The Wanted Detective Episode 6 Recap
> The Wanted Detective Recap
Tong Shuang urgently pleaded with Feng Qingzhuo to save Xiao Beiming, who was suffering from a frost toxin flare-up. Tong Shuang initially suspected Feng Qingzhuo had poisoned him, but Xiao Beiming confessed he had poisoned himself, insisting it had nothing to do with Feng Qingzhuo. Despite his deteriorating condition, Xiao Beiming prioritized the investigation. He instructed Zhong Xueman and Tong Shuang to proceed to the salt and iron factory while Feng Qingzhuo carried him to the scene where Ajia disappeared.
At a pavilion, Feng Qingzhuo observed striking bloodstains and a torn piece of cloth that Constable Zhu Yitie had discovered on thorns. The cloth had a distinct smell of salt and iron, leading them to suspect a connection to the salt and iron factory. Xiao Beiming had Feng Qingzhuo carry him to the wall where Ajia was taken, and just before collapsing, he murmured, "I understand now."
Meanwhile, Zhong Xueman and Tong Shuang searched the salt and iron factory, navigating through its labyrinthine warehouses. In a dimly lit dungeon, they discovered Young Master Ajia, barely clinging to life. His body was gruesomely pierced by thick threads and steel needles. They rushed him to Marquis Jingshan's Mansion, where a physician regretfully informed the Marquis that Ajia's injuries were too complex; removing the threads would cause excessive blood loss, and he could only temporarily stem the bleeding.
The Marquis was furious at the physician's inability to save his son. Back at the Elite Constabulary Unit, Zhuge Tong of the Secret Investigation Unit confronted Chief Fang, accusing him of concealing information about Yesha and the recent corpse-sewing cases, which were under his unit's jurisdiction. He warned Chief Fang against obstructing the investigation, threatening to take the matter directly to the Emperor. Chief Fang created a distraction by feigning anger and ordering Zhong Xueman away.
He then tried to explain to Zhuge Tong that he hadn't linked the recent cases to the Fengbo Lake case, but Zhuge Tong asserted that Chief Fang simply didn't understand Xiao Beiming and that their priority should be to capture him swiftly. Zhong Xueman returned to the still unconscious Xiao Beiming. Feng Qingzhuo explained that while Xiao Beiming's pulse had stabilized after acupuncture, the frost toxin would progress through stages, eventually leading to his death.
Zhong Xueman vowed to find an antidote before the toxin reached its final, fatal stage. Back at Zhong Xueman's residence, Xiao Beiming regained consciousness. Zhong Xueman recounted his last words before fainting. Xiao Beiming then revealed that the "Ajia" they found was an imposter, "Tailor," whose ultimate target was Marquis Jingshan himself. Xiao Beiming explained that Tailor used the real Ajia as bait because the Marquis was aware of Ajia's misdeeds but had chosen to ignore them.
Unable to directly assault the well-guarded Marquis, Tailor had orchestrated events, including leaving the salt and iron factory clue, to ensure the imposter Ajia would be brought back to the mansion. Zhong Xueman wanted to accompany Xiao Beiming, but he told her to wait, citing his own frailty from the poison. Despite this, he insisted it was his best and final opportunity and that he had to go.
Zhong Xueman rushed to the Marquis's Mansion, only to find the Marquis brutally murdered. Zhong Xueman pursued Tailor, disguised as Ajia, to a cliff's edge. As she confronted him, Zhuge Tong arrived with his forces. Tailor, without hesitation, leaped off the cliff. Zhong Xueman confirmed to Zhuge Tong that the man, disguised as Ajia, had indeed jumped. Zhuge Tong, expressing doubt that Xiao Beiming would commit suicide, dispatched a search party to the base of the cliff.
Meanwhile, Xiao Beiming, who was hiding on the cliff face, struggled to hold on as the poison weakened him. Tong Shuang attempted to reach him with a melon mace, but Xiao Beiming's grip failed, and he fell into the abyss as Zhong Xueman watched in horror. Following this, Chief Fang attempted to persuade Zhuge Tong to close the case.
However, Zhuge Tong firmly refused, stating that without a body, closing the case would be irresponsible and could lead to severe repercussions from the Emperor if Xiao Beiming were still alive. He then pointed out that Xiao Beiming had fallen under the Elite Constabulary Unit's watch, implying their responsibility. Chief Fang retorted that Zhuge Tong and his unit were also witnesses to the event. Later, Zhong Xueman and Feng Qingzhuo were among those searching for Xiao Beiming and Tailor.
Feng Qingzhuo was consumed by guilt, lamenting that if he hadn't mistakenly given Xiao Beiming the "Blood-freezing Frost," Xiao Beiming wouldn't have lost his martial arts skills and would have been able to save himself. Separately, Zhuge Tong visited a mysterious black market, inquiring about someone who had commissioned a "skin-like mask," but the shop owner remained uncooperative. Still convinced that Xiao Beiming was alive, Zhuge Tong jumped off the cliff himself.
He discovered a hidden cave midway down and, inside, found a corpse killed by Yesha's signature method, confirming his belief that Xiao Beiming was not dead. To Zhong Xueman's immense relief, Xiao Beiming reappeared at her residence. He explained that he had fallen into the secret cave, which was an ancient tunnel. Inside, he discovered the real Ajia's body and the very "skin-like mask" Zhuge Tong had sought.
He had then exited the tunnel from the other side of the mountain. He deduced that Tailor had long known about this hidden passage and that his "jump" was merely a calculated part of his escape plan. Xiao Beiming also revealed he now knew Tailor's true identity and his connection to Hibiscus.
He surmised that the grave found for Hibiscus was not created by Hu Shisan but by Tailor, who had also killed Hu Shisan and placed his body there as atonement. Xiao Beiming concluded that Tailor's series of murders were acts of vengeance for Hibiscus, a theory Zhong Xueman agreed with, noting that Hibiscus's deep trust in Tailor suggested an unusual bond. Xiao Beiming and Zhong Xueman arrived at Hibiscus's secluded, abandoned home, where they found Zhu Yitie already present.
Zhong Xueman questioned Zhu Yitie's unexpected presence at the remote house. Xiao Beiming directly confronted Zhu Yitie, revealing his true identity as "Tailor." Xiao Beiming systematically unraveled Tailor's elaborate scheme, starting with the morgue fire, which he said was deliberately set to obstruct the investigation. He explained that such a complex plot could only have been executed by an insider within the Elite Constabulary Unit.
He recounted Zhu Yitie's suspicious disappearance from the salt and iron factory and his subsequent sudden reappearance at the cliff. Xiao Beiming highlighted the deliberately placed cloth clue, which was meant to guide the Elite Constabulary Unit and ensure the plan's progression. Zhu Yitie tried to deflect, but Xiao Beiming countered that Tailor had never anticipated his return or his discovery of the secret cave containing Ajia's body and the mask.
Finally, Xiao Beiming declared that the irrefutable evidence was on Tailor's own body, challenging him to reveal the wounds from using steel needles to stitch through his own body to achieve the impersonation. Zhu Yitie, acknowledging he was severely injured from killing the Marquis and unable to fight, conceded defeat. He agreed to return to the Elite Constabulary Unit but requested a moment to bid farewell to the house.
