Are You Safe Recap, Plot, Synopsis
Are You Safe Synopsis
The "Three Swordsmen", Qin Huai, Zhou You, and Chen Mo, have very different personalities, but all uphold the original intention of " Science and Technology for Good".
The three of them join forces in the process of confronting an illegal Internet gang time and time again, from mutual suspicion to mutual cooperation.
Are You Safe Recap
Episode 1 Recap
In a bustling city, a man approached a young woman, asking to borrow her power bank. After she lent it to him, he retreated to a secluded spot and swiftly extracted all her personal information. However, his illegal actions did not go unnoticed, and soon, the police arrived to apprehend him. Qin Huai, an information security expert with a CISP certification, proudly recounted this successful case to a new client, Ms. Xia Yan, who had come to consult him.
Xia Yan expressed her desire to install a comprehensive security protection app, but when she heard about the requirement for full upfront payment, she turned to leave. Qin Huai, however, stopped her, revealing that he had already pieced together her situation through her social media activity, including her late-night food posts and lack of posts about her husband. He correctly deduced that she suspected her husband of having an affair, calling himself the type of hacker who does good deeds.
Reluctantly, Xia Yan confirmed Qin Huai's suspicions and poured out her heart. She and her husband, Shi Quan, had been married for years, but recently, he had become distant and constantly glued to his phone. She found it suspicious that he had switched from odorless body wash to a rose-scented one and even bought a cartoon graphic T-shirt.
Qin Huai quickly investigated, revealing that the T-shirt was ACGN merchandise and the rose-scented body wash was merely a giveaway product from a facial mask. Annoyed, Xia Yan insisted on installing a wiretapping app on Shi Quan's phone. Qin Huai, adhering to his principle of never breaking the law, refused to install illegal software, but offered modern, legal methods to gather evidence. He outlined a four-step process for Xia Yan.
First, check Shi Quan's WeRun steps to gauge his physical activity. Xia Yan immediately saw that Shi Quan had already walked thousands of steps by noon. Second, send him a shopping link; if he forwarded it to someone who then opened it, Xia Yan would receive an alert. They tried this, and Xia Yan instantly received a notification that a user had opened the link Shi Quan forwarded.
For the third and fourth steps, Xia Yan would need to act herself. Combining Shi Quan's recent behavior, they soon identified "Ghost Fire Dancer" as a key person of interest. Later that night, while Shi Quan was asleep, Xia Yan logged into Baidu Cloud on his phone with her own account, setting up cloud backup for photos and call logs. She then opened the DiDi app and changed the emergency contact to her number, also enabling default location sharing.
Soon after, her phone received an alert from the DiDi app. Qin Huai and his assistant analyzed "Ghost Fire Dancer's" online profile. They discovered her social media identity was a month-old fabrication, and her photos were stolen from the internet. Qin Huai suspected a deeper conspiracy, finding that she was "not simple" and there might be some hidden plot involved. Separately, the community invited Qin Huai to host a cybersecurity seminar.
During his presentation, the community computer was suddenly hacked, displaying the message "You're my grandson." Thinking quickly, Qin Huai spun the incident into a live demonstration of a cyberattack, instructing the audience to unplug network cables and power down affected machines. After the "demonstration," Qin Huai realized the hack was real and that he had underestimated "Ghost Fire Dancer," guessing it was her doing.
Meanwhile, lawyer Lin Shuo conducted due diligence at Shi Quan's company, reminding all employees that any personal life issues could jeopardize the company's upcoming IPO. The company's boss also issued a warning about the consequences of such issues affecting the company's listing. Shi Quan, seemingly distracted, then used his phone to send a date invitation to "Ghost Fire Dancer." Xia Yan called Qin Huai, asking him to join her in catching Shi Quan red-handed at a hotel.
While his assistant initially declined on Qin Huai's behalf, Qin Huai was intrigued by "Ghost Fire Dancer" and decided to go. At the hotel, Shi Quan attempted to sexually assault the person he believed to be "Ghost Fire Dancer," and when they resisted, he threatened them. Xia Yan and Qin Huai burst in, interrupting the assault. Xia Yan confronted Shi Quan, while Qin Huai chased "Ghost Fire Dancer" through the hotel.
After a long chase, Qin Huai finally caught up, only to discover that "Ghost Fire Dancer" was, in fact, a young man named Zhou You. Qin Huai pressed him to reveal who he was working for, but Zhou You managed to escape, though Qin Huai cleverly swiped a micro-camera hidden on Zhou You's collar. The story then flashed back a week. Zhou You had accidentally saved a young woman named Si Ya from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Si Ya, a recent college graduate, confided in him about her ordeal. She had landed her first job in the city but soon found herself harassed by her boss, Shi Quan, first through messages, then physically. When she decided to resign, Shi Quan falsely accused her of financial tampering, effectively ending her career prospects in the industry. Moved by her plight, Zhou You resolved to help Si Ya expose Shi Quan's true colors.
Episode 2 Recap
Si Ya had initially believed her and Zhou You's plan would be ruined, but was surprised when the video ultimately appeared online, exposing Shi Quan and igniting widespread condemnation from netizens. Zhou You was initially proud, only to realize the video hadn't been uploaded by him.
He quickly went online, offering a substantial reward to find the user "SilenceLamb," whom he angrily described as a "scum who broke the rules" for submitting the video to Quan Jian Group and taking credit for Zhou You's efforts. Following clues from an online user, Zhou You tracked down Qin Huai, the owner of Kai Gua Le Cybersecurity Company.
Zhou You began sifting through Qin Huai's discarded trash to find information about him, making a sarcastic remark about Qin Huai's lack of basic security, only to find Qin Huai standing right behind him. Qin Huai invited Zhou You into his small office, where Zhou You confidently revealed intimate details of Qin Huai's life, including his age, university, career choices, hobbies, and even his single status. Qin Huai, however, dismissed Zhou You’s findings, stating he charged by the hour.
Zhou You accused Qin Huai of stealing his camera and videos, and taking credit for his work. Qin Huai countered that he was merely waiting for Zhou You to thank him for revealing the videos to Shi Quan's company. Enraged, Zhou You challenged Qin Huai to a duel in which if Zhou You won, Qin Huai would have to publicly admit he was a loser and hand over the "SilenceLamb" ID.
If Zhou You lost, he would work for Qin Huai for free for a year. Qin Huai accepted, setting the first challenge: Zhou You had ten minutes to discover "who he was." During the challenge, Qin Huai revealed that he already knew Zhou You's various online aliases—"Ghost Fire Dancer," "Bubble Gum Evil," and "Ms. Cleaner"—as well as his real name.
Qin Huai exposed Zhou You's past: a self-taught computer genius who was expelled from school for hacking the system, tampering with his grades, and maliciously editing a teacher's photo. Zhou You’s parents had tearfully pleaded with the principal, but Zhou You, defiant, maintained he was not at fault. He ran away from home at 16 and had been wandering for two years.
His parents, still hoping to hear from him, received a silent phone call one evening, sensing it was their son, but he hung up before they could speak. Having comprehensively revealed Zhou You's identity, Qin Huai won the first round of their three-game bet. Meanwhile, at Quan Jian Group, an internal announcement stated that due to Shi Quan's misconduct, the board had demoted him to a branch office.
Lin Shuo, a lawyer from Everlasting Justice, felt Shi Quan deserved to be fired. A colleague explained to Lin Shuo that Shi Quan, a 20-year veteran of the company, knew too many secrets. Firing him outright risked him exposing damaging information and jeopardizing the company's upcoming IPO. Lin Shuo’s boyfriend, Mr. Shen, later reinforced this view, suggesting that if the IPO failed due to Shi Quan, hundreds of innocent employees would suffer layoffs.
He told Lin Shuo that the victims had "won the battle" and their reputations would be reinstated, advising her not to be emotional. Unbeknownst to Lin Shuo, her boyfriend (Mr. Shen) was secretly colluding with Shi Quan, who praised Mr. Shen for turning the public opinion around within days. Mr. Shen explained his strategy was "slut shaming," illustrating how public perception could be manipulated to label a woman a "slut" without investigation, effectively undermining any "miracles."
Shi Quan then asked Mr. Shen for help with his wife, whose discontent was threatening the company's listing. Si Ya, having become the target of online discussions and attacks, decided to leave the bustling city and return to her hometown. She confided in Zhou You that although she initially tried to clarify the truth, she realized netizens cared more about "the fun" than "the truth." To her, the online storm was consuming her life, and she longed for peace.
Zhou You, though frustrated, respected her decision. Driven by a desire to help Si Ya, Zhou You set up a competing network service studio directly below Qin Huai's, aggressively offering free services and poaching his clients. Qin Huai, initially dismissive, grew frustrated by the competition. When Lin Shuo visited Qin Huai's office seeking information on "Ghost Fire Dancer," Qin Huai feigned ignorance, despite Lin Shuo stating she knew he was at the scene of Shi Quan's video.
Lin Shuo, a PhD in Internet Law and Personal Information Security, warned Qin Huai she would sue him if she found any flaws in his information protection. Qin Huai, still refusing to betray his "friend," playfully offered to investigate Lin Shuo’s boyfriend instead. As Lin Shuo left, Zhou You tried to solicit her business, but Qin Huai mocked him, hinting that Lin Shuo had still chosen his services.
After witnessing continued online attacks against Si Ya, Zhou You sought advice from "Grey Heron" online on how to make netizens face the truth. Grey Heron suggested a drastic measure: identifying those who wrongly accused Si Ya, hacking their accounts, and publishing letters of apology in their names to clear her reputation. Though initially hesitant about "black accounts," Zhou You ultimately agreed, convinced that those who deliberately slandered his friend deserved such a response.
Episode 3 Recap
Xia Yan initiated divorce proceedings against Shi Quan, which caused the initial public offering (IPO) audit for Quan Jian Group to be forcibly suspended. Lin Shuo, the lawyer representing Quan Jian Group, found herself in a deeply conflicted state; she felt professionally obligated to assist the company's listing but, as a woman, could not tolerate working with someone like Shi Quan.
Returning home, Lin Shuo discovered her boyfriend, Shen Yizhang, had prepared a table full of dishes for their three-year anniversary, making her feel guilty for neglecting him due to her busy work schedule. Around this time, a character known as "Ghost Fire Dancer" called Lin Shuo, inviting her to a meeting. Separately, Lin Shuo also contacted Tang Lin, seeking information about Ghost Fire Dancer, but Tang Lin refused to disclose any details.
Ding Ayi enjoyed collecting freebies from the supermarket, and her studio was filled with these "trophies." One day, the arm of her Maneki-Neko figurine broke. Zhou You, who was using the company's restroom, offered to repair it. Tang Lin had noticed the issue with the Maneki-Neko's arm. Upon opening the figurine, Zhou You discovered an encrypted wireless network probe hidden inside.
He expressed surprise at this, questioning why a network security expert like Qin Huai might not have anticipated such vulnerabilities. Zhou You explained to Ding Ayi the severe danger of such a device: it infiltrates all phones connected to surrounding wireless networks, records their personal information, and transmits it to a hacker's server. Once hackers accumulate enough data, they can identify the phone owner, and deploying such probes in a city would lead to endless trouble.
Zhou You drafted an apology letter and asked his online friend, Ash Heron, for input. Ash Heron suggested he transfer all the money from Shi Quan's account. Zhou You wasn't interested in the money but wanted to transfer it to Si Ya as spiritual compensation. As he hesitated, Qin Huai suddenly appeared, snatching his phone.
Qin Huai warned Zhou You that once money became involved, the nature of the situation would change entirely, transforming his quest for justice for Si Ya into a criminal act. Qin Huai knew not only that Zhou You had hacked Shi Quan's account but also that he intended to meet Lin Shuo.
Qin Huai understood Zhou You's initial intentions but cautioned the naive young man: if Lin Shuo were to declare that Shi Quan had long known Ghost Fire Dancer was male, it would effectively prove Shi Quan had no interest in women. This would lead to a re-discussion of the sexual harassment allegations against him, potentially allowing Shi Quan to escape unscathed while the female victims would be silenced by public criticism.
Despite Qin Huai's warnings, Zhou You decided to meet Lin Shuo, even disguising himself as a woman. Lin Shuo admitted her disdain for Shi Quan despite being Quan Jian Company's acting lawyer. Zhou You asked if she would publicize any video evidence she received, and Lin Shuo meticulously stated she would only do so after verifying the authenticity of the video content.
Moved by Lin Shuo's integrity and sense of justice, Zhou You removed his wig and revealed his true identity. Lin Shuo advised Zhou You that for Shi Quan to receive appropriate punishment, Si Ya needed to step forward and courageously file a lawsuit. Zhou You, finding Lin Shuo trustworthy after their conversation, felt more confident in her.
Qin Huai, who observed Zhou You's skepticism towards his neutral stance—neither supporting Xia Yan nor Si Ya—explained that their field does not seek applause, but rather the absence of tears. Zhou You also noticed that Qin Huai's movements had been exposed, which led Tang Lin to suspect Qin Huai was on a blind date when she saw Zhou You at Warehouse No. 3 and noticed Qin Huai had dressed up.
She took Zhou You to Warehouse No. 3, a popular dating spot, where they witnessed Qin Huai dating three different women in quick succession, leading Zhou You to question Qin Huai's character. Initially determined to divorce in order to claim half of Shi Quan's assets, Xia Yan was later forced to reconsider.
Shen Yizhang helped Shi Quan negotiate with Xia Yan, producing photographs of her attending a "President's Wife Training Class" to imply that finding another wealthy husband after a messy divorce would be difficult. Knowing her weakness, Xia Yan agreed not to divorce. However, the ordeal was not over, as Shen Yizhang then blackmailed her for a sum of hush money. Zhou You, upon seeing the news of Xia Yan's withdrawn divorce, was enraged.
He again considered invading Shi Quan's account to send the apology letter but, remembering Lin Shuo's advice, ultimately refrained. He then messaged Si Ya, encouraging her to step forward and file a lawsuit. Qin Huai immediately called, cautioning Zhou You against rash actions, but Zhou You, blinded by anger, ignored his advice. Meanwhile, Qin Huai attended the annual gathering of the 2012 Gunners Fan Club, where members watched an Arsenal football match.
Gazing at a group photo, he reflected on his past partnership with Chen Mo; they were once known as the "twin stars" of the computer science department, their combined efforts formidable. Now, however, they had gone their separate ways, and Chen Mo's whereabouts were unknown.
Episode 4 Recap
In a country in Southeast Asia, Chen Mo was diligently repairing electrical wires at a small pub, where customers eagerly awaited the start of an Arsenal football match. While working, Chen Mo caught a glimpse of the game on television, which stirred a sense of melancholy in him. However, he did not linger, as he had recently stumbled upon the hideout of an information fraud syndicate.
Under the guise of a garbage collector, he had attempted to investigate the suspicious house, only to be caught by one of its occupants. Fortunately, the pub owner intervened, pulling Chen Mo away and cautioning him against getting involved with such dangerous individuals. Later, Chen Mo, now working as a food delivery person, gained entry to the fraudulent group's house. While delivering a meal, he secretly placed a listening device under a table.
As he was leaving, the man who had previously confronted him stopped him again. Recognizing Chen Mo from his earlier attempt as a garbage collector, the man questioned him. Chen Mo nervously explained that he was just a delivery guy who got a job at a nearby restaurant. The man warned him not to return for future deliveries, then allowed him to leave.
Once outside, Chen Mo activated the listening device and overheard the scammers discussing their operations, including their methods for deceiving people through investment schemes, gambling, and game top-ups, with their motto being, "A thousand or two is never too small an amount, a hundred or even a million, never put a cap over it!"
He then distinctly heard them mention a target, an account associated with the number "497149865," which Chen Mo recognized as Qin Huai's unique online identity from a past conversation. Meanwhile, back in China, a club president at an Arsenal fan gathering excitedly announced that his bet on the first half of the match had won him a million dollars. He attempted to cash out the winnings on his phone but encountered an error message, "User invalid?"
Qin Huai immediately recognized that the president had been scammed. Upon further investigation, Qin Huai discovered that all the club president's accounts had been completely wiped clean. He then contacted Officer Guo Yao to report the incident to the police. After the club president provided his statement at the police station, Qin Huai approached Guo Yao, asking for any news about Chen Mo.
Guo Yao admitted she had no information and speculated that Chen Mo might be intentionally avoiding Qin Huai. She added that if Chen Mo were aware of all that Qin Huai had done for him over the years, he would surely be deeply moved. Qin Huai then reflected on the past. Five years prior, he and Chen Mo were inseparable friends and brilliant students in Computer Engineering.
Chen Mo received an offer from Hupo, a prestigious company, and enthusiastically shared the news with Qin Huai. Qin Huai, however, told Chen Mo he hadn't been accepted. When Chen Mo declared he wouldn't go to Hupo without Qin Huai, Qin Huai revealed his own acceptance letter. They playfully argued, proudly proclaiming themselves the "twin stars" and "invincible dynamic duo" of Computer Engineering, deciding to embark on their professional journey together.
Their promising future was tragically altered when Chen Mo's mother fell victim to an information scam. The emotional trauma caused her to wander into traffic, resulting in a car accident that left her partially paralyzed. Chen Mo dedicated himself to finding the culprits, relentlessly investigating and searching. Qin Huai stood by him, assuring Chen Mo that his mother was recovering well and that Chen Mo's business was his too.
Together, they relentlessly pursued leads, eventually pinpointing the scammers' IP address to an overseas location. A text message from the rehab center reminding Qin Huai of an overdue payment for Chen Mo's mother's care jolted him back to the present, and he promptly made the ¥48,888 payment. In another development, Zhou You had been tracking Qin Huai, observing him engaging in multiple online conversations, even sweet-talking different contacts on the phone.
Zhou You, finding the behavior "disgusting," realized Qin Huai was likely caught in a "pig-butchering" scam. He overheard Qin Huai telling one of the online contacts that he would transfer ¥100,000 for "insider shares" after receiving a loan, and that he had an appointment to meet them. Concerned, Zhou You attempted to warn Qin Huai not to be fooled, but Qin Huai disappeared before he could reach him.
Qin Huai, following instructions from the online scammer, arrived at an underground parking garage. He met two men who presented him with a loan contract for ¥300,000, despite him only requesting ¥100,000. They explained it was a special offer for new customers, with no interest. Feigning caution due to prevalent scams, Qin Huai asked to review the loan approval report on their internal system.
One of the men handed Qin Huai his phone, allowing Qin Huai to quickly transfer all of the scammers' internal information to his own device. Satisfied, Qin Huai proceeded to sign the contract, provided his ID, and affixed his fingerprint. The men confirmed the ¥300,000 had been transferred to his account, and invited him to use their services again in the future.
With the information secured, Qin Huai then contacted his online "sweetheart" via phone, declaring he would not be buying the stock. He exposed their scheme, telling the scammer that the police had warned him about romance scams and that the moneylenders were their accomplices. Qin Huai defiantly stated he was taking the ¥300,000 as a lesson for them. As he was speaking, his phone repeatedly displayed, "Waiting for Guo Yao to connect. . ."
signaling a struggle to maintain contact with the police. Moments later, he was suddenly grabbed, drugged, and shoved into a waiting van. Simultaneously, his phone finally connected with Guo Yao, who reported that the scammer identified as "497149865" had been caught and the money recovered. Just then, Zhou You arrived at the garage and witnessed Qin Huai being abducted. He frantically shouted, "Stop the car! Qin Huai!" and pursued the van on a bicycle.
However, the van eventually stopped, and the men inside, realizing Zhou You was trying to help Qin Huai, pulled him off his bike. They scoffed at his threat to call the police and forced him into the van as well. Inside, a groggy Qin Huai asked Zhou You why he was there, to which Zhou You replied, "I'm here to save you."
Episode 5 Recap
Qin Huai and Zhou You found themselves held captive by a group of loan sharks. Initially, Qin Huai was uncertain if they were connected to the romance scam, but their aggressive tactics confirmed his suspicions. The loan sharks presented Qin Huai with an IOU for one million yuan. Qin Huai acknowledged taking three hundred thousand yuan from them and offered to return it, suggesting they forget the incident. However, his pleas were ignored, and the loan sharks demanded compensation.
Zhou You, outraged by the treatment of Qin Huai, verbally attacked the loan sharks, calling them incompetent and weak. Observing the bond between the two, the lead scammer decided to exploit it, threatening to sever Zhou You's finger with a knife. Zhou You, terrified, pleaded with Qin Huai to sign the contract, emphasizing that his hands were crucial for typing. Under duress, Qin Huai agreed to sign, subtly signaling to Zhou You with his eyes.
As Qin Huai completed the signature, he seized a moment of distraction, broke free from his restraints, and pulled Zhou You with him as they fled. They ran through the building, with Qin Huai attempting to communicate with Guo Yao on his phone, following her signal. He informed her that he had deliberately fallen into the trap and couldn't fully explain the situation at the moment, urging her to find an opportunity to escape and not worry about him.
Zhou You, misunderstanding, believed Qin Huai was expressing his feelings for one of the romance scam targets (lolis or old women) and insisted he was there to save Qin Huai. During their frantic escape, they encountered one of the scammers, leading to a struggle where Qin Huai's phone was knocked from his hand and fell to a lower floor. Hearing the commotion, more scammers converged, forcing Qin Huai to grab Zhou You and continue running downstairs.
The pair eventually reached a large exit door, but it was locked. Cornered by the now numerous scammers, Qin Huai picked up a wooden stick, preparing to defend themselves. Zhou You warned the scammers that their actions were illegal. The lead scammer approached them, demanding five million yuan in compensation for their earlier actions, including not signing the initial loan contract and injuring his associates.
He offered Qin Huai and Zhou You a choice: sign the loan contract, or each sacrifice a leg. Qin Huai, with an intimidating demeanor, took a step forward, emboldening Zhou You who expected a fight. However, Qin Huai suddenly dropped the wooden stick, knelt down, and agreed to pay the five million yuan, stunning Zhou You into silence. Zhou You, though momentarily speechless and calling Qin Huai spineless, quickly knelt beside him.
Just then, flashing police lights appeared outside, signaling the arrival of the authorities. At the police station, Zhou You learned that Qin Huai's seemingly reckless online interactions were part of a planned operation to lure out the scammers. He felt a pang of guilt, realizing he had nearly jeopardized Qin Huai's carefully laid plan.
Guo Yao, arriving on the scene, reprimanded Qin Huai for undertaking the operation without proper authorization, emphasizing that her timely report to their team had ensured their rescue. Meanwhile, Chen Mo, under the cover of night, successfully infiltrated the scammers' stronghold and carefully navigated to their signal center. As he began uploading crucial data, a scammer discovered him, leading to a fierce struggle.
Despite being close to exhaustion, Chen Mo managed to incapacitate the scammer, ensuring the data upload was completed. After escaping, Chen Mo immediately contacted the police and forwarded the evidence to the domestic authorities. The police, following the leads provided by the anonymous whistleblower, identified the location of the scammers and key individuals involved. They connected the information to the mysterious hacker known as "the Advisor," a figure crucial to Chen Mo's personal case from years ago.
