Guardian Episode 17 Recap
> Guardian Recap
Bao Laosan, driven by resentment, had once resorted to theft and used his psychic powers to wreak havoc to ensure his and his wife's survival. During that time, his nemesis was Zhao Xinci, then the director of the SIU. Though an officer, Xinci was secretly a Subterranean himself. During a confrontation, Bao Laosan's wife was killed by a gunshot from Xinci while trying to protect her husband. This deep-seated hatred made Bao Laosan susceptible to Zhu Jiu's manipulation.
Zhu Jiu coaxed Bao Laosan into escaping the Subterrane to destroy the SIU, promising that this would allow Subterraneans to live freely on the surface. However, during the attack on the SIU building, Zhu Jiu abandoned Bao Laosan, leaving him to face the returning SIU members alone. Under a barrage of attacks, Bao Laosan, in a daze, saw Xinci, his greatest enemy.
Consumed by hate, Bao Laosan lunged at Xinci, vowing to avenge his wife, only to be shot and killed in the ensuing chaos. The SIU members were visibly shocked, feeling that even the most heinous criminals deserved a trial rather than an arbitrary death. For Xinci, no death was easy to face; he only desired to maintain peace and order, viewing death as an unavoidable sorrow that had weighed on him for years.
In a flashback, he is shown kneeling by a tombstone. Years ago, his wife, Shen Xi, was held hostage by a notorious Subterranean criminal. For the greater good, Xinci made the agonizing decision to sacrifice his wife, letting her perish before his eyes. A young Zhao Yunlan cried out in despair as he watched his mother die. This devastating experience shaped Zhao Yunlan's approach to justice.
Unlike his father, Zhao Yunlan, now the Director of the SIU, often shows compassion, even at risk to his own life. Later, Xinci explained to Da Qing that he must play a difficult role, even being seen as a "traitor" by some Subterraneans, to prevent another war, believing the source of the current turmoil lay with the Hallows and Zhu Jiu.
Meanwhile, Zhao Yunlan and Old Wu traversed the Subterrane, feeling a strange familiarity with the paths yet unable to locate either the Book of Lord Earth or Shen Wei. Zhao Yunlan struggled with the corrosive dark energy, while Old Wu's frequent use of his teleportation ability was taking a toll. During their search, Old Wu explained that his teleportation required a medium—oxygen.
Zhao Yunlan immediately realized that Zhu Jiu, who always disappeared towards sources of light, likely used light as his medium, and pondered if he could be trapped in complete darkness. Their search led them to a dilapidated house where a masked Subterranean was operating a fortune-telling stall. Zhao Yunlan approached the mysterious figure, paid for a reading, and inquired about the Book of Lord Earth. The fortune teller proved hostile, demanding Zhao Yunlan's life as payment.
Unskilled in close-quarters combat, Zhao Yunlan was quickly overpowered. The mysterious individual then removed his mask, revealing himself to be Ding Dun, whom they had believed to be dead. Just as Ding Dun was about to deliver a fatal blow, Shen Wei arrived and saved Zhao Yunlan. However, Shen Wei discovered that Ding Dun had already burned the Book of Lord Earth to ashes. Shen Wei brought the unconscious Zhao Yunlan back to the SIU.
In his delirium, Zhao Yunlan again dreamt of his mother, who spoke cryptic words about listening to the voice in his heart. Upon waking, Zhao Yunlan was immediately consumed by the pressing issues at hand, leaving no time to ponder the dream. Shen Wei returned home, leaving Zhao Yunlan to marvel at how a "frail intellectual" like him could have survived such an ordeal.
Da Qing delivered a series of photos to Zhao Yunlan, revealing an underground fighting arena where dark energy was detected. Zhao Yunlan decided to send Guo to investigate. Chu, who had been cold to Guo when he first joined, volunteered to go with him, vowing to protect him in the dangerous environment. At the arena, Guo was nervous and apologetic, while Chu fiercely shielded him.
Later, Zhao Yunlan discussed Chu's drastic change in behavior with Shen Wei, noting how protective he had become. Shen Wei, who was simultaneously facing an ultimatum from his university's headmaster to choose between his consulting role and his professorship, smiled and suggested, "Maybe this is brotherhood." Shen Wei's trouble at the university was temporarily resolved when Jiajia, the headmaster's granddaughter and one of his students, passionately advocated for him to stay.
Meanwhile, at the Palace of Lord Earth, the Regent interrogated and ordered the execution of several captured Subterraneans, accusing them of betraying Lord Earth. He also commanded his followers to confiscate all books related to the Hallows from the libraries. Separately, back at the SIU, while sifting through a pile of ancient texts, Da Qing discovered a strange book they had never seen before. It contained a single, cryptic line: "The Lord of the Great Wilderness is named Kunlun."
