Mobius Episode 2 Recap
> Mobius Recap
On November 26, 2024, the same day as the Fortune Bank robbery, Tang Shaorong, a chief scientist at Moma Biotechnology with a net worth exceeding 100 million, was killed by a falling billboard. Initial police investigations, led by Huang Yuan of Division 1, concluded it was an accident due to years of disrepair, a common issue with other nearby signboards. However, Tang Xin, Tang Shaorong's daughter, strongly disagreed, insisting it was murder.
She told Ding Qi that her father, a scientist who never believed in superstitions, had a premonition of his death after his colleague, Han Song, also an executive at Moma Group, died a month prior. Ding Qi, whose girlfriend An Lan also works at Moma, was intrigued. He had heard of Han Song’s case, which Division 1 had closed as an accidental electrocution. Upon reviewing the billboard incident, Ding Qi found evidence of tampering with the screws.
He then visited the site of Han Song's death, a park where Han Song routinely jogged. Surveillance footage showed Han Song being accidentally electrocuted by an aged wire while touching a railing. Ding Qi noted the dates of both deaths: October 25 for Han Song and November 26 for Tang Shaorong. He realized with alarm that both dates coincided with his mysterious "loop days."
Meanwhile, during a police briefing, it was confirmed that Tang Shaorong’s death was not an accident, as explosion residue was found near the billboard's welding. They also reviewed Han Song's electrocution, attributed to a typhoon causing damaged wires. The meeting was interrupted by an alarming video message from an anonymous sender known as "Squid."
A woman's voice accused Moma Biotechnology of being criminals, pushing the world towards destruction, and threatening the CEO, Mo Yuanzhi, stating he would soon "reunite with his friends" and Moma would be "destroyed in an instant." Further investigation revealed that Tang Shaorong, Han Song, and Mo Yuanzhi collectively held 61% of Moma's shares, with Tang Shaorong and Han Song each having 20%, and Mo Yuanzhi 21%.
Due to the escalating threats and suspicious deaths, the Chief ordered the three cases to be merged, forming a task force to protect Mo Yuanzhi and apprehend "Squid." Ding Qi volunteered to lead the task force, which consisted of officers from Division 1 and Division 4. They were to pose as Moma employees and private bodyguards to investigate discreetly. Ding Qi personally bought expensive monitoring equipment to ensure comprehensive surveillance.
He also expressed deep concern for An Lan, urging her to work from home, but she insisted on staying at the lab, highlighting the dedication of her colleagues. An Lan acknowledged Ding Qi's worry stemmed from the past: three years ago, during Ding Qi's pursuit of a criminal, he had ordered Ailin Road to be blocked to protect schoolchildren.
The criminal's car, attempting to escape, then crashed into a crowd, inadvertently killing An Lan's mother who was on her way to An Lan's graduation. Ding Qi had confessed his role and his guilt to An Lan. He had since repeatedly wished for a loop day to change that tragic outcome, but it never arrived. An Lan told him she had come to terms with it and encouraged him to let go of his guilt.
Assuming the role of Mo Yuanzhi's assistant, Ding Qi began his protection detail. He encountered Han Yufei, Han Song's son, a "playboy" who inherited his father's shares and was now Moma's second-largest shareholder. Han Yufei was dismissive of Ding Qi. Ding Qi also met Tang Xin, who had recently graduated and joined Moma as an intern researcher, now holding 20% of the shares, making her the third-largest shareholder. Later, Ding Qi ran into An Lan in the elevator.
She commented on his formal attire, and he awkwardly explained his new role was to protect "your boss." When the elevator became crowded, Ding Qi instinctively shielded An Lan, an action that touched her. Ding Qi then accompanied Mo Yuanzhi home. Mo Yuanzhi's wife, Yu Shiya, is the daughter of a prominent investor, Yu Yinghua.
Married for six years, they have no children, making Yu Shiya the primary beneficiary of Mo Yuanzhi's substantial assets and shares if anything were to happen to him. Mo Yuanzhi explained to Ding Qi that Moma's groundbreaking genetic technologies, RAN and the upcoming RAN-X (entering clinical trials), had created many adversaries among traditional pharmaceutical companies, which he believed might be the motive behind "Squid's" threats.
While inspecting Mo Yuanzhi's residence, Ding Qi subtly directed his team to enhance surveillance on the southeast corner of the yard. He noted Yu Shiya's contemplative gaze during his inspection, suggesting she might be harboring secrets. Days turned into December 11, and no further incidents occurred during Mo Yuanzhi’s protection.
At a team dinner, the officers expressed their frustration about being assigned bodyguard duty, but Ding Qi joked that a quick resolution would send them back to Huang Yuan, whom they disliked. He suggested they might prefer staying in Division 4, which felt "like family." Later, An Lan observed Ding Qi, sensing a suppressed intensity in him.
She spoke about her own "Genetic experiment on nerve growth" and Ding Qi, recalling the ongoing Moma threats, cautioned her against talking to strangers or walking alone at night, emphasizing it as a "personal request." Finally, An Lan confronted Ding Qi, asking if his kindness towards her was born of guilt for her mother's death or "another reason." Ding Qi, feigning ignorance, replied, "What reason?" An Lan then pressed him, questioning if he truly didn't understand, or simply "dared not understand."
