Episode Summary
A'Lai, an undercover cop, is framed for murder and saved by a mysterious comic artist, Lu Na, who jumps through time and takes a bullet for him. Flashbacks reveal A'Lai's mission to assassinate rival gang leader Long Qi, who turns out to be another undercover cop. They team up to save A'Lai's sister, Pei Yun, from their boss, Jin Si, who is ultimately killed by Long Qi. Long Qi, corrupted, then tries to kill A'Lai but dies in a freak accident.
Spoiler Alert
The series kicks off in the year of Bingyin, during mid-autumn. A whirlwind of strange events begins with A'Lai, a man caught in the dangerous world of gangs. He's wrongly accused of killing Jin Si, a prominent figure, and is now a hunted man. While trying to evade his pursuers, A'Lai's inherent goodness shines through as he saves a child, but this act of heroism exposes him. He's cornered by the gang seeking revenge for Jin Si. Just as they're about to execute him, a woman named Lu Na appears, seemingly out of nowhere, and throws herself in front of A'Lai, taking a bullet for him.
The police arrive, scattering the attackers. A'Lai rushes the unconscious Lu Na to the hospital, completely baffled by this mysterious woman who just saved his life. He has no idea who she is or why she would do such a thing.
While Lu Na remains in a coma, A'Lai desperately searches for answers. He finds a notebook in her bag, revealing her name and occupation: she's a comic artist working on a series called "Street Corner Stories." A'Lai discovers a shocking connection – the characters and events in Lu Na's comic closely mirror his own life and the recent conflict with Jin Si.
The episode then flashes back, providing context to A'Lai's current predicament. He works for Jin Xin Company, run by the now-deceased Jin Si. Jin Si, embroiled in a business feud with Long Qi of the Long Hu Hall, orders his new recruits to draw lots for a deadly task: assassinating Long Qi. A'Lai draws the unlucky number 59. Desperate to avoid this suicide mission, he breaks the lot, trying to remove the "5" and cheat the system. His deception is discovered, leaving him with a grim choice: carry out the assassination or face Jin Si's wrath.
On the streets, A'Lai encounters A'Jia, a former classmate from the police academy who he used to bully. A'Jia, now in a position of power, humiliates A'Lai publicly. A'Lai, in a calculated move, provokes A'Jia further, hoping to be arrested and thus avoid the assassination. However, A'Jia sees through the plan and, aware of Jin Si's order, leaves A'Lai to his fate.
A'Lai then meets Pei Yun, his non-biological sister. But their reunion is cut short when Jin Si takes Pei Yun hostage, using her to force A'Lai's compliance. Panicked, A'Lai contacts Officer Huang, revealing his secret: he's an undercover cop, and Huang is his only contact. Tragically, he learns that Officer Huang was in a car accident, leaving A'Lai's true identity exposed and vulnerable.
The episode returns to Lu Na's comic, which depicts A'Lai as a hero who kills Long Qi. The reality, however, is far more complex. A'Lai does infiltrate Long Hu Hall, but another group is also after Long Qi. During the chaos, A'Lai recognizes Long Qi's fighting style as police academy training, revealing that Long Qi is also an undercover agent planted by Officer Huang.
A'Lai convinces Long Qi to help him rescue Pei Yun. They stage a scene where A'Lai drags Long Qi's "corpse" to Jin Si. When Jin Si threatens Pei Yun, A'Lai confronts him, gun drawn. But Pei Yun surprisingly defends Jin Si, telling A'Lai to stay out of her life. In a twist, Long Qi, still alive in the body bag, shoots and kills Jin Si. A'Lai and Long Qi, hearing the approaching gang members, make a hasty escape.
In a secluded alley, A'Lai learns that Long Qi was involved in Officer Huang's death. Long Qi, corrupted by power, offers A'Lai a partnership, but A'Lai refuses. Long Qi, declaring them enemies, shoots A'Lai. However, A'Lai survives thanks to a bulletproof vest. In a final, ironic twist, a falling shop sign, dislodged by the gunfire, crushes Long Qi to death. The workers responsible for the sign, terrified by the accidental killing, flee the scene.
