Age of Legends Episode 43 Recap
> Age of Legends Recap
Sun Hu informed Nie Wanfeng that Chengcheng had been safely sent out of the country with his caretakers, and his mood was stable. Sun Hu also reported that Wanka had called, confirming that Chinese police were investigating Nie Wanfeng's identity and past experiences in M Country. Wanka assured them that the information he had prepared for Nie Wanfeng was flawless and nothing would go wrong.
Nie Wanfeng acknowledged Wanka's good work, pleased that his preparations would prevent his dubious past from being exposed, and instructed Sun Hu to keep Wanka well-compensated. Nie Wanfeng then expressed frustration that despite video footage, photos, and an eyewitness confirming Liu Ziguang as Sangbo, the police still had not arrested him, questioning what was happening at the Public Security Bureau. Meanwhile, at the police station, Director-General Hu Yuejin inquired about Liu Ziguang's interrogation.
Han Jin reported that Liu Ziguang was in a very bad psychological state and couldn't recall anything about his time in M Country or the case details, so questioning had been temporarily halted. Hu Yuejin asked if M Country police had confirmed Liu Ziguang as the drug lord Sangbo. Han Jin explained that while Liu Ziguang's photos and personal information were sent, M Country police lacked front-face images of Sangbo and thus couldn't confirm the identity.
Han Jin noted that it was Nie Wanfeng who claimed Liu Ziguang was Sangbo and provided details of their time in M Country, stating Liu Ziguang was the leader of an armed drug trafficking organization. Nie Wanfeng provided a photo as evidence and mentioned Liu Ziguang's organization tattoo, which many had seen when Liu Ziguang first returned.
Han Jin's analysis, however, was that the photo and tattoo only proved Liu Ziguang's involvement in a special armed organization, not that he was Sangbo. He also pointed out that Nie Wanfeng's account of witnessing Liu Ziguang kill his teacher, Zhenwu, lacked actual proof and sounded like a prepared script during their questioning. Due to these doubts, Han Jin had already contacted M Country police to verify Nie Wanfeng's entire history there before trusting his statement.
Hu Yuejin shared his intuition that Nie Wanfeng's confession was questionable, questioning how Nie Wanfeng obtained Liu Ziguang's photo and knew about the organization's tattoo, given that such groups typically keep members' identities secret. Han Jin admitted Nie Wanfeng didn't specify how he acquired this information. Hu Yuejin also noted that if Nie Wanfeng personally witnessed Zhenwu's murder, he should have appeared in the video footage from M Country, yet he was absent.
He instructed Han Jin to verify with M Country police if they had the complete video footage. Hu Yuejin suspected that Nie Wanfeng's consistent narrative, pointing to Liu Ziguang as Sangbo and Zhenwu's killer, might be a deliberate act to mislead the police and have Liu Ziguang punished, but his true objective remained unclear. Considering Liu Ziguang's psychological breakdown after nearly 24 hours of interrogation without sufficient evidence, Hu Yuejin concluded that his continued detention was detrimental to the investigation.
He emphasized that the existing partial video footage was insufficient to arbitrarily conclude Liu Ziguang was the murderer, and there was a lack of evidence to confirm him as Sangbo. Based on the principle of "in dubio pro reo," Hu Yuejin recommended releasing Liu Ziguang but placing him under strict surveillance. This would also allow them to observe Nie Wanfeng's reactions. Han Jin agreed. After the discussion, Director-General Hu Yuejin asked Hu Rong to stay behind at the police station.
He acknowledged her distress, reminding her that she had promised to control her emotions, but he heard she was very agitated during Liu Ziguang's interrogation. Hu Rong apologized, admitting she couldn't set aside her personal feelings and act solely as a police officer. Hu Yuejin expressed his understanding. He reiterated the police's reliance on evidence, pointing out that currently, there was insufficient proof to label Liu Ziguang as Sangbo or Zhenwu's murderer.
Therefore, adhering to the principle of "in dubio pro reo," Liu Ziguang could not yet be considered a real suspect. Speaking as her father and potentially Liu Ziguang's future father-in-law, Hu Yuejin shared his belief that Liu Ziguang was a good person, based on his interactions since Liu Ziguang's return to Jiangbei. He reminded Hu Rong how Liu Ziguang had bravely protected her, rushing to her aid in Golden Glory and taking a bullet for her at the used-car dealership.
