Age of Legends Episode 23 Recap
> Age of Legends Recap
Liu Ziguang was in Han Jin's hospital room, speaking to him while he was unconscious. He told Han Jin that from the moment he saved Hu Rong, he could tell Han Jin loved her deeply. However, Liu Ziguang admitted he also liked Hu Rong a lot. He then declared that once Han Jin woke up, they would have a fair competition for Hu Rong's affections.
He promised not to confess to Hu Rong before Han Jin woke up, stating that Han Jin would look down on him if he did, and reiterated that he would wait for his friend. Just then, Hu Rong arrived, and Han Jin regained consciousness. Liu Ziguang then asked Hu Rong if she had heard everything he said to Han Jin, but she became flustered and quickly left.
Soon after, Hu Rong returned to the hospital to visit the now-conscious Han Jin. Han Jin asked her if she had seen Liu Ziguang recently, and she awkwardly said no. Han Jin understood her unspoken concerns. He sighed, self-deprecatingly remarking that before Liu Ziguang's appearance, he was considered the ideal match for Hu Rong by her parents and police colleagues, but Liu Ziguang had changed everything.
Han Jin then encouraged Hu Rong to seek out Liu Ziguang and truly understand her own heart. He promised to give them his blessing if she chose to be with Liu Ziguang, but if not, he would always be her eternal fallback. Moved by his words, Hu Rong embraced Han Jin. That evening, after much reflection, Hu Rong bravely called Liu Ziguang, asking to meet him at an amusement park.
Liu Ziguang was preparing to leave for his meeting with Hu Rong when he spotted a car whose driver strongly resembled Hou Sihai. He immediately chased the car on his motorcycle. The cunning Hou Sihai swerved, positioning his vehicle to block the road. Liu Ziguang's motorcycle crashed heavily into the car, sending him flying. Hou Sihai's car failed to start after the collision, forcing him to abandon it and flee towards the dock.
Liu Ziguang slowly regained consciousness and, stumbling, pursued him to the dock. Meanwhile, at the amusement park, Hu Rong waited in vain. Unable to reach Liu Ziguang, whose phone was off, she became angry, believing he had deliberately stood her up, and left. The next day, Liu Ziguang went to the police station to find Hu Rong, who was still upset.
He quickly explained that he had encountered Hou Sihai the previous night and chased him, but Hou Sihai had managed to escape. Seeing Liu Ziguang's injuries, Hu Rong's anger only grew. Liu Ziguang then asked if she had made a choice regarding her feelings. Hu Rong retorted angrily that Liu Ziguang had never formally confessed to her and was clearly not ready, leaving him speechless.
Simultaneously, news broadcasts announced an arrest warrant for Hou Sihai across the country, describing him as a fugitive and asking for public assistance. Nie Wanfeng, watching this on television, ordered his subordinate, Tiger, to find Hou Sihai quickly before the police could apprehend him. Hou Sihai had previously recorded a video, threatening Nie Wanfeng with "Angel" if anything happened to him, and demanding 500 million, with 10 million upfront and passage out of the country.
Nie Wanfeng immediately agreed to his terms and arranged to meet Hou Sihai the following night at the riverside sand quarry. After Hou Sihai left, Tiger asked Nie Wanfeng if they should take action. Nie Wanfeng, with a cold gaze, stated that since Hou Sihai dared to challenge him publicly, he must be fully prepared. He then ordered Tiger to find the original video and all backups.
Due to Hou Sihai's downfall, Jiangbei's sand and gravel market was in disarray, and Zhicheng Group's ongoing construction project urgently required sand. Director Yin of Zhicheng decided to approach Li Wan for a collaboration with Sunshine Sand Quarry, which was now booming with business and overwhelmed by orders. Director Yin contacted Li Wan's assistant, Wei Ziqian, to arrange a meeting. Assistant Wei initially played hard to get, suggesting Li Wan was uncontactable, perhaps "flying, running, or gone out to sea."
Director Yin eventually found Li Wan at a racing club. Li Wan insisted on completing her race before discussing business, and a desperate Director Yin reluctantly joined her in the race car. The high-speed ride left him severely carsick and nauseous. After the race, Director Yin pleaded with Li Wan to approach Liu Ziguang for a contract, stressing that Zhicheng's project faced significant delays otherwise. Li Wan agreed and headed to Sunshine Sand Quarry, but Liu Ziguang was not there.
