Age of Legends Episode 24 Recap
> Age of Legends Recap
Prior to this, at Di Di Dao Dao, Liu Ziguang, encouraged by Bei Xiaoshuai, decided to confess his feelings to Hu Rong. Unexpectedly, Hu Rong proactively called him, stating her intention to come to the boxing gym to find him, which surprised and delighted Liu Ziguang. Liu Ziguang immediately busied himself with Bei Xiaoshuai, decorating the gym in a romantic and cozy manner, preparing for his formal confession.
It was into this setting that Hu Rong stepped into the boxing gym, taken aback by the elaborate, romantic decorations. As music played, Liu Ziguang slowly made his way onto a stage, ready to make a heartfelt confession. His nervousness caused him to stumble over her name initially, but he quickly composed himself, bravely declaring his desire to be with her forever and pleading for a chance. Tears welled in Hu Rong's eyes as she listened.
She subtly gestured for Bei Xiaoshuai to leave, then, her emotions in turmoil, walked towards a smiling Liu Ziguang. With a deep breath, she firmly produced her police badge and informed him that he was a witness in the Hou Sihai case and needed to accompany her to the police station for questioning. The chain of events leading to this moment had been complex.
Some time prior, Hou Sihai had gone to Golden Glory in search of Miss Mei, but her secretary insisted she was not present. Undeterred, Hou Sihai refused to leave, demanding a room to wait for her return. Meanwhile, Liu Ziguang had already returned to the boxing gym disheartened, confiding in Bei Xiaoshuai that his initial attempt to confess his feelings to Hu Rong had been rejected.
Bei Xiaoshuai, convinced Liu Ziguang's approach was flawed, even offered to call Officer Hu to understand her perspective. Later, Hou Sihai contacted Nie Wanfeng, arranging a meeting at Golden Glory that evening. Nie Wanfeng's subordinate expressed concern that it could be a trap, but Nie Wanfeng, viewing Hou Sihai as a continuing threat, decided to attend.
He reasoned that since Hou Sihai initiated the meeting, he must have come prepared, making a direct confrontation too risky and conspicuous at Golden Glory. Concurrently, Li Wan excitedly arrived at Di Di Dao Dao. Bei Xiaoshuai described Liu Ziguang's romantic confession to Hu Rong, embellishing details of their supposed intimacy after a successful "hand-holding." Following this, Bei Xiaoshuai boldly declared his intention to pursue Li Wan himself. Overwhelmed with emotion, Li Wan broke down in tears at the table.
Bei Xiaoshuai quickly backtracked, explaining that Liu Ziguang's confession was real, but his own declaration was just a joke. Li Wan, still distraught, asked for alcohol, and Bei Xiaoshuai chivalrously offered to drink with her. During this, a staff member gently advised her that her biggest challenge was her unrequited love.
The next day, Li Wan, still determined, visited Di Di Dao Dao again in search of Liu Ziguang, hoping to invite him to watch a new movie together for a romantic outing. However, Bei Xiaoshuai, mischievously, implied that Liu Ziguang was currently enjoying a romantic "couple's world" at the movies with Police Officer Hu. Liu Ziguang, in reality, was at the seafood market visiting Qiu Zi, bringing him pastries.
Liu Ziguang urged Qiu Zi to return to manage the sand quarry, which was now under Uncle Bei's care with Bei Xiaoshuai assisting, citing Bei Xiaoshuai's unreliability. Qiu Zi, however, expressed his weariness of his past life of "fighting and killing" at the quarry. He found peace running his small business and was happily pursuing a young woman selling fruit, affectionately referring to her as his future sister-in-law.
Subsequently, Hou Sihai sent a video to Nie Wanfeng, addressing the Jiangbei Public Security Bureau. In the video, he claimed that if they were watching, it meant he was dead, murdered by Nie Wanfeng, Chairman of Major Development Group. Hou Sihai implicated Nie Wanfeng in illegal drug trafficking, specifically mentioning the "Angel" drug. He then called Nie Wanfeng, subtly mocking him before demanding his conditions.
