Episode Summary
Refugees face chaos and betrayal at the Hong Kong docks, with He Xian getting kicked off a rescue boat. A massive fleet of fishing boats defies orders to rescue civilians, resulting in a sacrificial suicide attack by guerrilla leader Ou Xin against a Japanese warship. The survivors reach Macau only to be locked out by the Governor due to Japanese pressure. A historic freeze kills many refugees outside the gates while traitors prepare to arrest the activists among them.
Spoiler Alert
Episode 4 Recap
Chaos at the Docks
Tsim Sha Tsui beach is an absolute nightmare. Night falls, and the crowd surges forward like a tidal wave. Families are desperate. They push and scream to get near the water. Qiao Yinwan takes a hard hit in the crush. She falls, and her suitcase bursts open. Her clothes scatter everywhere. Looters swarm in immediately. They grab whatever they can. He Xian steps in to fight them off. He saves her from the mob. But don't expect a warm reunion. She still holds a massive grudge against him. She doesn't even say thank you.
The Ticket Scalping Nightmare
Ke Zhengping is trying to move VIPs. He links up with guerrilla leader Ou Xin and squad captain Long Haishan. The beach is way too crowded. There aren't enough boats. Ticket prices skyrocket to insane levels. Yang Chang and Mary manage to squeeze onto a boat. He Xian is desperate. He gives up all his cash and pawns his watch. He finally scrapes together five hundred yuan. Qiao Yinwan doesn't have enough and gets left on the shore.
Then things get ugly. Yang Chang spots He Xian. He immediately calls over Huang Zixia. They think He Xian is in cahoots with the traitor Huang Gongjie. They don't ask questions. They just kick He Xian and his family off the boat. He paid everything he had, and they left him stranded.
The Fisherman Fleet
Over in Macau, Liang Yanming and Luo Bo are trying to organize a rescue. Guan Ye shows up with bad news. The Governor has banned all boats from going to Hong Kong. He claims Portugal needs to stay neutral. He doesn't want to upset the Japanese. Liang Yanming argues that people are dying. Guan Ye doesn't care.
Xiao Yu’s family hears this conversation. They don't wait for permission. They spread the word to the "Dan" people. The response is incredible. Hundreds of fishing lights flicker on in the darkness. It looks like the Milky Way fell into the ocean. An armada of small fishing boats heads straight into danger to save their countrymen.
Sacrifice at Sea
The Portuguese navy sits back and watches. The Japanese navy does not. They chase the fishing boats down. They bomb and strafe the civilians. Wooden boats shatter. People die in the water.
Ou Xin makes a brutal choice. He leads his team to draw the enemy fire. They are sitting ducks. His crew gets hit. Ou Xin is the last one left. He rams his boat full speed into a Japanese warship. The explosion is massive. He goes out in a ball of fire. Long Haishan watches in tears but keeps moving. He Xian sees all of this. He realizes these brave people are Communists.
Locked Out in the Cold
The survivors reach Portuguese waters. The Japanese commander, Yazaki Kanji, stops the chase. He orders his spies, Sawa Eisaku and Fu Jiang, to arrest the refugees when they land. The boats arrive at dawn. Long Haishan hands the mission over to Ke Zhengping and goes back to find her lost comrades.
The Macau Governor, Dai Sile, tries to play both sides. He initially refuses to help the Japanese make arrests. Sawa Eisaku pressures him. The Governor caves. He orders the border gate closed for twenty-four hours. Refugees are trapped outside. Traitor Huang Gongjie shows up in Macau. He sells his soul to Sawa Eisaku. He promises to catch the runaways within a day to secure a job as a spy captain.
A Freezing Standoff
Winter hits hard. A rare cold snap freezes Macau. The temperature drops to historic lows. Refugees are stuck outside the gate with no shelter. Frost covers the ground. People are freezing to death. Kids are crying. It is a horror show. Inside the crowd, a scholar explains the history of Macau to a young boy named Zai Zai. Someone recites "Song of the Seven Sons." It’s a gut-wrenching moment of patriotism amidst the suffering.
Morning comes. The Governor holds a meeting. Sawa Eisaku demands the gate stay shut. The Chinese Chamber of Commerce protests. They take a vote. The fear of Japan wins. The vote is six to five. The gate stays closed.
The Governor worries about his reputation. Sawa Eisaku offers a "solution." They will issue special passes. It’s a trick to filter out the people they want to arrest. Ke Lin rushes a medical team to the docks. Huang Gongjie hands out wanted posters to his goons. The trap is set.