In what appeared to be an overseas location, the leader of the scam operations, Huang Mao, called the Advisor in a panic as police sirens blared outside their compound. He informed the Advisor of the raid and the data theft. The Advisor, enraged by Huang Mao's incompetence, instructed him to delete all contact history and server data, promising to find a way to extract him if he remained silent.
Concurrently, a "General," who communicated with the Advisor using a voice changer, expressed concern about a captured subordinate. The Advisor reminded the General to 'know his position' and referenced services he had provided. The General then retorted by reminding the Advisor of their long-standing partnership and the significant "protection fees" paid, expecting the Advisor to now serve his interests.
At the police station, officers confirmed that an anonymous whistleblower had uploaded several gigabytes of data, including transaction records and romance scam scripts, which perfectly matched their interrogation findings and directly implicated the Advisor. Inspired by Zhou You's encouragement, Si Ya decided to pursue a lawsuit against Shi Quan. She later visited Zhou You, bearing the good news of her victory and the public disgrace of Shi Quan.
She also mentioned "SilenceLamb," expressing a desire to thank the individual who had exposed the online trolls supporting Shi Quan. Zhou You was surprised to realize that Qin Huai had been secretly assisting Si Ya. Later, reflecting on Qin Huai's character with Auntie Ding and Tang Lin, Zhou You learned that while Qin Huai appeared to be a money-driven individual, he consistently offered pro bono assistance to victims of online scams.
This newfound understanding significantly altered Zhou You's perception of Qin Huai. Soon after, Qin Huai invited Zhou You to join his company, "Kai Gua Le." Qin Huai revealed he knew Zhou You had been investigating him, acknowledging Zhou You's foundational skills in cybersecurity. He playfully claimed victory in their ongoing rivalry, emphasizing that Zhou You could only defeat him by truly understanding his weaknesses from within.
Motivated to challenge Qin Huai and ultimately surpass him, Zhou You accepted the offer, agreeing to a probationary period with a variable salary. Concurrently, Lin Shuo received a call from Zhou You, who thanked her for her help in Si Ya's case. Lin Shuo reciprocated, explaining that Si Ya's courageous testimony against Shi Quan was instrumental in the Quan Jian Group's decision to fire him, allowing her to officially become a partner and ensuring the company's successful public listing.
As Chen Mo's birthday approached, he celebrated alone, picking up a cake given by a convenience store owner. Just as he entered his apartment, an unknown assailant ambushed him from behind, rendering him unconscious. Meanwhile, Qin Huai, anticipating Chen Mo's absence, still celebrated his friend's birthday at a bar. He noticed Lin Shuo being harassed by a drunken man and intervened, taking the drink the man was forcing on her and consuming it himself.
Soon after departing, he felt a sudden wave of dizziness, indicating the drink might have been laced. Before losing consciousness entirely, he managed to send a text message to Zhou You, requesting a pickup at his location. Zhou You arrived to find Qin Huai unconscious on the street, his phone and wallet stolen by opportunistic thugs. Upon seeing him, Zhou You wondered if a drug had finally taken effect. Struggling, Zhou You managed to carry the heavy Qin Huai back to his room.
Episode 6 Recap
Qin Huai woke up in Zhou You’s room with a pounding headache, unable to recall the events of the previous night. Zhou You recounted finding him wasted and asleep in a garden bed, adding that his phone and wallet had been stolen. Qin Huai remarked that even with strong defensive awareness, one could still fall into a security loophole in real life. He suspected his drink had been spiked, as he only had one drink.
Zhou You then pressed him, curious about "Chen Mo," a name Qin Huai had been babbling about all night. Qin Huai, however, deflected the question. Later, Qin Huai visited the police station and learned from Officer Guo that his blood test revealed residual psychotropic drugs, commonly used in assault cases. He tried to inquire about Chen Mo, but Officer Guo, also having heard the name from Qin Huai the night before, asked him who Chen Mo was.
Qin Huai evaded her question. A few days later, Qin Huai received a text notification stating that he had successfully checked in at the Cybersecurity Summit. He immediately suspected Zhou You had impersonated him to attend. His suspicions were confirmed when he arrived at the summit and found Zhou You attempting to take photos in a restricted area without an invitation.
Qin Huai intervened, presenting his own invitation and claiming Zhou You was his secretary, thus resolving the situation with the staff. As the summit officially began, the lights dimmed, focusing on the stage. Ma Pingchuan, CTO of Hupo Group, introduced the company’s new flagship product, the Hupo Security Service Group, or "HuCloud." He boasted about its impenetrable defenses and announced a cybersecurity challenge, offering a grand prize to anyone who could breach three of HuCloud's five defenses.
Zhou You was eager to participate, but Qin Huai wanted to leave. During the event, Qin Huai also encountered Lawyer Lin Shuo, who thanked him for helping her at the bar previously and offered to treat him to dinner. In the challenge, Zhou You adeptly broke through two lines of defense but found himself struggling with the third as time ran out. Qin Huai, observing his partner, stepped forward, advising him not to solely focus on attacking.
Annoyed by the unexpected counter-attack from the system, Zhou You, still confident in his skills, challenged Qin Huai to take his place. Qin Huai took the stage and skillfully navigated the system, quickly breaching all three defenses to win the competition. The crowd erupted in applause, and Zhou You watched, astonished by Qin Huai’s incredible ability. During the award presentation, Zhou You went to receive the prize, which Ma Pingchuan presented.
Ma Pingchuan recognized Qin Huai and commented on his new young and brilliant partner. Qin Huai reminded Ma Pingchuan of a past incident where Ma Pingchuan, as Vice President of the Cybersecurity Association, had defamed his former partner, Chen Mo, leading to Chen Mo's professional ruin. Ma Pingchuan justified his actions, stating it was his responsibility to remove a "morally corrupt member" and protect the industry's credibility.
Qin Huai, disgusted by Ma Pingchuan's hypocrisy, had refused to work with him back then. In the present, Ma Pingchuan noted that five years had passed, and Hupo had become an industry leader while Qin Huai remained unchanged. Qin Huai retorted that Ma Pingchuan's server should also "do better."
Ma Pingchuan then offered Zhou You a job at Hupo with ten times his current annual salary, an offer Zhou You later proudly declined to Qin Huai, stating his dislike for Ma Pingchuan despite the generous compensation. Qin Huai pointed out that Ma Pingchuan was not only Hupo’s technical director but also the Vice President of the Security Association, someone not to be easily offended.
Qin Huai then received an urgent call from his Godmother, who, upon his arrival, tearfully confessed that she had been in secret contact with Chen Mo for years, but he had explicitly forbidden her from telling Qin Huai. She was worried because Chen Mo had not responded to her birthday message for several days, an unusual occurrence. Qin Huai examined her phone for clues.
Taking the information to Officer Guo, Qin Huai learned that Chen Mo's last known location was suspiciously close to a fraud syndicate’s hideout in Taimanda. Officer Guo recalled an anonymous tip email about the syndicate that had been sent from Taimanda, suggesting Chen Mo might have been the informant. She speculated that the syndicate might have retaliated against Chen Mo for sending the email, putting him in grave danger.
Meanwhile, Chen Mo was held captive in a remote house, his face and body bruised and bloodied. His interrogator, who seemed to recognize him from a previous encounter in Chiang Mai, demanded to know who sent him – a rival or the police. Chen Mo maintained he was "just a nobody trying to get by," but his captor did not believe him and threatened him.
Separately, other members of the fraud syndicate discussed the "General" in Taimanda having caught Chen Mo, the tipster. They planned to inform the Taimanda police to take down the General, leveraging the situation. In another dimly lit room, a woman desperately tried to escape, banging on a locked door with an iron rod.
Episode 7 Recap
In Taimanda, a fierce shootout erupted in a luxurious building as police surrounded a scam syndicate. Chen Mo, his hands freed from ropes, stumbled out of a room and fled. A bullet whizzed past his ear as he desperately ran. He was forced to jump to the first floor, where he quickly got into a random car and sped away. However, blood streaming from his facial wound obstructed his vision, and he crashed into something.
Later, Chen Mo awoke in an unfamiliar house to find a beautiful woman named Mu Tong standing before him. She explained that, like him, she had also escaped from the scam syndicate. After the operation, the Thai police, hampered by a lack of manpower and a vast search area, were unable to apprehend the syndicate's core members. Despite this, the police successfully prevented dozens of scams, saving millions of dollars in potential losses.
Yet, many people continued to trust the scammers, ignoring warnings and still wiring money to their accounts, highlighting the long and arduous journey for cybersecurity. Back home, the financial situation of the studio was dire. The money advanced for the pig-butchering scam could not be retrieved immediately.
Tang Lin reported to Qin Huai that if the company didn't generate income that month, they wouldn't be able to cover the next six months' rent, utilities, property management fees, or Qin Huai's monthly payments to his godmother's nursing home. Qin Huai, however, was preoccupied with an urgent trip and simply handed Tang Lin a bank card, assuring her it would be enough for a while.
Zhou You intercepted Qin Huai, demanding to know who Chen Mo was and insisting on meeting him, especially after overhearing Qin Huai mention Chen Mo's name during a phone call with his godmother. Qin Huai refused, explaining it was an emergency. Zhou You then insisted on joining him.
To convince Zhou You to stay, Qin Huai earnestly praised him, calling him the company's backbone and right-hand man, emphasizing that if both of them left, no one capable would be left to run the company. He then solemnly entrusted the studio, Tang Lin, and Auntie Ding to Zhou You's care. Convinced by Qin Huai's words, Zhou You released his grip and personally saw him off, promising to take care of the company.
Finding someone in an unfamiliar foreign country was like searching for a needle in a haystack, but Qin Huai was determined. He began his search by showing Chen Mo's photo around. He eventually located the restaurant where Chen Mo had worked, and from there, obtained the address of his rented apartment. However, the apartment was empty and in disarray, with a moldy cake lying by the door, and the scattered items inside suggested a struggle had taken place.
Meanwhile, Chen Mo, still injured, attempted to leave Mu Tong's cottage, insisting he had something important to do, despite her concerns for his recovery. Mu Tong offered to help him. Later, following Chen Mo's instructions, Mu Tong went to his rented apartment, where she unexpectedly encountered Qin Huai. Recalling Chen Mo's wish to keep his whereabouts secret, she told Qin Huai that Chen Mo had died.
When Qin Huai, in disbelief, tried to press for more information, Mu Tong quickly used a stun gun to subdue him. She then collected a few items, including a U-disk that accidentally got wet, and left without looking back. Returning to the cottage, Mu Tong recounted the incident to Chen Mo, who mistakenly assumed the scam syndicate was still pursuing him, never imagining that Qin Huai had found him.
Devastated by the news of his friend's "death," Qin Huai returned home. He called his godmother, telling her he still couldn't reach Chen Mo, carefully withholding the dire news. Back home, Zhou You had been investigating Chen Mo and Qin Huai online. He found various rumors: some hailed Chen Mo as the genius creator of a super virus called "Revenge," while others branded him a criminal who used technology to harm people for money.
There were also warnings that anyone befriending Qin Huai would end up in trouble, with Chen Mo cited as the prime example. Increasingly curious, Zhou You confronted Tang Lin, learning that Qin Huai had returned. He immediately went to Qin Huai's door, angrily demanding answers as to why he hadn't been informed. After persistent prodding, Zhou You persuaded Qin Huai to reveal the truth.
Qin Huai explained that after his godmother was scammed, Chen Mo, to find the syndicate, installed a virus called "Revenge" on their website. However, the plan was accidentally exposed, and to protect Qin Huai and allow him to care for his then-frail godmother, Chen Mo took all the blame and was imprisoned. Since then, Qin Huai had been working with the authorities to uncover the truth behind the "Revenge" leakage, but after many years, the truth remained elusive.
Qin Huai also recalled a promise he made to Chen Mo: they would start a company together, with Qin Huai managing offensive strategies and Chen Mo handling defensive ones, making them peerless. Zhou You, still confident in his own abilities, declared he could effortlessly replace both of them and help with the investigation. Later, Mu Tong returned to the cottage from getting medicine for Chen Mo, reporting that someone had been following her again. Realizing they were still in danger, she and Chen Mo quickly gathered their belongings and fled the cottage using a hidden path.
Episode 8 Recap
Chen Mo and Mu Tong found themselves seeking refuge in a forest, having fled their previous hiding spot after Mu Tong was followed. There, Chen Mo opened up to Mu Tong about his past. He recounted how, years ago, his mother became a victim of a telemarketing scam, leading to a traffic accident that left her paralyzed. The perpetrators, operating from abroad, remained unpunished.
After his release from prison, where he had been incarcerated for creating an internet virus in his youth, he placed his mother in a rehabilitation center under Qin Huai's care. He then traveled to Taimanda alone, driven by a desire to uncover the truth and gather evidence against the fraud ring. This quest had him deeply involved in the local underground market, a dangerous existence he had endured for a long time.
He shared that all the evidence he had painstakingly collected was stored on the now-broken flash drive. Mu Tong, in turn, shared her own painful history. Her grandmother urgently needed surgery, which led Mu Tong to take a job as a casino dealer in Taimanda. Through an uncle, she met Sister Zhan, who then brought her to the "General's" room.
Trapped in this situation, she was unable to see her grandmother one last time before she passed away, leaving her with only a single memento. Mu Tong expressed regret over the damaged flash drive, but Chen Mo reassured her, saying that her act of rescuing him was more important, and he would continue his investigation as long as he lived.
They discussed their next move, with Chen Mo proposing they return to their previous residence, reasoning that "the riskiest place is the safest place" and believing their pursuers would not return to an already searched area so soon. Meanwhile, back in their home country, Qin Huai took Zhou You to their alma mater. He spoke of the four years he and Chen Mo spent there, dreaming of using their skills for the good of society.
He cautioned that advanced technology, much like a sword, requires careful handling, or it could harm oneself and innocent people. Qin Huai admired Zhou You's unyielding sense of justice in an industry filled with temptations that often lead "white hat" hackers astray. Zhou You, who initially sought to console Qin Huai, found himself uplifted by his friend's words. As they took a crowded bus, a woman suddenly accused Qin Huai of touching her backside.
Despite his denials, other passengers quickly sided with the accuser, capturing photos and verbally attacking Qin Huai. At the police station, the arguments continued, and despite police mediation, no resolution was reached. Upon leaving, the woman photographed Qin Huai again and immediately posted his picture online, falsely identifying him as a "bus pervert." This sparked a furious wave of online condemnation, with netizens unearthing Qin Huai's personal information and questioning his fitness to work in cybersecurity.
Soon, crowds gathered outside Qin Huai's company, "Kai Guai Le," shouting insults. Qin Huai's colleagues, though believing his innocence, noted that the public was more interested in the spectacle than the truth. Unbeknownst to them, Shen Yizhang, seeking revenge for Qin Huai reporting his troll army, was orchestrating this cyberbullying campaign, directing his team to push "Pervert Qin Huai" to the top of trending searches and label Kai Guai Le as a fraudulent company.
To clear Qin Huai's name, Zhou You devised a plan. He dressed in women's clothing and, accompanied by Tang Lin, boarded the same bus. After some time, a man approached the dozing Zhou You, covertly touching him. Tang Lin discreetly recorded the incident on her phone. When Zhou You bent down, the man grew bolder, explicitly touching his backside. Zhou You then removed his wig, revealing his true identity.
The man became enraged, but Tang Lin stepped forward, presenting her video evidence to the other passengers. The culprit was subsequently arrested. The woman who had falsely accused Qin Huai apologized to him, and with the real pervert apprehended, Qin Huai's innocence was proven. Reflecting on the ease with which his reputation was nearly destroyed, Qin Huai grew suspicious and tasked Zhou You with investigating the "zombie accounts" that had amplified the slander.
Separately, Ma Pingchuan, working at Hupo company, received high praise from President Xu Guangming for his recent technical reports on HuCloud. Xu Guangming offered Ma Pingchuan a lucrative ten-year long-term contract with annual bonuses, securing his future at the company. Later, Ma Pingchuan instructed his subordinate to move their operations back to China, expressing a deep unease and a lingering doubt about the "General's" reported death.
Back in Taimanda, Chen Mo learned that the "General" was indeed dead, and his flash drive containing critical evidence was beyond repair. With this lead gone, he decided to return to his home country. Mu Tong, seeing no further reason for her to stay in Taimanda, chose to accompany him.
Episode 9 Recap
Zhou You arrived at work 45 minutes late, an entry recorded by the access control system. As he sat down looking disheveled, Qin Huai approached, startled him, and asked if he had done anything wrong. Qin Huai docked his half-day pay, instructing Tang Lin to make a note of it. Qin Huai then handed Zhou You a USB drive containing information on fake followers who had been attacking him online, tasking him with identifying their leader.
He explicitly stated that there would be no overtime pay for this assignment. Online, Zhou You messaged a contact named "Bubble Gum Evil," who warned him to be careful and hinted at untold depths to Chen Mo's past, which he deemed Qin Huai's "old sore spot." Zhou You found Qin Huai intriguing and promised to share any updates. The next day, Tang Lin found Zhou You still looking exhausted from working overtime.
Zhou You declared he was going home to sleep, but Qin Huai, equally disheveled, stopped him. Zhou You presented the compiled names, ages, and addresses of the fake followers, stating he couldn't do any more. Qin Huai insisted he must verify all thousand-plus identities by visiting their homes, urging him to be brave. Following Qin Huai's instructions, Zhou You disguised himself as a telecom technician to investigate door-to-door in a community.
He questioned an elderly woman about her internet usage and personal information disclosure. The shrewd granny tested him by asking about a fictional "Xiao Zhang." Zhou You's attempt to cover his tracks failed, and the granny, exposing him as a conman, chased him out with a feather duster, shouting "Catch the thief!" Her calls rallied other elderly residents, who joined the pursuit.
Back at the office, Zhou You recounted the chaotic experience to Tang Lin, while Qin Huai noted that most identity theft victims were elderly. He speculated that a wide-net phishing attack was likely used, wondering about the perpetrators' methods and their unethical targeting of the elderly. Meanwhile, the leader of the paid posters discovered Qin Huai's investigation and demanded an additional ¥30,000,000 from Shen Yizhang, threatening to expose everyone if the payment was not made.
Shen Yizhang, with no other choice, reluctantly agreed. Remembering a past encounter, Shen Yizhang instructed his assistant to connect him with a "Mr. Mo," a cyber technology expert he met at a bar. He hired Mr. Mo to "take care of" Qin Huai. However, Mr. Mo turned the tables, sending Shen Yizhang a malicious link that, once opened, granted Mr. Mo access to all information on Shen Yizhang's phone.
This included evidence of sexual harassment messages, cooked books, and client blackmail. Mr. Mo threatened to release this damning information if Shen Yizhang did not cooperate. He proposed a partnership: Mr. Mo would handle the hacking, and Shen Yizhang would manage the crisis resolution, allowing them to make a fortune together. Mr. Mo assured Shen Yizhang he would deal with Qin Huai, leaving Shen Yizhang to choose between success or ruin.
Shen Yizhang, angry but trapped, agreed, and Mr. Mo ended the call, saying he would keep in touch. In another development, Auntie Ding, a local resident, complained about incessant spam calls from loan companies. Zhou You offered to help filter her phone and discovered she had a genuine ¥200,000 loan from "Fuwa Loans." Auntie Ding was horrified, denying she ever applied for it.
When Qin Huai arrived, having been called back to the office, he suspected her personal information had been leaked and suggested filing a police report and checking her phone for hacking. Auntie Ding couldn't recall losing her ID or providing information. As Qin Huai went to call Guo Yao, Zhou You, Tang Lin, and Auntie Ding frantically deleted messages from Auntie Ding's phone, fearful that Qin Huai might discover their private chat group where they frequently criticized him.
Qin Huai returned and snatched Auntie Ding's phone. He scrolled through their chat, discovering that they had called him a cheapskate, mercenary, and lecher. He confronted them, leading to an argument among the three. Qin Huai also found posts on Auntie Ding's social media accusing him of being a womanizer, greedy, and lecherous. Auntie Ding vehemently denied posting them, stating she had never seen them.
Zhou You realized that Auntie Ding's posts were identical to those from the fake accounts and had appeared around the same time. He deduced that her phone had likely been hacked, recalling that Auntie Ding had previously scanned QR codes and provided personal information to receive free eggs, which probably led to the data breach. Guo Yao held an emergency meeting, confirming that most fake account users were elderly, and many, like Auntie Ding, were victims of loan fraud.
Qin Huai and Zhou You traced the IP addresses of the fake accounts and the loan scam to "Xin Yuan Limited," identifying it as a shell company suspected of money laundering and stealing personal information. They suspected the company's owner was the leader of the paid posters and decided to stake out the location. Before they could act, the police, led by Guo Yao, swiftly moved in and arrested the company's head, Feng Zhi.
Upon learning of the raid, Shen Yizhang spoke with Mr. Mo, who reassured him that all incriminating data was handled, and Shen Yizhang would not be implicated. Still furious at Qin Huai for the trouble caused, Shen Yizhang ordered Mr. Mo to "teach Qin Huai a lesson," which Mr. Mo acknowledged, referring to Shen Yizhang as a "biting dog."
Separately, Tang Lin was assigned as a legal consultant to Hupo, a leading cybersecurity firm, a role that aligned with her doctoral research on internet law. She shared this good news with Shen Yizhang, her boyfriend, over the phone. Shen Yizhang praised her idealistic goal of helping people protect themselves, contrasting it with his own mercenary perspective in public relations.
He professed his admiration for her pure pursuit of her dreams and asked about her upcoming birthday, to which she replied that his presence was her only desired gift. Back at "Kai Gua Le Cybersecurity Company," phones rang off the hook with bizarre inquiries about selling game equipment, amending grades, or a CEO's gambling habit. The staff struggled to cope, complaining about the deluge of spam calls and questioning Qin Huai's advertising methods.
Qin Huai denied any such advertising, realizing they were being targeted. Just then, officials from the Bureau of Industry and Commerce arrived, announcing that "Kai Gua Le" was under suspicion for false advertising. Qin Huai vehemently denied any wrongdoing, stating his company was law-abiding and couldn't even afford advertising, concluding he was being set up. The officials insisted he cooperate with their investigation and took him away. Despite their earlier complaints, his employees rallied, defending him as stingy but honest.
As Qin Huai was led to the police car, he calmly instructed Tang Lin to unplug the phones and halt new jobs for a few days, and tasked Zhou You with identifying who was behind the spam messages, urging them not to panic. Zhou You jokingly offered to wait for him "no matter how many years" he spent in jail, a sentiment Qin Huai dismissed, clarifying he was merely cooperating with an investigation.
His staff assured him they would manage the company in his absence. Outside, Shen Yizhang watched Qin Huai being driven away, a satisfied smirk on his face. He then spoke to Mr. Mo, commending his professionalism and the profitable opportunities their partnership offered. Meanwhile, Chen Mo returned to China and visited his mother at the Nangang Rehabilitation Center, where they shared an emotional reunion.
