Episode Summary
Ding Baoshuai kills his hostage and commits suicide after learning his girlfriend is safe. The political villains scramble to cover up the mess and accept a new henchman, while the protagonists uncover dirt on the Mayor's assets. Liu Tianye uses evidence to blackmail Peng Hanzhang into protecting the village, but his ally Qin Taoyi unexpectedly decides to surrender to the police.
Spoiler Alert
Ding Baoshuai's Last Stand
The law finally caught up with Guazilao. He is in handcuffs. Qin Feng doesn't waste a second. He sends a team to get Luo Xiaomei back to the police station safely. But Ding Baoshuai is out of the loop. He is still dragging his hostage, Chen Shuifa, toward the thermal power plant. He thinks he can trade Chen for Luo Xiaomei.
Ding hits a dead end. The road is blocked. Police sirens are getting louder behind him. Panic sets in. He tells his lackey to run for the woods. Ding stays behind. He holds onto Chen Shuifa for one last, desperate struggle.
Things look bleak for Ding. Then his phone rings. It's Wen Bo. He tells Ding that Luo Xiaomei is safe. That breaks him. The fight leaves his eyes. He tells Luo to live a good life. Then he snaps. He kills Chen Shuifa right there. He turns the weapon on himself next. It’s over.
That night, the mood shifts. Mai Hongchao and his master, Ye Tianyou, finally bury the hatchet. They sit down for a meal and drinks. It is a moment of peace. Qin Feng sets a place at the table for Hu Xiaoyue. It feels like he never left.
A Tragic Reunion
The next morning is heavy. The sun hits the ancestral hall, but nobody is smiling. Wen Qin, Wen Jiangyan, and Ding's father are waiting. Liu Tianye walks in. He is carrying a box with Ding Xiaoshuai's ashes.
The father holds the ashes and breaks down. He remembers his son being so happy recently. The boy thought he found a good "big brother" to follow. Now he is dead. Wen Qin’s mother watches them. She looks disappointed and scared. She wonders who is going to die next.
Political Fallout and New Leads
Zhao Ziyi wakes up in the hospital. But she isn't the same person. She is full of hate. She screams that Liu Tianye is a murderer.
The murder of Chen Shuifa causes a panic upstairs. Secretary Li and Hong Mushou hold an emergency meeting. They are furious about the bad press. Peng Hanzhang apologizes to the room. He promises to solve the case fast.
Hong and Peng meet in private later. They need a new angle. They decide to target the people around Liu Tianye. They need a weak link. Just then, Zhong Yanning shows up. He pledges his loyalty to Hong. Hong is short on staff, so he takes him in without asking questions.
Luo Xiaomei starts talking. Wen Jiangyan and Leng Shan convince her to spill the truth. She talks about a boss who keeps a mistress. The girl is a college student and a former assistant to Zhang Xin. She is also pregnant. Wen remembers seeing her once. Luo drops another bomb. She heard Mayor Hong has assets hidden overseas.
Blackmail and a Shocking Decision
Director Chu pushes the task force hard. He suspects the unit might get disbanded soon. The police raid Liu Tianye’s hotel. Zhou Sisi knows the game is up. She handled her affairs beforehand. She says a quiet goodbye to Liu and leaves with the cops.
Peng Hanzhang gets a package. It is a painting. It depicts his secret meeting with Guazilao. He knows he is being blackmailed. He rushes to the suburbs to meet Qin Feng. He demands they leave town and stop fighting the boss.
Liu Tianye steps up. He shows the negative of the photo. He has one condition. They must leave Longwan Village alone.
Back at the hideout, Qin Taoyi and Liu Tianfei are destroying documents. They are burning everything. Suddenly, Qin Taoyi speaks up. He wants to turn himself in. Liu Tianfei is stunned.
