Guardian Episode 4 Recap
> Guardian Recap
Following the discovery of a bloody crime scene—involving the footprints of a tall man, a terrified young woman, and the highly suspicious Professor Shen Wei—Shen was brought in for questioning by the Special Investigation Unit. Officers Zhu Hong and Chu Shuzhi interrogated him, with Chu expressing bewilderment at a university professor possessing such remarkable composure, noting that Shen's demeanor strikingly resembled that of the revered Black Robed Envoy.
Zhao Yunlan intervened, releasing Shen Wei due to insufficient evidence and the witness, Zhang Danni, being too traumatized to recall any details. With the investigation at an impasse, a young man named Lin Yusen approached the unit. He revealed he had a crush on Xiaoyan, one of the victims, and had been at the scene to confess his feelings when he witnessed the murderer's face. He provided a poorly drawn sketch but insisted he could recognize the man.
Although Zhao Yunlan admired Lin Yusen's spirit, he urged the young man to leave the investigation to the professionals. As Zhao prepared to visit the crime scene in the forest, Shen Wei appeared, expressing guilt for not apprehending the criminal and offering his assistance. Recognizing Shen's determination, Zhao agreed. In the forest, the team encountered Zhang Danni again. She frantically claimed the attacker had pursued her and she had narrowly escaped.
However, Zhao Yunlan noticed inconsistencies in her story, particularly the absence of fresh injuries despite her claims of a violent struggle. His suspicions aroused, he instructed Guo Changcheng to escort Zhang Danni home while secretly dispatching Da Qing to surveil her. It would later be revealed that this woman was not the real Zhang Danni, but a Subterranean imposter who had taken her face as part of a mission from Zhu Jiu.
Determined to lure the culprit out, Zhao Yunlan used Zhu Hong as bait. Dressed in a striking red dress, Zhu Hong was quickly targeted by the attacker, Jiahui. Jiahui used a fake voice to lure Chu Shuzhi away, then incapacitated Zhu Hong with a knockout substance. Fortunately, Zhu Hong was equipped with a Special Investigation Unit tracker, allowing Lin Jing to quickly pinpoint her location. Zhao Yunlan and Chu Shuzhi set off to rescue her.
Zhu Hong awoke to find Jiahui attempting to steal her face using his unique powers. Despite the lingering effects of the drug, Zhu Hong, a powerful Snake Sub-beast, managed to struggle free and ran into the arriving Zhao Yunlan and Chu Shuzhi. Chu engaged Jiahui, swiftly subduing him with a puppet string. However, the fake Zhang Danni then appeared, revealing she had captured Da Qing, who had been following her.
She confessed that she and Jiahui were escaped Subterraneans whose lives on the surface were miserable. Jiahui, who could take others' faces, fell in love with her when she was disfigured and began collecting beautiful faces for her, whom he treated as his "Queen Bee." She admitted her desire to collect all the beautiful faces in the world, resentful of a world that judges by appearance. Chu Shuzhi created a diversion, allowing Da Qing to escape.
Witnessing Jiahui's injuries, a desperate Zhang Danni began gathering immense energy for a final confrontation. At that moment, Lin Yusen, consumed by a desire for revenge, rushed forward and attacked with Molotov cocktails designed to harm Subterraneans. In the ensuing explosion, all three were gravely injured. The Black Robed Envoy suddenly appeared and took all three into custody, including the human Lin Yusen.
Zhao Yunlan protested, arguing that Lin Yusen's actions were excusable and questioning why a human should be handed over to the Palace of Lord Earth for judgment. The Black Robed Envoy, stung by Zhao Yunlan's indignation, later confided to his subordinate that Lin Yusen was no ordinary human. Driven by his singular desire for revenge, Lin Yusen had been unknowingly infused with dark energy by a mysterious entity.
This parasitic energy had entangled itself in his body, turning him into a ticking time bomb, even in death. The Black Robed Envoy explained he had to conceal this truth from Zhao Yunlan, fearing that Zhao's empathetic nature would lead him to rash actions. He chose to bear the burden alone, reaffirming a long-held promise to protect the peace, even if it meant carrying a heavy burden forever, lamenting that Zhao's resentment only intensified his own sense of guilt.
