Age of Legends Episode 42 Recap
> Age of Legends Recap
After Liu Ziguang started drinking heavily at the gym and babbling about being a murderer who killed Hu Rong's father, Officer Guo, alarmed, called Hu Rong for help. When Hu Rong arrived, Han Jin and his team subsequently arrived to take a drunken Liu Ziguang back to the bureau for questioning regarding a major case involving her father. During the commotion, Guo, upset and anxious, suffered a heart attack and fainted. Deeply distressed, Hu Rong rushed to the police bureau.
There, Director Song showed her surveillance footage from M Country police, which captured three men leaving her father's pub after his death. Han Jin then explained that a drug trafficker named Tony once shouted "What are you doing here?" to Liu Ziguang on a bus and also mentioned "Sangbo."
Combined with the physical build of one of the men in the video being similar to Liu Ziguang's, they suspected Liu Ziguang might be Sangbo, the drug lord responsible for her father's death. Overwhelmed, Hu Rong collapsed into her father Hu Yuejin's arms, crying uncontrollably. Meanwhile, in the interrogation room, Liu Ziguang was repeatedly woken up by officers. Han Jin showed him the surveillance video, but Liu Ziguang claimed he had no impression of its content.
When shown a photo of Officer Huang Zhenwu, Liu Ziguang identified him as Hu Rong's father, whom he had seen at the memorial service. He then confessed to killing Officer Huang with a gun, stating, "I'm Sangbo. I killed someone." However, he quickly added that he didn't recall the event and only knew about it because Nie Wanfeng told him he had killed him and witnessed it. He desperately asked Han Jin to help him recall.
Han Jin reported to Deputy Song that Liu Ziguang was on the verge of a mental breakdown and could not be interrogated further in his current state. Although Liu Ziguang admitted to being Sangbo and the murderer of Han Jin's teacher, he had no personal recollection of these events, attributing all information to Nie Wanfeng.
Deputy Song agreed that Liu Ziguang needed rest before further questioning but highlighted Nie Wanfeng as a potential new lead, given Liu Ziguang's claims that Nie Wanfeng witnessed the murder and identified him as Sangbo. Han Jin concurred, stating their relationship seemed complex, and sought permission to question Nie Wanfeng, which Deputy Song granted. Meanwhile, Hu Rong, deeply distraught, found herself on a basketball court.
Her mind was in chaos, torn between her love for Liu Ziguang and the possibility that he was the drug lord who killed her father. Conflicting emotions battled fiercely in her heart, causing her immense pain and ultimately leading her to break down in tears as she recalled painful snippets of her father's death and happy memories with Liu Ziguang. Han Jin visited Nie Wanfeng's home and inquired if Liu Ziguang had recently sought him out.
Nie Wanfeng confirmed Liu Ziguang had visited him yesterday to ask about his past. He initially hesitated, asking if there would be repercussions for speaking candidly about Liu Ziguang, whom he described as "no longer an ordinary person." Han Jin assured Nie Wanfeng of his safety, clarifying that he was cooperating with a police investigation. Nie Wanfeng then began to recount his history with Liu Ziguang, stating they had been buddies eight years ago.
He claimed that Liu Ziguang had insisted on joining Colby's drug cartel despite Nie Wanfeng's best efforts to dissuade him. After Liu Ziguang left, Nie Wanfeng said he tried to track him and later saw a photo that confirmed Liu Ziguang’s involvement with the cartel. He asserted that Liu Ziguang had risen in ranks, completed many tasks for Colby, and bore a wolf tattoo, the cartel's mark.
Nie Wanfeng further alleged that Liu Ziguang eventually killed Colby and became the drug cartel's boss, transforming a small gang into a powerful drug trafficking organization, thus becoming a full-fledged drug lord. Han Jin pressed Nie Wanfeng, asking why he had not reported Liu Ziguang immediately upon his return to Jiangbei, given his knowledge of Liu Ziguang's role as a drug cartel leader, and was only speaking about it now.
Nie Wanfeng passionately explained that when he first encountered Liu Ziguang in Jiangbei, Liu Ziguang had saved his son's life, making him his son's savior. He also noted that Liu Ziguang, his former sworn brother, had become an armed drug trafficker, while he was a defenseless civilian with a young son, making him too afraid to take the risk of reporting him.
Nie Wanfeng disclosed that Liu Ziguang's name in M Country had been Sangbo, and his own, Sangkun, names given to them by a casino owner. Han Jin then inquired about Nie Wanfeng's activities after parting ways with Liu Ziguang in M Country.
Nie Wanfeng detailed that he left the casino shortly after and started a small business, during which he met his wife, Ruan Junlan, a Chinese citizen who had immigrated to M Country and hailed from an aristocratic shipping family. He recounted their marriage and the birth of their son, Chengcheng, before his wife's passing less than a year later due to a congenital heart disease. Nie Wanfeng inherited her family's assets and later established the Major Development Group.
He stated that three years ago, he decided to return to Jiangbei with Chengcheng, and had since made significant donations to schools, healthcare, and charities to fulfill his late wife's benevolent last wishes. Han Jin commended his and his wife's philanthropic devotion. Nie Wanfeng confirmed that he continued to travel back to M Country for business and to visit his wife's grave. Han Jin then produced a photo of Officer Huang Zhenwu.