Sister Zhang, his mother's caregiver, entered and greeted Chen Mo, remarking on how often his mother spoke of him. Chen Mo's mother, however, grew noticeably anxious and urged Chen Mo to take her home immediately. Sister Zhang informed Chen Mo that Qin Huai, as his mother's legal guardian, needed to consent to her discharge. Chen Mo offered to speak to the doctor.
Once Chen Mo left the room, Sister Zhang closed the door and threatened his mother, coercing her to remain silent about any abuse she suffered at the center once discharged. Sister Zhang warned that if her mother spoke out, she would reveal Chen Mo's past imprisonment to everyone in the hospital. Later, Chen Mo's mother asked if he had informed Qin Huai of his return.
She recounted how Qin Huai had worried about him, traveled to Taimanda to find him, and cared for her throughout his absence, emphasizing their deep debt of gratitude. Chen Mo, however, suggested keeping his return a secret from Qin Huai for the time being.
Episode 10 Recap
Chen Mo and his mother returned to their old house, where Chen Mo noted how everything seemed unchanged, yet deeply altered since his recent troubles. His mother expressed her hope that they could now lead their previous life, asking how long he intended to stay. Chen Mo reassured her he wouldn't leave and would remain to keep her company. Soon after, Mu Tong arrived unexpectedly, claiming to be Chen Mo's girlfriend and introducing herself as his friend from Taimanda.
She explained she had nowhere else to go and asked if he could take her in for a while, offering to cook, clean, and care for his mother until she found her own place. During her stay, Mu Tong took charge, cleaning the house with Chen Mo and preparing a meal. Chen Mo's mother, impressed by Mu Tong's efforts, thanked her and playfully chided Chen Mo for letting their guest do so much housework.
When his mother's hand cramped, Mu Tong was quick to assist her. Meanwhile, Tang Lin encountered a polite and handsome man named Ding Ding outside her company. He inquired if their company provided game training partners. Though they didn't officially, Tang Lin, instantly smitten, offered her contact details, implying she could arrange something. She later enthusiastically told Auntie Ding about Ding Ding, believing he was her "true love" and admitting she was "stringing him along" as his game training partner.
In a remote area in the suburbs, Ma Pingchuan met with Mr. Mo. Ma Pingchuan cautioned him against stirring up trouble at such a critical juncture, but Mr. Mo, still resentful, claimed to have handled a previous matter cleanly and assured him they would not be found, agreeing that caution was always wise. Back at the office, Qin Huai, having been released with the help of Lawyer Lin Shuo, reviewed Zhou You's findings on the spam messages.
Earlier, on his way back, Qin Huai had coincidentally found Zhou You leisurely playing games with Ding Ding, for which he had continuously scolded Zhou You until seeing Tang Lin. Zhou You's investigation revealed that the sender used number-changing software, making the source untraceable. However, Qin Huai deduced that over 10,000 spam messages sent in half an hour meant the attackers had used a mobile base station to slander him.
He explained to Tang Lin that these devices override legitimate base station frequencies, allowing scammers to send untraceable messages and make fraudulent calls. He described warning signs, such as a phone having a strong signal but being unable to make calls, or suddenly losing signal and receiving spam. Qin Huai clarified that while these stations have a limited range, gathering enough data could easily pinpoint the sender.
He gathered Zhou You and Tang Lin, declaring they were going to "collect their debts." In the car, Zhou You complained about being Qin Huai's chauffeur, prompting Qin Huai to threaten confiscating any earnings from side jobs. Using a self-made tracking device, Qin Huai meticulously searched for the mobile base station. After repeatedly circling an area, the signal intensified, leading them to a garbage truck. Qin Huai instructed Zhou You to distract the driver while he investigated the truck's cab.
Zhou You clumsily attempted to engage the driver, mistakenly calling him "Brother Wang" and claiming they were old gaming buddies, despite the driver insisting his name was Zhang and that he didn't play video games. This distraction bought Qin Huai enough time to locate a suspicious black package inside the cab. The sanitation worker, Zhang, discovered Qin Huai in his truck and demanded to know what he was doing.
Qin Huai, feigning authority, accused Zhang of destroying public telecommunication equipment, a serious offense. Zhou You, playing along, threatened Zhang with arrest. Frightened, Zhang confessed that a few days prior, he found the black backpack with a note offering ¥1,000 daily to drive around with it. He claimed he was told it was merely for mobile advertisements, like distributing flyers, and was unaware it was illegal.
Qin Huai seized the mobile base station and instructed Zhou You to call the police. Zhang was shocked to realize they weren't actual police officers. Zhou You, still pondering the severity of the situation, suggested Qin Huai had angered a formidable adversary. Qin Huai, however, remained unfazed, stating they would only know their opponent's true power once apprehended.
Having already traced the third party's IP address, Qin Huai drove them to a company, instructing Zhou You to pretend they were broadband installers. However, the office was deserted, confirming Qin Huai's suspicion that their adversaries were well-prepared and had already moved out. As they walked through the parking lot, a car suddenly sped towards them. Qin Huai swiftly pulled Zhou You out of harm's way, narrowly avoiding the collision.
Afterwards, Qin Huai received a chilling text message: "That is just a warning. Don't be anxious. The show is just starting." Zhou You expressed growing concern over the escalating attacks, from online slander and spam to attempted vehicular assault, suggesting their opponent was a ruthless, unknown syndicate. Qin Huai dismissed the danger, stating he had never been scared in his life, and reassured Zhou You that his car's safety features prevented private data uploads.
That evening, while playing games, Zhou You received a message from Ding Ding containing a link, followed by an audio call. Ding Ding asked him to click the link without questions. Upon clicking, Zhou You was confronted with explicit images and immediately warned Ding Ding about the illegality of spreading such content and the danger of "pig butchering scams."
Ding Ding, however, dismissed the concerns, claiming the website was safe and that with only a two-digit balance in his bank account, he had nothing to lose. He continued to watch the content, and soon after, his phone displayed multiple notifications of money being deducted from his account. The next morning, Ding Ding arrived at the office, discreetly asking for Zhou You while Tang Lin was nearby, attending to her hair.
Tang Lin offered to relay his message, but Ding Ding insisted on speaking to Zhou You directly, clearly uncomfortable with her presence. Once alone with Zhou You, Ding Ding confessed he had been scammed and lost a significant amount of money through the website. Zhou You offered to help but quickly realized the situation was beyond his capabilities and suggested they seek Qin Huai's help.
Ding Ding vehemently refused, worried that if Qin Huai knew, Tang Lin would also find out. Zhou You teased him, asking if he liked Tang Lin, which Ding Ding reluctantly admitted, explaining he didn't want Tang Lin to know about his "private" online activities, which might ruin his chances. As they debated, Ding Ding's phone showed another ¥500 being transferred out, finally convincing him to agree to seek Qin Huai's assistance.
Episode 11 Recap
After Ding Ding's personal information was stolen in a "pig butchering" scam, he reached out to Zhou You for help, who in turn decided to consult Qin Huai. When Ding Ding met with Qin Huai, he was informed that his account had been compromised by a Trojan horse virus. Qin Huai advised him to immediately contact his bank to report his card lost, change his payment passwords, suspend all mobile payments, and unlink any associated applications.
Zhou You inquired if Ding Ding's money could be recovered. Qin Huai explained that recovery might be possible if a 24-hour transfer function was active, but otherwise, reporting it to the police would be the only option. Hearing the word "police," Ding Ding became visibly anxious, stating he did not want to involve law enforcement and was not concerned about the lost money.
He revealed that he had feelings for Tang Lin and did not want her to discover his predicament, which Zhou You further elaborated was related to Ding Ding's "lonely heart that can only be soothed by using an online chat service." Ding Ding attempted to pay Qin Huai privately or with cash for his services, pleading for discretion. However, Qin Huai maintained a professional stance, calling Tang Lin over and instructing her to process Ding Ding's consultation fee.
That night, Chen Mo was unable to sleep. He checked on his mother, who was sleeping peacefully, then returned to his computer to continue an investigation. He quickly closed his laptop when Mu Tong emerged from her room, bringing him mosquito repellent and asking about his progress, promising to keep his secret. After Mu Tong left, Chen Mo resumed his work and managed to locate an IP address traced to No. 158-1 Shifang Road.
Unbeknownst to Chen Mo, Mu Tong was observing his actions from the shadows. The following morning, Mu Tong busied herself with housework. Chen Mo returned home after buying groceries, then left again, claiming he had a job interview. While he was out, Chen Mo's mother conversed with Mu Tong, expressing sympathy upon learning about Mu Tong's past hardships, her hometown near the border, and how going abroad for work was common for her people.
Meanwhile, Chen Mo arrived at the Shifang Road address, which turned out to be a courier service warehouse. To conduct his investigation covertly, he applied for a job there. He requested to work only on-site for the first month, citing a leg injury, and offered to take half his base salary, which the branch chief accepted.
During his shift, Chen Mo ingeniously used a parcel to obstruct a surveillance camera, then used his laptop to perform a wireless network data analysis, gathering some valuable information. Later, while Ding Ding was attending a meeting, he received an anonymous message on his phone containing a nude photograph of himself. He immediately excused himself, pretending to take an urgent client call. He messaged the sender, demanding to know their identity and how they obtained the photo.
The blackmailer, identifying themselves as "Pretty In Pink," threatened to distribute his photos and contact lists to his friends and family unless he paid. Ding Ding quickly transferred ¥1,500, hoping to resolve the issue. However, the blackmailer's demands escalated, asking for an additional ¥500, then another ¥1,000 as a "management fee," accusing Ding Ding of not appreciating their "protection" of his privacy. Ding Ding, distressed, pleaded with them to stop.
Lin Shuo successfully assisted Qin Huai in resolving a false advertising case. While leaving, she was confronted by Shen Yizhang, who was displeased she was meeting with Qin Huai. Lin Shuo explained she was returning a favor, having helped Qin Huai with the case. Shen Yizhang, clearly jealous, asked her not to see Qin Huai again, which Lin Shuo found somewhat amusing.
Zhou You, still wary after previous incidents, became protective of Qin Huai, sensing they were being watched and that someone was following them. Qin Huai, however, remained nonchalant, advising Zhou You to relax. As they were about to leave, Ding Ding suddenly darted out and grabbed Qin Huai's leg, startling them both. Ding Ding, disguised, claimed he was being monitored and desperately needed to be taken to a safe place. Qin Huai brought Ding Ding to their cybersecurity company.
Once inside the office, Ding Ding nervously pulled all the curtains shut, hiding his face. As the three men discussed the situation, Tang Lin unexpectedly walked in. Overhearing snippets of their conversation, she realized Ding Ding's predicament. Qin Huai explained that Ding Ding was being blackmailed with a screenshot from a video call, as the scammers could no longer access his frozen bank card.
Zhou You advised Ding Ding to ignore and block the scammers, suggesting he could claim the photo was photoshopped. However, Tang Lin, angered by Ding Ding's actions, harshly confronted him. She accused him of visiting "indecent websites" and enabling the blackmail. Ding Ding tried to defend himself, blaming his hacked phone, but Tang Lin refused to believe him.
She declared that their unspoken relationship was over, as he was "not clean anymore," and despite his pleas, she kicked him away when he tried to stop her from leaving. Distraught, Ding Ding finally agreed to involve the police and implored Qin Huai to help delete the compromising video.
To track down the scammers, Qin Huai devised a plan for Zhou You to pose as a lonely man and engage them in a video call, giving Qin Huai time to trace their IP address. Zhou You reluctantly agreed, first downloading an app from the scammers, which Qin Huai noted forced users to grant access permissions—the method used to steal contact information.
During the video call with a "Pretty Girl" who urged him to show himself, Zhou You tried to prolong the conversation as Qin Huai worked quickly. Qin Huai successfully cracked their system, uncovering their IP address, a list of victims, and their complex fund flow. He noted their professional methods, including cross-transfers and multiple accounts. Despite Zhou You's growing discomfort with the "Pretty Girl's" increasingly explicit requests, Qin Huai urged him to reconnect.
Qin Huai discovered that the victims' information was stolen, and the scammers' server addresses were protected by special encryption, confirming they were not an ordinary fraud syndicate but had sophisticated experts behind them. Finally, Qin Huai found the crucial data he needed, instructing Zhou You to deliver it to Guo Yao, assuring him that Ding Ding's issue would soon be resolved. Zhou You, relieved, vowed never to participate in such a video call again.
Following the new clues, Chen Mo, still at the courier warehouse, realized the data he had collected was nearly identical to what Qin Huai's team had found, confirming they were pursuing the same perpetrators. He was convinced that the address of their base must be within the data. Qin Huai's IP positioning successfully pinpointed the location as the "Zhiqiang Lifter Factory." Qin Huai made his way to the factory, scaled a perimeter wall, but found himself facing another obstacle and had to make a phone call for assistance to proceed further.
Episode 12 Recap
Qin Huai and Zhou You infiltrated a factory, climbing over a wall and using dog food to distract the guard dogs before entering the courtyard. Zhou You complained about the difficult journey and hinted at reimbursement for his taxi fare, while Qin Huai simply asked if he brought the necessary items for their mission. Inside, Qin Huai immediately noticed large piles of bottle caps, meticulously collected and sorted, suggesting a unique business operation.
He explained that his investigation into the money laundering accounts from Ding Ding's nude chat scam and his godmother's fraud revealed a strong connection between them, ultimately leading him to this suspicious location. Zhou You wondered if it implied the same criminal syndicate was behind both schemes. As they continued their covert operation, Zhou You's phone rang, causing a tense moment.
He quickly answered, learning that Ding Ding was calling with good news: Sister Guo had successfully located the nude chat scammers' hideout and recovered his money, prompting Ding Ding to invite them for a celebratory meal. Zhou You promptly ended the call and silenced his phone to avoid detection. Soon after, a truck arrived, laden with more bottle caps.
Qin Huai and Zhou You ingeniously hid themselves in plastic boxes, which were then loaded onto a forklift, allowing them to gain deeper access into the factory. They observed a large-scale assembly line dedicated to sorting the bottle caps, and workers discussing the unusual separation of bottles and caps, with one remarking on the "beyond imagination" profit margin of the caps. The duo was puzzled by the extensive operation for seemingly simple bottle caps.
Later, Qin Huai met with Lin Shuo, inquiring about Mr. Zhou, the owner of Fizzy Frenzy Beverage Factory. Lin Shuo was curious how Qin Huai knew she had represented Mr. Zhou in a previous case, to which Qin Huai replied he found the information in publicly available legal records.
Lin Shuo provided Mr. Zhou's contact details but cautioned that he was currently in distress due to issues with a bottle cap prize redemption campaign and might not have time for a meeting. Qin Huai surprised her by revealing he was already aware of Mr. Zhou's predicament, hinting that he might be able to offer assistance.
Qin Huai and Zhou You then met Mr. Zhou, who shared the severe financial losses his company, Fizzy Frenzy, had suffered from its recent prize redemption campaign. He explained that an earlier promotion, where "One more bottle" was printed under the caps, resulted in over a million more caps being redeemed than actually produced, indicating widespread forgery. To counter this, they switched to QR codes for redemptions, but the problem only escalated, with the redemption rate soaring past 100%.
Mr. Zhou revealed that while they had initially allocated ¥20 million ($2. 7 million) for prizes, the actual expenditure had already exceeded ¥45 million ($6. 2 million). He suspected a systemic flaw in the prize redemption platform and had already reported the issue to the police, now seeking Qin Huai's expert help. Zhou You questioned Qin Huai's decision to take on a corporate client, as their company typically served individuals.
Qin Huai explained that their core mission was to prevent harm, and by acting swiftly, they could minimize the client's losses. Back at their office, Zhou You diligently analyzed the backend data from the prize redemption platform. He discovered multiple IDs that had each claimed prizes over 10,000 times, accumulating hundreds of thousands of yuan in winnings.
Qin Huai immediately recognized this as blatant fraud and noted the striking similarity to the scam that had targeted his godmother, even down to the underlying code. He observed that the scammers were becoming more adept and increasingly greedy. Determined to bring them to justice, Qin Huai encouraged Zhou You and offered to buy him dinner as they continued their late-night work. Zhou You jokingly requested expensive meals, but Qin Huai settled for two steamed buns.
Meanwhile, Qin Huai overheard Aunt Ding questioning Zhou You's unusual work ethic, wondering if Qin Huai secretly paid him or had cast some kind of spell. Zhou You, referencing Qin Huai's philosophy, defended his dedication.
Qin Huai then stepped out, dismissing the idea of a pay raise but suggesting that working overtime might become a new company policy, arguing that as an internet company, they should embrace a "996" (9 AM to 9 PM, six days a week) schedule to stay competitive. Separately, Chen Mo, undercover at a courier station, observed the frequent updates to the identity verification system. He noticed couriers complaining about how these system upgrades often caused delays and frustration.
Leveraging this, Chen Mo revealed he had developed and successfully injected an auto-run script onto the criminal syndicate's overseas server. This script continuously edited the uploaded ID card photos, making them appear legitimate while simultaneously allowing Chen Mo to monitor the server for crucial evidence without alerting the scammers. He explained that since the server was located overseas and all registered information was fake, simply reporting it to the police would be ineffective without more solid evidence.
Chen Mo was determined to personally apprehend the criminal organization. He was also actively searching for an individual who possessed a specific phone from the black market, suspecting them to be involved in the theft of ID cards. For now, he concluded, they could only wait for more information. At home, Mu Tong took Chen Mom out for a pleasant outing, during which Chen Mom expressed her gratitude for the company and wistfully wished Chen Mo could join them.
She understood, however, that he was busy with a new job in "internet logistics," which Mu Tong clarified was essentially express delivery. Upon returning home, Chen Mom tried to pour herself a glass of water but accidentally dropped and shattered it. Mu Tong quickly rushed to clean up, urging Chen Mom not to move and to ask for help next time. Chen Mom, feeling useless and a burden, expressed her sorrow, believing she was only causing trouble.
Mu Tong gently reassured her. Later, to address Chen Mom's feelings of inadequacy and to enhance her comfort, Chen Mo and Mu Tong surprised her with a new wheelchair and showcased various modifications they had made to the house. They installed corner bumpers on table edges and door frames, added support handles in the washroom, and placed a pager in her room so she could easily call for assistance whenever needed. Chen Mom was deeply touched by their thoughtful gestures.
Chen Mo, however, felt a pang of guilt, realizing that Mu Tong had taken on so much responsibility for his mother, while he himself felt largely helpless. He expressed his thanks, but felt that mere words were insufficient to convey his profound appreciation for Mu Tong's dedication. Meanwhile, Xu called Ma Pingchuan into his office, informing him of a new assignment as a senior consultant at Hupo Academy.
Xu explained the company's growth required not only technological breakthroughs but also a new generation of capable management talent, which Ma Pingchuan would now be responsible for training. To alleviate Ma Pingchuan's "workload" and make the transition smoother, Xu proudly announced he had poached Hu Dezheng (Vincent), a brilliant internet engineer under 30 from the USA, to handle the technical director responsibilities.
Xu then subtly underscored the intense competition and the "extremely high demands" on technical directors in the IT industry, encompassing "state of mind, capability, energy, stamina, and even creativity," subtly implying that Ma Pingchuan, at 40, was no longer fit for his current demanding role. Ma Pingchuan, despite his reservations, understood the underlying message. He acknowledged Xu's judgment and accepted the company's decision, respecting the company's decisions during its current challenges.
That evening, Ma Pingchuan returned home to find his wife distraught. She recounted how their daughter, Qing Qing, had felt inferior at a friend's birthday party compared to other children her age, fearing Qing Qing was already "losing at the starting line." She passionately advocated for sending Qing Qing to Mingde High School, even suggesting she might ask her own mother for financial help.
She sternly warned Ma Pingchuan not to engage in any illegal activities to acquire money, no matter the pressure. Ma Pingchuan promised to uphold the law and agreed to research the costs of Mingde High School, even considering a loan from his mother-in-law if necessary to secure Qing Qing's education. In a brief public safety segment, a person recounted an incident where ¥200 ($27) was deducted from their account before they even scanned a QR code for payment.
The other person explained that this occurs when individuals open their payment QR code in advance, allowing scammers to secretly photograph and use it. In another instance, a fake QR code for a traffic fine was found to direct payment to an individual's account instead of the official authority.
The message urged everyone to exercise caution when using QR codes, always verify the payee's information, and use official applications (such as "12123" for traffic fines) for all utility bills and official payments to ensure security.
Episode 13 Recap
Qin Huai was roused from sleep by an unusual sound. When he focused his gaze, he excitedly exclaimed, "We succeeded!" Zhou You, awakened by Qin Huai's shouts, rushed to the computer screen. Seeing the data displayed, he too became ecstatic, completely losing any lingering drowsiness. Together, they had successfully developed a new prize redemption system.
They promptly shared the good news with the general manager, who was immensely grateful, stating that the new system saved their company tens of millions of yuan. Qin Huai also provided him with all the collected evidence via email, urging him to report the crime to the police immediately. The police acted swiftly and soon raided the factory. Qin Huai and Zhou You were present during the police operation at the factory.
Although the police arrested the underlings, the boss had only taken over the operation less than a year ago, leaving no useful clues to trace the higher-ups. Qin Huai noted that the beverage factory's prize redemption system had a problem related to a bug in HuCloud. He decided to send this information anonymously to Director Hu Dezheng, the new head of Hupo's technical department, as he harbored animosity towards Ma Pingchuan. Meanwhile, Ma Pingchuan returned home from a business trip.
His daughter, Qingqing, expressed worries about getting into Mingde School, and his wife also inquired about her admission. Ma Pingchuan assured them he was working on connections. Later, at work, Ma Pingchuan received a call from an associate, Mr. Mo, informing him that their base had been raided, resulting in significant losses and arrests. However, Ma Pingchuan confirmed that he had successfully wiped clean all records and data, ensuring that the money trail could not be traced back to them.
Back at the office, Zhou You received a phone call from Ding Ding, who questioned why they hadn't kept their dinner appointment. Zhou You explained they had been extremely busy, but he quickly realized Ding Ding's true intention was to speak with Tang Lin. Zhou You reluctantly handed the phone over to her.
On the phone, Ding Ding profusely apologized to Tang Lin, admitting he had "lost his mind" by seeking comfort from strangers online and watching R-rated content, and most regrettably, by concealing it from her. Tang Lin, however, told Ding Ding that some things, once done, could not be undone, and she couldn't pretend it never happened. She expressed hope that he would genuinely learn from his mistakes and correct them, which she would consider a positive outcome.
However, as for their relationship, she no longer had romantic feelings for him and couldn't offer any promises of reconciliation, but they could still be friends. Ma Pingchuan later met with a senior from his college, who was now the principal of Mingde School. He proposed that since Mingde was planning to launch a programming course, instead of simply upgrading their existing system, they should invest in a new system and a dedicated server room for the course.
