s a nice sentiment, but we all know how these promises usually end.
The Bait and Switch
Liu Ziyan gets some intel from a Tiger Guard. Apparently, his brother’s old house has been empty for years. This confuses Liu. He saw a scholar there recently. He does the math and realizes he messed up. That scholar must be his brother's son. He left a survivor.
Liu rushes to the old house to finish the job. It’s chaos. Assassins are everywhere. His guards are dropping like flies. He finds a trail of blood and follows it.
This is where the trap springs. The blood belongs to an animal. The "assassin" leading him on is Ye Zheng. Ye Zheng lures him to a crossroads and then vanishes. Pu Nichuan steps in to take his place. Liu knows it’s a setup. He’s too arrogant to care. He attacks. The fight is brutal. Both men get wrecked, but Pu takes the heavy hits.
Debts Paid
The dust settles. Liu Ziyan’s fate is up in the air, but Pu Nichuan is done for. Xie Huaian stands over him. This isn't a tragedy for Xie. It’s accounting. Pu helped kill Xie’s father years ago. He had to go.
Pu doesn’t fight it. He doesn’t even hate Xie. He’s just grateful Xie dug him out of the sand all those years ago. He uses his last breath to tell Xie to find some hope in life.
Xiao Wenjing watches all of this from a pile of trash. He sees the bodies. He sees the cold calculation. The fear finally breaks him. He crawls out, falls to his knees, and pledges absolute loyalty to Xie Huaian. He’s not trying to escape anymore. He just wants to survive.
