Episode Summary
This episode focuses on the tragic end of Zhao Peng. After failing a loyalty test set by Qin Feng, Zhao Peng turns on his criminal partners. However, Liu Tianye intercepts the police transport and kills Zhao Peng to silence him. The fallout ruins Qin Feng's career prospects and destroys Liu Tianye's marriage.
Spoiler Alert
A Father’s Last Meal
We start with a trip back to 2009. Zhao Peng cooks a massive feast. He sits alone until Zhao Wenxuan drags himself home. The kid is exhausted. Zhao Peng doesn't hesitate. He pours the wine. They eat and laugh. It’s a rare happy moment. Zhao Peng makes a choice here. He decides to stay. He wants to take care of Wenxuan personally. He is even ready for the worst outcome.
Liu Tianye doesn't get it. He argues that Longwan has people to handle caretaking. But a father wants to be with his son. This disagreement plants a seed of conflict between the two men.
The Setup at the Hotel
Back in the present, Zhao Peng sits by Wenxuan’s hospital bed. The regret is eating him alive. He knows his shady dealings with Liu Tianye put his son in this coma. He gets a lead on Feng Jiang’s location. He rushes to the hotel. Ding Baoshuai gets the same info and heads there too.
Zhao Peng stands outside Feng Jiang’s door. He has a bottle and a knife. He wants blood. But he remembers Qin Feng’s words. He thinks about Feng Jiang’s poverty. He can’t do it. He drops the weapon and breaks down.
Qin Feng walks out of the room. It was a test. The police already secured Feng Jiang. Qin Feng just needed to see if Zhao Peng had a conscience left. He does. Zhao Peng agrees to turn himself in. He spills everything about the construction site. Liu Tianye traded human lives for a promotion. Zhao Peng admits he doesn't know the big boss behind it all.
The Crash
Ding Baoshuai spots the meeting. He calls Liu Tianye immediately. Liu Tianye panics. He orders Ding to get Zhao Peng back from the police at any cost.
Qin Feng calls Ye Tianyou. He identifies the Xinrui Group as the main culprit behind the accident. But the call gets cut short. Ding Baoshuai smashes his car into the police vehicle transporting Zhao Peng. It is a violent wreck.
Betrayal on the Roadside
Zhao Peng wakes up in the wreckage. He sees a nightmare scenario. Liu Tianye is trying to kill Qin Feng. The brotherhood is dead. Zhao Peng is heartbroken. He tells Liu Tianye the truth. He already told the cops everything. He warns Liu Tianye that Zhang Xin is playing them against each other.
Zhao Peng refuses to run. Liu Tianye makes his choice. He shoots Zhao Peng. The twist stings. The gun Liu Tianye uses is a gift Zhao Peng gave him years ago for protection. Zhao Peng dies by his own present.
The Aftermath
Qin Feng wakes up in the hospital. He is alive but worried about his witness. Captain Zhong delivers bad news. Qin Feng was up for a promotion to Vice Captain. That is gone now. This case is too messy. Mai Hongchao visits. Qin Feng admits the hard truth. Liu Tianye wasn't just trying to escape. He was trying to execute a cop.
Ding Baoshuai and Luo Xiaomei go underground. They move into a hidden yard to lay low.
Family Ties Severed
Zhao Ziyi storms home. She confronts her husband, Liu Tianye. She got a final text from her brother. Zhao Peng told her to take the kid and run. She demands to know what happened. Liu Tianye has to admit it. Zhao Peng is dead. He claims he did it to save Longwan. Ziyi collapses in grief.
Qin Feng lies in his hospital bed. He can’t stop hearing Zhao Peng’s confession. Wen Jiangyan comes to visit with her mother. Qin Feng can't face them. He fakes sleep to avoid the conversation.
The police force shakes things up. Peng Hanzhang leads a meeting. He pulls the case from Qin Feng’s team. He transfers Qin Feng to a different department. Zeng Xu is furious. He shouts about the injustice. But the decision stands.