Ma Pingchuan revealed he had already drafted a comprehensive plan and sent it to the principal's email. The principal initially suggested the school would prefer a fair competition process, as he alone couldn't make such a decision and needed to consult the board. Ma Pingchuan then offered to cover all costs for the server room as a personal donation, which seemed to sway the principal. He also presented a valuable watch as a belated wedding gift.
Before they parted, the principal asked for Ma Pingchuan's daughter's name, Ma Qingqing, which he noted he would keep in mind. Returning home, Ma Pingchuan, smelling of alcohol, informed his wife that Qingqing's admission to Mingde was almost certain, thanks to his prior acquaintance with the principal and his offer to develop a programming teaching system for the school for free. Chen Mo happily informed Mu Tong that there was now a way to repair the damaged USB drive.
He explained that an expert on GeekHub, a software source code hosting service, had published a patch that provided the solution. Mu Tong expressed her delight at the news, acknowledging Chen Mo's persistent efforts. During a company meeting at Hupo, Hu Dezheng presented on the HuCloud security service, highlighting a serious, long-standing bug that had led to millions in losses for their client, the Fizzy Frenzy Beverage Factory.
He proposed forming a new team to address this issue and revitalize HuCloud. Ma Pingchuan challenged this, questioning if such sweeping changes were too hasty and if they would ensure shareholder interests. He argued that the current team possessed the skills to fix the bug without the need for a new, costly team.
Chairman Xu intervened, stating that both Ma Pingchuan and Hu Dezheng would serve as co-CTOs of the technical department, but he explicitly assigned the HuCloud project to Hu Dezheng. After the meeting, Ma Pingchuan's subordinates complained that Chairman Xu was clearly empowering Hu Dezheng to usurp Ma Pingchuan's authority. Ma Pingchuan, understanding the implication, acknowledged that he had to comply as he depended on the company for his livelihood.
Later, Ma Pingchuan met with Mr. Mo, revealing that Hu Dezheng had discovered the backdoor he left in HuCloud. He explained that Hu Dezheng, eager for credit, hadn't yet realized Ma Pingchuan's involvement. Ma Pingchuan intended to seize this opportunity to fix the bug, which would eliminate their access to the beverage factory's internal information but also cover his tracks.
To continue their operations, he suggested they would need to use "real user data" to bypass the system's defenses against large-scale prize redemptions. Chen Mo, while sorting packages at the company's express station, noticed an abnormal signal. He cautiously returned to the warehouse and secretly installed a listening device. He soon observed the warehouse manager engaged in a clandestine cash transaction with another individual.
The manager initially refused to provide phone numbers, addresses, and IDs, citing a lack of trust, but eventually agreed after receiving cash. This confirmed Chen Mo's suspicions that the manager was involved in selling stolen personal data. At home, Chen Mo's mother accidentally fell in the shower. Mu Tong quickly assisted her and discovered numerous old bruises on her body and legs. Under questioning, Mu Tong learned that these injuries were caused by her caretaker, Sister Zhang.
His mother tried to dismiss them as accidental falls and pleaded with Mu Tong not to tell Chen Mo, worried he would be upset. However, Mu Tong felt it was crucial to inform Chen Mo. When Chen Mo returned home, Mu Tong privately told him about his mother's injuries and their suspected cause.
Distraught, Chen Mo confronted his mother, who again insisted she was fine and that the bruises were not related to Sister Zhang, possibly trying to protect her or herself. Unconvinced and heartbroken, Chen Mo went to the rehabilitation center to investigate. He requested to view the security footage, but the director claimed that the hard drive had conveniently broken, resulting in the loss of many hours of recordings. Chen Mo found this explanation highly suspicious, and they decided to go home while the center promised to investigate further.
Episode 14 Recap
Late at night, Chen Mo stealthily infiltrated the rehabilitation center's surveillance system. He contacted the security room, impersonating a supervisor and fabricating an issue with elevator No.6 in the East area to distract the security staff, including "Old Liu." Once the security room was empty, Chen Mo slipped inside, where he managed to repair and copy the previously damaged surveillance footage. He was devastated to see the footage of his mother being abused.
Fueled by anger and self-reproach, Chen Mo declared his intention to report the incident to the police and sue the rehabilitation center. However, Mu Tong cautioned him that illegally obtained videos would not be admissible as evidence in court and could lead to Chen Mo facing charges himself. Overwhelmed with frustration, Chen Mo struggled to calm down, though Mu Tong urged him to remain composed for his mother's sake.
The following morning, Chen Mo awoke to discover that the rehabilitation center's elder abuse video had been uploaded online. Mu Tong admitted she was responsible for publishing it, explaining that the abuse wasn't limited to Chen Mo's mother but affected many other elders, and she believed the public had a right to know the truth. Chen Mo worried about her safety, mentioning he had already implicated Qin Huai in the past and didn't want to drag her into trouble.
Mu Tong dismissed his concerns, stating she acted on her own accord and, unlike him, had no family to worry about, emphasizing that his mother needed him. Meanwhile, the rehabilitation center's spokesperson addressed the media, attributing the incident to the personal actions of Mr. and Mrs. Zhang and stating that other caretakers were not involved. He pledged stricter management and offered a sincere apology to the elders, their families, and the public.
News reports confirmed that the District Civil Affairs Bureau and Public Security Bureau had punished Mr. and Mrs. Zhang and ordered the center to close for rectification, but protesting families still demanded a full explanation. Chen Mo and Mu Tong discussed the fallout, and Mu Tong promised to keep the video's contents a secret from Chen Mo's mother. Qin Huai saw Chen Mo in the news coverage and immediately went to find him.
Upon meeting Chen Mo, Qin Huai expressed his relief at seeing his old friend but also apologized for what happened to his godmother. Chen Mo, however, was cold and distant, stating that Qin Huai owed him nothing, that the matter was settled, and that they were no longer related. Qin Huai tried to explain that he had not abandoned his godmother, recounting his weekly visits and attempts to keep her company.
He blamed himself for not being more observant and offered to be reprimanded, desperate for a chance to make amends. Chen Mo coldly reiterated his gratitude for Qin Huai's years of care for his mother, offering compensation, but insisted their relationship was over. Qin Huai pressed him on his whereabouts over the years, to which Chen Mo simply said he went abroad to make money.
Qin Huai then revealed he had searched for Chen Mo abroad and was told by "that woman" that Chen Mo was dead, but he always knew Chen Mo was alive. Chen Mo then confessed he had instructed "her" to say he was dead because he didn't want to see Qin Huai. He concluded that there was no need for them to meet again, despite Qin Huai's painful reminder of their once "formidable combination."
Later that night, Mu Tong found Chen Mo still awake and asked why he had chased Qin Huai away, knowing he was Chen Mo's best friend. Chen Mo insisted Qin Huai was just another stranger, but eventually confided that they once shared the same dream. He didn't want to drag Qin Huai down, believing Qin Huai still had a chance to achieve that dream while he could not.
Meanwhile, at the "Overloaded" company, Tang Lin informed Zhou You that Fizzy Frenzy's system had been attacked again and urged him to check on Qin Huai, who wasn't responding to calls or messages. Zhou You rushed to Qin Huai's apartment and found him heavily drunk. Qin Huai, dispirited, dismissed the company's problems, attributing his current state to Chen Mo, whom he still considered his best friend. He then forced Zhou You to drink with him.
As Qin Huai lamented that he no longer had the burden of earning money for his godmother and felt a newfound "ease," Zhou You tried to snap him out of his funk. Zhou You provocatively offered to take over "Overloaded," suggesting Qin Huai entrust the company to him. Qin Huai vehemently refused, saying he'd rather burn it down than give it to Zhou You, accusing him of looking down on him.
The two friends then playfully bickered, recalling past cases where they had helped each other, such as the Si Ya incident, a romance scam, catching a pervert, and finding a bottle cap factory. Zhou You then revealed his true ambition: to surpass Qin Huai, who had become a dispirited target. He also expressed his genuine attachment to "Overloaded" and his colleagues Tang Lin and Auntie Ding, stating he couldn't bear to see them suffer elsewhere.
He even detailed his plans for redecorating the office, intending to replace all of Qin Huai's "traces." Realizing that Zhou You was trying to provoke him into action, Qin Huai conceded that it was a clumsy but effective way to motivate him. He then rose, announcing his intention to wash up and go to work.
Soon after, Mr. Zhou, the boss of Fizzy Frenzy, arrived at "Overloaded," expressing his frustration and alarm about increasing losses due to the prize redemption system. Qin Huai examined the company's data and determined that the attackers had upgraded their methods, bypassing their defense system. He was shocked to find that all the accounts claiming rewards were genuine. Qin Huai puzzled over how so many real accounts could be mobilized so quickly without any technical loopholes.
Meanwhile, a phone conversation was overheard revealing the attackers' strategy: they were instructed to cease using fake bottle caps and instead focus on genuine bottle cap redemptions. This approach, despite lower profit margins and the need for real people, was considered the only viable path to create 'partners' or 'scapegoats' to deflect blame. Just then, Lin Shuo arrived, explaining that Fizzy Frenzy's owner had sent her to collaborate with Qin Huai on the case.
With everyone at a loss, Zhou You declared he knew how to solve the problem. Following Zhou You's lead, the team went to an internet cafe. Zhou You explained that he had noticed a familiar name repeatedly posting about "recycled caps contests" in a "free rider group chat" and tracked the user to this cafe. They observed the man inside trying to scam a free meal by planting a strand of hair in his lunchbox and threatening a complaint.
Zhou You confronted the man, mocking his poor gaming skills, and offered to play for him if he answered a question. Sensing he was caught, the man tried to escape to the washroom, then bolted for the exit. Qin Huai and Lin Shuo were waiting outside and quickly cornered him. Pretending to offer a business opportunity, they inquired about his network of accounts.
The man, eager to impress, boasted about having over 1,000 accounts and managing more than 20 "deal-hunter groups," each with 500 members. He claimed he could exploit loopholes to "bring down any manufacturer" and asserted he was the "top man," capable of fulfilling any account requirements they might have.
Episode 15 Recap
Big Zebra bringing Qin Huai and Zhou You to the bustling Sanjiang Human Resources Market. Big Zebra boasts that most people there are his employees, constantly recruiting more. He explains that individuals can register an account with just an ID card to perform various tasks like deal hunting, ghostwriting, cryptocurrency mining, and stress testing. Offering them food, he proposes a lucrative business deal.
Playing along, Qin Huai expresses his own desire to get rich before revealing his true identity as someone working in cybersecurity. Big Zebra and his men immediately react aggressively, restraining Qin Huai. Qin Huai insists he wants to negotiate a genuine business deal, complaining that the cybersecurity industry often involves exploitation and threats of revenge. Big Zebra dismisses his concerns, emphasizing the difference between Qin Huai's educated background and his group's necessity to exploit loopholes to make a living.
Qin Huai then proposes writing a program and forming a partnership to "exploit the wealthy," suggesting Big Zebra gather existing deal hunter leaders and their teams, with Qin Huai handling the technology while Big Zebra manages the manpower, and profits split 50/50. Big Zebra counters with a demand for a 70/30 split in his favor, insisting they only use his existing deal hunters.
Qin Huai argues that 30% wouldn't be worth his effort in developing the program and managing and paying his existing deal hunters. To demonstrate his sincerity, Big Zebra offers to provide 200 group administrators to start the collaboration. At this moment, Lin Shuo arrives with A'Ming, one of Big Zebra's group members. A'Ming immediately begins eating buns, remarking that business has been slow lately.
Big Zebra quickly intervenes, highlighting that while the financial gains may not be huge, the job offers invaluable freedom. A'Ming shares his personal journey, recounting a difficult life of unstable jobs such as washing cars, delivering water, and working construction, where he lived hand-to-mouth with no hope for the future. He credits Big Zebra for giving him a sense of purpose, a dream, a future, and a true understanding of freedom.
Hearing A'Ming's words, Qin Huai realizes that Big Zebra has been deceiving these people. A'Ming sees his work as more than just a job; it's a form of companionship and faith, and he asserts that their activities are not illegal, merely "helping people." Lin Shuo clarifies that "stress testing" involves malicious attacks designed to overwhelm target websites and render them inaccessible. She directly questions the legality of using such methods against shopping sites, game platforms, and financial institutions.
A'Ming, visibly concerned, asks Big Zebra if it's illegal, but Big Zebra quickly dismisses the notion, claiming it's not serious and that he wouldn't be openly discussing it if it were illegal. Later, Zhou You receives a message from A'Ming, containing the accounts for over 200 deal hunter groups controlled by Big Zebra. Lin Shuo is bewildered as to why A'Ming would willingly disclose such sensitive information to a stranger.
Zhou You proudly explains that he employed "psychological attack" and "social engineering" techniques. As they play cards, Qin Huai asks Zhou You how he managed to persuade A'Ming. Zhou You explains that A'Ming and Big Zebra had fundamentally different values: A'Ming prized loyalty, while Big Zebra was solely motivated by money.
Zhou You posits that when a loyal person realizes they are merely a tool for profit, their initial trust transforms into intense anger, especially when the actions are illegal and harmful. Qin Huai observes Zhou You's emotional agitation, suggesting he is deeply empathizing with A'Ming. Zhou You admits that encountering A'Ming brought back memories of his own past when he ran away from home, feeling lost and yearning for his mother's cooking and the comfort of his bed.
Qin Huai lightheartedly teases Zhou You, telling him he just "lacks love." With the evidence provided by A'Ming, the police successfully apprehend Big Zebra and his entire group. A'Ming expresses profound remorse to Lin Shuo, realizing the gravity of his actions and the harm he caused, and asks her to convey his apologies to the victims. Qin Huai later speaks with Lin Shuo, suggesting she reconsider filing a lawsuit against A'Ming.
He shows her data compiled by Zhou You, which indicates that many members of the deal hunter groups, like A'Ming, are either disabled or merely opportunists who may not have fully understood the illegal nature of their involvement. He leaves the final legal decision to her. Lin Shuo then discusses the case with Shen Yizhang, reflecting on her altered perspective.
She acknowledges that while Big Zebra and other leaders who exploit illegal resources are genuinely malicious, the members are often brainwashed ordinary individuals struggling to survive, who need guidance rather than condemnation. Shen Yizhang notes Lin Shuo's changed stance from her previous zero-tolerance approach to crime. Lin Shuo confesses that she used to view issues from an arrogant, "top-down" perspective, realizing she had been dogmatic and narrow-minded.
Shen Yizhang reassures her, affirming her as the best and encouraging her not to doubt herself or change for "insignificant ants." Subsequently, Lin Shuo calls Qin Huai to inform him that President Zhou has decided not to sue A'Ming, acknowledging him as a victim. Lin Shuo then states her new priority is to develop software that can quickly identify deal hunters, helping companies cut their losses and prevent crime at a technical level.
Meanwhile, Zhou You's "Shepherd" system development faces a significant obstacle. Struggling with coder's block, and too proud to ask Qin Huai for help, he secretly seeks advice from a netizen, Gray Egret, online. Zhou You shares his code designed to identify malicious prize claims. Gray Egret, identifying themselves as "white hat hackers," generously shares a similar code they had written, which provides Zhou You with new insights and ideas.
Concurrently, Qin Huai is also grappling with programming difficulties and openly expresses a wish for Chen Mo to be there to assist him. Zhou You teases Qin Huai about his "double standards," noting Qin Huai's own struggle despite earlier criticizing Zhou You. Qin Huai confesses he misses Chen Mo's unique skills and "graceful bearing," prompting Zhou You to muse why Qin Huai's eyes always light up when he talks about Chen Mo.
Earlier that morning, Chen Mo had prepared breakfast for his mother, promising to spend more time with her once his current project was completed. As he leaves the house, Mu Tong reminds him to take care. Later, Chen Mo's mother's phone malfunctions, preventing her from watching her drama. Mu Tong, unable to fix the phone, offers Chen Mo's laptop for her to use instead. Chen Mo's mother begins using the laptop and discovers something on the screen that leaves her visibly shocked.
Episode 16 Recap
Upon returning home, Chen Mo found his mother in a serious mood. She dismissed Mu Tong, asking her to go to her room, before confronting Chen Mo with documents related to his ongoing investigation into the scammers from years ago. His mother expressed her frustration, reminding him that his past desire for revenge led to his arrest and her broken legs. She urged him to let go, emphasizing that she only wished for their family to live a peaceful life.
Chen Mo admitted he couldn't let go, explaining that his years alone in a foreign country had been tormenting, making him constantly revisit the past. He felt compelled to uncover the truth and clear his own name, believing he owed it to his mother and himself.
However, his mother reiterated that the most important thing was his well-being, stating she wouldn't have survived if she harbored such a mindset, and she cherished the simple act of hearing him say "Mom, I'm home" every day. Later, Mu Tong comforted Chen Mo, telling him she overheard his mother's words. She suggested that for his mother, the truth might not be as important as Chen Mo leading a happy and joyful life.
Mu Tong believed his mother didn't want him trapped in the past, fearing she would blame herself for his current state. She recalled her own feelings of rootlessness upon returning to the city, making her envious of Chen Mo having a home and a mother who waited for him daily. Moved by her words, Chen Mo thanked Mu Tong. He then shared his future plans, envisioning a stable life where they could open a housekeeping agency together.
Mu Tong was touched to be included in his aspirations. With this new resolve, Chen Mo acknowledged the end of his investigation, as the individual involved in the courier station incident had been reported. Mu Tong expressed her relief that Chen Mo had finally decided to let go of the past. Chen Mo then gently took Mu Tong's hand, signifying their new beginning.
They then began preparations for their housekeeping company, named Momo Housekeeping, finding joy in their new venture despite the hard work. As Chen Mo and Mu Tong returned home after a day of work, they found Qin Huai waiting for them downstairs. Mu Tong discreetly went inside, leaving the two men to talk. Chen Mo was cold, immediately refusing to help Qin Huai without even knowing the request.
Qin Huai ignored his curtness, showing him codes – the core code Chen Mo had written for his "Guardian" system four years ago. Qin Huai revealed he had modified it into the "Shepherd" system and they were one step closer to their dream of a perfect system with both offensive and defensive capabilities. He appealed to Chen Mo for help to refine it, stating it would be flawed without him. Chen Mo, however, had changed.
He congratulated Qin Huai but firmly stated he had decided to quit cybersecurity. He now believed that a peaceful life with loved ones was paramount. He explained that he and Mu Tong were running a small company, which, though modest, brought fulfillment. He emphasized that Mu Tong had saved his life and was a kind person, and he wished to provide her with a stable future. Qin Huai, though disappointed, accepted Chen Mo's decision and left.
Meanwhile, at Kai Gua Le Cybersecurity Company, Zhou You returned with takeout to find Qin Huai eating hotpot. Excited, Zhou You joined him. Qin Huai explained it was an early celebration for the successful development of the "Shepherd" system, adding that Chen Mo would not be involved. Zhou You expressed surprise at Chen Mo's absence but quickly committed to the project.
When Zhou You offered to go home for his sleeping bag, Qin Huai revealed he had already anticipated it, showing him a prepared sleeping bag and other essentials for an all-nighter. They immediately got to work, fortifying the system. They initiated a pressure test with 50% data, which was successful. However, when Qin Huai uploaded his modified code and they ran a full load pressure test with 100% data, the system failed, revealing numerous unresolved vulnerabilities.
They continued to work tirelessly, spending their days and nights at the office. Later, Mu Tong was cleaning a client's apartment, a Ms. Chen, when she encountered a suspicious masked man in the elevator area. Initially, she dismissed him, but after she disposed of the trash, she noticed him rummaging through the bags she had just discarded. Alarmed, Mu Tong immediately informed Chen Mo via phone.
From the contents of the garbage bag—a takeout receipt showing evening orders, a beer can, and a clothing brand—Chen Mo quickly deduced that the client was a young, single white-collar woman who lived alone and owned a gray cat. He explained that this "dumpster diving" was a hacking technique used to gather personal information. Concerned, they returned to Ms. Chen's apartment under the guise of providing additional service.
Inside, Chen Mo noticed several smart, internet-connected devices, including a rotating far-infrared camera for her cat and a device labeled "Love." While Ms. Chen was showing off her smart cat toys, Chen Mo subtly used his phone to play music at a high volume, placing it near a camera.
He then warned her about the security risks of inadequately configured smart devices, explaining that a device named "Love" was an intruder on her network, allowing someone to see and hear everything. He claimed to have temporarily "deafened and blinded" the intruder. Mu Tong quickly added that she had seen a man going through Ms. Chen's garbage.
Ms. Chen, however, misunderstood their intentions, accusing them of trying to scam her and angrily ordering them to leave, threatening to call the police. Chen Mo and Mu Tong, having delivered their warning, left. Just as they departed, the same mysterious masked man emerged from the adjacent rental unit. A public service announcement then followed, highlighting the dangers of oversharing private information on social media.
It warned that seemingly innocuous posts about travel or daily routines could inadvertently inform wrongdoers when a person is absent, making them vulnerable to scams or theft. The message advised people to think twice before sharing personal details online.
Episode 17 Recap
Mu Tong and Chen Mo were leaving work, with Mu Tong praising Chen Mo’s recently developed program for significantly improving her daily time management and route planning, which resulted in a higher volume of orders. As they walked, Mu Tong spotted a familiar man, the same one who had tailed her earlier, picking up a package and heading towards apartment 1503.
The man was Jia Jia's senior, and he had come to her apartment to deliver a new smartphone, something he knew she had wanted. Jia Jia was surprised by his knowledge of her preferences and suggested he simply mail any future gifts. He then asked her to go to a movie that night, but Jia Jia declined, claiming she had dinner plans with a friend.
Her senior, however, exposed her lie, stating he knew she had been working overtime and had no plans. Jia Jia, embarrassed, insisted on her dinner plans and plainly told him that he was not her type. Angered, he questioned why she accepted his gifts if she didn't like him. Jia Jia clarified that she didn't willingly accept them, as he would relentlessly harass her if she refused, and she attempted to return the phone.
As she tried to close the door, he blocked it and forced his way into her apartment. He then recounted intimate details of her life, such as her love for candy but fear of gaining weight, her habit of skipping dinner, her preference for bubble tea without pearls or sugar, and her daily participation in Weibo lucky draws for electronics due to limited savings.
When Jia Jia asked if he had been spying on her, he confessed, claiming it was "because I love you too much!" He then attempted to force her to be his girlfriend. Jia Jia screamed for help. Outside, Chen Mo and Mu Tong heard Jia Jia's cries from apartment 1503 and quickly called the police. Chen Mo then used his hacking skills to unlock the smart door, allowing them to rush in and rescue Jia Jia.
In the interrogation room, Jia Jia's senior claimed it was a mere misunderstanding between a couple. He insisted his actions were out of love, explaining he had spent "tens of thousands of yuan" on software to understand her better and even went through her domestic waste to learn her preferences. Jia Jia vehemently denied being in a relationship with him, explaining that she only accepted his gifts to prevent further harassment.
Chen Mo corroborated her story, revealing that the senior had not only hacked Jia Jia's surveillance camera but also her door lock multiple times, indicating his malicious intent. The senior then admitted that he was angry she was "stringing me along" and planned to do "something that cannot be undone." Jia Jia pleaded with the officer to arrest him.