He and Hu Rong's mother both saw their sincere love. Hu Yuejin recognized that Liu Ziguang's current situation, suspected of being Sangbo and Zhenwu's murderer, presented a significant test for their relationship. He urged Hu Rong to face Liu Ziguang rather than hide. As a police officer, it was her duty to investigate the truth, and privately, the conflicts in their love had to be resolved by them.
He advised her to be with Liu Ziguang, show him concern, and help him through this difficult period, offering this as both Director-General and father, while respecting her ultimate decision. Hu Rong thanked him. Han Jin then escorted Liu Ziguang back to the boxing gym. Liu Ziguang's friends gathered, asking about his condition, while he remained silent and distant.
Bei Xiaoshuai confronted Han Jin, accusing the police of being ungrateful after Liu Ziguang helped them solve a major drug trafficking case just two days prior. Han Jin clarified that as a friend, he hoped Liu Ziguang was innocent and believed him to be righteous and responsible, but as a police officer, he had to follow evidence, which had made Liu Ziguang a suspect. Li Jianguo intervened, asking Bei Xiaoshuai to understand Han Jin's difficulties.
Han Jin reassured them that the police would investigate thoroughly and provide answers, stating that the law would neither wrongly accuse the innocent nor let the guilty go free. He asked them to take good care of Liu Ziguang and to contact him immediately if any situation arose. At the boxing gym, Liu Ziguang remained unresponsive, despite A-Se's plea for him to wake up for the "Light Sect" and Zhuo Li's attempt to feed him kebabs Li Jianguo had grilled.
Suddenly, Liu Ziguang demanded alcohol, confusing A-Se, who pointed out he never drank. Liu Ziguang insisted he had drunk milk as requested and now wanted alcohol. Bei Xiaoshuai, unable to watch him distressed, went to buy some. Hu Rong, still pondering her father's words, then received a frantic phone call from Bei Xiaoshuai, who said Liu Ziguang was having another breakdown and they couldn't control him. She rushed to the boxing gym.
When Bei Xiaoshuai arrived back with alcohol, Liu Ziguang, now coherent enough to reject it, demanded milk, having seemingly forgotten his earlier request for alcohol. Upon seeing Hu Rong, Liu Ziguang's mood seemed to shift. He happily took her hand and wanted to go to the pipe room in Golden Glory, feeling it was the only place they could talk privately and safely. Hu Rong tried to calm him down, offering to get him food.
In a state of agitation, Liu Ziguang began drawing on eggs, repeatedly declaring, "This is wrong." He claimed the eggs weren't from Golden Glory and kept asking for more, insisting on drawing himself. Hu Rong watched him, distressed. Meanwhile, Sun Hu informed Nie Wanfeng that Liu Ziguang had been released by the police and sent back to the boxing gym.
Nie Wanfeng, surprised by this development, commented that they had underestimated the police and decided to wait and observe the police's next move. He then mused about how much of his past Liu Ziguang might have recalled. Although he had always treated Liu Ziguang like a brother, Nie Wanfeng now acknowledged that Liu Ziguang had become a threat, and he expressed a chilling desire for Liu Ziguang's death, indicating a willingness to resort to any means necessary.
Han Jin received an update from M Country regarding Nie Wanfeng's background verification. The report confirmed that Nie Wanfeng's late wife, Ruan Junlan, was from a wealthy family in M Country, suffered from congenital heart disease, died shortly after giving birth to Nie Chengcheng, and Nie Wanfeng subsequently inherited her family's significant assets. Three years prior, he returned to Jiangbei with Nie Chengcheng and established the Major Development Group using these funds, commuting between Jiangbei and M Country for business.
Han Jin then inquired about the complete bistro video footage. Little Zhao informed him that M Country reported the recording camera's storage device was damaged, and only the middle section of the footage could be retrieved, with no recordings before or after. Han Jin found this "coincidence" highly suspicious, believing the video had been tampered with to hide undisclosed secrets.
