Episode Summary
Zhuang Mingcheng and Xu Jingzhi debate philosophy while Hou Liangyuan forces them into a death match to prove their loyalty. Xu Yi's wife hides evidence as the police investigate the car crash. The episode reveals Xu's traumatic past with traffickers. It ends with a mole dumping a container holding Xu and Zhuang into the ocean.
Spoiler Alert
Philosophical Smackdown
Zhuang Mingcheng and Xu Jingzhi open things up with a heavy debate. They are arguing about human nature versus social rules. Zhuang thinks people are just biological creatures who should return to nature. Xu argues that morality separates us from animals. It gets intense. They talk about symbiosis and mutual destruction. Neither one is backing down.
Meanwhile, Zhao Xin is frustrated. She saved a life. Now the police are grilling her like a suspect. She asks He Ya why she is being treated this way. He Ya stays calm. She explains that witnesses still need to give statements. It is just protocol.
Hospital Secrets
Xu Yi’s wife wakes up in the hospital. She asks the doctor who saved her. She is shocked to hear it was Zhao Xin. She didn't think that was possible.
Zhao Xin is sharp. She overhears the police asking about the hit-and-run driver’s license plate. She realizes this wasn't an accident. She asks He Ya if this was a targeted attack. He Ya plays it safe. She doesn't confirm anything. She just says they need to investigate.
The Loyalty Test
Hou Liangyuan is watching everything. He sees Xu Jingzhi beat up Zhuang Mingcheng. He thinks Xu might be useful. But he knows Xu used to be a cop. That makes him nervous. He needs insurance. He tells Xu to kill Zhuang Mingcheng. He wants to see if Xu has the guts to do it.
He Ya questions the wife again. She asks about the attacker’s face. She asks if anything was stolen. The wife answers too quickly. She is hiding something. He Ya notices the evasion. She mentions the surveillance cameras to apply pressure.
Playing Both Sides
Xu Jingzhi is in a tight spot. Hou Liangyuan is forcing him to choose. Xu refuses to kill Zhuang. Zhuang actually defends the thugs. He says they aren't mocking them. He claims he doesn't care about the beating.
Mai Boyuan is panicking. He calls Xu Yi’s wife. He says he is being threatened. He plans to release the photos as agreed. Hou Liangyuan sees the photos Zhuang provided. They incriminate Old Gao and two others. It is lethal evidence. Zhuang says he has more. But Hou wants Xu Jingzhi dead.
Zhao Xin tries to intervene. It doesn't work. Xu Yi’s wife knows she is a target. She hid a crucial page in a safe.
The Box and the Sea
Hou Liangyuan decides only one man can leave. He forces Xu and Zhuang to fight. It is a death match.
He Ya sends Liu Ming to check a license plate ending in 472. It turns out to be a fake plate. The trail goes cold.
Zhuang Mingcheng taunts Xu. He calls him useless. He has his men choke Xu. Hou warns Zhuang not to try any tricks. He Ya digs into Hou’s past. She finds out he had a serious illness as a child and became obese. It is a strange detail.
The truth about the past comes out. Jiang Yongquan trafficked Xu Jingzhi. Zhuang triggers Xu’s memory. Xu remembers that Wu Min abandoned Zhuang to save him. Xu feels guilty. He tells Zhuang to kill him. Zhuang refuses. He says they will escape together.
Hou loses patience. He tortures Xu. He sends men to crack the safe again. He thinks he is in total control. He locks Xu and Zhuang inside a container.
But Zhuang has a backup plan. Zhao Xin planted a camera in Hou’s office. She also turned one of Hou’s men. This mole takes the container with Xu and Zhuang inside. He throws it into the sea. Zhuang thinks it is a ruthless move. Xu is terrified.
