Cambrian Period Episode 5 Recap
> Cambrian Period Recap
Jian Zi stood alone by the sea in the early morning, lost in thought. Tang Yin, perplexed by his somber mood, joined him and asked why he had called her out. Jian Zi asked if she liked the sea, then suggested she take a longer look if she did. Growing impatient, Tang Yin declared she was going to find Coco. Jian Zi then posed a difficult question, asking, "What if Shen Keke can't come back?"
Tang Yin, startled, pressed for clarification. Jian Zi rephrased, "If Shen Keke has other things to do, temporarily can't return, or has gone to a better place, can you not be so sad?" Suspecting a hidden meaning, Tang Yin demanded to know if he had heard something and if Coco was in trouble.
She vehemently stated that Coco had promised to return and pick her up, vowing to wait for her right there, unwilling to go anywhere or think of anything else. Seeing Tang Yin's steadfast belief, Jian Zi could not bring himself to tell her the truth about Coco's death. Police officers arrived at the scene after a forest ranger reported finding a woman's body. News reports soon confirmed the discovery of Shen Keke's body, which showed no signs of decomposition.
Though the court initially classified it as a car accident, the police were taking the case seriously, especially after a witness described seeing a person in black wearing a mask near the NW0258 fire alarm at approximately 5:50 AM, just before the body was found, leading them to suspect Face. The Major Crimes Team officially took over the case, concluding it was a kidnapping and murder orchestrated by Face. Lock Tou was devastated by the news of Shen Keke's death.
He had been her first lover, and though he had been compelled to give her to his father, he had always held deep affection for her. A flashback revealed a painful memory where Coco pleaded with Lock Tou to spend one night with the "old man," promising she would then be his woman.
This memory fueled Lock Tou's rage, as he vividly recalled questioning Coco about his father sleeping with her, demanding to know where his encoder was, and who held more power—him or his father. Coco, confused by his outburst, had asked if he truly intended to give her to his father, calling him a "beast" for such a thought.
Back in the present, at a casino, Lock Tou erupted in anger, berating his subordinates for losing the encoder and rendering their chip exchange operations useless. He then ordered them to dispose of the body. Jian Zi found himself under scrutiny as the police pursued the case. Li Yongji was reprimanded by a superior for prematurely leaking information about Face's involvement to the press, particularly given "Qiu Men's" status as a significant taxpayer, and was warned against causing public panic.
However, Li Yongji stood firm, asserting his right to independently investigate and summon suspects, citing ongoing safety concerns in South Island. Simultaneously, Zhan Shili confronted Jian Zi, questioning his recent string of failures and being framed for Shen Keke's murder. He reminded Jian Zi to maintain a singular focus and, due to heightened surveillance, ordered him to cease all activities as Face.
Jian Zi apologized, explaining a previous incident as an accident, but Zhan Shili dismissed it, stating that "Qiu Men's matters do not allow for accidents." He emphasized the need for internal stability before addressing external issues and indicated he would resolve matters after everything was clear. Later, Zhan Shili, with Jian Zi present, criticized Lock Tou for his rash actions, specifically his involvement with Da Zhong.
While admitting he could overlook Lock Tou's clandestine chip-washing company, Zhan Shili acknowledged Lock Tou's ambition, stating it was a characteristic he valued in his son. He even suggested that if Lock Tou were capable of turning against him, it would be a testament to his own teaching. However, he cautioned Lock Tou against impatience.
Zhan Shili then secretly instructed an associate to analyze recordings to uncover the true identity behind Shen Keke and the origin of the encoder, to ascertain if Face had targeted the wrong person. His suspicions were later confirmed when his subordinate reported that Lock Tou's heartbeat accelerated each time the encoder was mentioned. Zhan Shili revealed he already knew Shen Keke was Lock Tou's woman, sarcastically commenting on Lock Tou's "filial piety," and ordered a full investigation into him.
Tang Yin went to the police station to identify Shen Keke's body. Overwhelmed with grief, she was in denial, weeping that Coco had promised her a better life and was too young and beautiful to be gone. She was urged to confirm the identity to aid the investigation.
