Guardian Episode 34 Recap
> Guardian Recap
Lin Jing awoke from a nightmare, his thoughts consumed by the Special Investigation Unit. He struggled to make a phone call, burdened by the fact that he was responsible for leaking information about the Longevity Sundial and the attack on the Marine Administration, hoping to help but inadvertently making things worse. Elsewhere, Professor Ouyang jubilantly proclaimed the success of his serum experiment.
However, his assistant Li Qian cautioned him, pointing out that the serum wasn't pure enough and using it prematurely could lead to unpredictable consequences. Impatient, Professor Ouyang disregarded her warnings and forcefully injected the serum into his own bloodstream. He then underwent a horrific transformation, howling in pain and madness. Meanwhile, as the now frail Mr. Chu watched over him, narrating a story about twin brothers and their tragic fate, Changcheng slowly began to stir, his heart beating powerfully.
As Changcheng fully awakened, he playfully recalled Mr. Chu’s past lie about eating human flesh, noting that he was not scary at all. Zhao Yunlan, accompanied by Da Qing and Chu Shuzhi, intended to seek a pardon from the Marine Administration. However, the rapidly escalating public outcry worked against them. The Marine Administration issued a formal statement abolishing the Special Investigation Unit and declared Zhao Yunlan a wanted fugitive, accusing him of colluding with Subterraneans and spreading fear.
The Special Investigation Unit headquarters was sealed off, and everyone braced for the fallout. Zhu Hong was brought home by her uncle, Cong Bo, while Wang Zheng and Sang Zan remained at the SIU to safeguard the hallows. Da Qing went to Professor Shen Wei's home, seeking instructions, only to find him not there. Unbeknownst to them, Night King, meticulously dressed in a suit, had assumed the gentle demeanor of Shen Wei and infiltrated the SIU.
He had bypassed the unit’s defenses by having Nightmare manipulate Lin Jing’s dream, forcing him to remove the protective shield. Inside the SIU, Night King, disguised as Shen Wei, found Zhao Yunlan struggling against the backlash of the hallows’ power. Zhao Yunlan, hoping to alter the timeline, sought to return to a point before Night King's emergence, believing this would undo their current predicament.
Night King listened, feigning concern, and subtly tried to persuade Zhao Yunlan to hand over the hallows, citing the risks of time disruption. However, having spent so much time with the real Shen Wei, Zhao Yunlan quickly sensed the impostor. Night King’s arrogant demeanor and undisguised ambition shone through his words, betraying his disguise. Realizing the deception, Zhao Yunlan aimed his gun at Night King’s chest. Night King merely laughed, confident that he could not be caught.
Zhao Yunlan fired several shots, all missing. Wang Zheng and Sang Zan then arrived, bravely shielding Zhao Yunlan. They were quickly overwhelmed, their energy drained by Night King, who absorbed them into his service. As Night King turned his attention to Zhao Yunlan, the hallows suddenly flared with intense energy, all three activating simultaneously. At that critical moment, the real Shen Wei arrived, severing Night King’s insidious connection to Zhao Yunlan.
However, the three were caught in the hallows’ powerful anomaly and drawn into a swirling vortex. Zhao Yunlan was flung into a chaotic timeline ten thousand years in the past. He encountered a young Da Qing and the Black Robed Envoy but was bewildered by the era and their unfamiliarity with him. He was particularly confused when Da Qing, upon their first meeting, called him "Kunlun."
Da Qing, identifying himself as a unique werecat from the Sub-beasts, explained that he was sent by the Triple Alliance of humans, Sub-beasts, and Subterraneans to bring him to their headquarters. Their purpose was to suppress the powerful Rebel Regiment, led by the Rebel Chieftain, who sought to dominate the Marine. Da Qing then led Zhao Yunlan to the Triple Alliance headquarters to meet Mr. Ma Gui and Patriarch Fu You.
There, Zhao Yunlan finally grasped the full extent of the situation. They explained that a meteorite impact had released immense energy, destroying the Subterraneans' underground homes. The Rebel Chieftain, an extremist among the Subterraneans, had used his bewitching powers to form the formidable Rebel Regiment, aiming to conquer the entire Marine. The three factions had united as the Triple Alliance to counter this threat.
They had sought to recruit the great warrior Kunlun, but the Rebel Chieftain had preemptively eliminated Kunlun's entire party. To maintain morale, Mr. Ma Gui and Patriarch Fu You had kept this news secret and brought Zhao Yunlan from ten thousand years in the future to "replace" Kunlun, leading the war and preventing disruption to the timeline. They knew Zhao Yunlan’s future role as a beacon of hope for the Marine.
They also revealed that the hallows were forged from meteorite fragments intended for the benefit of all but had been stolen by the Rebel Regiment, and that Da Qing had accidentally touched them in the past, explaining his long life. Soon after, Zhao Yunlan met the Black Robed Envoy. In this past, the Black Robed Envoy had no recollection of Zhao Yunlan, despite Zhao Yunlan knowing him intimately. He addressed Zhao Yunlan as "Kunlun" and found his familiar words unsettling.
When the Black Robed Envoy offered to repay Zhao Yunlan for saving his life, Zhao Yunlan simply asked him to smile. The Envoy questioned the worth of a peace bought with so much blood, but Zhao Yunlan affirmed that sacrificing a few for thousands of years of peace for the many was a choice he would still make. The Black Robed Envoy revealed he wore his mask to hide his fear from his enemies.
Zhao Yunlan offered him a sweet, encouraging him to experience all of life's flavors and predicting a long future for him. After confirming his name was Kunlun, Zhao Yunlan contemplated the unchangeable past with Patriarch Fu You, who spoke of the Sub-beasts’ plan to retreat to a secluded place after the war. Hearing this, the Black Robed Envoy asked for her name, which prompted him to ponder his own identity, wondering aloud if he was born to be the Black Robed Envoy.