He noted that if Nie Wanfeng was present at the scene as he claimed, he should have appeared in the video, but he didn't. These discrepancies convinced Han Jin that Nie Wanfeng was involved with the video's tampering. He instructed Little Zhao to contact Chang Tuo immediately to investigate the video for signs of manipulation, suspecting an accomplice might be within their own department.
Little Zhao also updated Han Jin that Nie Wanfeng's associate, Brother Hu, was identified as Sun Hu, a Guangdong resident with no criminal record, who became Nie Wanfeng's assistant three years ago. His connection to Nie Wanfeng, however, remained unverified. Additionally, Houzi's whereabouts were located in Zhejiang, and he was under surveillance, with efforts underway to bring him back to Jiangbei soon.
Han Jin emphasized the importance of arresting Houzi quickly and maintaining close surveillance on Sun Hu and Nie Wanfeng. Sun Hu later reported to Nie Wanfeng that he spotted two suspicious individuals outside, possibly undercover police, suggesting they were being watched. Nie Wanfeng, realizing the police were suspecting him, declared his intention to take a public stand and let everyone in Jiangbei witness his actions.
He proceeded to host a grand donation ceremony, announcing his Major Development Group would donate ten public primary schools in his late wife Madam Junlan's name, claiming it was a way to give back to society. Meanwhile, Liu Ziguang's mental state continued to deteriorate. He furiously stabbed a sandbag with a dagger, asking it if he was Sangbo and if he had killed someone, hallucinating that the sandbag confirmed his guilt.
He saw his hands covered in blood and raised the dagger to stab himself, but Hu Rong, horrified, quickly intervened and stopped him. To prevent Liu Ziguang from harming himself, his friends had to tie him to a chair while trying to talk sense into him. Zhuo Li implored Liu Ziguang to remember his friends and Hu Rong, emphasizing that they would face any difficulties together and that he shouldn't torment himself. Li Jianguo also urged him to "wake up."
Seeing the chaotic situation, Li Jianguo asserted that Liu Ziguang was crumbling under immense psychological pressure, and Hu Rong was also on the verge of breaking down. He proposed that the only solution was to go to M Country to thoroughly investigate Liu Ziguang's lost eight years and find evidence to prove his innocence. Bei Xiaoshuai expressed concern about the vastness of M Country, but Li Jianguo turned to A-Se, recalling his mention of the Light Sect in M Country.
A-Se confirmed the Light Sect was in Mengla, M Country, and he knew the way. He also mentioned an "Old Sect Leader," Liu Ziguang's teacher, who knew everything about Liu Ziguang's past. Li Jianguo decided he and A-Se would immediately travel to M Country to find the Light Sect and the Old Sect Leader. He instructed Bei Xiaoshuai and Zhuo Li to stay behind and care for Liu Ziguang, Hu Rong, and Uncle Guo.
Li Jianguo also cautioned them not to reveal their mission until they found some concrete clues. After the others left, Hu Rong and Liu Ziguang sat together on the sofa, with Liu Ziguang's head resting on her lap. Hu Rong, her voice filled with emotion, spoke to a silent Liu Ziguang.
She confessed that upon his return to Jiangbei, she initially saw him as a bad person, but after all they had been through, he had become a hero in her heart, and she had entrusted her entire life to him. Now, facing the possibility that he might be the drug lord Sangbo or even her father's murderer, her greatest enemy, she had many unanswered questions. Yet, in his current state, he couldn't answer.
She reiterated that she had never cared about his past, only loving him for who he was now, but she never imagined his past would have such a profound impact on her. Hu Rong stroked his hair, silently holding back her tears. Li Jianguo and A-Se arrived in M Country. A-Se led him to a small bistro that was once important to them, but they found its doors nailed shut.
A-Se explained that the "Old Sect Leader" he mentioned was the bistro's owner. Unbeknownst to Li Jianguo and A-Se, their arrival near the bistro had been noticed, and they were put under discreet surveillance by Nie Wanfeng's people. Meanwhile, back at the boxing gym, Hu Rong noticed Bei Xiaoshuai and Zhuo Li furtively looking at something and directly questioned them.
