Episode Summary
He Xian uses a bold bluff to shame the Portuguese authorities into opening the border gate, allowing refugees to flood into Macau and foiling a Japanese capture operation. As the refugees struggle with a housing crisis and soaring food prices caused by a new Japanese blockade, He Xian's family moves onto a dilapidated boat. Meanwhile, the Japanese spies establish a new headquarters in the city center to continue their surveillance.
Spoiler Alert
The Gate Finally Cracks Open
We pick up right where the tension left off. Ke Lin and his brother Ke Zhengping finally reconnect at the border gate. It is not exactly a happy family reunion. They are stuck in a bottleneck with refugees everywhere and Japanese spies watching like hawks. The brothers have to think fast. They pull a smart move and disguise the VIPs—He Xiangning, Liu Yazi, and Mei Lanfang—as medical volunteers. It works. They slip right under the radar.
A Game of Chicken at the Border
Things get messy when Huang Gongjie shows up. He brings his spy squad to the gate and starts checking IDs. He Xian spots him in the crowd. He knows he has to create a diversion. He starts yelling about Huang Gongjie’s ties to the Japanese. It draws everyone’s attention. This buys Cai Chusheng and the others just enough time to blend in.
Huang Zixia wants to rush in and take Huang Gongjie out right there. Huang Sanhe stops him. The Portuguese guards are everywhere. Attacking now is a suicide mission.
The situation gets desperate. President Gao starts calling out names for special passes. Nobody answers. Then he calls out British names. Yang Chang grabs William and Mary and shoves them into a corner. They have to stay invisible.
The Moral High Ground
Qiao Yinwan gets her name called. She finds out the pass came from Luo Bo. She doesn't thank him. She throws the pass on the ground. She tells them exactly what she thinks of their fake charity while sick people are dying around them.
Inside the office, Dai Sile tries to argue for mercy. He wants to let the old folks and kids through. Sawa Eisaku shuts him down. He doesn't care about being a gentleman. He just wants to finish the job.
Then He Xian does something that looks terrible at first. He picks up the pass Qiao Yinwan threw away. He grabs a suitcase full of cash and walks out. The crowd screams at him. They call him a traitor. He ignores them. He walks straight to Boss Lin and hands over the money. It turns out he was protecting the funds for Rodrigues.
Rodrigues is stunned. He offers He Xian passes for his whole family as a reward. He Xian refuses. He turns around and lectures the Portuguese officials. He reminds them that Macau is Chinese soil. Then he walks back inside the gate to suffer with everyone else. This act breaks Rodrigues. He orders the gate opened.
The Floodgates Open
The barrier lifts. Thousands of refugees stumble forward. It is a powerful image. The sheer volume of people ruins the Japanese plan. Huang Gongjie and his goons get swept away by the crowd. They lose their targets completely.
Now the real problem starts. Macau is tiny. Thousands of people just showed up. Housing prices skyrocket instantly. William and Mary have to hide in a slum because they look too conspicuous. Qiao Yinwan finds a place but refuses help from Luo Bo.
He Xian is broke. He gave away the money. He moves his family onto an old, leaky boat. It is freezing. His wife, Guo Qiwen, helps a local girl with shoes. Later that night, He Xian feels guilty for dragging his wife into poverty. She tells him she is fine. She is tough.
Starvation Tactics
The Japanese military realizes they failed at the gate. Yazaki calls a meeting with Sawa Eisaku and Fu Jiang. They change strategies. They decide to squeeze Macau’s food supply.
Rice prices jump immediately. People are starving in the streets. He Xian goes looking for work. He misses Boss Lin at the shop. He ends up taking a low-paying job making firecrackers just to buy rice. While he is hunting for work, he bumps into a young student named He Hongshen. They are both in the same boat, looking for any way to survive.
Ke Zhengping gets orders from "Buddha Hand." He needs to stay at Kiang Wu Hospital and wait for the next move. Meanwhile, the bad guys are getting comfortable. Huang Gongjie sets up his spy headquarters on the top floor of the Eight Heavens Dance Hall. They have a bird's-eye view of the city now.