A subordinate reported to Nie Wanfeng that they had located Hou Sihai. Nie ordered the subordinate to "personally handle this matter" and "make it clean." Hou Sihai, in disguise, paid a taxi driver and hid in a bicycle repair shop. Hu Rong and other police officers arrived at the shop, but the owner confirmed Hou Sihai had already left. Nie Wanfeng's subordinate later reported a miscalculation; the police had appeared suddenly, interrupting their "task" and allowing Hou Sihai to escape.
Nie, unfazed, stated that "maintaining the pot is just a question of time," suggesting his resolve to eliminate Hou Sihai remained. Police found a public transport card at the abandoned repair shop, which Hu Rong confirmed Hou Sihai had registered three days prior but never used. Deputy Director Song, believing Hou Sihai was still in Jiangbei, ordered a comprehensive city-wide investigation. Liu Ziguang, while topping up Uncle Guo's transport card, encountered Hu Rong, who was investigating near the card station.
He attempted to speak with her, but she, still angry, ignored him and walked away. Later, police received a report of a body found by the river. Hu Rong and her team were shocked to discover it was Hou Sihai, with a suspicious suicide note found on him. At the "Di Di Dao Dao" boxing gym, Xiao Bei and others celebrated upon hearing news reports of Hou Sihai's apparent suicide.
However, Liu Ziguang remained skeptical, finding the suicide claim implausible, as he had just seen Hou Sihai alive the previous night. Following an inspection of the scene, Hu Rong reported to Director Song her belief that the suicide scene was fabricated, hinting at foul play. Director Song ordered a full investigation, and the forensic report soon confirmed Hu Rong's suspicion: Hou Sihai had indeed been murdered.
After some hesitation, Hu Rong informed Han Jin that Liu Ziguang had seen Hou Sihai the night he died, which immediately drew Han Jin's serious attention. Han Jin reviewed surveillance footage, spotting Liu Ziguang. He then confronted Hu Rong, pointing out a blind spot in the street's surveillance where Liu Ziguang's whereabouts were unknown for nearly two hours, a period that coincided precisely with Hou Sihai's death, making Liu Ziguang a prime suspect.
Meanwhile, Li Wan visited Han Jin in the hospital. She pressed him about his feelings for Hu Rong, asking if he truly loved her. She urged him to confess, emphasizing that some feelings are unique and if missed, will never return. Encouraged by Li Wan's words, Han Jin called Liu Ziguang, proposing they both confess their feelings to Hu Rong together at the hospital the following day.
Liu Ziguang relayed this plan to Uncle Guo, who advised him to act decisively, concerned about Han Jin's intentions. They discussed how Liu Ziguang should best confess. Hu Rong, meanwhile, subtly sought advice from her mother about a friend facing simultaneous confessions from two admirers. Her mother immediately guessed she was referring to Liu Ziguang and Han Jin, panicking at the unexpected situation. Liu Ziguang and Han Jin prepared for their confessions.
Xiao Bei comically handed Liu Ziguang a safety helmet, jokingly suggesting he might need it if the confession didn't go well. In the hospital garden, both Han Jin and Liu Ziguang, holding bouquets of flowers, approached Hu Rong. They squabbled over who should confess first. Han Jin eventually began, acknowledging their agreement to confess together.
However, he then argued that his act of taking a bullet for Hu Rong was simply his duty as a police officer and captain, something he would do for any colleague. He contrasted this with Liu Ziguang, a civilian, who had no such obligation, implying Liu Ziguang's action was a purer testament to his love for Hu Rong.
Liu Ziguang, angered by Han Jin's reasoning, asked if he was "giving her to me," and asserted that he, too, would take a bullet for Han Jin if he were in danger. He accused Han Jin of not adhering to their "fair competition" agreement and refused to confess. Exasperated by their bickering, Hu Rong declared she chose Han Jin. Liu Ziguang, shocked, questioned her choice.
Hu Rong angrily retorted that they were treating her like a "commodity" and were behaving ridiculously. She told Han Jin to go back and rest, and Liu Ziguang to "do whatever you want," before walking away. Both men urged the other to chase after her, but neither moved, each accusing the other of cowardice. Later, Hou Sihai arrived at Jinbihuihuang, demanding to see Miss Mei. He was blocked by her secretary, but Hou Sihai directly entered Miss Mei's office.
Finding her away on a business trip, he insisted on staying and waiting for her return, asking the secretary to arrange a meeting with Miss Mei as soon as possible. After waiting in vain, an impatient Hou Sihai called Tiger, stating he wanted to meet Nie Wanfeng at Jinbihuihuang. Tiger suggested this was a golden opportunity to eliminate Hou Sihai during the meeting. However, the cunning Nie Wanfeng rejected this idea, speculating that Hou Sihai would be prepared for such a meeting and would have a backup plan.