Nie Wanfeng recognized him as a pub owner he had previously met. He then claimed that six months ago, while visiting his wife's grave, he witnessed Liu Ziguang, accompanied by two armed men, charge into the pub. He stated that two gunshots were heard shortly after, and upon entering the pub, he found the owner lying in a pool of blood with Liu Ziguang holding a gun. Nie Wanfeng explicitly asserted that Liu Ziguang had killed the pub owner.
He added that Liu Ziguang subsequently held a gun to his head, threatening to kill him if he meddled in his affairs. Nie Wanfeng concluded by reiterating his concern for his son's safety and urged Han Jin to ensure his family’s protection, to which Han Jin readily agreed. As Han Jin was leaving, he casually asked Nie Wanfeng’s subordinate, Tiger, about his hometown. Tiger cleared his throat and quickly replied that he was from Guangdong, a detail Han Jin noted.
Back at the police station, Han Jin repeatedly replayed his conversation with Nie Wanfeng. When Zhao brought him Nie Wanfeng's organized statement, Han Jin remarked thoughtfully that Nie Wanfeng's testimony felt "too systematic, too complete," as if it had been prepared in advance. He suspected an ulterior motive, feeling that "every single word that he said is aimed at the police" and that his relationship with Liu Ziguang was far from simple.
Consequently, Han Jin instructed Zhao to immediately contact the M Country police to verify all the details of Nie Wanfeng's statements and background, including information about his deceased wife and her family. He also ordered a discreet investigation into the Major Development Group, with a particular focus on Tiger. At home, Hu Rong's mother worried as her daughter refused to eat. Despite her mother's attempts to console her, Hu Rong remained despondent.
Her mother tearfully expressed disbelief that Liu Ziguang, whom her daughter loved, could be implicated in Officer Huang Zhenwu's murder. Hu Yuejin tried to calm his wife, explaining it was an investigation and not a conclusion, and a chance for Liu Ziguang to clear his name. Hu Rong then expressed her desire to return to the police team and work alongside Han Jin on Liu Ziguang’s case.
Hu Yuejin initially expressed concern that her current emotional state might hinder the investigation. However, Hu Rong tearfully countered that she couldn't passively remain at home when the case involved both her biological father and her fiancé, stating, "How could I look on and not do anything?" Seeing her heartbroken expression, Hu Yuejin softened and agreed, asking her to keep her emotions in check, which she promised to do.
Upon her return to the police station, Hu Rong immediately heard Liu Ziguang screaming from the interrogation room, demanding to see her. She rushed in, ignoring calls to stop. Liu Ziguang, distraught, found solace in her presence and embraced her tightly. Hu Rong whispered that she trusted him more than anyone and, looking into his eyes, asked if he had killed her father, Huang Zhenwu. Facing her anxious gaze, Liu Ziguang slowly admitted, "I did."
Heartbroken, Hu Rong pushed him away, stumbling back. With tears streaming down her face, she removed her engagement ring and placed it in his hand, crying, "I hate you!" She desperately pleaded with Liu Ziguang to tell her it wasn't true, to deny killing her father and being Sangbo, but he remained silent, unable to offer any denial. Tiger subsequently reported to Nie Wanfeng that Chengcheng had been successfully sent abroad.
He informed Nie Wanfeng that the Chinese police were now secretly investigating Nie Wanfeng's background and personal information, but reassured him that Wanka had ensured his fabricated records were flawless, urging him not to worry. However, Nie Wanfeng, who had been closely monitoring the police's actions, remained uneasy. He was concerned that the police had not yet arrested Liu Ziguang, which, by conventional standards, they should have done, leaving him feeling deeply unsettled.
During a case analysis meeting, Han Jin presented a photo Nie Wanfeng had given him, depicting Liu Ziguang participating in an armed organization. He expressed skepticism, noting that all of Nie Wanfeng's statements during his interrogation were meticulously complete, appearing seamless and prepared. Hu Yuejin, relying on his intuition, agreed that Nie Wanfeng's testimony seemed problematic, questioning how Nie Wanfeng could have obtained such a photo, given that armed drug trafficking groups typically maintain strict secrecy regarding their members' identities.
Deputy Song raised further questions, pointing out that while Nie Wanfeng claimed to have personally witnessed Liu Ziguang commit murder, Nie Wanfeng himself was not visible in the existing surveillance video. He instructed Han Jin to contact the M Country police to check for any more comprehensive surveillance footage. Given that Liu Ziguang had been interrogated for twenty-four hours without the police finding any conclusive evidence, Hu Yuejin proposed that Liu Ziguang be temporarily released.
He suggested this move could "beat the bush to scare the snake," allowing them to observe Nie Wanfeng's reactions and intentions. Following his release, Liu Ziguang returned to the boxing gym, where he was immediately surrounded by his friends and associates who were eager to question him. However, he remained silent, unable to utter a single word.
Han Jin later explained to Bei Xiaoshuai and the others that the case, involving Hu Rong and Liu Ziguang's lost eight years of memory, had caused Liu Ziguang significant emotional trauma. He concluded that for now, they could only await further evidence.
