A Lonely Hero's Journey Episode 8 Recap
> A Lonely Hero's Journey Recap
Gao Hu helped the injured Gu Yizhong back to their room. Zhou Zhifei entered, asked Gao Hu to leave, and closed the door. He examined Gu Yizhong's injuries, stating they were superficial and would heal quickly with hot compresses. He recalled his own much tougher training and offered private lessons. Zhou Zhifei discussed the difficulty of infiltrating enemy ranks, saying it depended more on the opponent's foolishness than the agent's intelligence.
He shared his history, revealing he was a Chinese Communist Party member in 1927 under Gu Shunzhang. He was arrested and tortured for seven days and nights. The person who came to persuade him to surrender was Gu Shunzhang, who had betrayed them. Zhou Zhifei stated his heart "died" that day. Gu Yizhong cleverly used Zhou Zhifei's past to question whether he was a genuine defector at No. 90 or an infiltrator. This question made Zhou Zhifei pause.
He responded that in these chaotic times, no one in the Wang government, including high-ranking officials like Zhou Fohai, Chen Gongbo, Minister Ding, and Mr. Li, was truly sincere; they were all focused on money and power by pleasing the Japanese and Chairman Wang. He quoted Mr. Li as saying it was better to catch big fish by the river than small ones in the water.
Zhou Zhifei then expressed his desire to be friends with Gu Yizhong, seeing No. 90 as a temporary place, and predicted the Japanese would eventually leave. Gu Yizhong questioned if he was sincere, and Zhou Zhifei insisted he was. Gu Yizhong then asked if he was still serving the Communist Party or about Cell 8. Zhou Zhifei stated he was working for himself and wanted revenge on Cell 8, who had severely harmed him.
He called Gu Yizhong more stubborn than his father and warned him to leave No. 90 quickly or risk death there. Meanwhile, Hu Zhiping gave Zhou Zhenwu instructions to immediately cease all anti-Gu Yizhong operations. Hu Zhiping also sought quinine to treat malaria, contacting a person named Cui Yaomin and arranging for Zhou Zhenwu to meet him the next day for a secret transaction.
Cui Yaomin was described as a broker associated with Du Yuesheng, known for his wide network and being motivated by money. The meeting was scheduled for two in the afternoon the next day at Caizhi Pavilion Tea House, with specific signals involving the Jiangsu Daily and Xin Shen Bao (New Shanghai News) newspapers. Zhou Zhenwu was tasked with attending and agreeing to Cui Yaomin's price to secure the quinine.
In Suzhou, Mr. Li met with Kondo Masao to discuss the vacant magistrate of Wu County position. Mr. Li suggested Wang Zemin, citing his local prominence, but Kondo rejected him as corrupt. Mr. Li argued Wang Zemin was wealthy and wouldn't need to steal, but Kondo remained firm, stating he would remove Wang if appointed.
Mr. Li then proposed letting Wang Zemin serve as acting magistrate temporarily while waiting for Gu Xixing, whom Kondo considered the ideal candidate but who had refused No. 90's offers for six months. Kondo believed Gu Xixing's son, Gu Yizhong, joining No. 90 indicated Gu Xixing's stance might be softening, connecting it to the Chinese emphasis on reputation and saving face. Mr. Li disagreed, saying Kondo didn't understand the Chinese people and that Gu Xixing was an old stubborn mule.
Kondo compared the situation to the establishment of the Henei government and pointed out that Chinese figures like Chen Gongbo, Zhou Fohai, Ding, and Mr. Li himself had all cooperated. Offended by Kondo's remark, Mr. Li left, asking Kondo to decide the candidate himself. After Kondo's departure, Mr. Li discussed the matter with Zhou Zhifei. He expressed frustration with Kondo's attitude, noting that even ordinary Japanese soldiers in No. 76 could infuriate him and Ding.
He reiterated that Gu Xixing was stubborn and difficult to control, predicting Kondo would eventually realize that the Japanese couldn't succeed in China without relying on experienced Chinese like them. He mentioned that Wang Zemin had sent gifts, which Mr. Li had received but advised against accepting more directly, suggesting they let wealthy figures like Wang Zemin "bleed" their money if they were eager to get ahead.
