Episode Summary
Liu Tianye uses business leverage to stop Zhang Xin from killing him. Su Hongbao is murdered by the same assassin who killed Xu Li, dying while saving Mai Hongchao. Qiao Defu turns himself in with a fake story, while Liu Tianye takes over his company and calls a shaky truce with He Biao.
Spoiler Alert
A Graveyard Standoff
Mai Hongchao visits the cemetery to pay respects to his family. The mood is heavy. He spots a suspicious figure lurking in the distance and gets a bad feeling. Later that night, Liu Tianye walks the streets. Zhang Xin blocks his path. She looks ready to kill. She wants to take out Liu Tianye and his crew right then and there.
A phone call stops her. It is Qiao Defu's wife. Liu Tianye reveals he has taken control of Qiao Defu's company. He has leverage now. He suggests a business partnership instead of a bloodbath. Zhang Xin counters with a demand. She says Su Hongbao knows too many secrets. He has to go. Liu Tianye hesitates but agrees to handle his own people. He just needs some time.
Loyalty and Betrayal
Xiaoshuai is shaken by the recent violence. He tries to resign. Liu Tianye refuses to let him walk away so easily. He tells stories of his own rough past. He sees his younger, stubborn self in Xiaoshuai. The speech works. Xiaoshuai finds his courage and decides to stay.
He Gang sits in the shadows and thinks. He realizes Zhang Xin has not moved against Qiao Defu for days. He suspects he and his brother are now expendable. He starts plotting a backup plan to save their skins.
The Factory Raid
Qin Feng leads a team to the desolate location where the Wuchang brothers held Qiao Defu. They search the overgrown, creepy factory. They find the spot where the kidnapping happened. The room is empty. Qiao Defu and Su Hongbao are already gone.
Su Hongbao drives back toward the city. The Wuchang brothers chase him down. Gunshots shatter the quiet night. Qin Feng hears the noise and investigates. He spots the brothers attacking Su Hongbao. One gunman turns and fires directly at Qin Feng. Zeng Xu reacts fast. He shoots the attacker dead and saves Qin Feng’s life.
The Assassin Strikes
Mai Hongchao tracks down Su Hongbao before the police do. He begs Su Hongbao to turn himself in. He says prison is better than death. Su Hongbao refuses to change his path. A killer dressed in black appears from nowhere. He stabs Su Hongbao.
Mai Hongchao recognizes the man. He has a sketch of this face in his room. This is the man who killed Xu Li. Mai Hongchao attacks him in a rage. The fight is uneven. Su Hongbao is already hurt. The assassin is too skilled. Su Hongbao jumps in front of a blade meant for Mai Hongchao. He dies protecting him. The police arrive, but the killer vanishes into the night. Elsewhere, Liu Tianye drops Qiao Defu at the police station to face the music.
Interrogation Lies
Qiao Defu walks into the station and surrenders. He spins a story about owing gambling debts to Su Hongbao. Qin Feng sees right through it. He knows this is a rehearsed script. Su Hongbao never had that kind of money. He Gang was the real backer. Qiao Defu knows the lie is weak. He tries to minimize his own role to get a lighter sentence.
He Biao talks to the police separately. He acts casual. He admits he knows Qiao Defu. He denies any involvement in the murders. He tries to wash his hands of the whole mess.
A Temporary Truce
Liu Tianye officially takes ownership of Qiao Defu's company. He celebrates with his team. They toast to their survival. Liu Tianye calls He Biao. He suggests ending their conflict since Su Hongbao is dead and He Gang has fled Hanzhou. He Biao agrees to the truce. It is a lie. He swallows his pride for now. He plans to align with Zhang Xin later and stage a comeback.
