Episode Summary
Police in Huaizhou City bust an underground bank while chasing robbery suspects, leading to a major investigation. Captain Gu Zhen becomes a public figure, but also a target. A captured fugitive breaks down under interrogation by psychologist Kong Rubai, who is newly transferred and has a connection with Gu. A new case arises when pop star Meng Zisu finds a dead fan in his hotel room, dressed as a cleaner. Investigation reveals hidden cameras and a suspicious college student staying across the hall.
Spoiler Alert
The series premiere of "Criminal Scene" kicks off with a bang – literally. News reports flood the airwaves about a major bust in Huaizhou City, Changzhou Province. The Criminal Investigation Detachment of the Public Security Bureau, while pursuing suspects in a jewelry store robbery, stumbles upon a massive underground banking operation. Nine suspects are apprehended, two criminal gangs are dismantled, and a staggering 14 million yuan in assets are frozen. The total amount involved in the illegal operation? A cool 750 million yuan. The police, according to inside sources, are launching a special task force to dig deeper into this illicit money network.
Meanwhile, in a dark corner of the city, a young woman, beaten and bruised, is trapped in an underground cage. A masked man enters, douses the area in gasoline, and sets it ablaze. The woman's desperate cries for help are met with silence as the arsonist walks away. This successful bust propels Captain Gu Zhen of the Changzhou City Criminal Investigation Detachment into the spotlight. His rise from a regular officer to captain is celebrated in the news, but his newfound fame also makes him a target for criminals.
On the streets, Detective Qin Tai'an is grabbing a bite to eat when he spots a wanted man nearby. Gu Zhen arrives, and a silent exchange between the two officers initiates a swift takedown. The suspect's knife is no match for Gu Zhen's skills, and he's quickly subdued. Gu Zhen, ever the professional, assures the food stall owner that any damages will be covered by the detachment.
The captured suspect, who has spent the last five years living like a fugitive, is surprisingly tight-lipped in the interrogation room. However, Kong Rubai, a criminal psychology expert with the detachment, manages to break through his defenses, reducing him to tears. Kong, a handsome and talented psychology master's graduate, is about to be transferred to the detachment. While Gu Zhen is successful in capturing the long-escaped fugitive, Kong Rubai's arrival makes Gu Zhen a little uncomfortable. Kong Rubai's identity is actually Kong Rusong's brother, and the bond between the two is not small.
Gu Zhen receives a call from Su Qian, who is resting. She discovered that the suspect was participating in offline activities at an inappropriate time. Gu Zhen decides to personally arrest this suspect. Gu Zhen went to the forensic doctor Su Qian, and she asked Gu Zhen to give oral education, and never use violence. Gu Zhen was very angry, because among the star-chasing crowd, that stinky girl shouted slogans very hard, and this situation was not the first time.
Gu Zhen returns to the bureau and sees that Kong Rubai hasn't left. Kong explains he has nowhere to stay while his apartment is being renovated, so Gu Zhen offers him a temporary place at his home. Soon after, the detachment is called to a new crime scene. The pop star Meng Zisu wakes up to find a dead woman next to her in bed. The victim is dressed in a cleaner's uniform but is clearly made up. The room key card on the body belongs to a cleaning lady, who reveals that the deceased was a fan of Meng Zisu. The fan had bribed the cleaning lady with 2,000 yuan for the card and uniform, hoping to snag some of the star's personal items. Notably, the surveillance cameras near Meng Zisu's room were intentionally disabled at his request. However, the team discovers a hidden camera in Meng Zisu's room, with the receiver likely located somewhere else in the hotel. Gu Zhen orders a search of all hotel rooms.
Meng Zisu, brought in for questioning, is resistant. He claims he was filming all day, then went out for a late-night meal and drinks with fellow actors, returning around 2 or 3 AM. His agent, Kai Li, confirms she dropped him off at his room and was too tired to notice anyone else inside. Meng Zisu vaguely recalls drinking a glass of red wine, assuming Kai Li poured it, but Kai Li denies doing so. The entire floor is mostly occupied by hotel staff, except for the room opposite Meng Zisu's, which was booked before the film crew arrived and was occupied by a college student on the night of the murder.