However, the senior remained defiant, maintaining that he was not wrong because he "loves her" and "has to get his hands on her." After the incident, Jia Jia was still shaken. Mu Tong advised her that if she truly had no feelings for someone, she should stop accepting their gifts. Chen Mo questioned how the senior obtained her Wi-Fi password. Jia Jia confessed she had shared it during a party and hadn't changed it since.
Chen Mo explained that the senior used this access to connect to her network and then deployed illegal software to hack into her smart appliances, thereby exposing her personal life. Jia Jia then declared her intention to dispose of all her smart appliances. Chen Mo gently corrected her, stating there was nothing inherently wrong with smart devices, but rather a need to strengthen one's cybersecurity awareness. He offered to send her a list of home network security steps.
Jia Jia sincerely apologized for her earlier impoliteness and promised to refer new clients to Kai Gua Le as a gesture of gratitude. After days of tireless work, the Shepherd system successfully passed its pressure test, proving to be a significant asset to the company. Despite this success, President Zhou remained concerned that the system might only be a temporary solution, worrying about future "deal hunting" incidents.
Qin Huai reassured President Zhou, promising that Kai Gua Le would provide continuous follow-up maintenance and after-sales service for their products. This finally put President Zhou at ease. Zhou You eagerly emphasized his own contributions to the Shepherd system, prompting President Zhou to generously offer to fulfill any requests Zhou You might have. Later, on their way back, Zhou You boastfully compared himself to Chen Mo, believing he was now more capable.
Qin Huai acknowledged Chen Mo's departure from his past but admitted he still couldn't understand why Chen Mo abandoned his dreams. Zhou You suggested Qin Huai ask Chen Mo directly, but Qin Huai brushed off the idea. Back at the Kai Gua Le office, Lin Shuo shared good news: A'Ming had found a new job with assistance from the local neighborhood committee, and other individuals who were unwittingly involved in deal hunting had also received adequate support.
Tang Lin then announced that the final payment from Fizzy Frenzy Beverage Factory would arrive in two days, signaling that their wages were imminent. Lin Shuo encouraged Qin Huai, as their boss, to treat everyone to a celebratory meal. Qin Huai initially resisted but eventually relented due to the team's enthusiasm. During the meal, they toasted to their successful cooperation on the deal hunters' case, specifically thanking Qin Huai.
Zhou You, noticing Qin Huai's somber mood, tried to cheer him up, suggesting he let go of things and reminding him that they had succeeded in creating the Shepherd system even without Chen Mo, and that Chen Mo might return someday. Qin Huai, however, dismissed Zhou You's attempts to lighten his mood. Meanwhile, Ma Pingchuan was deeply moved as he watched his daughter, Qing Qing, perform a violin piece on stage.
While there, Ma Pingchuan received a call from Mo Yizhong, who informed him of recent events and suggested a meeting. Soon after, Ma Pingchuan received another call, this time from Mazi, who was furious about the ineffective QR codes for Fizzy Frenzy Beverage Factory due to its new defense system, which Mazi suspected was Qin Huai's doing. The deal hunters were in "chaos," burdened with many useless QR codes, and Mazi demanded an explanation.
Ma Pingchuan downplayed the situation, stating that only one factory's codes were affected and that other factory codes were still valid. He promised Mazi that he would prioritize him for future business opportunities. Mazi reluctantly accepted for now but warned Ma Pingchuan not to trick him. After the call, Ma Pingchuan immediately instructed someone to investigate which other factories had installed the Shepherd system.
In a later phone call with Mo Yizhong, Ma Pingchuan suggested targeting "all" the factories that had installed the Shepherd system, advising Mo Yizhong to instruct the deal hunters to maintain a low profile and focus on a high number of attacks rather than large quantities.
At home, Ma Pingchuan's wife subtly criticized him for not receiving a promotion or raise, reminiscing about how her mother initially disapproved of him because he lacked a house, but then he subsequently received a raise and promotion, implying that she brought him luck. Ma Pingchuan, clearly uncomfortable, reflected on his past as an ordinary employee at Hupo, where "General" had found leverage against him, forcing him onto a path of no return. Feeling trapped, he devised an alternative strategy.
A flashback revealed a past phone call where he reluctantly agreed to disable a system for five minutes in exchange for ¥200,000, but insisted it would be a one-time deal. " General," however, dismissed his condition, subtly threatening to expose his past actions to Hupo and promising substantial future earnings if he continued to cooperate. While playing a stacking game with Qing Qing, who asked what was most important to him, Ma Pingchuan paused before answering, "you. . .
and mom." Back at Kai Gua Le, Tang Lin, concerned about potential retaliation from the deal hunter interest group after the Shepherd system's success, proactively installed new surveillance cameras throughout the company office. Soon after, numerous business owners, whose companies had suffered losses due to deal hunters, flocked to Kai Gua Le, eager to purchase the Shepherd system.
Zhou You, attempting to manage the large crowd, initially asserted his authority as "second-in-command" and claimed the company primarily handled "personal affairs," not corporate clients. However, Qin Huai arrived and swiftly took charge, reassuring everyone that Kai Gua Le could and would provide security services and the Shepherd system to all companies that required it, to the relief and applause of the assembled business owners.
Episode 18 Recap
The success of the Shepherd system led to a rapid increase in clients for Kai Gua Le Cybersecurity Company. Qin Huai received a call, accepting an offer to provide prize redemption screening services to an association. However, the unexpected demand soon overwhelmed the small team. Tang Lin, juggling multiple roles including secretary, admin, treasurer, legal officer, driver, receptionist, and assistant, complained about being asked to be a marketing officer as well, lamenting that they were too understaffed to cope.
Auntie Ding agreed, highlighting the immense workload. Zhou You expressed his frustration to Qin Huai, explaining that the Shepherd system was initially designed for just one company. Now, it had to serve dozens, requiring it to process tens of millions of requests in milliseconds, a feat he deemed impossible. Qin Huai acknowledged the problem and proposed expanding the team with promotions and raises.
Zhou You was skeptical, pointing out the impracticality of rapidly expanding their staff, office space, and server capacity. He urged Qin Huai to consider declining some orders, suggesting they act within their capabilities and not be driven by greed. However, Qin Huai insisted that every order was a commitment they could not betray.
He then revealed a more critical reason for taking on more work: they were being targeted, referencing a past incident where someone tried to hit him with a car. Zhou You quickly realized that the online slander, the car attack, and the deal hunting were likely orchestrated by the same underground syndicate, possibly led by "the Advisor." Qin Huai confirmed this, believing that after the Shepherd system's impact, the Advisor wouldn't remain idle and would launch a fierce counterattack.
Mentioning Chen Mo had given up, Qin Huai decided he would handle the recruitment personally. Meanwhile, Ma Pingchuan discussed with Mo Yizhong the impact of Shepherd system, noting that more beverage factories installing it meant Mazi and his gang were losing money. Ma Pingchuan instructed Mo Yizhong to apply for a job at Kai Gua Le to infiltrate the company. During the recruitment drive, Zhou You interviewed various applicants, most of whom were unqualified or driven solely by salary.
Finally, Mo Yizhong introduced himself, showcasing his extensive experience in cybersecurity and a strong desire to combat cybercrime, stating that salary was not his main concern. Impressed by Mo Yizhong's skills and integrity, Zhou You hired him on the spot. Separately, Chen Mo, who had been analyzing the Shepherd system, discovered several vulnerabilities, including a medium-risk bug, four low-risk bugs, and a suspected bug. He decided to visit Kai Gua Le to inform Qin Huai.
Upon arrival, he found the office bustling with new employees celebrating. Auntie Ding, mistaking Chen Mo for a cleaner from a housekeeping agency due to his attire, enthusiastically recounted the company's humble beginnings and its recent surge in success, praising Qin Huai's resourcefulness. After helping with some cleaning, Chen Mo tried to find Qin Huai, but he was out. Tang Lin, busy with other tasks, offered him a piece of paper to leave a note.
Chen Mo wrote down the vulnerabilities, emphasizing its importance, and entrusted the note to Tang Lin, telling her it was from a friend for Qin Huai. Tang Lin, in turn, gave the note to Mo Yizhong to pass to Zhou You for the boss. Instead, Mo Yizhong handed it directly to Zhou You.
Zhou You read the note, which warned that the Shepherd system's peak value was high and could crash under concentrated attacks like DDoS, ICMP floods, or slow POST reflection amplification. He grew angry, believing that as the system's developer, only he truly understood it. He dismissed the warning as an attempt by rivals to sow discord and morale, tearing the note into pieces and throwing it away.
Mo Yizhong, having successfully infiltrated Kai Gua Le, messaged Ma Pingchuan about his status. Ma Pingchuan instructed him to find an opportunity to upload a coded folder to the company server, reminding him to tag it. Mo Yizhong expressed doubts that simple codes would be sufficient to "teach Qin Huai a lesson," mentioning Mazi's growing impatience. Ma Pingchuan simply replied "Wait."
Later, during a live stream promotional event for Fizzy Frenzy Beverage Factory, where they were giving away 1,000 phones, the Kai Gua Le team watched intently, with some employees even participating in the giveaway. On Ma Pingchuan's command, his operatives, including Mazi's deal robbers and a network of broilers and servers, launched a coordinated attack simultaneously with the giveaway countdown. As the countdown ended, the live stream froze for many viewers, including the Kai Gua Le employees.
Mazi declared they had successfully claimed the 1,000 phones. Back at Kai Gua Le, Qin Huai and Zhou You quickly realized the system had crashed. The live stream's chat was flooded with complaints, accusing Fizzy Frenzy of a sham campaign. They discovered that all the winners were new registrants, a highly suspicious and statistically impossible outcome for a random draw.
Qin Huai and Zhou You began working to resolve the issue, with Qin Huai focusing on identifying the attackers and Zhou You on analyzing the winners. They faced immense pressure, not only from Fizzy Frenzy's accountability but also from negative public opinion. Qin Huai stressed their responsibility to fix the problem quickly to minimize the beverage company's losses. Auntie Ding offered reassurance, promising they would work together.
Meanwhile, Ma Pingchuan revelled in his success, confirming that the negative comments online were from genuine netizens, not paid trolls, and confidently predicted a massive compensation claim that would cripple Qin Huai. Back home, Chen Mo’s mother asked if he had been in touch with Qin Huai. She had heard from Mu Tong that Qin Huai was in trouble and had sought Chen Mo's help, which he declined.
Chen Mo explained that they had simply drifted apart over the years, now pursuing different paths. His mother, however, emphasized the deep bond of their friendship, which she believed should never change.
Chen Mo confessed his dilemma: he had promised his mother to stay home and provide a stable life, but helping Qin Huai would inevitably pull him back into the dangerous world of cybersecurity battles against dark forces, risking his peaceful life being shattered by those who previously sought to destroy them. His mother understood his fears for her safety but insisted that Qin Huai was family, and they could not stand idly by if he was in trouble. She told Chen Mo to make his own decision, reminding him of their fond memories with Qin Huai, and suggested he invite Qin Huai over for dinner sometime.
Episode 19 Recap
As Zhou You was preparing to finish work, he noticed a familiar face at the door. Startled, he instinctively nudged Qin Huai, who looked up to see Chen Mo. Chen Mo had come to deliver nourishing tea from his mother for Qin Huai, explaining that he had also been upgrading their old "Guardian" system and renamed it "Moat." Qin Huai simply smiled, offering his congratulations.
Chen Mo asserted that he had never forgotten their friendship or their shared dreams and was now there to help. He then mentioned having left a note previously detailing critical vulnerabilities in the Shepherd system, including susceptibility to DDOS, DNS hijack, ICMP flood, and slow POST reflection amplification attacks, and wondered why no patch had been made. Zhou You, recalling his own dismissive reaction to that note, feigned ignorance, claiming he had never seen it.
Qin Huai, sensing the tension, intervened, telling Chen Mo to leave the past behind as everything was better with him back. He then invited Chen Mo and Zhou You to join him in addressing the system issues. Chen Mo quickly assessed that simply patching the Shepherd system wouldn't suffice. Instead, he proposed integrating the "Moat" system directly into the internet traffic. This new system, he explained, could not only monitor business data but also effectively counteract various amplification attacks.
Qin Huai agreed with the strategy. After an intense day and night of work, the three successfully patched the Shepherd system. Chen Mo demonstrated the "Moat" system's effectiveness by simulating a DDOS attack, which it effortlessly detected and diverted, stabilizing user access. Zhou You was deeply impressed, praising Chen Mo for developing such a robust "Moat" system in just one weekend, which instantly neutralized the ongoing attacks.
Chen Mo stated that defending themselves was merely the first step; their next objective was to launch a counterattack to paralyze their adversaries' computers. Qin Huai suggested that while disabling the opponents was important, it would be even better to use entrapment to lure the masterminds out of hiding. Zhou You enthusiastically agreed, proposing they use Trojan viruses to track down the manipulators, mirroring their opponents' methods with an "eye for an eye."
Meanwhile, Ma Pingchuan's operative, Mo Yizhong, reported by phone that their opponents were now blocking all attacks and had successfully combined the Moat and Shepherd systems, with Chen Mo having joined them. Ma Pingchuan, recognizing Chen Mo, instructed his operative to disengage from active attacks and merely observe.
Later, after Qin Huai's team launched their counterattack, the operative reported that the opponents, realizing the change in strategy, had boldly deleted millions of data from their server to prevent being traced, indicating a highly skilled and audacious adversary. Ma Pingchuan declared, "This isn't over yet."
He revealed he had already uploaded specific codes with timestamps and instructed his team to cease all current operations, waiting for Qin Huai and Chen Mo to drop their guard before making their next move. Qin Huai subsequently met with President Zhou of Fizzy Frenzy Beverage Factory to apologize and explain the situation.
He informed President Zhou that they had repaired the server, recovered the prize winner data, identified the true winners, and reported the fraudsters to the police, offering full compensation for any losses and requesting the lawsuit be dropped. President Zhou not only agreed to drop the lawsuit but thanked Qin Huai.
He pointed out that the entire incident, despite the initial trouble, had unexpectedly put their company on trending topics six times, generating significant positive public sentiment and sympathy, far surpassing their usual multi-million dollar marketing campaigns. Although he considered it a "blessing in disguise" for publicity, he still expected compensation for their losses, distinguishing it from marketing benefits.
When Qin Huai suggested installment payments due to the substantial amount, President Zhou refused any money, calling Qin Huai his "lucky star" and expressing his strong desire for continued cooperation. Back at the office, Qin Huai announced a celebration for the team's victory and the renewed collaborations with beverage factories, promising a hotpot party and a ¥10,000 lucky draw.
Later, Qin Huai confided in Chen Mo, admitting his profound happiness stemmed not just from the win, but from fighting side-by-side with him again. When Chen Mo suggested his departure, Qin Huai stopped him, revealing that his involvement in the Fizzy Frenzy case, the development of the Shepherd system, and battling the underground syndicate were all part of a larger, long-standing plan to find "Advisor," the mastermind behind Chen Mo's mother's past scam.
Qin Huai then led Chen Mo into a secret room within the company, a space filled with their shared history, evident from the old server and extensive case diagrams plastered on the walls. Chen Mo was deeply moved, realizing the depth of Qin Huai's solitary investigation. He assured Qin Huai that with their combined efforts, they could achieve "twice the result with half the effort."
Chen Mo explained that when he deployed the "Vengeance virus" against the syndicate years ago, he used highly specialized encryption methods, impersonating IP addresses, routing information, and encrypting log files to remain untraceable. To find the virus's originator, they would need to decrypt these complex, randomly changing ciphers. He revealed that he had managed to track some true IP addresses to Taimanda but found no further leads until he heard a series of familiar numbers, his old nickname.
He also recounted trying to call Qin Huai during that time, and when he couldn't reach him, he turned over his findings to the police. Now, he handed Qin Huai all the information he had collected from Taimanda, hoping it would lead to a breakthrough. At that moment, Zhou You, who had followed them and overheard much of their conversation, stumbled upon the secret room.
Initially denying he heard anything, he eventually admitted to knowing everything, seeing the extensive files on the screen—terabytes of victim's computer logs, gigabytes of decrypted logs, attack records, and the Vengeance Virus's evolution, with a daunting 8,842 days estimated remaining for decryption—grasping the immense scale of their mission. Qin Huai then pulled Zhou You out of the room to have a private conversation. Separately, the wounded "General" instructed his subordinate to spread rumors of his death online.
This tactic was designed to incite his rivals to fight among themselves for territory, exposing them while he recuperated. He confirmed that all who knew the truth of his survival had been silenced. The subordinate mentioned a widespread rumor that finding the "key to Legion" would unlock its secrets and crown the next "General," a notion the General dismissed. He told his subordinate that he could not appear publicly and planned to recover in Northern Myanmar.
He then gave a new, urgent directive: find Mu Tong by any means necessary. Meanwhile, Mu Tong woke from a terrifying nightmare, crying out. Chen Mo's mother, hearing her, rushed to comfort her and urged her to rest, noting her recent unwellness, before leaving for work. Mu Tong's flashback revealed her past humiliation: working as a casino dealer to earn money for her ailing grandmother's medical bills.
One day, while being physically assaulted by an "uncle" demanding her money, the "General" intervened, beating the uncle. He then claimed Mu Tong as his own, telling her that hurting her injured his pride. Despite her defiance and refusal to accept his money for her grandmother, he subjected her to torment and assault, asserting his desire to conquer her unyielding spirit.
Episode 20 Recap
Mu Tong returned home to find Chen Mo busy preparing a table full of delicious food. As she watched him, a sense of warmth filled her, though she also felt a touch of disbelief at her consistent happiness. Chen Mo explained that he had been helping Qin Huai with the Shepherd system and thanked Mu Tong for managing their housekeeping agency during his absence.
Mu Tong, happy to see his renewed collaboration with Qin Huai, playfully told him to stop being so formal. Qin Huai, Chen Mo, and Zhou You celebrated the successful upgrade of the Shepherd system. Qin Huai announced that the enhanced system, now capable of identifying and blocking malicious prize redemption accounts within five seconds, would be renamed "Super Shepherd."
Zhou You proudly reminded them that his initial foundational work was crucial for its rapid development, while Chen Mo added that he had completed the system's self-test module. Zhou You then informed them that the auto-tracking feature had already identified numerous bargain hunters, and he had passed their addresses to Guo Yao. Thanks to their collaborative efforts, the police successfully raided a scam operation. However, the leader, Mazi, managed to evade arrest.
Still at large, Mazi made an angry phone call to Ma Pingchuan, demanding two million yuan in cash as compensation for his captured men and their failed operation. He threatened to expose all of Ma Pingchuan's illicit activities to the police if his demands were not met within 24 hours. Just as Ma Pingchuan was on the phone, President Xu unexpectedly arrived, causing Ma Pingchuan to quickly end the call.
President Xu expressed his admiration for the recently popular Shepherd system and recognized Qin Huai as the skilled hacker who impressively breached HuCloud's three layers of security at its launch event. He then instructed Ma Pingchuan to invite Qin Huai to join their company, Hupo, and acquire the Shepherd system. Later that night, Ma Pingchuan was in his car with Mo Yizhong.
Ma Pingchuan's wife called to remind him about their daughter's class, and he responded as if everything was normal. Ma Pingchuan expressed frustration that all their data was supposed to be deleted, but Mo Yizhong explained that the upgraded Shepherd system, with its new tracking and automatic bug scanner, made it impossible for Mazi to hide. Ma Pingchuan, despite Mo Yizhong’s suggestion to leave, insisted on staying to observe Mazi.
They discussed whether Mazi, a known scoundrel, would keep his word after receiving the money, with Mo Yizhong even suggesting eliminating him. However, Ma Pingchuan dismissed the idea, stating they shouldn't go that far yet. Soon after, Mazi arrived. Mo Yizhong exited the car, carrying two boxes of money, and handed them to Mazi, warning him to uphold his end of the bargain. Mazi acknowledged the warning and drove away.
Ma Pingchuan invited Qin Huai to dinner, claiming he wanted to discuss Chen Mo. Qin Huai agreed, expecting Ma Pingchuan to bring up past grievances. Ma Pingchuan confirmed that their discussion involved Chen Mo and inquired about Qin Huai and Chen Mo's collaboration on the Shepherd software. Qin Huai affirmed their joint effort but questioned Ma Pingchuan's motives, asking if he was there to settle old scores.
Ma Pingchuan denied this, explaining that President Xu was highly impressed with Shepherd and wished to purchase it, and also held Qin Huai in high regard, hoping he would join Hupo along with the software. Qin Huai asked why Hupo, a major cybersecurity firm, would need Shepherd. Ma Pingchuan avoided a direct answer, instead promising that if Qin Huai agreed to the deal, President Xu would fully support Chen Mo's return to the Cybersecurity Association.
Qin Huai found this offer ironic and hypocritical, recalling how Chen Mo was ostracized when he was in trouble, only for those same people to now seek to cooperate after his success. Ma Pingchuan dismissed this by saying "that was then, this is now," suggesting that people should adapt and that this could be a growth opportunity for Chen Mo and the industry. Qin Huai, without revealing his true feelings, told Ma Pingchuan he needed time to consider the offer.
Qin Huai then met Chen Mo to discuss Ma Pingchuan’s offer. Qin Huai acknowledged Ma Pingchuan's shrewd business sense but suspected ulterior motives. He revealed that their investigation into the beverage factory incident uncovered a critical bug in Hupo's own security software, HuCloud, which allowed access to the factory's internal data, suggesting Hupo might be involved. Qin Huai also mentioned Ma Pingchuan’s additional incentive: ensuring Chen Mo's reinstatement into the Cybersecurity Association if they agreed to the sale.
Chen Mo was surprised that Ma Pingchuan remembered him, while Qin Huai expressed anger, revealing that Ma Pingchuan had repeatedly used Chen Mo's past as a negative example in his speeches over the years. Chen Mo, however, remained calm, stating that as long as Qin Huai understood his character, that was sufficient. Qin Huai pressed him, asking if he truly didn’t want another chance to clear his name.
Chen Mo firmly declined, declaring that they would not sell the Shepherd system. Ma Pingchuan reported to President Xu that Qin Huai was not interested in selling Shepherd or joining Hupo, instead expressing a desire for his company to grow independently and even surpass Hupo. Ma Pingchuan then suggested acquiring Qin Huai's company outright. President Xu, however, believed that Qin Huai's individuality was typical of talented young people and decided to reconsider the acquisition.
Later, President Xu instructed his associate to subtly guide Qin Huai's Shepherd system to discover a specific bug named "Tuesday" within Hupo's system. Despite the associate's question about the wisdom of revealing this bug, President Xu insisted on his plan. Qin Huai then addressed his team with two announcements.
First, he shared that they had received the final payment from the beverage factory and, in appreciation for everyone’s hard work and the company's growth, he was distributing red packets to all employees. The team reacted with enthusiastic cheers as Tang Lin handed out the bonuses. For his second announcement, Qin Huai declared the need for a new management position in the technical department due to the company's expansion.