Hou Sihai explained that with his house and company seized, his bank accounts frozen, and all his men gone, he was penniless. He then demanded 500 million, with 10 million in cash upfront, and safe passage out of the country, implying these demands were minor compared to the secret of the "Angel" drug.
Nie Wanfeng agreed to his terms, arranging to meet at the Riverside Sand Quarry at midnight the following night, where the money would be delivered, and Hou Sihai would be sent abroad by waterway. After the call, Nie Wanfeng, recognizing Hou Sihai's calculated move, reiterated to his subordinate the critical task of locating and destroying all copies of the incriminating video. Meanwhile, Hu Rong visited Han Jin at the hospital.
Han Jin, perceptive of her hidden emotions, noted how she had become less frank since meeting Liu Ziguang and directly asked if she liked him. Hu Rong hesitantly admitted that she did, and when asked if Liu Ziguang liked her, she replied, "Perhaps." Han Jin then confessed his own resentment, recalling how he was once seen as the ideal partner for Hu Rong by her parents and colleagues.
He lamented that Liu Ziguang's sudden appearance had changed everything, describing it as fate that hard work couldn't alter. Despite his personal feelings, Han Jin encouraged Hu Rong to genuinely confront her emotions. He promised his blessings if her relationship with Liu Ziguang blossomed, and reassured her that if it ended, he would still be there for her, explicitly calling himself her "spare tire."
He urged her to be courageous, emphasizing that her choice would impact not only her happiness but also his and Liu Ziguang's future. Moved by his words, Hu Rong embraced him. Later that night, pondering Han Jin's advice, Hu Rong called Liu Ziguang to arrange a meeting at an amusement park. As Liu Ziguang rode his motorcycle to meet her, he unexpectedly spotted Hou Sihai driving.
He immediately gave chase, but Hou Sihai cunningly swerved his car, causing Liu Ziguang to collide and be thrown onto a flower bed. Hou Sihai's car then stalled, prompting him to abandon it and flee towards the riverbank. Liu Ziguang, though injured, struggled to his feet and continued to pursue him. At the same time, Hu Rong waited patiently at the amusement park, repeatedly calling Liu Ziguang, whose phone remained off, leaving her increasingly frustrated.
The next day, Liu Ziguang sought out Hu Rong at the police station to explain his absence, apologizing for standing her up. He told her he had encountered Hou Sihai, chased him, but the man had ultimately escaped. Hu Rong, already upset, became even more agitated upon seeing Liu Ziguang's injuries, scolding him for constantly putting himself in danger and questioning if he believed himself to be a police officer or a car chaser.
Liu Ziguang, noticing her concern, playfully asked if she was worried, which she quickly denied. He then revealed that the previous night's events had helped him find an "answer" regarding her choice between him and Han Jin. Hu Rong challenged him, pointing out that he had never formally confessed his feelings or asked her to be his girlfriend, implying his own lack of readiness.
Liu Ziguang, resolute, declared he was ready, but before he could elaborate, he stated he was going to find Hou Sihai. Soon after, a report came in about a body discovered by the river. Hu Rong and her team arrived at the scene, shocked to identify the deceased as Hou Sihai. A peculiar suicide note was found on his person, leading to a preliminary judgment of death by drowning.
News of Hou Sihai's demise quickly spread, reaching Di Di Dao Dao, where Bei Xiaoshuai and Uncle Guo celebrated, even contemplating a discount for their customers. However, Liu Ziguang remained skeptical, having seen Hou Sihai alive just the night before, finding the idea of suicide hard to believe. Following her initial assessment, Hu Rong reported to Deputy Director Song her strong suspicion that Hou Sihai's death was a homicide, meticulously staged to appear as a suicide.
