Episode Summary
Teacher Wang reveals his tragic past and blames Gu Zhen. Gu Zhen and Kong Rubai investigate two suspects, Jiang Peng and Yong Zi, linking them to a bombing motivated by revenge against a quarry owner. Surveillance footage reveals the bombers' actions on the bus, including Jiang Peng's rampage and the ignition of gasoline, leading to a devastating explosion.
Spoiler Alert
The episode opens with a tense phone call. Xiao Tang calls Anna, mentioning a gift she received and expressing her fear about a stalker. She describes the stalker as always wearing a hat, making it impossible to see his face. Before Anna can respond, Teacher Wang returns, causing Anna to abruptly hang up. Teacher Wang immediately notices photos on the table and becomes enraged, demanding to know why Anna touched his belongings. Anna apologizes, explaining she stumbled upon them while looking through some files.
Teacher Wang then picks up a pendant and the photos, launching into a tragic story. He tells of a painter, outwardly successful but inwardly empty, like "a lonely dog." This man's life changed when he met a woman, and they had a daughter. He cherished his family, until he witnessed his wife and daughter die before his eyes, consumed by fire. This, he reveals, is his own story, and he blames Gu Zhen for everything, declaring that Gu Zhen "deserves to die." Anna, moved by his pain, expresses her unwavering belief in him.
Meanwhile, Gu Zhen and Kong Rubai are investigating in the countryside, focusing on the Wu family. The family consists of two brothers, Wu Shenglin and Wu Shengshan. Wu Shenglin, a bachelor, immediately flees upon seeing the police, but is caught and questioned. He's nervous and evasive. The investigation reveals Wu Shenglin's ID card was found at the explosion site. Wu Shenglin claims someone took his ID – a man named Jiang Peng, who said he needed it for a trip to town to play games. Jiang Peng later claimed his bag, including the ID, was stolen while he was staying overnight at an internet cafe. Wu Shenglin insists Jiang Peng is a good person, but the village chief suspects he was bribed. Wu Shenglin eventually admits to receiving 500 yuan.
It turns out Jiang Peng isn't a local. He arrived a year ago to work at a quarry. A cave-in at the quarry injured him, leaving him impotent. Gu Zhen and Kong Rubai show them sketches, and they identify a man resembling Jiang Peng, a friend known as Yong Zi. It's now confirmed that both deceased men are prime suspects.
The police investigation intensifies. Gu Zhen and Kong Rubai locate the house Jiang Peng and Yong Zi rented, noting they initially lacked ID but provided it later. A search of the house confirms Yong Zi and Jiang Peng were accomplices in the bombing, seeking revenge against the quarry owner, Bai Zhigang.
The crucial breakthrough comes when the surveillance footage from the bombed vehicle is recovered. It reveals the truth: Jiang Peng and Yong Zi boarded the chemical plant's team-building vehicle, which carried Bai Zhigang's parents and other plant employees. They subdued the driver and revealed explosives, intending to exact their revenge. Tragically, Jiang Peng's girlfriend, Hui Yingzi, was also on the bus. Jiang Peng, aware of Hui Yingzi's activities, went on a rampage, igniting a gasoline barrel and causing a horrific scene. The episode concludes with Gu Zhen and Kong Rubai confronting Bai Zhigang, who is causing a disturbance at the hospital.
