A Lonely Hero's Journey Episode 19 Recap
> A Lonely Hero's Journey Recap
Xie Wenchao interrupted Vice Director Huang Xinzhai, who was about to investigate something, by asking for ink. Afterwards, Xie privately reported overhearing Huang and Gu Yizhong discussing the person known as "Quan Shui", who is also known as Ou Xinping. Zhou Zhifei was informed but was dismissive, noting Vice Director Huang's limited capabilities and lack of expectation that Huang could apprehend Ou Xinping, who is the Director of the CBIS Jiangsu District.
To enhance surveillance on Gu Yizhong, Zhou Zhifei instructed Xie Wenchao to deploy agents from Kunshan. Six unfamiliar agents were brought in, divided into three groups, and began round-the-clock, discreet surveillance on Gu Yizhong, ensuring they remained unknown to him. Zhou also ordered all of Gu's phone calls to be monitored and recorded but cautioned the surveillance team to maintain a degree of distance, preferring to wait for the opportune moment to act.
While Zhou Zhifei was out, Liu Xiujuan (known by the alias Ou Xinping and codename Mrs. Weng), who was being supervised in his home, managed to escape after tying up Yuqing. Upon Zhou's return, he found Yuqing bound and Liu Xiujuan gone, leaving a letter behind. Yuqing quickly burned the letter upon Zhou's arrival and demanded to know the truth about Ou Xinping.
Zhou, seeing the situation, fabricated a story, claiming Ou Xinping was an alias and her real name was Liu Xiujuan. He recounted how two years prior, Mrs. Li had publicly assaulted Liu Xiujuan over an affair with Mr. Li. In anger, Liu Xiujuan allegedly stole some of Mr. Li's documents and fled to Chongqing, joining the CBIS, where she was given a nominal title as Director.
Later, deemed to have little value, she was sent back to Nanjing to attempt to turn Mr. Li, but Mr. Li successfully turned her back. Now, using the codename Mrs. Weng, she was in Suzhou under Mr. Li's instruction for Zhou to assist her work and keep her under surveillance. Zhou expressed frustration over her escape, accusing Yuqing of being greedy and letting her go.
He stressed the severe consequences for himself, including potential prosecution and the death penalty, and strictly warned Yuqing never to reveal this secret to anyone, especially Mr. and Mrs. Li. Zhou also mentioned that Huang Xinzhai was spreading rumors about Zhou having an ambiguous relationship with Liu/Ou/Mrs. Weng to ruin him. Meanwhile, Gu Yizhong was intensely focused on the impending rescue of Xiao Junxia.
He spoke with Haimo, informing her that someone from No. 90 was searching for their cousin-in-law (表嫂), the person known as Ou. He urged Haimo to tell her that Suzhou was too dangerous now if she made contact. During dinner, Haimo sensed Gu was preoccupied with something secretive and suspected it involved Miss Xiao, but she did not press him for details when he was evasive. Concentrating on the rescue, Gu calculated that the tunnel excavation should be nearing completion.
He dispatched Gao Hu to No. 90 on Xiangfusi Lane with food from the Zuiningbo restaurant, ostensibly for the prisoners, but secretly to gather information about the dungeon. At the prison, Gao Hu interacted with guards including Lu Yaoting. A guard mentioned a newly arrived prisoner in the secret dungeon, named Lin Changxing, who was from Shanghai, believed to be a significant figure with the surname Jiang, and under strict orders from the Director (Zhou Zhifei) to be closely watched.
When Gao Hu offered to deliver the food to the secret dungeon, Lu Yaoting insisted on delivering it himself, citing the Director's strict instructions to watch the prisoner closely, and prevented Gao Hu from proceeding further into that area. Gao Hu was only able to hand over the food box. As Gao Hu was unable to get closer to the secret dungeon, a guard called Gu Yizhong to inform him he had a phone call from his home number.
The call, made by Mrs. Wang from Gu's Garden, reported that Haimo had been injured, prompting Gu to rush back. Learning of the call's origin and Haimo's usual whereabouts, Xie Wenchao immediately suspected a ruse and ordered his men to Gu's Garden. Gu arrived to find Xiao Ruotong waiting as they had planned.
She informed him that the tunnel excavation had reached 60 meters and hit a junction where three sewers converged, leaving them uncertain which path led to Sixth Brother's (Xiao Junxia's) precise location in the dungeon. With the execution scheduled in just two days, pinpointing his position was critical for their planned action. Gu assured her he was working to establish contact with Sixth Brother and provided her with a stethoscope.
He instructed her and the others to use it to listen from the point in the sewer closest to the rock garden, while he would find a way for Sixth Brother to transmit a signal from the dungeon to guide them. Gu explained he couldn't join them directly due to being under constant surveillance by Zhou Zhifei's men.
While Gu and Xiao Ruotong discussed the plan, Haimo rushed in to warn them that agents from No. 90 had arrived at the front of the house. Gu instructed Haimo to escort Xiao Ruotong out through the back exit, but Haimo insisted on staying behind to delay the agents. Xiao Ruotong departed, and Haimo confronted Xie Wenchao and his team who had entered, demanding to know Gu Yizhong's whereabouts. With Gu absent, Xie began interrogating Haimo and Mrs. Wang.
Thinking quickly, Haimo led the agents to the ancestral hall, where Gu's father's memorial tablet was kept. She declared it was the 49th day since Gu's father's death and that his spirit was surely present, warning the superstitious agents that disrespect would bring misfortune. Her ploy intimidated the agents, and she prompted some to kowtow to the tablet. Gu Yizhong returned and witnessed Haimo's clever maneuver.
Xie later expressed suspicion that Haimo acted like a spy and was in collusion with Gu. Meanwhile, Xiao Ruotong arrived at the excavation site with the stethoscope. She found the laborers angry and suspicious, holding Fu Gui captive. The laborers believed they had been tricked by "Mr. Sha" (Fu Gui's alias), having dug a tunnel that led into No. 90 prison instead of yielding treasure as promised. Xiao Ruotong revealed her identity as a member of the New Fourth Army.
The laborers, surprised and instantly respectful upon hearing this, immediately lowered their tools and released Fu Gui. Xiao Ruotong confirmed the tunnel's true purpose, explaining it was part of an important mission they were undertaking. Inspired by the New Fourth Army's cause, the laborers agreed to continue their work, showing trust and respect. Xie Wenchao reported back to Zhou Zhifei about the events at Gu's Garden, confirming Gu had evaded them with Haimo's help.
Realizing Gu had outmaneuvered him, Zhou decided to apply pressure. He instructed Xie to spread the fake news that "the person named Xiao" (referring to Xiao Junxia) would be executed the next day, intending to add fuel to the fire and force Gu's hand. Meanwhile, Gu Yizhong devised a plan to communicate with the prisoner in the secret dungeon. He prepared a message and concealed it inside a hard-boiled egg by making a small hole and sealing it with glue.
He gave this special egg to Gao Hu to deliver along with the regular prisoner food box to No. 90. Gao Hu delivered the food box to the guards including Lu Yaoting. Lu Yaoting took the box to the secret dungeon prisoner, known as Lin Changxing. Inside the cell, Lin Changxing (identified as Jiang Boxian in other communications), who was reading a book titled "Beloved China," received the food box and discovered the hidden egg.
