Guardian Episode 24 Recap
> Guardian Recap
Fueled by resentment over his wife Bai Suxia’s death at Longcheng Hospital, the Karma Brush wielder, Wang Xiangyang, set his sights on revenge. He found a willing accomplice in Zuma, a young man in his twenties whose physical development had stopped, leaving him with the appearance of a child. Reserved and engrossed in video games, Zuma had bonded with Tan Badou, an elderly patient who was the only one to understand and respect his passion.
Tan Badou’s suicide, which occurred despite the hospital’s efforts to treat him, devastated Zuma. He blamed the staff, particularly Nurse Wei and Dr. Jin, for their negligence. Sensing Zuma's rage, Wang Xiangyang and Yaqing offered him the Karma Brush, which fully awakened his psychic powers, tempting him to start a real-life game to avenge Tan Badou. Zhao Yunlan was unwillingly selected as "Player One" in the deadly game orchestrated by Zuma through his mobile phone.
Empowered by his new abilities, Zuma gloated about the superiority of real-life gaming, using his psychic powers to manipulate the hospital and its occupants. He vented his resentment to Zhao Yunlan, accusing people like him of judging others and dismissing those who find solace in video games. Forced to wear an Explosive Tracker that would detonate if he failed or tried to remove it, Zhao Yunlan faced the first challenge: a round of Russian roulette.
Four of his SID colleagues were also drawn into the game as "NPCs" alongside other hospital staff. Though Zhao tried to concede to save everyone, the game's rules forced the death of a terrified doctor. He survived a second challenge against four "bosses" before reaching the final level, "Lucky Choice." Faced with two glasses of water, one poisoned, Zhao and a final "boss" had to choose.
When Zhao refused, the rules forced the boss to drink both, leading to their death. The reality of the deaths horrified Zuma. Crying out that killing felt nothing like a game, he realized that he wasn't controlling the game, but that it was controlling him. With the "game over" message, the power from the Karma Brush was forcibly stripped from him, and he began to die.
As his life faded, Zuma revealed a final twist: a gravity-balanced bomb, powerful enough to destroy the hospital, was hidden in his ward. Shen Wei arrived amid the chaos, and he and Zhao Yunlan worked together to disarm the complex device. Shen Wei warned Zhao that using his Dark Energy would only accelerate the countdown. They noted Yaqing's surprised reaction from afar, concluding the bomb was not part of her and Wang Xiangyang's plan.
While they worked, a remorseful Zuma died in Dr. Cheng's presence. After defusing the bomb, Shen Wei promised Zhao he would eventually tell him the secrets he was keeping. Later, Zhao awoke at home, where Dr. Cheng warned him that the Karma Brush wielder’s deep hatred for the hospital meant the danger was far from over.
Meanwhile, Professor Ouyang, head of a secret Haixingjian research lab, tasked the SID with researching old game cartridges to find a link to the recent events. Ouyang was also deeply concerned about a missing defective syringe needle used to create a top-secret experimental serum, fearing it could cause a catastrophe if it fell into the wrong hands. He had secretly recruited Li Qian to his lab, as her previous exposure to a Hallows made her a valuable subject.
After she impressed him with her intellect, he offered her a position, unaware of her cunning nature. Soon after, the SID received a new case: Zhu Hao, a gentle, 40-year-old taxi driver, had suddenly turned violent and assaulted someone. During interrogation, Zhu Hao acted scornfully, a stark contrast to his colleagues' descriptions of him as a meek man who didn't even protest his wife's infidelity.
Zhao dispatched Da Qing and Chu Shuzhi to the scene and ordered Guo Changcheng to check Zhu Hao for wounds to verify his claim of self-defense. However, as Guo touched the man’s arm, he was jolted by a powerful wave of dark energy.