He then formally invited a visibly stunned Zhou You to become a partner and technical director of Kai Gua Le. His colleagues congratulated him, urging him to accept. Qin Huai explained that Zhou You's significant contributions to the bargain hunt case made him the ideal choice, asserting that he was already considered a partner. Zhou You, still processing the news, eventually accepted and began to relish his new leadership role.
When Chen Mo arrived and inquired about the commotion, Qin Huai tried to offer him a red packet, but Chen Mo politely declined, stating he only wanted to help with Shepherd’s upgrade. Chen Mo then expressed his intent to focus on "parsing Arsenal" now that Shepherd's issues were resolved. Embracing his new role, Zhou You confidently instructed his team to tackle future challenges, assuring them he would address any problems they encountered.
Zhou You's initial excitement about his promotion quickly soured as he noticed the close working relationship between Qin Huai and Chen Mo. Observing Qin Huai's thoughtful gesture of ordering a specific low-sugar hazelnut latte for Chen Mo, Zhou You felt increasingly marginalized. His insecurity grew when Tang Lin remarked that Qin Huai's promotion of Zhou You might have been a consequence of Chen Mo's arrival.
Feeling left out, Zhou You confided in Grey Heron via text, revealing that Qin Huai and Chen Mo spent all their time in a secret room in Qin Huai's office, studying information related to the "Vengeance" virus. Zhou You believed they were trying to clear Chen Mo's name by identifying the virus's original spreader, and he wanted to join them but felt Qin Huai deemed him not capable enough.
Grey Heron suggested he parse out the data on his own to prove his abilities. Motivated to show his worth, Zhou You covertly entered the secret room at night to copy the virus data. However, as he attempted to transfer the files, the data inexplicably began to delete itself. Qin Huai and Chen Mo walked in on him. Panicked, Zhou You tried to stop the deletion, but it was too late.
Chen Mo quickly intervened, terminating the process, but a significant amount of data had already been lost. Zhou You, tearfully apologizing, explained that he downloaded the software from a forum and was only trying to help, unaware it contained a virus. Chen Mo hypothesized that it was simple malware with a single deletion function, which likely bypassed antivirus scans due to its low technical complexity. Qin Huai, furious, demanded Zhou You take responsibility.
Zhou You pleaded for a chance to redeem himself, offering to make amends. Qin Huai sternly instructed him not to leave but to stay and recover the lost data by morning.
Episode 21 Recap
Zhou You meticulously attempted to recover the data he had accidentally shredded, determined to prove himself and undo his mistake. During this intense effort, he received an urgent call from Grey Heron, who identified himself and expressed his distress. Zhou You, still frustrated, angrily questioned Grey Heron about the decryption software he had sent, which had led to all the files on their server being deleted.
Grey Heron explained that he had obtained the software from a forum, had never used it himself, and had only just learned of its issues. He apologized profusely and offered assistance, but Zhou You, dismissing his offer, asserted he would handle it himself and abruptly ended the call. Later, Chen Mo observed Qin Huai's remarkably calm and understanding reaction to Zhou You's blunder.
Chen Mo noted that the old Qin Huai would have severely reprimanded Zhou You, perhaps even reporting him to the authorities. Qin Huai admitted that he had indeed changed significantly over the past two years. He confessed that during the period Chen Mo was missing, he had become consumed by self-blame and lost all faith in people. However, Zhou You's arrival had altered his perspective.
He emphasized that mistakes are part of growth and expressed gratitude for having Chen Mo and Zhou You by his side, making challenges easier to face. Just then, Qin Huai received a message from Mo Yizhong, informing him that the Super Shepherd scanning system had detected a new bug related to Hupo's HuCloud system. Meanwhile, Ma Pingchuan received a call from a man identified as "General."
General inquired about Ma Pingchuan's well-being and hinted at needing his support for a comeback. Ma Pingchuan quickly explained that all his money had been taken by a man named Mazi, rendering him unable to help. General seemed to understand and promptly hung up. Later that night, Ma Pingchuan was awakened by a message informing him that Mazi had died. He then called Mo Yizhong to discuss the news, and Mo Yizhong informed him Mazi had been run over.
Ma Pingchuan immediately suspected General was responsible, especially given their earlier conversation. He conveyed his concerns to Mo Yizhong, emphasizing that General was a far more formidable adversary than Mazi, and advised Mo Yizhong to put their current business on hold while he tried to uncover General's intentions. Zhou You continued to work tirelessly in the secret room, successfully parsing out the deleted files. He presented his progress, confident he could painstakingly recover the shredded fragments.
However, Qin Huai and Chen Mo revealed they had already found a solution. They had recovered server MAC codes from the fragments, and while Arsenal's data was lost, they could retrieve the original encoding by finding the initial server. Qin Huai highlighted that Hupo, being a major security company, would likely keep such backups for research, making it their only viable option. Chen Mo and Zhou You both vehemently offered to go to Hupo, acknowledging the risks with Ma Pingchuan.
Qin Huai insisted he was the right person, citing his previous conflict with Ma Pingchuan over Shepherd and emphasizing that the newly discovered Hupo Cloud bug was his leverage. Before they could leave, Chen Mo received an urgent call informing him that Mu Tong had fainted, forcing him to depart. Qin Huai and Zhou You then headed to Hupo.
Upon their arrival at Hupo Technology, Qin Huai, accompanied by Zhou You, whom he introduced as Kai Gua Le's Technical Director, met with President Xu. Qin Huai wasted no time, stating directly that Hupo's HuCloud system had a long-standing vulnerability that remained unaddressed. Ma Pingchuan swiftly interjected, asserting that such a claim was unlikely given the system's recent upgrade.
Qin Huai countered by explaining that their investigations into several companies troubled by "deal robbers" consistently revealed they used HuCloud security systems, and two specific bugs were found. These bugs, while not always affecting normal operations, could create a backdoor for criminal acts if exploited by someone with malicious intent. He offered to fix this vulnerability for Hupo.
Ma Pingchuan attempted to divert the conversation by suggesting that Vincent (Hu Dezheng), who was in charge of that department, would have reported any bugs immediately. President Xu then offered to pay Qin Huai a maintenance fee and a generous contract for his team if he could prove his claims. Qin Huai declined the money, clarifying his real purpose: he had lost critical data that only Hupo's servers might retain a backup of.
He assured President Xu that this was ordinary data and posed no conflict of interest for Hupo, requesting only to access the system logs. President Xu confirmed that Qin Huai sought to examine Hupo's logs in exchange for a free bug fix. He then challenged Qin Huai, asking what collateral he would offer if HuCloud had no bug, or if Qin Huai failed to fix it. Qin Huai, without hesitation, pledged Kai Gua Le to President Xu.
Impressed by Qin Huai's conviction, President Xu agreed to the terms. Qin Huai and Zhou You were led to the technical department. Zhou You encountered a cyber cloud security program, SafeDog, blocking his access, but Qin Huai quickly advised him to use coding to bypass it. Working swiftly, Zhou You sorted the data, while Qin Huai handled uploads. Together, they efficiently located and repaired the bug.
President Xu, visibly surprised and displeased, summoned Vincent (Hu Dezheng) and questioned his department's oversight. Following the successful repair, Qin Huai and Zhou You were granted access to Hupo's logs. Zhou You expressed his excitement, believing they were close to vindicating Chen Mo. Qin Huai called Chen Mo to share the good news, reassuring him about Mu Tong's health and promising to analyze the logs back at the office.
Moments after Qin Huai and Zhou You departed, a Hupo employee reported a major cybersecurity attack. Core servers were failing, and the attack had occurred precisely when Qin Huai was checking the bug he had found. Ma Pingchuan immediately recommended initiating a Level 1 emergency response, while President Xu instructed Vincent (Hu Dezheng) to investigate quickly and discreetly.
Back at Kai Gua Le, Qin Huai and Chen Mo meticulously analyzed the Hupo logs but found no useful information, speculating that the data might be too old. Meanwhile, news of Hupo's hack spread rapidly, causing a media frenzy around the company. Under immense pressure from the media and company directors, President Xu publicly announced that Ma Pingchuan would be taking charge of the investigation, assuring everyone that Hupo would find the truth.
Ma Pingchuan later addressed shareholders, reiterating that the situation was under control and evidence was being gathered, while hinting at the possibility of false accusations. Vincent (Hu Dezheng) reported that the attack originated from within the company, a "time bomb" planted precisely when Qin Huai was fixing the bug, and the malicious code was uploaded from the very computer Qin Huai had used. Ma Pingchuan further claimed that the online articles slandering Hupo were posted by Qin Huai's company.
Vincent, however, questioned why Qin Huai would expose himself so obviously. Ma Pingchuan theorized it was a "thief shouting thief" tactic to feign innocence and deflect suspicion. President Xu, convinced by Ma Pingchuan's explanation, instructed Vincent to gather solid evidence to sue Qin Huai. At Kai Gua Le, Lin Shuo arrived, bringing alarming news. She informed Zhou You that an article detailing Hupo's system breach had been posted from his social media account and was now trending.
She warned him that he could be sued for spreading false information. Zhou You was utterly shocked, denying he had ever posted such content and insisting his account must have been hacked. Qin Huai supported Zhou You, pointing out that the article's sophisticated and eloquent writing style was beyond Zhou You's usual abilities. He acknowledged that Hupo would likely pursue this aggressively and assured Lin Shuo that their immediate priority was to identify the person who had hacked Zhou You's account.
Episode 22 Recap
Ma Pingchuan, speaking to an associate, elaborated on his meticulous plan. He confirmed that the widespread news was indeed connected to the code he instructed to be planted in Qin Huai's computer. This code was an auto-running script designed to monitor "Tuesday" loopholes in real-time. The moment someone attempted to operate "Tuesday," the script would immediately seize control of their keyboard and automatically send a "time bomb" to the computer, ensuring a digital trail was left on Qin Huai's device.
Ma Pingchuan revealed he had initially expected Qin Huai to operate remotely, but Qin Huai falling for the trap was an even better opportunity he couldn't pass up. He boasted that the delayed time bomb he set up was undetectable, guaranteeing that once Hupo was attacked, the time bomb codes would be found on Qin Huai's computer, leading Xu Guangming to imprison him. He planned to send these incriminating codes directly to Hu Dezheng.
Meanwhile, Hu Dezheng informed President Xu Guangming that he had received an anonymous report from an employee of Kai Gua Le, alleging that Qin Huai was responsible for attacking HuCloud. The report included log records from Qin Huai's computer, containing codes nearly identical to the time bomb that attacked HuCloud. President Xu, seeing reporters gathered outside the company, acknowledged the need to quell public opinion and prioritized eliminating negative impacts on their reputation, rather than calling the police immediately.
At Kai Gua Le, Qin Huai and Zhou You discussed the person who hacked Zhou You's account, noting their advanced skill in covering tracks, making them difficult to locate quickly. Lin Shuo arrived, confirming her investigation found no evidence of "Internet ghostwriters"; instead, it appeared to be the spontaneous action of self-media. She stressed that the incident had severely damaged Kai Gua Le's public image and needed immediate resolution.
Lin Shuo then revealed, in her capacity as Hupo's legal representative, that Hupo intended to press charges against Qin Huai for attacking HuCloud's vulnerabilities. She advised him to gather evidence of his innocence, warning that without it, he would face substantial compensation. Though unable to disclose details, she urged him, as a friend, to act swiftly.
Before Qin Huai left the company to address Hupo's claims, Zhou You, noticing Chen Mo's absence, casually remarked on his infrequent visits as a non-official employee. Qin Huai entrusted Zhou You with the company's affairs while he was away. No sooner had Qin Huai departed than a group of clients stormed into Kai Gua Le, demanding refunds and immediate termination of their contracts due to the allegations against Qin Huai.
Despite his anger at their disloyalty, Zhou You calmly agreed to process their contract terminations in accordance with the agreed terms, signing off on the documents. Tang Lin later commented on Zhou You's newfound composure in handling the situation. Zhou You instructed Tang Lin not to inform Qin Huai of this setback, as he was already under immense pressure.
The situation worsened when court officials arrived at Kai Gua Le, confiscating all company computers and materials as evidence for Hupo's lawsuit, alleging server attacks. The remaining employees, fearing for their jobs and wages, grew distraught. Mo Yizhong stepped forward, explaining that regardless of the lawsuit's outcome, Kai Gua Le's reputation would be severely tarnished, making their future in the cybersecurity industry incredibly difficult.
This led many employees to decide to quit, stating they could not risk their careers by offending powerful figures in the industry or facing potential wage loss. Zhou You, disheartened, allowed them to leave. Upon his return, Qin Huai found the office in disarray. He quickly instructed Zhou You to check computer data and Tang Lin to review the surveillance camera footage.
Qin Huai explained that Hupo had evidence of his alleged attack, provided by an anonymous report containing attack codes from Kai Gua Le, confirming the presence of an inside man. Zhou You was overcome with guilt, realizing he had inadvertently allowed the spy to leave. Further investigation revealed that all surveillance footage had been deleted, indicating the spy was well-prepared.
Qin Huai calmly analyzed the situation, concluding that the attack codes were sent precisely when he was fixing Hupo's loopholes, implying the culprit had deep knowledge of HuCloud’s server and was closely monitoring his actions. Since the codes could only have been launched from Hupo's internal network, not externally, Qin Huai deduced there was also an insider within Hupo. He realized the entire series of events, from the initial hack to the media frenzy, was a meticulously planned setup.
Qin Huai then forcefully entered a Hupo meeting, seeking access to their internal network to uncover the truth and prove his innocence. He challenged President Xu Guangming, stating that if he were truly the culprit, Hupo could simply call the police and the attacks would cease. However, if he were innocent, Hupo would continue to live in fear of the true perpetrator. Qin Huai asserted there was a mole, warning that without identifying them, Hupo's reputation would be repeatedly jeopardized.
He argued that only by granting him access to the internal network could he find the necessary proof. Ma Pingchuan swiftly interjected, reminding President Xu that HuCloud was his life's work and that trusting an outsider again, especially after Qin Huai had seemingly caused such harm, would be reckless. He declared that Qin Huai had already damaged Hupo's interests and questioned his audacity in making such a request.
President Xu, exasperated, ended the meeting, delegating the matter entirely to Ma Pingchuan and stating they would pursue legal action in court. Later, Ma Pingchuan was overheard on a phone call, being commended for his cunning plan to frame Qin Huai and simultaneously implicate Hu Dezheng. He was then presented with a list of three programmers to be dismissed following the loophole incident.
Ma Pingchuan deemed this insufficient to satisfy President Xu and the board, implying a desire to involve more individuals, including Hu Dezheng, whom he claimed he would personally handle. In court, Lin Shuo, representing Hupo, fiercely argued against Kai Gua Le. After the initial session, the trial was adjourned, with both parties needing to gather more substantial evidence. Lin Shuo explained to Qin Huai that "evidence is the only thing that matters in court; personal feelings don't matter."
Qin Huai acknowledged her professional stance. Back at Kai Gua Le, Tang Lin presented a stack of termination and compensation agreements. Due to the confiscation of their equipment, Kai Gua Le was unable to provide maintenance for clients' systems. Many clients claimed their systems were coincidentally attacked during this period, incurring heavy losses, for which Kai Gua Le was contractually obligated to compensate. Tang Lin calculated that the company lacked the funds to cover these costs.
The team expressed grave concerns, fearing impending bankruptcy and the possibility of Qin Huai, as the legal representative, facing imprisonment, drawing parallels to Chen Mo's fate. Qin Huai became lost in thought, recalling Chen Mo's past incarceration and his own helplessness during that time. Lin Shuo later confided in Shen Yizhang about the Hupo case, expressing her belief that the situation was unfair to Qin Huai and ethically dubious.
Shen Yizhang countered, arguing that "fairness is hard to define in business," and that "client service and acquiring more clients" were the most important aspects. Lin Shuo insisted her original aspiration for studying law was to uphold fairness and justice, not merely to serve clients. Shen Yizhang, however, accused her of becoming irrational and unprofessional, constantly opposing him since she had met Qin Huai, implying a deeper, more personal connection.
Episode 23 Recap
Qin Huai treated his team, including Zhou You, Tang Lin, and Auntie Ding, to a lavish hotpot dinner. Zhou You was surprised by Qin Huai's generosity, remarking that he had "ordered meat only, not a leaf in sight" and questioning if the "miser had changed his ways." Qin Huai, amused, asked if he had mistreated them before, to which Zhou You recalled Qin Huai's stingy habits, like bringing outside food to hotpot restaurants and limiting meat orders.
Qin Huai apologized for past mistreatment, though he insisted that fighting for meat added to the atmosphere. Despite the feast, Tang Lin and Auntie Ding looked dejected. Qin Huai raised a toast, expressing deep gratitude for everyone's trust over the years and wishing them a wonderful future. Zhou You proposed another toast, vowing to prove wrong those who kicked them when they were down once Kai Gua Le turned things around.
Qin Huai then spoke to Auntie Ding about her son returning from overseas in two years, assuring her they were family and would help if she needed anything. He then turned to Tang Lin, playfully scolding her for watching dramas during work hours and reminding her that "big companies are totally different from small companies like ours," hinting at her need to adapt to a new environment.
Tang Lin, understanding Qin Huai's underlying message that he wanted her to leave, became emotional and abruptly left. Auntie Ding, seeing her distress, quickly followed. Qin Huai stopped Zhou You from chasing after them, inviting him to share a drink instead. Qin Huai praised Zhou You's talent and admitted many companies were trying to poach him. He revealed that he had found Zhou You a suitable company run by a reliable, righteous, and generous former college classmate.
Zhou You's smile froze as he realized this was a farewell dinner, and he confronted Qin Huai, noting that Tang Lin and Auntie Ding had known all along. Zhou You stubbornly declared he would not go anywhere and would stay with Kai Gua Le, but Qin Huai urged him to grow up and consider his future, warning him not to behave like a child at a new company.
Zhou You grew angry, asserting that Qin Huai had no right to assume Kai Gua Le wouldn't survive this hurdle. He declared his intention to "hack Hupo now" and "turn their system upside down" to find the mastermind behind their troubles. Qin Huai restrained him, reminding him of past recklessness. Zhou You insisted he was responsible for the mole and needed to catch him.
Qin Huai continued to push Zhou You to leave for his own future, but Zhou You, frustrated, questioned why Qin Huai was giving up. Qin Huai denied giving up, stating this was a battle between him and the black market, and it had nothing to do with any of them. He referenced Chen Mo's past decision to go overseas alone to avoid implicating others. Zhou You firmly responded, "You're not Chen Mo.
I won't become the second Qin Huai," adding, "Kai Gua Le Cybersecurity Company will survive the hurdle." Seeing Zhou You's unwavering resolve, Qin Huai finally smiled and simply told him to eat. Meanwhile, Mu Tong learned of Qin Huai's difficulties. She asked Chen Mo to help Qin Huai as much as he could, and then handed him a significant amount of her savings, keeping only a small portion for her mother's living expenses.
She even offered to mortgage Momo Housekeeping if it wasn't enough. Deeply moved, Chen Mo hugged Mu Tong, declaring that "Kai Gua Le Cybersecurity Company will never collapse." Later, Qin Huai walked through the empty Kai Gua Le office, reflecting on the past vibrant days with Zhou You, Tang Lin, and the others. He carefully took down a cherished appreciation banner from the wall, his eyes welling up with tears.
He noticed several bank cards and heartfelt notes left on his desk. Auntie Ding had contributed her savings, originally set aside for her son's tuition. Zhou You had sold his skateboards, and Tang Lin had sold all her game accounts and equipment. Chen Mo left a bank card with a note, its password being his mother's birthdate. Alongside these, messages like "Boss, we are here with you" and "Xiao Huai Huai, fighting!" filled the notes.
Unable to hold back, Qin Huai broke down in tears. Suddenly, Chen Mo, Zhou You, Tang Lin, and Auntie Ding appeared behind him. Though their contributions were their entire savings, and not much individually, they pooled them together, believing "Kai Gua Le Cybersecurity Company is our home." Qin Huai, wiping his tears, tried to return the money, but Tang Lin insisted they face the difficulties together.
Chen Mo formally applied to join Kai Gua Le Cybersecurity Company, and the five of them stood united, hands clasped together, encouraging each other, "Don't give up. We can do this. Kai Gua Le Cybersecurity Company will never collapse. We can do it!" Soon after, Qin Huai received a call from his Senior Sister Pu, who informed him of a new lead. He quickly gathered Chen Mo and Zhou You to meet her.
On the way, Qin Huai explained that Senior Sister Pu and her husband, Lie Bing, ran a successful data distribution company overseas called "The Eleventh Power." He mentioned they had offered to help after hearing about his troubles. Zhou You was initially suspicious, questioning their motives and reliability, but Qin Huai assured him. Upon meeting, Senior Sister Pu stated that she and Lie Bing trusted Qin Huai's character and knew he wouldn't attack the system.
Qin Huai acknowledged the risks of challenging Hupo, the industry's largest internet giant, but Senior Brother Lie Bing insisted on helping, reminding Qin Huai that he wouldn't have graduated on time without Qin Huai's help. Lie Bing and Senior Sister Pu offered financial aid, legal team support, and expressed interest in a future collaboration with Kai Gua Le. Qin Huai was honored and agreed to a partnership once the lawsuit was resolved.
Zhou You, still curious about the depth of their loyalty, learned that Qin Huai, while in Professor Cui's research group, had helped accelerate Lie Bing's graduation project. Professor Cui had surprisingly named Qin Huai as the first author on the project's publication due to his key innovative idea, which, while beneficial to the research group, had prevented Lie Bing from being offered a place at MIT at the time.
Qin Huai explained he had apologized to Lie Bing for the unforeseen outcome, and his senior had been understanding. With renewed hope, the team began their investigation. Qin Huai assigned tasks, instructing Zhou You and Chen Mo to analyze the attack code and its running process. Zhou You confidently volunteered to handle the complex task of checking how the code read data from files, a decision Qin Huai allowed, noting Zhou You was "just like the old me. . .
he only learns and grows from harsh lessons." However, Zhou You soon found himself unable to parse the code, fearing Qin Huai's disapproval. He pretended everything was fine when Qin Huai checked on him. Later, he awoke from a nightmare where his teammates called him a "lousy teammate" for holding them back and causing past mistakes, including mistakenly deleting Arsenal's documents and indirectly leading to Qin Huai being framed by Hupo.
Desperate, he messaged Grey Heron for help with parsing the complex code, but Grey Heron was also unable to assist. Dejected, Zhou You slumped on the sofa. While Qin Huai was in the office eating instant noodles, Chen Mo arrived with a soothing porridge made by his mother, expressing concern for Qin Huai's health. Qin Huai eagerly devoured it.
Still struggling with the investigation, Zhou You decided to take matters into his own hands and attempted to sneak into Hupo to gather evidence, but he was quickly intercepted by security guards and escorted out.
