Guardian Episode 9 Recap
> Guardian Recap
An experiment conducted for a month shows that a dormant object reacted twice when Zhao Yunlan touched it, with its reaction source located 20 kilometers north of the northwestern mountainous region. This, combined with an earthquake in the same area and a resignation request from Wang Zheng, who wishes to return to her northwestern home, convinces Zhao Yunlan, Chief of the Special Investigation Unit, to investigate.
He decides the entire team will accompany Wang Zheng home to uncover the region's secrets. He instructs Lin Jing to procure a large, movable, human-shaped doll for Wang Zheng, an energy being who cannot remain exposed for long periods. Concurrently, Professor Shen Wei plans a research trip to the northwest with his students to study a mysterious totem discovered in the earthquake's epicenter. Before leaving, Shen Wei warns Zhao Yunlan not to leave Dragon City, alluding to grave dangers.
On a mountain road, Zhao Yunlan's team encounters Professor Shen Wei and his students, whose van has broken down. Seeing it as a fortunate coincidence, Zhao dispatches Lin Jing to help. Zhao teases Shen Wei about their frequent meetings, suggesting Shen has a tracker on him, which Shen counters by implying Zhao is the one following him. After getting information from the students about their destination, Zhao insists on traveling together for mutual protection, dismissing Shen's earlier warning.
He then takes over as the driver for Shen's van, citing his experience with rough roads. As they journey westward, Wang Zheng becomes increasingly uneasy, feeling a distinct discomfort as they near her home. Their progress is halted at a checkpoint where an officer denies them passage due to collapsed roads. As Zhao had anticipated, a local leader he had contacted, Lang from Qingxi Village, arrives to grant them passage.
Deeper into the mountains, a dense fog descends, and their vehicle breaks down, leaving them without a phone signal. While stranded, Shen Wei momentarily sees a fleeting figure, which Zhao dismisses as an illusion caused by magnetic substances. Guo Changcheng points out a large crow, which he calls a "mourning bird" from local folklore, but Zhao dismisses this as superstition. Soon after, Lang finds the group and guides them to a long-abandoned guesthouse.
He warns them to stay indoors and ignore any strange noises at night. As they settle in, Zhao helps a stumbling Shen Wei and remarks on how unusually light he feels. That evening, Wang Zheng recounts the story of the Hanga, an ancient, isolated tribe that once lived nearby. She explains that the Hanga practiced slavery, forcing their captives to wear bronze masks with ferocious fangs and using them as warriors and sacrifices.
The tribe, she claims, vanished due to centuries of inbreeding. Her story is cut short by the sudden appearance of masked figures—her former tribesmen, now energy beings. An unseen antagonist, Candle Nine, speaks to them, angry that the earthquake released them instead of a more powerful prisoner. He coerces them into attacking Wang Zheng by threatening their families, who are still trapped in ice.
At the same time, Zhao Yunlan feels the Longevity Sundial vibrate, indicating another powerful Hallow is nearby. As the attack begins, Wang Zheng tries to lure the figures away, but Shen Wei stops her, promising to protect everyone. Chu discovers his conventional weapons are useless against the energy beings, and Guo Changcheng's terrified scream alerts Zhao Yunlan and Zhu Hong, who were outside.
Zhao rushes back to help, but as he aims his gun, he is struck by fragmented memories of an explosion and a crumbling fortress, causing him to hesitate—an uncharacteristic reaction that concerns Zhu Hong. After the attackers retreat, Shen Wei confirms a totem he's been studying belongs to the Hanga. This leads Zhao to question the true reason for the tribe's demise and suspect the Subterraneans are behind the unrest.
Later, the unseen Candle Nine admonishes the masked figures for their failure. As the group settles for the night, Wang Zheng secretly slips out of the guesthouse and enters a hidden passage. Candle Nine watches, revealing his plan: he anticipates Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei will follow her with the Longevity Sundial, allowing him to seize both it and the hidden Mountain-River Awl.
The episode ends with a flashback of a man named Sang Zan condemning the "sinner Ge Lan" for bewitching a hero with sorcery, hinting at Wang Zheng's true identity and past.
