Episode Summary
Guo Qiwen shames He Xian and his friends into action, but they arrive too late to save Liang Yanming from a Japanese sniper after he gives a stirring public speech. Liang's death unites the community, leading to personal reconciliations and a stronger resistance movement in Macau.
Spoiler Alert
The Boys Get a Reality Check
It is Christmas Eve. But the mood is grim. He Xian, Ma Wanqi, and Yang Chang are hiding in a pub. They are drinking to forget their problems. Then Guo Qiwen walks in. She pours herself a drink and downs it. She looks at the three men and decides she has had enough of their pity party.
She starts with Ma Wanqi. She tells him Luo Baixin knows about his illness. She has known for a long time. But she stays because she is tough. She will fight for what she loves. Ma Wanqi needs to stop underestimating her.
Next, she turns to Yang Chang. She hits him hard. She says Mary had a thousand times more courage than him. Mary built the service station from nothing. She fought the Japanese with empty hands. She wanted a real man. Right now, Yang Chang is acting like a coward.
Finally, she addresses He Xian. She tells him to stop feeling guilty about Qiao Yinwan. His wife is brave. His family worries when he leaves, but they never complain. They know he carries a heavy burden. They support him so he can fight without looking back. Her words hit home. The three men finally wake up.
A Martyr on Christmas Eve
While the men are drinking, Liang Yanming makes his move. He writes a final letter to Ke Lin. He puts on his "War Bond" armband. He leaves the safety of the school alone. Sawa Eisaku gets a tip about this. He decides tonight is the night to kill Liang.
Qiao Yinwan overhears Sawa planning the hit. She tries to call He Xian for help. The line does not connect.
News reaches the pub that Liang is in trouble. The three men rush out. But Liang is already at the auditorium. He rings the copper bell. The sound cuts through the silent night. People gather. Sawa watches from his car nearby.
Liang steps onto the stage. He does not hold back. He attacks the Macau-Portuguese government. He says they sacrifice Chinese interests to save themselves. They hide behind "neutrality." He calls their actions shameful. He tells the crowd that weakness does not buy safety. Only unity works. If they ignore the suffering of the Chinese people today, they will be the victims tomorrow.
Sawa hates what he hears. He orders a sniper named Yamaguchi to the roof. Fukue tries to stop him. It is useless. The sniper aims. He Xian and his friends arrive just as the gun fires. Liang Yanming falls. He dies in a pool of blood.
The Aftermath
The funeral is heartbreaking. School children recite poems. Ke Lin weeps. But the death does not break the town. It unites them. The resistance grows stronger. Banks start selling war bonds openly. Huang Sanhe returns to Macau to help.
Personal lives start to heal too. Ma Wanqi stops pushing Luo Baixin away. He proposes to her. She accepts. Yang Chang gets his act together. He studies Morse code day and night. He finally cracks Mary’s last message. She knew she might die. She recommended Yang Chang to take over the station. She believed in him.
He Xian gets back to business. He arranges a meeting between Huang Sanhe and Rodrigues. They had bad blood over a ship attack. Huang sells Rodrigues some cargo at a good price to apologize. Rodrigues admits he was wrong too. They shake hands. Rodrigues then refuses to work with the traitor Wang Qizheng.
Finally, Pan Hannian meets secretly with Ke Lin. He brings orders from the north. They need to recruit patriotic merchants like Ma and He. They must protect the supply lines. The party sends Ke Zhengping to help with this mission. The brothers will now fight side by side.
