Detective L Episode 24 (Ending) Recap
> Detective L Recap
In the car, Luo Fei confronted Wei Feng, accusing him of killing Lao Huang. Luo Fei pointed out Wei Feng’s immediate and certain declaration of Lao Huang's death, even before a coroner's examination, as an unnatural reaction. He directly questioned Wei Feng, suggesting such certainty could only come from being the killer. Wei Feng confessed that he had gone to Lao Huang’s house to forcefully obtain the poison needed to save his pregnant wife, Yuan Yuan.
He claimed he was unaware of Lao Huang's heart condition and that Lao Huang died during the confrontation despite Wei Feng's attempts at resuscitation. However, Luo Fei observed cigarette burns on Lao Huang’s arm, which Wei Feng admitted were from his "lightest" interrogation methods. Luo Fei further deduced that Wei Feng had known about Lao Huang and the poison through Jin Bu Bai, implying a secret meeting between them.
He surmised that Wei Feng hadn't taken the poison directly to the experts because he had made a deal with Jin Bu Bai, which required him to maintain his cover and perform additional tasks. Luo Fei then challenged Wei Feng to choose between trusting Jin Bu Bai or him.
Wei Feng admitted that Jin Bu Bai had unnerved him by asking if he wanted to see his child again, a manipulation that resonated deeply after Jin Bu Bai had injected him with a poison set to take effect in seven days. Luo Fei, however, reassured Wei Feng that the injection was likely fake, as Jin Bu Bai would have no need to implicate Wei Feng in Lao Huang's death if the poison was genuinely lethal.
After their discussion, Luo Fei and Wei Feng rushed to the hospital. There, President Ouyang informed them that the virus's components had been analyzed, and an antidote could be produced within half a day. However, Yuan Yuan's condition was worsening. Wei Feng then shared critical information with the police, revealing that Lao Huang, a rickshaw driver working for Jin Bu Bai, was responsible for poisoning four initial victims, including Guo Yong Qiang and Chen Da Li.
Wei Feng clarified that Lao Hu, Lao Huang's son, was accidentally poisoned by touching residual powder on his father's rickshaw, not intentionally. Lao Huang, a cautious man, had taken his son to a smaller, different hospital to avoid detection, but the police's consolidation of all patients inadvertently brought them together. Guo Yong Qiang was killed because he recognized Lao Huang and questioned him about suffering a headache after riding his rickshaw, which alerted Lao Huang.
Wei Feng explained that Lao Huang then used a second type of poison, also from Jin Bu Bai and the same as the one affecting Yuan Yuan, on Guo Yong Qiang. The combination of the two poisons proved instantly fatal. Dr. Hao was murdered because he discovered Lao Huang's poison bottle during a ward check and asked about its contents, warning Lao Huang not to give strange things to children.
Panicked, Lao Huang created a diversion by having Xiao Hu dance in the ward to attract attention, then killed Dr. Hao. Luo Fei concluded that Wei Feng had been manipulated by Jin Bu Bai. Lao Huang's unauthorized poisonings and self-exposure made him a liability. Jin Bu Bai, aware of Lao Huang's severe heart condition, used Wei Feng to confront him, knowing Lao Huang would likely die from the stress, thus eliminating a rogue subordinate and framing Wei Feng for murder.
Wei Feng then relayed Jin Bu Bai's "fake" message: a truck with a fake license plate would attack the water plant tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM to poison the city's water supply. Luo Fei immediately recognized that while the attack was real, the timing was a misdirection. He deduced the actual attack would occur now, during the day's peak water usage between 4:45 PM and 5:45 PM, when residents were cooking dinner.
Luo Fei urgently instructed Sha Wei to contact the Municipality and demand an immediate shutdown of all water plant pipes before 4:45 PM. Moments later, Sha Wei confirmed the water plant was indeed under attack with an explosion and perpetrators attempting to poison the pool. Fortunately, the pre-emptive pipe shutdown prevented the poisoned water from spreading, and Ye Chang Qing's team successfully apprehended the culprits.
However, a critical oversight meant a small pipe supplying water to the staff accommodation was not shut off. As a result, 325 residents from 139 families in the staff accommodation drank the poisoned water. Facing this new crisis, Luo Fei decided to confront Jin Bu Bai directly. During their meeting, Luo Fei declared he had fully understood Jin Bu Bai's plan.
He stated that Jin Bu Bai’s voluntary imprisonment was not to meet the chemistry professor or to obtain the virus formula, but to kill the professor—his accomplice in creating the poison—to prevent anyone from fully deciphering the virus's characteristics. Jin Bu Bai, amused, implicitly confirmed this.
As a "reward" for Luo Fei’s cleverness in solving his puzzles and foiling the water plant attack, Jin Bu Bai announced he had created 200 "antidotes" for the 325 poisoned residents, with each of the 139 families receiving one. He specified that the "antidotes" could not be divided, or they would cause a terrible death, calling this a true test of love.