Episode 24 Recap
To protect himself, Ma Pingchuan had set up Zheng Jing as a scapegoat within Hupo. Zheng Jing, having just been dismissed, angrily left the company. As he was about to exit, security guards demanded to inspect his personal belongings, stating that corporate secrets might be present and he wasn't allowed to take them. Frustrated, Zheng Jing threw his items down and stormed out, declaring that the security guards wouldn't understand any secrets anyway.
Zhou You, who had previously been caught trying to infiltrate Hupo and was waiting outside, recognized Zheng Jing. He approached Zheng Jing, pretending to be an intern applicant who had also been mistreated by the Hupo security. He gained Zheng Jing's trust by complaining about the security guards and inviting him to a barbecue, praising Zheng Jing's skills and experience. During their conversation, Zheng Jing revealed his frustration with the internal conflicts between Ma Pingchuan and Director Hu Dezheng.
He explained that Ma Pingchuan was using the Hupo attack incident to remove Director Hu's loyalists and had found the attack code on Zheng Jing's computer. However, Zheng Jing pointed out that the dollar key on his keyboard was broken and he had submitted three repair requests that were ignored. He found it strange that the attack code contained a dollar sign, implying it couldn't have been typed from his physically damaged keyboard.
Zhou You had a sudden realization: the attack code wasn't typed directly from Zheng Jing's keyboard but was instead inserted using a keyboard hijacking technique. He urged Zheng Jing to report this to Xu Guangming, Hupo's President, suggesting that the company would want to suppress the news of an internal mole to protect its reputation, offering Zheng Jing a large severance package in return. Zheng Jing, contemplating the advice, suddenly remembered Hupo's server backup system.
All data was backed up at 11 p. m. daily, with backup servers disconnected from the internet for security. He recalled a backup occurring the night before the HuCloud attack. If the attack code was found on that specific backup, it would prove it had been present in Hupo's system already, exonerating him and pointing to an inside job. However, a new backup was scheduled for tonight, which would overwrite the old data.
Realizing the urgency, Zhou You and Zheng Jing rushed to intercept Xu Guangming's car. They explained the situation, emphasizing that the data backup tonight would erase the crucial evidence. After verifying that no one had touched Zheng Jing's workstation on the day of the incident, Xu Guangming ordered the suspension of the server backup and initiated a thorough internal investigation, instructing a staff member, Chen Rui, to personally check the server data.
Meanwhile, Chen Mo and Qin Huai were busy narrowing down the list of potential moles in Hupo. Zhou You returned, confidently proclaiming that Hupo would withdraw its lawsuit against Kai Gua Le. Chen Mo and Qin Huai, smelling alcohol on Zhou You, dismissed his claims as drunken ramblings. The next morning, they prepared to head to court, only to receive a call informing them that Hupo had indeed withdrawn the lawsuit.
Zhou You, feeling vindicated, took the opportunity to boast about his success. At Hupo, Ma Pingchuan questioned Xu Guangming about the sudden withdrawal of the lawsuit. Xu Guangming explained that their internal security department had confirmed Qin Huai did not insert the code. He then hinted at the possibility of a mole within Hupo, stating that such an internal threat would be far more serious than a simple bug.
While not explicitly naming Ma Pingchuan, his tone and gaze conveyed his suspicion, prompting Ma Pingchuan to quickly distance himself and vow to investigate the matter thoroughly. With the lawsuit behind them, Kai Gua Le officially resumed operations. Qin Huai called a meeting to discuss the company's future plans, outlining missions to promptly resume business once equipment was returned, repay the money borrowed from their seniors, and identify the mole within their own company to then trace Hupo's mole.
During the meeting, Tang Lin received an email from Hupo, expressing their willingness to discuss compensation. Qin Huai publicly commended Zhou You for his significant contribution in helping the company overcome its challenges, thanking him for clearing his name. Zhou You, in turn, acknowledged that the problem began because of him and felt he had simply made amends, urging them not to underestimate him again.
Worried about potential exposure, Ma Pingchuan tried to persuade his wife to take their daughter abroad for her studies, secretly intending for them to escape the looming troubles. His wife, however, was hesitant to separate from him and expressed concerns about sending their young daughter away. The couple argued, unable to agree on the matter. Later, Zhou You received a frantic phone call from Chen Mo, who said Qin Huai had collapsed.
Zhou You immediately rushed to Chen Mo's home, finding Qin Huai unconscious. Learning that Qin Huai had a pre-existing heart condition, Zhou You grew anxious. He decided not to wait for the ambulance, which was reportedly stuck at the entrance, and quickly hoisted Qin Huai onto his back to carry him to the hospital. As he stepped outside, everyone suddenly burst into a "Happy Birthday" song.
Zhou You was overcome with emotion and relief, realizing it was an elaborate surprise party. Chen Mo introduced his mother and his girlfriend, Mu Tong, to Zhou You. Everyone presented Zhou You with gifts, including company benefit cards (full-energy, no-penalty-for-being-late, paid leave, slack-off cards), a headset, a lunchbox, and an Arsenal jersey. Qin Huai, with sincere words, told Zhou You that he was already a cybersecurity professional and would one day become an even better white hat hacker than himself.
Deeply moved, Zhou You expressed his gratitude, sharing that he hadn't celebrated his birthday in years and had never felt such warmth and belonging. He thanked them for providing him with hope, warmth, and a second home, vowing to become an excellent white hat hacker. The group toasted and took a celebratory photo together. The next day, Qin Huai's senior came to Kai Gua Le to bring some ginseng slices and offered help, reiterating their support.
As Qin Huai was moving equipment back into the office, his senior offered to help. While moving an old computer, which Qin Huai had used in college, the senior accidentally dropped and broke it. Qin Huai, though saying it was fine, was visibly saddened by the damage to his sentimental item. Later, one of the team members couldn't find her phone. Chen Mo demonstrated how modern phones' positioning functions can help locate a lost device, track loved ones in danger, or remotely wipe data to prevent information leaks.
Episode 25 Recap
Li Jian, a loan manager from a rural commercial bank, sought out Qin Huai because his bank had experienced several loan frauds. Their existing loan credibility checking system, developed by Hupo at a high cost, was proving ineffective. Li Jian mentioned seeing news about Kai Gua Le's lawsuit with Hupo on the Hot Search, which led him to believe Kai Gua Le was more capable and could offer solutions to their problem.
Qin Huai accepted the deal, noting that while the money was important, this deal involving financial security could help many more people, aligning with Kai Gua Le's original mission to use technology for public service. Zhou You enthusiastically volunteered to take charge of the new project. Qin Huai agreed but assigned Tang Lin to accompany and supervise him. Zhou You, taking his first lead on a project very seriously, dressed in a sharp suit.
However, he was surprised to find their destination was a remote rural area, quite different from what he expected for a system upgrade. Eager to document his first big assignment, he asked Tang Lin to take pictures of him during their bumpy journey. Upon their arrival, a pig charged towards them, startling Zhou You and sending him running. Once inside the pigsty, Zhou You was overwhelmed by the strong odor and the sight of pigs everywhere.
To his confusion, the local farm owner told them they were there to take pictures of the pigs, not to upgrade a loan system. Confused and annoyed, Zhou You made a video call to Qin Huai, complaining about the situation and the unpleasant conditions, expressing his belief that Qin Huai had deliberately assigned him to this difficult task because he knew how challenging it would be.
While struggling to suppress laughter, Qin Huai explained that Zhou You's assignment was crucial for the system upgrade. He explained that many small-scale pig farmers, lacking fixed assets, mortgage their pigs to secure loans. Unscrupulous individuals exploit this system by renting large numbers of pigs to use as collateral for multiple loans, then absconding with the money. This "one pig, multiple loans" issue not only causes banks to lose money but also severely impacts pig production.
Banks nationwide struggled to solve this because all pigs looked similar, making it impossible to identify which ones had been used for loans. Qin Huai's solution was to develop a "pig facial recognition" system, similar to human facial recognition, to accurately identify each pig. Zhou You's mission was to gather the necessary data by photographing the pigs. Qin Huai then pretended his video call was lagging to cut off Zhou You's complaints.
Meanwhile, Chen Mo was working on the system at the office, integrating neural networks and cloud computing to perfect the AI's learning system and adding practical functions for managing and analyzing pig feeding conditions. Later, Zhou You's parents unexpectedly visited the Kai Gua Le office, looking for him.
Zhou You's mother expressed her gratitude to Qin Huai for taking care of Zhou You and sending her updates about his well-being, mentioning that her son was always quiet and didn't share much with them. Zhou You's father also expressed concern, wondering if the new clothes they brought for Zhou You would fit him. Qin Huai, wanting to protect Zhou You's image, apologetically told them that Zhou You was away on a confidential business trip and couldn't reveal any details.
Understanding, Zhou You's parents left the clothes and some local specialties for Zhou You, assuring Qin Huai they wouldn't interrupt his work. Later, Zhou You called Qin Huai again, reporting his successful progress on the pig-picturing mission and hinting at a promotion. Qin Huai then informed him about his parents' visit. Zhou You was taken aback and quickly ended the call.
He then opened a chat window to message his mother but hesitated, ultimately deciding not to send anything, reflecting on his complex feelings. Zhou You and Tang Lin continued their work in the pigsty. Tang Lin pointed out a pig with small ears that looked like the one that chased Zhou You earlier that day. Zhou You decided to name it "Qiqi."
That evening, after completing their tasks, the farm owner invited Zhou You and Tang Lin to a "whole pig feast," a special meal reserved for distinguished guests. Zhou You was initially flattered by the honor, but his delight quickly turned to nausea when he was told that the pig they were eating was Qiqi. Meanwhile, Mu Tong accidentally discovered a memory card hidden inside her necklace.
To her surprise, it contained a photo of her grandmother, leaving her puzzled about its origin. Later that night, Chen Mo's mother called him, reminding him to balance work and life and to take care of Mu Tong, who worked as a housekeeper. Chen Mo immediately left the office to pick Mu Tong up from her housekeeping company. Unbeknownst to them, a shadowy figure was observing them in the night.
Chen Mo and Mu Tong discussed the growth of their housekeeping business, noting they were earning more than expected and planning to open a new branch and hire more staff next year. Separately, a cybersecurity awareness segment discussed the dangers of AI-imitated voices and videos in scams. It highlighted that sophisticated AI could mimic voices from previous messages and generate realistic videos from single pictures, making it difficult to distinguish real people from fakes.
The segment advised immediate real-time video calls for verification or contacting official institutions (hospital, community, police) directly using independently sourced numbers, not relying on numbers provided by the potential scammer. The core message was to only trust calls that one initiates, not those one receives.
Episode 26 Recap
Zhou You and Tang Lin, returning from their assignment, expected a warm welcome, but instead found everyone engrossed in a meeting discussing a new system. Unfazed, Zhou You eagerly asked Tang Lin to record his grand entrance as they walked into the room. They called out to their "Buddies," announcing their return, but were met with silence as a group of pig farmers listened intently to Chen Mo.
The farmers were expressing their frustration about being swindled by scammers and hoped the company could help them. Chen Mo confidently assured them he would not let them down. Chen Mo then presented the new intelligent pig farming system, explaining how it ensures the health of each pig through precise feed management, controls dosage to reduce waste and costs, tracks health conditions, and strengthens the pigs' immune systems. The farmers were thoroughly impressed.
Chen Mo, however, humbly stated that the system was a collective effort, particularly highlighting Director Zhou. Qin Huai then introduced Zhou You as the company’s CTO, emphasizing his crucial role in collecting and analyzing the sample data that was fundamental to the system's smooth operation. The grateful farmers enthusiastically shook Zhou You's hand, leaving him with a profound sense of accomplishment. Meanwhile, at Momo Housekeeping, Mu Tong was overwhelmed with a surge of orders but struggled to find new recruits.
A man who couldn't speak but could hear, and claimed to have previous cleaning experience, arrived, applying for a cleaning position. He communicated through a notepad. Mu Tong expressed concern about the communication barrier with customers, but Chen Mo, seeing her exhaustion and the urgent need for staff, suggested they give him a chance. Mu Tong agreed. Elsewhere, Peng Pai informed General via text that he had successfully infiltrated Mu Tong's workplace and sent him the location.
Having recovered from his injuries, General decided it was time to re-emerge. To ensure his secrecy, he ruthlessly eliminated his private doctor, who was the only one aware of his recovery and whereabouts. The next morning, Zhou You arrived late to work, having overslept.
Tang Lin teased him, sarcastically implying he had "privileges" that exempted him from company rules, then contrasted his tardiness with Chen Mo's dedication, mentioning that Chen Mo had just completed editing over 100 pages of a technical manual before going home to nap. Feeling the pressure, Zhou You immediately called an English class, struggling immensely to introduce himself in English over the phone.
He later confessed to Qin Huai that he wanted to surpass Chen Mo and catch up to Qin Huai himself. Qin Huai, playfully, had Zhou You try on a shirt, which was a gift from his parents, along with other items. Qin Huai then took a picture of Zhou You in the shirt and sent it to Zhou You's mother, much to Zhou You's initial embarrassment.
However, after Qin Huai left, Zhou You looked at the gifts, which stirred deep emotions within him. He eventually sent a text message to his parents, assuring them he was well and studying English for an upcoming exam, acknowledging his poor English skills. His parents were overjoyed by Qin Huai’s photo and Zhou You's message.
At HuCloud, Xu Zong summoned Ma Pingchuan and Hu Dezheng, informing them that Internal Security had confirmed that the attack code implanted in the company server originated from an internal computer. The operation was meticulously planned and likely carried out by someone from the technical department, though the specific culprit remained under investigation. Hu Dezheng immediately questioned Ma Pingchuan, asking who he thought was most likely responsible.
Ma Pingchuan, feeling targeted, defensively asked if Hu Dezheng was suspecting him, then evasively stated that anyone from the technical department could be the mastermind, as he couldn't possibly know, deliberately changing the subject. Xu Zong clarified that he wanted their analysis on why someone from their own technical department would attack HuCloud. Hu Dezheng proposed that the best solution was to quickly identify the perpetrator and hand them over to the police.
Ma Pingchuan simply responded that he would unconditionally respect the company's decision. After they left, Xu Zong instructed Hu Dezheng to secretly investigate Ma Pingchuan before deciding whether to involve the police. Upon returning home, Ma Pingchuan found his wife anxious about their daughter's overseas education. He lied, claiming Xu Zong wanted him to expand the company's market abroad, transferring his technical department responsibilities to Hu Dezheng.
He framed this as a positive development, allowing their family to move abroad together and for their daughter to attend an international school sooner. He urged his wife to quickly find a school for immediate enrollment, emphasizing that money was not an issue as the company would cover half the tuition. His wife was thrilled by the news.
Later, Ma Pingchuan was overheard on a phone call, instructing someone to quickly sell or mortgage properties registered under companies in his name for cash and to maintain a low profile. His wife noticed his increasingly strange behavior—leaving early, returning late, not going to work, and refusing to let her see bank transfers. Concerned, she confronted him, fearing he had done something illegal that could jeopardize their daughter's future.
Ma Pingchuan denied any wrongdoing, confessing that he had secretly established private companies to take on side projects, which he had kept hidden from his workplace to avoid negative repercussions. He claimed he was now selling these companies to secure funds for their daughter's tuition and their life overseas. His wife warned him not to lie to her.
Meanwhile, Chen Mo and Qin Huai discussed the pig farming system's success, which brought many business invitations, but Qin Huai cautioned them to be careful of potential trouble and people taking advantage. Qin Huai revealed that his facial recognition search of former employees yielded no results, indicating the mastermind was an expert who left no traces. Chen Mo suggested that if the HuPo mole was connected to the scammer who defrauded his mother, then clues might be found within "Arsenal."
However, their current decryption speed was too slow. Qin Huai proposed asking their Senior Brother for help with the "The Eleventh Power" algorithm to accelerate the process. They met with their Senior Brother and Senior Sister, explaining their need for access to "The Eleventh Power" algorithm to decrypt server logs from the "Revenge" virus victims. Qin Huai stated they were certain the "Revenge" leak was not an accident but an intentional frame-up. Senior Brother agreed to crack the files himself.
Senior Sister expressed hesitation, worried about the unestablished "Eleventh Power" and the potential risks involved, but Senior Brother insisted they should help each other. Later that night, Senior Sister found Senior Brother still working late, suffering from a headache. She reminded him of the immense effort he poured into his past research, which led to his chronic migraines. He responded that he was grateful for the past, as it ultimately led him to her.
Senior Sister, still concerned about his intense focus on the "Revenge" case, questioned its urgency and suggested he take a break. He explained that the sooner he cracked it, the sooner they could trace the original spreader of the virus, which would help Qin Huai find closure. However, Senior Sister, sensing his true motives, revealed her knowledge of his secret identity as Grey Heron.
She stated she knew he was the one who leaked the "Revenge" virus and that he was now working so diligently to crack "Arsenal" before Qin Huai found evidence that would expose him. Senior Brother admitted his identity and his enduring resentment towards Qin Huai, stating he would never forgive him for taking credit for his research as the first author, effectively stealing what meant most to him and depriving him of recognition and opportunities.
He felt Qin Huai deserved to pay for his actions and called him a hypocrite. Senior Sister pleaded with him to let go of the past, but he recounted the immense suffering and effort he had invested. Despite his deep-seated bitterness, Senior Sister ultimately vowed to stand by him, saying that if this was his chosen path, she would join him.
Episode 27 Recap
Idol star Gao Deng is escorted to his car amidst fan cheers. His agent calls Shen Yizhang, frustrated that the public pressure around Gao Deng's scandal is escalating. Shen Yizhang blames the fans for their handling of public opinion, causing chaos and potentially attracting unwanted attention from cyber police.
He instructs the agent to delete posts, tell Gao Deng's fan club to stop blindly following trends, issue a legal statement claiming defamation, and have Gao Deng apologize for consuming public resources. The agent, however, reveals that major brands have already terminated contracts and demands a foolproof solution. Shen Yizhang then asks for the WeChat account of the female fan who initially exposed Gao Deng, stating his intention to "teach her a lesson" by shifting public opinion against her.
Meanwhile, Mu Tong is at her Momo Housekeeping company when General unexpectedly appears. Mu Tong, thinking he was dead, threatens to call the police, but she is also worried about being investigated and Chen Mo learning about her past. General dismisses her threat, claiming he was officially reported dead in Taimanda. He then reveals he possesses evidence of her "unusual relationship" with him, threatening to expose her past to Chen Mo, knowing she cares for Chen Mo deeply.
He violently snatches her necklace, searching for a "secret key" that isn't there. Mu Tong faints, and two employees, including Xiao Peng, rush to her aid and take her to the Nangang Fourth People's Hospital. Chen Mo arrives at the hospital, finding Mu Tong still unconscious.
He later calls his mother, fabricating a story about Mu Tong and him being at the hospital as part of an expanded housekeeping service, caring for an elderly patient whose children are out of town. Shen Yizhang picks up Lin Shuo, who is excitedly planning to cook dinner as a surprise for him. During this time, Shen Yizhang receives a call from his staff about Gao Deng's escalating scandal.
Unaware that Lin Shuo is overhearing, he instructs his team to manipulate public opinion by painting the victim as a fame-seeker, someone who wants Gao Deng for herself, and to create fake accounts to slander her as having an undisciplined life. Lin Shuo, hearing this, confronts him, accusing him of defaming a victim. She argues that if Gao Deng were innocent, he would go to the police, not mislead the public with fabricated stories.
Shen Yizhang tries to justify his actions, stating that as a PR professional, his job is to solve clients' problems, even if his methods are "improper." Lin Shuo, enraged, points out that he admits Gao Deng is guilty and is using dishonorable methods for profit. She desperately urges him to stop before he commits an illegal act and to cut ties with Gao Deng.
She attempts to take his phone, but he pulls it back, insisting that his actions are for their future. Lin Shuo counters that their future doesn't need "dirty money" and such actions would only ruin them. Shen Yizhang declares he believes he did nothing wrong, prompting Lin Shuo to question if he has done something similar before.
The argument escalates as Shen Yizhang defensively brings up Lin Shuo's career, claiming that she wouldn't have been promoted at her law firm without his behind-the-scenes connections and influence. Lin Shuo realizes the rumors about him meddling in her work are true, feeling that he is denying her efforts. Shen Yizhang insists he was protecting her career. Lin Shuo, deeply hurt and disgusted, tells him to "Get out."
Shen Yizhang leaves, making a sarcastic remark about her being a "good person" while he remains "stigmatized." After Mu Tong wakes up, Chen Mo asks Xiao Peng to buy food for them. Xiao Peng seizes this opportunity to message General, confirming that Mu Tong has not reported him to the police. General then instructs Xiao Peng to closely monitor Chen Mo and notify him if Chen Mo is ever alone.
General later meets with Ma Pingchuan, suggesting they resume their cooperation. Ma Pingchuan expresses reluctance, citing his current troubles. General warns him by mentioning the fate of "Mazi" who tried to quit, then explicitly threatens Ma Pingchuan's family, particularly his daughter who is planning to study abroad, implying he could ensure she faces difficulties. Ma Pingchuan defiantly states he can protect his daughter and leaves.
While Mu Tong is undergoing an MRI, Chen Mo is left alone, prompting Xiao Peng to inform General. General immediately sends a threatening message to Mu Tong's phone, reminding her of their past and warning her not to provoke him. Chen Mo sees the message on Mu Tong's phone after her MRI and expresses concern.
Mu Tong, though clearly troubled, avoids disclosing the full truth, stating she can handle it herself but promises to explain everything to him when the time is right. Chen Mo, trusting her, holds her hand and reassures her that they will face any challenges together, urging her to come to him if she ever needs help. The doctor informs them that Mu Tong has a minor shoulder ligament injury and needs rest.
Meanwhile, Zhou You and his colleagues continue their investigation into the mole. They confirm that Mo Yizhong's ID card is fake. Going through Mo Yizhong's personal belongings and trash, they discover a recurring pattern: he frequently ordered oil-sprinkled noodles from the same shop located five kilometers away, even though there are many closer noodle shops. The delivery fee was almost as much as the noodles themselves.
Zhou You deduces that while identities can be forged, eating habits often cannot, seeing this as a significant clue. As Gao Deng's scandal intensifies with more victims coming forward to expose him, Shen Yizhang is furious at his team's failure to control the narrative. He receives a call from Gao Deng's agent, who is also frustrated.
Shen Yizhang threatens to expose more damaging information about Gao Deng if the agent doesn't follow his instructions to deny any contact with him if questioned by police. The agent retorts, accusing Shen Yizhang of ruining Gao Deng and trying to evade responsibility. Shortly after, police arrive at Shen Yizhang's office. During interrogation, the police reveal they have used technical methods to confirm he threatened "Smiley Dudu" (the initial victim).
Shen Yizhang attempts to defend himself, claiming his company is merely a PR firm, and his actions were standard public relations tactics to maintain his client's image.