Deputy Director Song instructed her to conduct a thorough investigation. When Han Jin was discharged from the hospital, Hu Rong and a colleague went to pick him up. Han Jin, despite orders for him to rest at home, insisted on returning to the police station immediately, emphasizing the critical need to prevent the loss of clues. The forensic autopsy report soon arrived, confirming Hu Rong's suspicions: Hou Sihai had indeed died from drowning, likely between midnight and 1:00 a. m.
on October 18th, 2017. A small amount of sand found in his oral and nasal cavities indicated aspiration before death, consistent with drowning. However, a two-centimeter head wound, identified as a contusion likely caused by being pulled by the hair, confirmed that he had been murdered upstream before being dumped in the river. Han Jin promptly directed his team to investigate upstream for the exact crime scene, review surveillance footage, and seek out witnesses.
Hu Rong, after some hesitation, informed Han Jin that Liu Ziguang had encountered Hou Sihai on the night of his death, a revelation that instantly drew Han Jin's close attention and, coupled with surveillance showing Liu Ziguang in a blind spot during the estimated time of death, made him a prime suspect.
At the police station, Liu Ziguang detailed his encounter with Hou Sihai to Han Jin and Hu Rong, explaining how he had pursued Hou Sihai and narrowly avoided a serious car accident before passing out. Han Jin pressed him for any useful leads. Liu Ziguang, looking keenly at Hu Rong, challenged them, asking if they suspected him of killing Hou Sihai.
Hu Rong averted her gaze, unable to respond, but Han Jin interjected, reassuring Liu Ziguang that it was merely a routine investigation. Undeterred, Liu Ziguang firmly stated he would remain there and fully cooperate. Later that evening, after a night of heavy drinking, Li Wan awoke in Bei Xiaoshuai's bed, mortified.
She quickly grabbed her clothes, attempting to discreetly slip away, but was caught off guard by Uncle Guo entering the room, leaving her utterly flustered and unable to offer an explanation. Back at the police station, Han Jin and Hu Rong worked relentlessly, sifting through evidence. Han Jin urged Hu Rong to go home for some rest, but at that moment, a colleague rushed in with news that the actual crime scene had been found.
Energized, Han Jin and Hu Rong promptly went to the site. Their examination further reinforced their conviction that Hou Sihai had been murdered elsewhere and his body subsequently disposed of in the river to simulate drowning. Upon learning of Liu Ziguang's involvement in Hou Sihai's murder case, Li Wan was profoundly shocked. She immediately went to the police station and hired a lawyer.
The lawyer, after making inquiries, reported back to Li Wan that Liu Ziguang was willingly cooperating and had no intention of leaving. Seeing Li Wan's distress, Uncle Guo advised her to return home and await further news. Hu Rong and Han Jin successfully located an eyewitness who corroborated Liu Ziguang's account, testifying that he had appeared disoriented and on the verge of collapsing that night.
At the police station, a colleague reported that forensic analysis had recovered skin and hair fragments from under Hou Sihai's fingernails, believed to belong to the assailant. Hu Rong immediately commenced further investigation. During dinner, as Han Jin ordered takeout for Hu Rong, he received a call from forensics: the DNA comparison results were ready. Han Jin rushed off, with a visibly anxious Hu Rong following close behind.
The results confirmed that the suspect's DNA did not match Liu Ziguang's, effectively clearing him of suspicion. Hu Rong visibly relaxed, letting out a long sigh of relief. Hu Rong went to the interrogation room to inform Liu Ziguang of the DNA results and his release. Liu Ziguang silently walked out, where he was met by Li Wan, who immediately bombarded him with questions.
As Liu Ziguang and Li Wan walked away together, appearing quite close, Hu Rong felt a surge of sadness. Separately, Tiger nervously reported to Nie Wanfeng that the police had discovered the murder scene by the river where Hou Sihai's body was found, asking if he should go into hiding. Nie Wanfeng, composed, dismissed the idea, advising him not to attract undue attention. He specifically warned Tiger to ensure that the scratches on his arm—sustained during Hou Sihai's struggle to escape—remained undiscovered.