Jin Bu Bai then recounted a traumatic childhood experience: at eight years old, he was tricked by his stepmother into believing his biological mother was a "bad woman" and killed her, leading him to believe "love" was the greatest lie. Suddenly, Luo Fei, connecting Jin Bu Bai's strict condition for the "antidotes" to Guo Yong Qiang's rapid death, realized the horrific truth: the "antidotes" were, in fact, poison.
He reasoned that Jin Bu Bai's two separate poisons were not fatal on their own, but when combined, they became highly toxic, as seen with Guo Yong Qiang. Thus, Jin Bu Bai's twisted game was designed for those who took the "antidote" to die from the combined toxins, while those who selflessly gave it up would survive. Luo Fei immediately instructed Qin Xiaoman to alert Sha Wei and prevent anyone from consuming the supposed antidotes.
With Jin Bu Bai's entire scheme exposed and thwarted, Luo Fei informed him that Wei Feng and Yuan Yuan had safely left Shanghai, leaving Jin Bu Bai defeated and imprisoned. Shortly after, Luo Fei received news that Huo Wen Si had awakened. He and Qin Xiaoman rushed to the hospital. There, Huo Wen Si, who was being transferred back to the prison ward, revealed that he had been closely observing Captain and discovered that Captain was not insane.
He stated that Captain was incredibly intelligent and had maintained his facade of dementia with astonishing willpower, even fooling Huo Wen Si himself. Huo Wen Si explained his suspicion arose after overhearing Captain mumble "Xiao Lu" in his sleep. Huo Wen Si further revealed that Xiao Lu, a name linked to a previous tragedy, had died due to Huo Wen Si's own oversight, having personally sent him into Captain's hands.
Shocked by this, Luo Fei rushed to the prison to interrogate Captain about Xiao Lu’s death. However, Captain continued to feign madness, repeating, "I lost my stuff." Just then, Jin Bu Bai, who was being brought in by the police, taunted Luo Fei, suggesting he ask Captain what he had lost.
Jin Bu Bai then revealed that Captain was the leader of a powerful criminal organization called the Green Dragon Society, which he had tried to pass on to Jin Bu Bai when lucid. He also mentioned that Captain possessed an ancient jade pendant, a Ming emperor's artifact, which was the ultimate symbol of authority within the Green Dragon Society. As Captain continued to babble about losing his things, Luo Fei realized the immense danger this implied.
Meanwhile, back at the hospital, Huo Wen Si, having feigned illness, attacked and killed his attending physician, stole his clothes, and escaped. When Luo Fei returned to Huo Wen Si's ward, he was gone. Police initiated a citywide manhunt, eventually cornering Huo Wen Si on a bridge. Luo Fei ordered everyone back and confronted Huo Wen Si alone.
Luo Fei revealed he understood Huo Wen Si's entire scheme: his imprisonment, his pretense of helping to investigate Captain, and his intention to stimulate Captain's memories to find the jade pendant, thereby usurping leadership of the Green Dragon Society and becoming the new Captain. Luo Fei also linked Huo Wen Si to the missing funds intended for the Yellow River disaster, which he had used to establish authority within the organization.
Huo Wen Si confirmed he already controlled Captain's resources but needed the jade pendant to secure the loyalty of the old guard, necessitating his imprisonment to retrieve it from Captain. Luo Fei expressed his disappointment, questioning why a brilliant psychologist would pursue such a path of power. Huo Wen Si responded that even the best psychologist cannot change the world without power. He defiantly stated that Luo Fei would not get a testimony from him.
Huo Wen Si then produced a detonator, threatening to blow up the bridge, which he claimed was rigged with explosives, if Luo Fei didn't let him go. Sha Wei, fearing for Luo Fei's life, urged him to comply, but Luo Fei refused.
Luo Fei had already deduced Huo Wen Si's true intention: not to destroy the bridge, but to use four strategically placed bombs to collapse the road surface, allowing him to escape by falling into the river at a pre-designated safe spot. Luo Fei noticed a critical flaw in Huo Wen Si's plan: Huo Wen Si himself was not standing in the safe zone, while Luo Fei was.
Gambling on his deduction, Luo Fei asked Qin Xiaoman if she trusted him, then instructed her, Benjamin, and Ye Chang Qing to move to a specific "safe" location, and detonated one of the bombs himself. They were unharmed. Luo Fei then revealed he possessed another detonator and pointed out that the remaining two bombs were directly beneath Huo Wen Si's feet. He challenged Huo Wen Si to detonate them. Huo Wen Si responded with a bitter smile, his expression filled with despair, and detonated the remaining bombs. Simultaneously, back in prison, Captain suddenly displayed a chilling, enigmatic smile.
