Episode Summary
Teacher Wang's mental state deteriorates as he grapples with the past, leading him to attack Anna. A new murder case involving a body in a well emerges, while Xue Cheng is arrested and reveals details about a brutal fight between Hu Yang and Shi Chen, resulting in Shi Chen's death. The episode culminates in a terrifying cliffhanger, with Teacher Wang holding both Anna and Xiao Tang captive, threatening their lives.
Spoiler Alert
The episode opens with Gu Zhen and Su Qian celebrating Xiao Tang's birthday. Meanwhile, Teacher Wang, watching them through a hidden camera, is driven to madness. Consumed by grief over his wife and daughter's deaths, he has stopped his medical treatment and refuses his medication, spiraling further into his obsession. Flashbacks reveal his wife's final moments, watching a video they took at a food stall before she passed away, leaving Teacher Wang alone with his deep-seated resentment. Anna enters his room, urging him to let go of the past and promising to stay by his side, even knowing about his dark deeds. She pleads with him to turn himself in. However, Teacher Wang snaps, choking Anna until she loses consciousness.
Simultaneously, Gu Zhen and Kong Rubai plan to investigate Teacher Wang through Xue Cheng. However, their precinct is called to a new case: a body discovered in a dry well. The victim's face is completely destroyed, and the bones are shattered, making facial reconstruction nearly impossible. Su Qian estimates the time of death to be around seven days prior, with the fatal injuries concentrated on the face. A bloody wrench is found at the bottom of the well, providing a crucial piece of evidence.
Anna awakens to find herself bound and helpless. The investigation into the well victim stalls due to the damaged state of the body and the crime scene, which has been compromised by multiple rainfalls. A breakthrough comes when a rental car company reports a missing vehicle, with all information pointing towards Teacher Wang. Gu Zhen and Kong Rubai head to a repair shop where Xue Cheng is hiding. Kong Rubai quickly locates the missing car, and the police swarm in, arresting Xue Cheng and his associates.
Back at the station, Xue Cheng insists he's only guilty of loan sharking and blames the murder on Hu Yang. He explains that Hu Yang owed him a large sum of money and repeatedly evaded repayment. Xue Cheng and his men eventually tracked down Shi Chen's car, capturing both Hu Yang and Shi Chen. When Shi Chen refused to cooperate, Xue Cheng offered them a twisted deal: fight each other, the winner gets 100,000 yuan, and if one kills the other, the prize is 200,000 yuan. Shi Chen scoffed at the offer, but Hu Yang, in a desperate act, grabbed the wrench and murdered Shi Chen. Hu Yang claimed the 200,000 yuan to settle his debt, offering Shi Chen's car keys to Xue Cheng as payment for the remaining 100,000. Xue Cheng, wanting to avoid trouble, told Hu Yang to dispose of the body and took the car for himself. The police also uncover evidence linking Xue Cheng and Teacher Wang to a money laundering operation. However, Xue Cheng claims to have no knowledge of Teacher Wang's current whereabouts.
Xiao Tang tells Gu Zhen to come home early tonight, promising a surprise. Anna is terrified, held captive by Teacher Wang. He tells her they will play a game: if she wins, she lives; if she loses, they both go to hell. Just as Gu Zhen arrives home, Su Qian calls, informing him that Xiao Tang has arranged a blind date for her at Gu Zhen's place. Gu Zhen, shocked, rushes to Xiao Tang's house, but she doesn't answer the door. Instead, she sends him a text message directing him to a specific location. The episode ends with a chilling reveal: Xiao Tang and Anna are both bound and doused in gasoline by the unhinged Teacher Wang.
