Episode Summary
A 2009 double homicide involving Lang Sang and Ti Yi sparks suspicion of a third killer as flawed evidence emerges. DNA implicates Gade, but Ti Yi’s fabricated identity and ties to a decade-old death unravel a web of lies. Liao Siyuan and Liao Zhibai uncover manipulated clues, while Su Taipu’s revelation about Liao Zhibai’s dark past hints at a broader conspiracy linked to the unsolved River God Case.
Spoiler Alert
In 2009, Liao Zhibai arrives at a grisly crime scene where Lang Sang and Ti Yi lie dead in a shop. Reynold, another officer, claims evidence shows the victims had visited adult websites and exchanged explicit messages, suspecting drug use prior to their deaths. Liao Siyuan struggles to accept the theory that Ti Yi and Lang Sang died in a violent altercation over a transactional relationship gone wrong. Reynolds insists Lang Sang—a self-conscious man from the countryside—snapped after Ti Yi insulted his background, leading to mutual destruction. Liao Zhibai, however, questions the "perfect" evidence, pointing out the physical disparity between the two and theorizing a third party was involved.
Meanwhile, Gade is interrogated but denies assaulting Ti Yi or knowing her. When Shu He receives Ti Yi’s signed testimony, Gade bizarrely asks to smell a pen she used, claiming he can "identify people by scent." Suspicious, Shu He reviews security footage and discovers Gade was at the company the night of the murders—a detail corroborated by a coworker. Nick, another investigator, grows uneasy when he recognizes Ti Yi’s name from an unknown context.
Forensic expert Qi Xia confirms Gade’s DNA matches semen found on Ti Yi but questions the evidence’s convenient clarity. Publicly, Ti Yi (now revealed as a media figure) accuses Gade of systemic sexual abuse under the guise of hiring, sparking a social media firestorm. While Liao Zhibai defends Ti Yi’s radical pursuit of justice, Liao Siyuan remains skeptical, knowing Gade was drinking with him that night.
Tensions escalate when Liao Siyuan visits Gade, who denies their alibi to protect him, insisting he’s being framed. The plot thickens as Nick uncovers Ti Yi’s identity is forged—the real Ti Yi died a decade prior. Confronted by Shu He, the imposter claims she "found" the ID but doubles down on her accusations.
Meanwhile, Nick spots inconsistencies in surveillance footage, suspecting someone posed as Gade at the company. Liao Siyuan and Liao Zhibai re-examine the crime scene, discovering possible hair evidence on a lightbulb. Tracing the fake Ti Yi’s movements, they learn she frequents gambling dens and parks—but the too-convenient clues hint at a puppeteer pulling strings.
In a bombshell twist, Nick links Gade’s driver to Su Taipu, a former police academy dropout who reveals Liao Zhibai and three others once pressured him into drug use. As Shu He probes Su Taipu about Gade’s alibi, the episode closes with haunting questions: Who engineered this labyrinth of lies? And how deep does Liao Zhibai’s shadowy past go?
The final moments tease a connection to the unsolved River God Case, suggesting a decades-old conspiracy is resurfacing—with Liao Siyuan at the center of the storm.
