Guardian Episode 28 Recap
> Guardian Recap
Held at the Special Investigation Unit, Sha Ya agreed to help locate Wang Xiangyang to atone for her crimes, but only on the condition that they help her find a woman named Hua Yuzhu. She offered no further clues, leaving the team to search through 119 individuals with that name. Despite knowing Sha Ya had been dishonest with him, Lin Jing remained supportive, believing she had sought him out because she genuinely valued their connection. This revealed a painful past.
Years earlier, Sha Ya, Hua Yuzhu, and their friend Gu Ban, all from the Subterrane, longed for the surface world. Sha Ya dreamed of seeing real stars, while Hua Yuzhu wished for lush flowers and trees. Near a sealed area, a mysterious entity—the Night King—sensed their desires and tempted them with a path to the human world. Though Hua Yuzhu was hesitant, fearing capture, Sha Ya's longing for freedom convinced her to escape.
Upon arriving on the surface, the three marveled at their new world. However, a love triangle soon shattered their bond, as both Sha Ya and Hua Yuzhu had feelings for Gu Ban. Their friendship fractured when Gu Ban confessed his love for Hua Yuzhu, devastating Sha Ya. Shortly after, tragedy struck. Sha Ya briefly saw a man with a gun, whom she believed to be Zhao Xinci, in the forest.
When she returned to her friends, she discovered Gu Ban dead beside a weeping Hua Yuzhu. Convinced that Zhao Xinci was the murderer, Sha Ya was consumed by rage and a thirst for vengeance. From that day, the two friends diverged. Hua Yuzhu chose a peaceful life, opening a flower shop and urging Sha Ya to let go of her hatred. Sha Ya refused, accusing Hua Yuzhu of betraying their friendship and Gu Ban’s memory by choosing peace over revenge.
Believing Hua Yuzhu was unworthy of Gu Ban's love, Sha Ya ended their friendship and dedicated herself to finding and killing Zhao Xinci, a goal she shared with Wang Xiangyang. The investigation took a turn when the team learned that a real estate project was set to log the forest east of Dragon City. Sha Ya frantically begged Lin Jing to take her there, certain that Hua Yuzhu would also go because Gu Ban was buried in that forest.
They raced to the site, only to find it already being excavated and Gu Ban’s grave empty. Heartbroken and enraged, Sha Ya left with Wang Xiangyang and Presbyter Yaqing, sinking deeper into her quest for revenge, leaving a desperate Hua Yuzhu behind crying out for her to stop. With his own life nearing its end, Wang Xiangyang prepared to settle his final scores.
He, Sha Ya, and a winged sub-beast ambushed a Marine Administration vehicle, kidnapping Minister Gao and Zhao Xinci. Wang Xiangyang then left a provocative message written in his own blood for the authorities: "Tomb of three people." This was the start of a calculated game designed to make the Special Investigation Unit experience his deep-seated hatred. When Zhao Yunlan learned that his estranged father, Zhao Xinci, had been kidnapped, he was visibly shaken.
Shen Wei grew concerned as Zhao Yunlan became increasingly desperate, even inducing a painful resonance from a hallowed object in a futile attempt to gain a clue. Shen Wei reminded him that as the Director of the Special Investigation Unit and the Guardian, he had to remain calm for the sake of the city. The kidnappers left a cryptic clue: a 24-hour countdown starting at midnight.
While the team struggled with conventional decryption methods, Zhao Yunlan noticed the blood in the message had been traced in a specific way. He realized it wasn't a simple code but a riddle based on the Eight Diagrams ("Three, fire, three") and the Inscription of the River Luo. This complex clue pointed them to an abandoned street in District 29, south-west of the city. Their progress was interrupted by an ambush of Werecrows, followers of Presbyter Yaqing.
After a fierce battle, Zhao Yunlan defeated them and sent them back with a warning for their leader: the Night King is insidious and selfish, and her efforts to aid him would be in vain. Meanwhile, Wang Xiangyang assured a wary Presbyter Yaqing that Sha Ya’s consuming hatred would ensure her loyalty. A flashback to a phone booth, where he proposed to a woman named Bai Suxia, revealed the deep personal loss fueling his own vengeance. Confident in his plan, Wang Xiangyang declared that the outcome was already decided: everyone would die.
