Resumen del episodio 18 de Light to the Night
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Following the discovery of the body in the freezer, a forensic examination identifies the victim as Mei. Traces of anesthetics were found in his neck, and bruises on his limbs indicate a struggle before he was shoved into cold storage to die of hypothermia. Since the time of death was four weeks ago, He Xiaohe realizes Mei could only have been responsible for the first disappearance.
She suspects a successor has been carrying out the recent kidnappings using Mei's established methods. As the seven-day deadline looms, Qu Dahai is frustrated by the lack of progress but orders the team to keep searching until all the children are found. He Yuanhang believes the perpetrator must be using a hidden route to move the children through the crowded neighborhood. During his investigation, he learns that a resident's blue flatbed cart was stolen a week prior.
By simulating the kidnapper's path with a similar cart, the team discovers a discarded syringe in the woods. He Xiaohe deduces that Han Zi'ang was likely drugged on the cart but struggled so fiercely that the syringe fell out, leading the kidnapper to strike him on the head. In a flashback to 2002, Ran Fangxu and He Yuanhang investigate a brutal assault on Zhao Hongmei, who was left with severe brain damage.
Ran notices the attack matches the MO used against Wu Shanlong and suspects the same culprit. Both victims were linked to the Hongyun Huihuang establishment, where Wu was a major shareholder. The investigation reveals that Zhao and Wu likely scammed Song Qingsong, the former owner of a cement factory, leading to his financial ruin. Ran suspects Song has returned to Weiyang to seek revenge. The officers track a specific type of wrench used in the assaults to a scrap yard.
Though the owner is initially evasive, he eventually admits that Song Qingsong had been there. Ran and He find Song at his old, abandoned cement factory. Song calmly admits to his crimes, explaining that years ago he hired Wu Shanlong to kill a girl named Xu Meng, but Wu betrayed him. Bitter over the loss of his factory and his family's disappearance, Song admits to the recent assaults but regrets that he didn't manage to kill Wu.
According to the records, Song ultimately chooses to take his own life. Back in 2015, the police identify a hidden room within the apartment complex layout. They launch a rescue operation and find the four missing boys in a state of shock. The suspect, Peng Dachuang, is taken into custody. Despite the successful rescue, the veteran officers He Yuanhang and Qu Dahai continue their long-standing habit of bickering, even as they acknowledge the vital contributions of the younger team members.
During interrogation, Peng Dachuang is uncooperative and aggressive. He Xiaohe, who was a childhood friend of Peng’s late son, nicknamed "Pony," asks for a chance to speak with him. She plays music and shows him an old photo of himself with Pony, causing Peng's defensive exterior to crumble. Peng reveals that his spiral into crime began when he caught Mei, a human trafficker, abusing a child. In a rage, he killed Mei and took over his hidden space.
Driven by the trauma of losing his son and the impending demolition of his home in Yuanlongli, Peng had convinced himself he was "saving" other children from their unhappy lives. He believed he was protecting these "ponies" in a sanctuary, fearing that if he moved away from the neighborhood, his own son would never be able to find his way home.
