Mobius Episode 1 Recap
> Mobius Recap
Time seemed to bend and distort for Ding Qi as he walked down the street, when a powerful explosion rocked his world. He stared at the ruined buildings, and in an instant, time inexplicably rewound. This was his third time reliving the same day. He immediately contacted his leader, Duan Zheng, to report an impending bank robbery.
Qi, as Ding Qi was known, told his boss about an anonymous tip-off regarding a robbery at Fortune Bank on Old Street, expected around 5 PM that day. The robbers would be in a white van, carrying guns and bombs. He urged for SWAT assistance, explaining that his team couldn't handle it alone and that intercepting the van beforehand was too dangerous due to the bomb.
Duan Zheng, however, was skeptical, pressing for details like the license plate, the number of robbers, or their appearance, which Qi couldn't provide. Frustrated, Duan Zheng dismissed his concerns and told him to go to bed, leaving Qi to mutter to himself, wondering how he could possibly know such specifics if he was always blown up before even entering the bank. Undeterred, Ding Qi went to the bank himself.
At the precise time he'd anticipated, a robber disguised as a deliveryman entered the Fortune Bank, swiftly followed by his accomplices. The robbers declared a "robbery," ordering everyone to cooperate, warning, "Money belongs to the government, but your lives are yours." Ding Qi attempted to make a discreet call amidst the chaos. Despite his efforts to fight back using his knowledge from previous loops, the explosion was unavoidable, causing mass casualties.
A news report later confirmed the explosion at Old Street around 6 PM, resulting in seven deaths and fourteen injuries, alongside a robbery at the adjacent Fortune Bank where four robbers were killed. The connection between the incidents was under investigation. Following this devastating outcome, Ding Qi reflected, "Don't be scared. The fifth time is the final ending." He pondered why it was always five times, admitting he wanted to know the answer too.
In the fourth loop, Ding Qi decided on a new strategy. He made an anonymous call to Duan Zheng using a distorted voice, informing him that Fortune Bank at Old Street would be robbed at 5:40 PM. He provided detailed information: a robber disguised as a deliveryman would enter first, followed by four others in a white van carrying AKs, shotguns, and bombs, emphasizing that there was also a bomb inside the van.
Duan Zheng questioned the caller's identity and source, but Ding Qi hung up. Shortly after, Duan Zheng called Qi, recounting the anonymous tip he had just received about a deliveryman robbing the bank. Ding Qi feigned surprise, claiming he had received an identical tip, including details about the white van and AK shotguns, and assured Duan Zheng that the information "should be true." The next day, the deliveryman robber indeed entered the bank.
Despite the police setting up preventive measures, the explosion still occurred, tragically killing Ding Qi. Meanwhile, a small boy at a local noodle shop looked at an empty table, wondering why "Ding Qi brother," who often ate there, hadn't appeared. Entering the fifth loop, Ding Qi was now convinced, "The experiments are over. This time is the final ending." He contacted Duan Zheng, asking, "Do you trust me?" The following day, he chose not to resist.
As the robbers stormed the bank, he pretended to be terrified and, alongside the bank staff, promptly handed over all the cash. The robbers, taken aback by such easy cooperation, were unaware that the money was fake. As the robbers sped away in their van, a sense of unease settled among them. One remarked on how smoothly and quickly everything had gone, while another admitted, "Yeah, it feels off."
Several confessed to having dreamed the previous night that they all died, experiencing a strange sense of déjà vu. Their escape was short-lived. A sudden road blockage, caused by traffic police diverting vehicles due to "construction ahead," forced them onto an alternative street, leading them directly into a police trap under a bridge. Trapped and surrounded, a robber cried out, "The police are here, Boss! We're surrounded!" The police ordered them to open their doors and surrender.
However, the robbers attempted to ram their way out before pretending to surrender and then initiating a fierce shootout. Aware of his time-looping ability, Ding Qi courageously charged forward, helping to subdue several robbers with Duan Zheng's assistance. After the successful operation, a news report stated that five armed robbers were involved in the Fortune Bank robbery near Old Street. Four were killed, and one was apprehended, with no other casualties, thanks to the police's effective response.
At the station, Ding Qi's colleagues teased him about his exhaustion, joking about "weak kidneys," while one still expressed lingering nervousness and the recurring dream of dying. Duan Zheng pressed Ding Qi for the true source of his incredibly accurate intelligence. Ding Qi, deciding to be honest, revealed, "I have special powers.
I was in a time loop," explaining that he had repeatedly experienced the day and thus knew all the specific details, including the white van and the types of weapons. Duan Zheng scoffed, calling it "a load of crap" and demanding a more logical explanation. Frustrated, Duan Zheng told Ding Qi to write the report himself, sarcastically suggesting he would describe Ding Qi as "heroic, skillful in battle, and decisive in command."
Ding Qi, accepting his leader's reluctant acknowledgment of his success, thanked him. The "time loop" Ding Qi experienced was not infinite; each cycle lasted exactly five loops, beginning at 00:00 and resetting him to his 00:00 location at 24:00, regardless of where he was. His unique ability first manifested seven years prior. While playing an online game with his university roommates, Ding Qi's skill annoyed an opponent, who swore revenge.
That night, drinking by a river, Ding Qi fell into the water, triggering his first loop. He repeatedly experienced falling into the river, each time encountering the same passerby asking if he was okay. He adapted, learning to hold his breath underwater, and used his foreknowledge to preemptively counter the vengeful gamer's attacks. During this period, he discovered the crucial rule: "The fifth loop is the final ending." After this initial series, the loop days became random.
He noted that sometimes they occurred on undesirable days, like when his thesis was deleted, and other times on enjoyable ones, allowing him to win football matches. He realized that "on the loop day, I can be bold and take risks." He experimented, visiting a barber five times to find his ideal hairstyle, eventually agreeing to a membership on the final, satisfactory attempt. He understood that everyone else experienced the loop, but only he retained the memories. "
Gradually, I found that I can alter some endings." He even used his ability to win the lottery and become wealthy, yet he "still felt unhappy," sensing something profoundly missing. This pervasive unhappiness drove him to seek a more meaningful purpose. He declared, "I want to do. . . something crazy." His turning point came during a bus ride when he witnessed a man harassing a woman. Through several loops, Ding Qi refined his intervention.
In the final loop, his direct, intimidating stare, combined with the man's own inexplicable sense of déjà vu, prompted the man to nervously ask the driver to stop and let him off. The woman gratefully thanked Ding Qi. This experience solidified his conviction that "With this power, I'm sure I can make a change in the world. So, I want to do something more meaningful."
Through countless such opportunities, Ding Qi found his true calling: to eliminate evil and protect society. He diligently pursued this ideal, enrolling in the police academy. Upon graduation, Intern Officer 2254, Ding Qi, proudly reported for duty, ready to dedicate his unique ability to upholding peace and order.