After a press conference where Li Yongji stated that the police had no definitive evidence yet to name Face as the killer, Tang Yin confronted him, desperately asking how long it would take to apprehend the murderer. Li Yongji tried to calm her, assuring her of the police's capabilities. Later, visibly distraught, Tang Yin collapsed outside the police station, crying out "Bro," and was quickly rushed to the hospital by Li Yongji.
At the hospital, Jian Zi found Tang Yin awake. She confronted him, accusing him of knowing about Coco's death all along and hiding it, questioning their friendship. Feeling utterly betrayed and isolated, she declared that Li Yongji was the only person left on South Island whom she could trust. Despite her fragile condition, she insisted on leaving the hospital to find Li Yongji. Jian Zi tried to stop her, reminding her of her health, but she pushed past him.
Jian Zi silently followed her out into the pouring rain, gently draping his coat over her shoulders. He continued to follow her until he saw Li Yongji arrive and escort her away, finally feeling a sense of relief. Li Yongji took Tang Yin to a place to get out of the rain and offered her a hot ginger tea. Tang Yin expressed her disillusionment with South Island, lamenting that it was filled with danger and lies.
She reiterated her complete trust in Li Yongji, recalling how he had once saved her from the sea. Li Yongji assured her that the Major Crimes Team was tirelessly working on the case and promised to inform her immediately of any developments, urging her to rest. That evening, Li Yongji dropped Tang Yin off at the small bar. Tang Yin thanked him for the clothes he had given her.
Inside, she pointedly ignored Jian Zi, who watched her indifferent back with a heavy heart. Meanwhile, Cai Jiayi, following Li Yongji's instructions to "break inertial thinking" while reviewing surveillance footage, excitedly called him on the phone to report that she had discovered evidence of Face kidnapping Shen Keke. Li Yongji praised her and ordered her to prepare a detailed report. Jian Zi, in an attempt to comfort Tang Yin, quietly prepared some ginger tea for her.
While Jian Zi was out, he received a phone call from Mai Quancheng, who informed him that Tang Yin was feeling low, so he had taken her to his fishing village to relax, inviting Jian Zi to join them after his tasks were done. Mai Quancheng also mentioned that Cai Jiayi was already there, assigned to protect Tang Yin. Jian Zi quickly made his way to the village, where he found Tang Yin enjoying Mai Quancheng's mother's cooking.
The mother playfully suggested Tang Yin become her daughter-in-law, and Mai Quancheng, despite his usual antics, showed a responsible side by demonstrating how he paid bills online. Jian Zi later found Tang Yin by the sea. Tang Yin expressed her love for the peaceful and beautiful village, describing it as her ideal image of South Island, and remarked on her surprise that the flamboyant Mai Quancheng grew up in such an idyllic place.
Jian Zi explained that Mai Quancheng's father had been lost at sea, and his mother had subsequently fallen ill. To pay for her medical treatment, Mai Quancheng had left school and taken on escort work. Tang Yin reflected that the opinions of others were secondary to the well-being of loved ones. When Jian Zi asked if she herself was doing well, Tang Yin confessed she was not.
She blamed herself for Coco's death, believing that if Coco had not stayed an extra day because of her, she would still be alive. Tang Yin then vowed to fulfill all of Coco's unachieved wishes in this world, committing to live a happy and fulfilling life. Following Coco's death, Lock Tou made a series of mistakes, providing Zhan Shili with undeniable evidence of his misdeeds.
Zhan Shili, initially considering leniency, realizing Lock Tou could not escape his influence, then grimly remarked that death was indeed a way to "jump out of the chessboard," and ordered his subordinate to handle the situation. Aware of Zhan Shili's suspicions, Lock Tou, inside his burning residence, welcomed his arriving "Master" and asked him to bear witness.
Declaring that "Qiu Men can't hold me anymore" and acknowledging that his master would not "do it himself," Lock Tou then deliberately set his home fully ablaze, perishing in the inferno.