Later, Huang Xinzhai complained to Zhou Zhifei that he couldn't effectively monitor Gu Yizhong because Gu seemed to anticipate his every move. Zhou Zhifei sarcastically suggested killing him, but Huang Xinzhai feared Gu Yizhong would retaliate against Zhou as well. Huang Xinzhai successfully apprehended Cui Yaomin and learned about the quinine transaction with the New Fourth Army. He reported this to Kondo.
Kondo revealed this was a test he and Zhou Zhifei had set up for Gu Yizhong to see if he was still collaborating with the Communist Party. Kondo explained that Gu Yizhong was bait; whether he was a Communist or not, if he revealed any involvement, they could use him to threaten Gu Xixing and pressure him to cooperate with the "peace movement" (collaboration effort). Huang Xinzhai felt wronged that Lian Jinhai was claiming credit for the capture.
Zhou Zhifei ordered Gu Yizhong and Gao Hu to escort the prisoner, Cui Yaomin, to the tea house. At the tea house, they encountered Xiao Ruotong, who was present because she had followed Zhou Zhenwu. While waiting, Gu Yizhong identified Cui Yaomin to Gao Hu. Gao Hu asked to switch seats, and Gu Yizhong agreed.
Gu Yizhong then deliberately caused a commotion with a waiter bringing tea, resulting in hot water splashing on Gao Hu's hand, injuring him and creating a distraction. Xiao Ruotong, observing the scene, quickly left. Zhou Zhenwu arrived for his scheduled meeting, saw the agents in the tea house, and realized it was a trap. Cui Yaomin managed to escape during the confusion but was quickly recaptured.
Lian Jinhai and his men intervened, questioning Gu Yizhong about the incident and suspecting him of deliberately causing the chaos. Gu Yizhong denied any intentional action, claiming the waiter was clumsy. Lian Jinhai ordered Gu Yizhong, Gao Hu, and Cui Yaomin back to No. 90. Later, Zhou Zhenwu confronted Xiao Ruotong, asking why she was at the tea house, stressing he was on a mission.
She admitted she was following him out of concern, acknowledging she violated discipline and accepted any punishment. Zhou Zhenwu accepted her apology but also thanked her, saying she might have saved him. Xiao Ruotong told him she saw Gu Yizhong with the No. 90 agents. Zhou Zhenwu revealed he already knew Gu Yizhong was alive from intelligence reports two days prior that saw him return to Gu Garden with No. 90 personnel, though he hadn't confirmed it until now.
Haimo expressed to Spring water that she increasingly felt she should not continue deceiving Gu Xixing by pretending to be his daughter. Spring argued that this was a sought-after position and that Gu Garden was their home now. She claimed the "real Haimo" was dead and no one remembered, urging Haimo to continue acting and accusing her of lacking conscience towards Gu Xixing's poor state.
Spring then suggested that Gu Yizhong's recruitment by No. 90 might even be a staged act arranged by Gu Xixing and Gu Yizhong themselves, which Haimo seemed to consider, saying she hoped it was true. Gu Huizhong returned home after learning her brother, Gu Yizhong, was alive and working for No. 90 as a traitor. She questioned her father, Gu Xixing. He remained silent for a moment, then produced a small pair of shoes.
He reminded Gu Huizhong that she had bought them for Gu Yizhong when he was nine, saving up her allowance, and how he had proudly worn them. Gu Xixing stressed that no matter what Gu Yizhong did or under what circumstances, he was her brother and she his sister, emphasizing that while faith is great, it cannot override the unbreakable bond of blood relatives. Meanwhile, Zhou Zhifei learned that Cell 8 had arrived in Suzhou.
He rushed to the Buddhist temple to try and contact "Cell 8" using their "black base secret knot" method. He sent messages twice but received no response. He grew concerned, wondering if Cell 8 had encountered trouble or perhaps suspected his identity.
