Detective L Episode 16 Recap
> Detective L Recap
Mr. Zhao, a client, came to Luo Fei for help after his grandmother's heirloom gem went missing. He explained that his mother, who was already in poor health, would be devastated if the gem couldn't be recovered. He also mentioned that the thief left a note, signing off as "The Great Theft, Lu Bu Ping." During this exchange, Luo Fei received a call from Ouyang Xun's wife, Mrs. Ouyang.
His tone was dismissive, stating he would not see Ouyang Xun and denying receipt of any letter, before harshly telling her not to call him again. Disturbed by the call, Luo Fei's mood was unsettled, and he tried to dismiss Mr. Zhao, but Mr. Zhao insisted on staying. Qin Xiaoman, present at the time, tried to engage in some amateur deduction. After Luo Fei noticed dog hairs on Mr. Zhao's pants, she speculated that his dog might be ill.
However, Luo Fei swiftly corrected her, explaining the distinct differences between cat and dog hair, and asserting that the hairs were actually cat hair. He then calmly deduced that Mr. Zhao had a large, ferocious watchdog that would have barked if an outsider had entered. Since only Mr. Zhao and his mother lived there, Luo Fei concluded that his mother must have hidden the gem.
Luo Fei further revealed that Mr. Zhao’s puffy eye bags, smoke-stained teeth, and his habit of rubbing his thumb against his index finger—a common gesture for gamblers examining cards—indicated a severe gambling addiction. He theorized that Mr. Zhao's mother feared he would pawn the gem for gambling and had hidden it to prevent this, even suggesting that any recent violence towards his mother could be attributed to him. Ashamed, Mr. Zhao left without a word.
Shortly after, the landlord, Su Su, delivered a letter to Luo Fei, who immediately set it ablaze without opening it. Qin Xiaoman, observing this, quickly extinguished the flames. She recognized the letter was from Ouyang Xun, the former superintendent of the police station, and asked Luo Fei why he burned it. Luo Fei then recounted a harrowing case from five years prior.
Five women were abducted, and four of them died from what appeared to be incessant laughter, a method of torture recorded in ancient Roman and Han Dynasty history. Luo Fei had been determined to solve the brutal case, but Ouyang Xun abruptly disbanded the special investigation team, appeased the victims' families with compensation, and suppressed the case. Ouyang Xun claimed the fifth victim had been rescued, but Luo Fei had never seen her.
Luo Fei believed Ouyang Xun had made a "dirty deal" with the killer, which fueled his deep resentment. Just then, Benjamin rushed in, informing Luo Fei that Ouyang Xun was on his deathbed and wished to see him one last time. Reluctantly, Luo Fei, accompanied by Qin Xiaoman, went to Ouyang Xun's home. Ouyang Xun, frail and weak, asked to speak with Luo Fei alone, but Luo Fei insisted Qin Xiaoman stay.
Ouyang Xun then asked Qin Xiaoman to retrieve a black pouch from his cabinet and hand it to Luo Fei. He apologized to Luo Fei, confessing his actions five years ago. He explained that the killer had forced him to publish a statement in the newspaper, promising to cease the murders if Ouyang Xun stopped the investigation. This "deal" was to last for both their lifetimes.
The killer, Ouyang Xun explained, gained a perverse "stimulation and pleasure" from controlling a police superintendent and had been waiting for him to die before resuming his crimes. He urged Luo Fei to reopen the case, find the truth, and bring justice to the victims. Ouyang Xun revealed that the fifth victim, whose real name was Wang Xue Ru, had been secretly recuperating at a mental hospital under the alias An Ping.
Upon hearing this, Luo Fei decided to reopen the case. Luo Fei responded that his decision not to join the police force was for other reasons, unrelated to Ouyang Xun. Shortly after Luo Fei left the room, Mrs. Ouyang announced that Ouyang Xun had passed away. Overnight, Luo Fei, Qin Xiaoman, and Benjamin painstakingly reorganized the old case files, spurred by Ouyang Xun's dying wish.
Meanwhile, Superintendent Sha Wei was informed of two university students recently gone missing, with the same "laughing death" method, one of whom was the daughter of a prominent bank president. The next morning, Luo Fei, Qin Xiaoman, and Benjamin visited the mental hospital to see An Ping. Dr. Han greeted them, stating that when An Ping was admitted, her eardrum was severely damaged, leaving her unable to hear, requiring written communication.
Dr. Han also mentioned that the best ear doctors in Shanghai had examined her, all concluding she couldn't be cured. Luo Fei suspected this detail, pondering if the killer had disguised himself as an ear doctor to approach her. After observing "An Ping," Luo Fei quickly discerned she was an impostor. He noted the deep ring mark on her right ring finger, indicating long-term wear, whereas the real Wang Xue Ru was unmarried.
He also observed her long hair, which contradicted the hospital's policy of short hair for female patients to prevent self-harm, and critically, the patient's identification number starting with "17" suggested she was admitted two years ago, while Wang Xue Ru would have been admitted five years prior, hence her number should have started with "14".
Furthermore, Luo Fei suggested that her long hair might also be used to cover her earlobes, as the real Wang Xue Ru had pierced ears, while the impostor did not. When confronted, Dr. Han initially claimed that the real An Ping had died two years ago, attempting to excuse his deception by claiming he was "blinded by love" and found a look-alike to replace her. Luo Fei, disbelieving, had him taken to the police station for further questioning.
Back at the crime scene of the two recently murdered university students, Luo Fei confirmed that the killer's method was identical to the five-year-old case. Benjamin then discovered a star-shaped earring in one of the victim's stomachs. Luo Fei recognized this as the killer's signature: leaving an item from the previous victim at the next crime scene to mark his involvement. He identified the earring as belonging to Wang Xue Ru, the fifth victim.
Realizing Wang Xue Ru was now in grave danger, Luo Fei confronted Dr. Han again. He stressed that while Han might hide her from the police, he couldn't hide her from the killer, who had held onto her earring for five years. He argued that the killer, having been bound by the agreement with Ouyang Xun, would now come for Wang Xue Ru.
Luo Fei further suggested the killer's strong reconnaissance skills meant he likely knew Wang Xue Ru's whereabouts and might have been monitoring her for years, perhaps even disguised as an ear doctor previously. Convinced, Dr. Han finally revealed that Wang Xue Ru had actually recovered two years ago and he had secretly transferred her to a new location, pleading for her protection.
Following Dr. Han's directions, Luo Fei and Qin Xiaoman found Wang Xue Ru, now living under her true name and married to a university teacher named Lin Zhong Heng. Her husband was very attentive, providing her with a hearing aid. Qin Xiaoman directly explained the recent murders to Wang Xue Ru. The mention of the "weird smiles" on the victims' faces triggered a severe panic attack in Wang Xue Ru, who began to cry out about "whips, ropes, and blood."
Just then, Lin Zhong Heng returned home. Seeing his wife's distress, he quickly administered sedative medication and asked Luo Fei and Qin Xiaoman to leave, explaining that Wang Xue Ru couldn't handle such stimulation. As they departed, Qin Xiaoman noted Lin Zhong Heng's thoughtful gesture of bringing jasmine flowers, known for their calming effect, hinting at Luo Fei's less "caring" nature. Back at the police station, Qin Xiaoman reported to Superintendent Sha Wei.
Before leaving for a meeting, Sha Wei asked Qin Xiaoman to answer his office phone. When she picked it up, a strange voice on the other end addressed her by name.