However, the police present extensive evidence, including private information found on his computer, proof of him hiring paid posters to slander "Hei Si Ya" and Qin Huai, and details connecting him to Xin Yuan Ltd. and Jing Wang Ltd. Based on chat records, bank transfers, and employee statements, the police confirm he is the mastermind behind these illegal activities. Cornered, Shen Yizhang retracts, claiming he is not the mastermind but merely a middleman, implying there is a higher power behind him, but he doesn't reveal who.
Episode 28 Recap
Lin Shuo met with Officer Guo to inquire about Shen Yizhang's situation. Officer Guo reassured her that Shen Yizhang's current predicament was his own choice and not her fault, as she, being a lawyer, understood the consequences of his actions. Shortly after, Lin Shuo received a call from her law firm.
They informed her that due to her unique connection to Shen Yizhang, she would be placed on an extended leave of absence, effectively a suspension, to protect the firm's reputation. Lin Shuo expressed her disappointment but had no recourse. Qin Huai visited the police station to help identify the mastermind that Shen Yizhang had implicated. He recognized the facial composite as ""Mo Yizhong"", a former employee of his company who had used a fake profile.
Officer Guo suspected ""Mo Yizhong"" was the mole within Qin Huai's company and a crucial breakthrough in the case, emphasizing the urgency of his capture. Qin Huai offered his full cooperation. Zhou You tracked ""Mo Yizhong"" to a noodle shop that he frequented. He immediately called Qin Huai, who informed him that the police were also pursuing ""Mo Yizhong"" and instructed Zhou You to keep him in sight. Zhou You entered the shop, feigning a surprised encounter with ""Mo Yizhong"".
He sat opposite him and deliberately engaged him in conversation to stall for time, helping him peel garlic, mixing his noodles, and even tasting them, making it difficult for ""Mo Yizhong"" to leave. Soon after, the police arrived, and Zhou You openly admitted to having called them. Meanwhile, Mu Tong woke up in the hospital to find General sitting by her bed. Maintaining her composure, she asked him why he was there.
General stated he had come for the memory card he had hidden inside her necklace. Mu Tong recalled finding a memory card containing her grandmother's photo inside the necklace previously and realized it was what General wanted. She feigned ignorance, claiming she had never seen it. General warned her that surrendering the memory card, which he deemed insignificant to her, would guarantee her a peaceful life and keep her past, including her connection to him, hidden from Chen Mo.
When General received a text message indicating Chen Mo's imminent arrival, he informed Mu Tong. Desperate to prevent Chen Mo from discovering General, Mu Tong reluctantly agreed to return the item but demanded that he promise to stop disturbing her life. General sneered at her attempt to negotiate, stepped closer, and threatened that she must hand over the item that very day, specifying a meeting at 9:30 PM at a shop.
Chen Mo's mother had prepared food for Mu Tong and sent Chen Mo back to the hospital. Upon his arrival, Chen Mo saw General leaving Mu Tong's room and asked her about the person. Mu Tong dismissed him as a stranger who had simply gotten lost. Chen Mo then served her the food, but he noticed her unease and distress.
When Mu Tong was briefly away for her check-up, Chen Mo discovered a threatening text message on her phone from General, demanding she meet him that night or he would expose other photos of her. Chen Mo immediately called the number. General answered, identifying himself as Mu Tong's boyfriend, and claimed to have covered Mu Tong's grandmother's hospital bill, demanding 80,000 yuan for the expenses.
Chen Mo, also claiming to be Mu Tong's boyfriend, sternly warned General to cease harassing her or he would involve the police. Chen Mo agreed to repay the money. He arranged to meet General at 9:30 PM that night at a reed marsh on the outskirts. Mu Tong later returned from her check-up and deliberately feigned a headache to extend her hospital stay for another 24 hours of observation.
She then urged Chen Mo to go home and rest, assuring him she could manage on her own. Ma Pingchuan repeatedly tried to call Mo Yizhong but received no answer, which gave him a strong premonition of trouble. He confessed his involvement in black market activities to his wife. His wife, who had been frustrated by numerous calls from study abroad agencies after recently visiting one, discovered his packed bags and ready tickets, confirming his intention to flee the country.
Enraged, she slapped him. Their daughter, Ma Qing Qing, overheard the heated argument and emerged from her room, tearfully asking if the police would take her father away and if she would ever see him again. Simultaneously, an internal investigation at Hupo Technology concluded that Ma Pingchuan was responsible for two major cyber attacks on HuCloud, including a "deal-hunting event."
Despite concerns from the internal security department about potential damage to the company's reputation, President Xu Guangming decided to report the matter to the police, declaring it no longer an internal affair due to its severity. During interrogation, ""Mo Yizhong"" confessed that both "Liu Wei" and "Mo Yizhong" were aliases; his real name was Yuan Lei.
He revealed that he had worked under Ma Pingchuan, who ordered him to infiltrate Kai Gua Le and frame Qin Huai by orchestrating attacks on Hupo's system. Yuan Lei confirmed that Ma Pingchuan was indeed the "Advisor" the police had been searching for. The police immediately moved to take coercive measures against Ma Pingchuan. Concurrently, Hupo Technology formally reported their case to the authorities. Meanwhile, Ma Pingchuan and his family were on their way to the airport.
Upon reaching the check-in counter, Ma Pingchuan discovered his passport was invalid for travel, indicating he was barred from leaving the country. After a moment of thought, his wife decided to proceed with taking their daughter, Ma Qing Qing, abroad to Taimanda, but she strongly advised Ma Pingchuan to turn himself in, expressing deep uncertainty about their future otherwise.
Ma Pingchuan agreed to let his wife and daughter go ahead, promising to reunite with them in Taimanda as soon as possible. After seeing them off, Ma Pingchuan drove to a deserted car lot, exchanged his vehicle for a common minivan, and then attempted to transfer money, only to discover that all his bank accounts had been frozen.
Episode 29 Recap
Alone in the night, Chen Mo made his way to an agreed meeting point. As a precaution, he activated his phone's location sharing, setting it to automatically send his last known location to Qin Huai if he detected no movement for ten minutes. Following the riverbank with a small flashlight, Chen Mo eventually discovered a vehicle amidst a patch of reeds.
A light rain obscured the car's windows, and as he wiped away the moisture, someone ambushed him from behind, knocking him unconscious. Meanwhile, Xu Guangming informed Qin Huai that Ma Pingchuan was the traitor who had framed him. Qin Huai accepted Xu Guangming's apology, which came with the acknowledgment that Xu Guangming had nearly ruined Qin Huai's future and needed to answer to his clients.
Qin Huai expressed his belief that Hupo Technology could thrive without Ma Pingchuan and looked forward to the day they could compete fairly as rivals. Shortly after, a message arrived on Qin Huai's phone, prompting him to leave abruptly. At the river, an assailant (Peng Pai) placed the unconscious Chen Mo in the driver's seat of the car, positioning an open gas canister nearby and leaving a fabricated suicide note on the window.
Guided by Chen Mo's emergency location signal, Qin Huai and Zhou You soon arrived. Zhou You, seeing the note, mistakenly thought Chen Mo was attempting suicide, but Qin Huai dismissed the idea. They frantically knocked on the windows, managed to open the car door, and pulled Chen Mo out. Qin Huai instructed Zhou You to revive Chen Mo, telling him to pinch Chen Mo's philtrum. At Momo Housekeeping, Mu Tong had just finished setting up surveillance cameras when General arrived.
General had previously threatened her by recalling other photos he possessed and stating he would expose them if she didn't come to him that night. She handed him a memory card, expecting him to honor his promise. General then closed the door. Seeing the cameras, he realized Mu Tong intended to expose him. He deployed a device that blocked all Wi-Fi signals within a twenty-meter radius, rendering her cameras useless.
General commented on her audacity to come, knowing he was plotting against her, and asserted that she could neither escape nor harm him. He told her she could only go with him, accusing her of wanting a quiet life with Chen Mo. General then chillingly stated that the "obstacle" between them, Chen Mo, would soon be gone.
When Mu Tong furiously demanded to know what he had done to Chen Mo, General declared his intention for Chen Mo to "cease to exist." Mu Tong fought back, grabbing a stool and swinging it at General, then using a fire extinguisher to create an escape. As she fled, she desperately called Chen Mo, but his phone was unreachable.
She then called Qin Huai, urgently telling him Chen Mo was in danger, but General caught up to her before she could finish speaking. Qin Huai, realizing Mu Tong was also in peril, decided to split up with Zhou You. He instructed Zhou You to take Chen Mo to the hospital for treatment, while he would go to Momo Housekeeping to find Mu Tong. Upon entering, Qin Huai found Mu Tong lying unconscious. Before he could help her, General emerged.
Qin Huai recognized him as the man supposedly killed in Taimanda. General, however, told Qin Huai to worry about himself. Qin Huai proved no match for General and was soon knocked unconscious and tied up. General inserted a USB drive into a computer, only to discover that Qin Huai had completely destroyed its contents. Enraged, he threatened Qin Huai, demanding he write code to release a ransomware virus.
Seizing the opportunity, Qin Huai subtly infiltrated the housekeeping company's computer system, setting up a way to communicate with Chen Mo using a secret code once Chen Mo accessed the computer. General warned Qin Huai not to try anything foolish, emphasizing Mu Tong's safety as a leverage point. Back at the hospital, Chen Mo woke up and immediately asked about Mu Tong. Zhou You informed him that Qin Huai had gone to look for her but hadn't called back.
Feeling restless, Chen Mo insisted on leaving to find her, but Zhou You urged him to calm down, reminding him of his fragile state after the coma, and promised they would search together later. Once Chen Mo was discharged, he and Zhou You went to Momo Housekeeping, but found no trace of Qin Huai or Mu Tong.
On a computer, Chen Mo found a suicide note written in Mu Tong's name, claiming she had betrayed him and could not face him. Zhou You deduced this was part of a plot to make it appear Chen Mo had committed suicide due to Mu Tong's betrayal, intending to permanently tarnish Mu Tong's reputation and prevent her escape. Chen Mo then noticed ransomware on the computer, which also contained a message from Qin Huai.
Using their shared secret code—the common logarithm of Pi—Chen Mo deciphered Qin Huai's message, which revealed that both he and Mu Tong had been kidnapped by General. Chen Mo connected the dots, realizing that the "ex-boyfriend" who had sent Mu Tong threatening messages was none other than General, whom they had believed to be dead in Taimanda.
Qin Huai, in his message, instructed Chen Mo to inform Guo Yao and to use "Camouflage City" to deceive General, even if it meant paying a ransom in the virtual city. He also directed Chen Mo to his office to retrieve an authorization document from a drawer. To avoid alarming Ding Auntie and Tang Lin, Zhou You bought several boxes of kiwis, claiming they were gifts from their boss for a two-day company holiday.
He asked them to deliver Chen Mo's share to his house, telling Chen Mo's Auntie Shen that Chen Mo and Mu Tong were "tied up" and wouldn't be home that night. Once the office was clear, Chen Mo and Zhou You began setting up. Chen Mo explained "Camouflage City," a solution he and Qin Huai had developed in college for large-scale cyberattack tests.
Each computer could simulate ten thousand others, meaning their current setup of a dozen machines would act as a hundred thousand, forming a "small city" where Qin Huai could release the ransomware. This would make General believe a widespread attack had occurred without Qin Huai actually committing a real crime.
Zhou You acknowledged the challenge of such an outbreak alerting the tech community and General but confidently stated his extensive presence on various forums would allow him to create the illusion of a genuine attack. Next, they tackled the financial aspect. Chen Mo opened a safe and retrieved a document: Qin Huai's authorization letter granting Zhou You unlimited authority over the company. Zhou You was deeply moved by Qin Huai's trust.
He then approached Lin Shuo for help with selling performance shares. Lin Shuo suggested financing instead, offering to introduce reliable investors, but Zhou You insisted on selling due to Qin Huai's wishes and the urgency of their situation. Lin Shuo, seeking confirmation, called Qin Huai despite Zhou You's attempts to dissuade her. To Zhou You's surprise, she connected with someone who sounded exactly like Qin Huai, who confirmed his decision to sell shares and his faith in Zhou You.
Zhou You rushed back to the office, wondering how Qin Huai could be speaking to Lin Shuo. Chen Mo revealed that the voice was a simulated AI, part of the "Camouflage City" system. He had simulated tens of thousands of computers, created virtual companies with virtual phone numbers, and developed hundreds of AI voices to act as receptionists. This elaborate setup was designed to fool General, who was cautiously calling these "attacked" companies to verify the ransomware's impact. Zhou You realized General's meticulous verification process made their deception even more critical.
Episode 30 Recap
Zhou You was growing anxious because the company's shares were still difficult to liquidate. Chen Mo suggested selling "Kai Gua Le" to Hupo, but Zhou You, harboring prejudice against Hupo, refused. Just then, Senior Brother and Senior Sister arrived. They also advised against selling to Hupo, and Senior Brother offered to purchase the shares himself.
He explained his reasons, stating it was an investment for their cloud security, a way to use Qin Huai's face-reading system with peace of mind by becoming a shareholder, and generally helping a junior. Senior Sister initially hadn't discussed it with him but agreed, believing she too would help Qin Huai in his time of need.
Zhou You, desperate for funds, agreed, and they signed the share transfer agreement, requesting the money be credited as soon as possible, ideally that very day. On their way back, Senior Sister inquired why Senior Brother suddenly wanted to buy "Kai Gua Le." He confessed his true motive: Qin Huai had taken the most important thing from him in the past, and he intended to retaliate.
He explained that if Kai Gua Le merely shut down due to its troubles, Qin Huai could still start a new business with his patented technologies. By acquiring Kai Gua Le, he would strip Qin Huai of all those patents, making it incredibly difficult for him to make a comeback. He viewed this as an equal retribution for what Qin Huai had taken four years prior, though he acknowledged that acquiring the company didn't solve the ongoing Arsenal problem.
Meanwhile, "Camouflage City" came under attack. Zhou You found it impossible to parse the adversary's Internet Protocols, differentiate between real and fake signals, or pinpoint the signal's location. Chen Mo assured Zhou You that the General must be thoroughly prepared to bring Qin Huai online. Zhou You confirmed he had received the advance payment from Senior Brother.
However, a new challenge arose: each infected computer required a unique ransom account and amount, necessitating individual transfers from hundreds of different accounts to avoid arousing the General's suspicion. This daunting task made Zhou You sigh, his brow furrowed with worry, but Chen Mo urged him not to be distracted and promised to handle the issue. Zhou You posted an inquiry on a forum, seeking methods for locating multilayer hop-check encrypted Internet Protocol addresses.
Senior Brother, upon learning of this, saw his opportunity. He remarked that Zhou You had begun to suspect his Grey Heron identity, so they needed to change tactics. He then registered a new user and replied to Zhou You's post, confident that Zhou You, in his desperation, would download the file.
He reasoned that Zhou You would be less suspicious of a post from three years ago, whose original content was genuine, unaware that Senior Brother planned to replace the file transfer protocol software within it using money. True to his prediction, Zhou You briefly investigated the post before downloading the file. Realizing that the file could only run on an old system, Zhou You accessed Arsenal in a secret room.
The Arsenal server, configured by Qin Huai six years ago when he was a third-year college student, was the only computer available to Zhou You with an outdated system. Just as Zhou You expressed frustration with the old tool, Senior Brother stealthily compromised Arsenal. Ma Pingchuan grew impatient. His wife called from Taimanda, informing him their daughter was ill with pneumonia and a constant fever. Distraught, he decided to cooperate with the General.
Ma Pingchuan then called the General, agreeing to his previous offer on the condition that he be allowed to leave the country as soon as possible. Later that night, he arrived at Qin Huai's confinement location. Seeing Ma Pingchuan, Qin Huai sarcastically remarked, "Birds of a feather flock together." Qin Huai questioned Ma Pingchuan if he regretted engaging in dark patterns as a black hat for so long and if he didn't feel tainted.
Ma Pingchuan evaded the question, instead informing the General that the livestream would be broadcast on the most popular cybersecurity discussion forum, with parasitic servers changing every minute to prevent their location from being traced. The General was pleased. He approached Qin Huai, threatening Mu Tong's safety, and ordered Qin Huai to speak according to the teleprompter.
With a reminder to "think of Mu Tong," the General activated the livestream button and settled down to watch Qin Huai with keen interest. Forced by the circumstances, Qin Huai addressed the camera, declaring that he was the one who released the ransomware, which he called the RHO variant, an upgraded version of previous ransomware.
He boasted that no one else could crack it, and even if it were, the losses would be irreparable, promising a continuous increase in controlled computers. Upon seeing the livestream, Chen Mo and Zhou You became alarmed. Zhou You initially failed to find any hidden messages in Qin Huai's words. Chen Mo immediately sent a pop-up message to the livestream, hoping Qin Huai would see it.
Soon after, Chen Mo received a call from Officer Guo, who questioned why Qin Huai was livestreaming when he had been reported missing. Chen Mo explained his suspicion of coercion and asked Officer Guo to help locate Qin Huai. Officer Guo stated they were investigating the illegal content of the livestream and warned Chen Mo not to act independently, promising to do all they could to track it down and asking to be informed of any news.
Chen Mo replayed the livestream multiple times. He noticed that when their pop-up message appeared on screen, Qin Huai began making subtle hand movements. Chen Mo recognized these as Morse code. He decrypted the message, which revealed "Abandoned KTV," and that "The bottom of the takeaway box has the words 'Clean Plate Campaign' and a thumbs-up design."
Chen Mo deduced that since delivery orders typically have a limited range, finding the restaurant that used such a unique box and delivered to an abandoned KTV would significantly narrow down the search area for Qin Huai and Mu Tong. Zhou You immediately called his friend Ming, a food delivery driver, asking for help to find a restaurant that met these specific criteria, noting the order was likely for three men and one woman.
In the meantime, Qin Huai confronted Ma Pingchuan, pointing out that despite Ma Pingchuan's efforts, the General didn't fully trust him. He highlighted that Ma Pingchuan was in a similar precarious position, only without handcuffs. Qin Huai dismissed Ma Pingchuan's belief that he could simply "put up with it for a while," asserting that the General, who used Mu Tong to control him, would not easily let Ma Pingchuan or his family go.
Qin Huai urged Ma Pingchuan to protect his family now. The livestream incident, combined with Chen Mo's continued efforts to pay ransoms, accelerated the exposure of "Camouflage City." The General realized Chen Mo was still alive, infuriating him. He called Chen Mo, introducing himself and acknowledging Chen Mo's survival. The General then threatened Mu Tong and Qin Huai, demanding Chen Mo meet him at Gulou Street in 20 minutes, or risk finding their corpses.
Knowing the General's intentions, Chen Mo agreed to the meeting. He quickly instructed Zhou You to continue tracing their location, to avoid taking any risks, and to call the police immediately if he found anything.
Episode 31 (Ending) Recap
Zhou You received a call from Ming, who had successfully identified the restaurant that delivered the meal box as a Hong Kong-style roast pork restaurant on Xuanwu Road. Ming had sorted through over 30 orders that fit their criteria, but the delivery addresses were scattered across Chengxi District, offering no immediate lead. Zhou You then rewatched a live stream recording and noticed a bandage on Qin Huai's head, which sparked an idea.
He instructed Ming to search for any delivery orders for adhesive bandages that matched any of the food delivery addresses. This new approach quickly yielded results; Ming called back, confirming they had found an address where both food and bandages were delivered. Meanwhile, Chen Mo, following General's instructions, arrived at an abandoned factory in the suburbs, where he boarded a chiller truck. He entered the cargo area to receive further directives, only to be locked inside by General.
Chen Mo was then transported in the truck to a cage where he met Qin Huai, who was also held captive. Zhou You arrived at the abandoned "Happy KTV" and heard Mu Tong's desperate cries for help. He found her bound and quickly took photos, sending them along with the KTV's address to Officer Guo, urging her to dispatch officers immediately. Inside a secure cage within the KTV, General brought Chen Mo to where Qin Huai was already held captive.
After managing to free themselves from their initial restraints, Qin Huai and Chen Mo discovered they were both wearing pulse-monitoring bracelets. General appeared on a screen, revealing his twisted game: if either of their hearts stopped within five minutes, a motor holding a knife to Mu Tong's throat would cease, saving her life. Otherwise, the knife would pierce her. General then threw a dagger into their cage, forcing them to choose who would sacrifice themselves.
Watching Mu Tong's tormented image on the screen, Chen Mo, in despair, grabbed the dagger. Qin Huai, seeing this, rushed forward to stop him. In the ensuing struggle, Chen Mo tragically stabbed Qin Huai. Witnessing the harrowing scene, Zhou You attempted to rush to their aid, but was abruptly pulled away by Ma Pingchuan, who had been observing from a hidden spot.
Ma Pingchuan, claiming he was there to help, explained that he had designed the system controlling Mu Tong's predicament and was the only one who could stop it. He urgently requested Zhou You's computer, and with time running out, Zhou You reluctantly agreed to trust him. What appeared to be Chen Mo fatally stabbing himself was an elaborate ruse. Qin Huai had deliberately gripped the dagger blade, allowing Chen Mo to feign a fatal injury.
Delighted by the apparent sacrifice, General entered the cage, only to be ambushed by a resilient Qin Huai and a revived Chen Mo. They engaged General in a fierce struggle. Simultaneously, Ma Pingchuan, using Zhou You's computer, managed to interrupt the network signal, causing the motor holding the knife to Mu Tong's throat to stop just in the nick of time.
Peng Pai, realizing the system had been compromised, rushed back to investigate but was ambushed and knocked unconscious by Zhou You. Shortly after, the police, alerted by Zhou You, arrived and apprehended both General and Peng Pai. Fortunately, Qin Huai only sustained minor injuries to his hand from gripping the blade. Ma Pingchuan's timely repentance and cooperation, along with his wife's testimony, helped him receive a lighter sentence.
Later, Mu Tong handed a crucial memory card containing valuable information to Officer Guo. Qin Huai and Zhou You later met with Lin Shuo, hoping to recruit her to their team. Qin Huai made a strong case, emphasizing her strong will and professionalism, and highlighting how her legal expertise combined with their technology would create a perfect synergy. However, Lin Shuo politely declined the offer.
She explained that she had recently resigned from her previous firm to uphold her principles of fairness and equality, unwilling to be constrained by corporate interests. She expressed her desire to now focus on her research and complete her thesis. While disappointed, Qin Huai respected her decision, and Zhou You also mentioned he had to leave for a class he had enrolled in.
To celebrate their victory over General and their own survival, everyone gathered at Chen Mo's home for a celebratory dinner. Chen Mo joyfully announced that he and Mu Tong were getting engaged, to the delight and congratulations of their friends. Qin Huai toasted the couple, wishing them well and encouraging them to have a baby soon. After the festivities, Zhou You returned home for a heartfelt reunion with his parents, who welcomed him warmly.
Despite the dismantling of the Arsenal system, and the fact that the shares of Kai Gua Le Cybersecurity Company remained in the hands of their former senior brother, Qin Huai brought the team back to their company. They celebrated the reopening of Kai Gua Le, joyful that their fight against cybercrime and injustice would continue.
