Never Say Goodbye Episode 1 Recap
> Never Say Goodbye Recap
Mu Qing, an undercover police officer, boarded a cruise ship called "Tiger Shark." He discovered several tied-up henchmen, one of whom revealed that a bomb was onboard. Mu Qing offered to disarm it, but only if they paid him 100,000 yuan each and returned the money they had previously taken from him.
The men readily agreed, adding that saving Boss Li Ruosheng, who had been kidnapped by Boss Cao, would be even more lucrative, and they had a tracking watch to locate Li Ruosheng. Mu Qing began disarming the bomb, but when a fearful henchman fled, the bomb's countdown accelerated. Acting quickly, Mu Qing threw the bomb into the lake, saving everyone on board.
Three hours earlier, Li Ruosheng and his men were on that same cruise ship, preparing to make a deal with Boss Cao, while Mu Qing observed from a nearby car. After inspecting the drugs, Boss Cao demanded a 50% discount.
Li Ruosheng refused to comply and attempted to leave, but Boss Cao blocked him, asserting that those who broke the rules would be removed and questioning if Li Ruosheng’s life or the goods were more valuable, given his supposed connection to Mr. Ou, the leader of Group K. Boss Cao then tied up Li Ruosheng and demanded he call his godfather, Mr. Ou, for more goods.
Li Ruosheng confessed that he merely called Mr. Ou "godfather" for status in the underworld and they were not genuinely close, having only met a few times. Enraged, Boss Cao ordered his men to beat Li Ruosheng and threatened to chop off his hands. As Boss Cao prepared to throw him into the sea, Li Ruosheng, in a desperate plea, revealed that Mr. Ou had another phone number.
Using the tracking watch from the henchman, Mu Qing located Li Ruosheng at a hotel. He disguised himself as the new housekeeping director to access surveillance footage. He then intentionally triggered a smoke alarm in the hotel and called 110, allowing the dispatchers to hear the alarm and initiating a police response. As Boss Cao prepared to throw Li Ruosheng from the hotel rooftop, Mu Qing cut the building's power.
He then single-handedly fought Boss Cao's men and rescued Li Ruosheng. Amidst the ensuing chaos caused by the fire alarm and power outage, they managed to escape. The police arrived at the hotel shortly after their departure. After their narrow escape, Li Ruosheng furiously chastised his bodyguards for their incompetence, highlighting Mu Qing’s bravery and quick thinking. He then asked Mu Qing why he risked his life to save him.
Mu Qing, maintaining his cover, claimed it was for money, as his "captain" had promised a substantial reward for saving Li Ruosheng. Despite Li Ruosheng giving him an ATM card as payment, Mu Qing feigned disinterest in joining Li Ruosheng's illicit business, insisting he only wanted to be a simple security guard and driver, and that he wouldn't get involved in things he shouldn't know.
Mu Qing’s aloofness intrigued Li Ruosheng, who immediately ordered his men to conduct a thorough background check on him and prepare an attack on Boss Cao's lair. Liu Yuanwen, now operating under the alias Mu Qing, met with Director Liu and handed over Boss Cao's gun. Director Liu confirmed that Mu Qing's new identity was secure despite Li Ruosheng's investigation, and reiterated that Mu Qing’s real name was Liu Yuanwen, a detective from Yungang police.
His undercover mission with Group K had officially begun, requiring him to patiently wait for Li Ruosheng’s invitation to join, then get closer to the organization's core, gather criminal evidence against Mr. Ou (Ou Zhenhai), and finally coordinate with the police for a bust. Mu Qing noted that Li Ruosheng’s status within Group K, despite being Mr. Ou’s godson, was comparable to an ordinary lackey, making it challenging to penetrate the inner circle.
Director Liu advised extreme caution in collecting evidence and provided him with a new device, dismissing Mu Qing's comment about its outdated design. Later, Li Ruosheng actively sought out Mu Qing and invited him to a lavish hot pot breakfast. During the meal, Li Ruosheng, after a prolonged attempt to "set the mood," revealed that he had extensively investigated Mu Qing's past.
He recounted Mu Qing's tragic childhood, including his father Mu Tian's death in a steel factory accident and his mother's subsequent demise, leaving Mu Qing to care for his younger sister, Mu Xiaoyun. Mu Qing's sister later developed lymphatic cancer, forcing him into illegal activities and debt to fund her treatment, though she ultimately passed away. Li Ruosheng argued that Mu Qing's "principles" would not bring him respect or help him escape debt.
He then shared his own equally tragic story of being orphaned and fighting his way up from nothing, emphasizing that despite his "godfather" Mr. Ou, he was essentially powerless. Li Ruosheng concluded that Mu Qing needed money and he needed a partner to build his empire, making them an ideal match. Convinced by Li Ruosheng’s impassioned plea, Mu Qing agreed to join him.
After a toast to their parents, Mu Qing stipulated his first condition: while Li Ruosheng would publicly remain the boss, he must respect Mu Qing's advice on all operational decisions. Mu Qing stated he would present other conditions later, which Li Ruosheng readily accepted, appointing Mu Qing as his behind-the-scenes strategist. Over the next year, they grew closer, developing a strong working relationship as they engaged in fights, practiced shooting, and conducted business together.
A year later, Li Ruosheng expressed frustration to Mu Qing that despite their relentless efforts, he still failed to gain favor with Mr. Ou and remained inferior to the Four Vajras. He revealed that just as they began making progress, Dakun, one of the Four Vajras, warned him to maintain the status quo, halting their ascent. Mu Qing chastised Li Ruosheng for not informing him sooner. Concurrently, the police were meticulously mapping Group K's intricate organizational structure.
They received intelligence that Dakun was scheduled to conduct a drug deal with Indonesian traffickers that night. That evening, Dakun praised his loyal subordinate, Zhao Nan, unaware that Zhao Nan was an undercover officer wearing a tracking ring. After completing the drug transaction, Dakun discovered the ring and, in a fit of rage, murdered Zhao Nan. Police, including Bao Yunhai, were dispatched to Hutou Beach, alerted by Zhao Nan's tracking device, but arrived too late, finding only the ring.
Director Liu, deeply concerned, interpreted Zhao Nan’s disappearance as a blatant challenge from the drug traffickers and ordered an all-out search to find Zhao Nan. Back with Li Ruosheng, he was angrily reprimanding his henchmen for losing goods and nearly attracting police attention. Mu Qing intervened, asking about the cause of his distress.
Li Ruosheng revealed that Mr. Ou had ordered him to transfer some of their hard-earned territories to Dakun, a directive he bitterly resented, feeling unappreciated by his godfather. Mu Qing conceded that Li Ruosheng's "godson" title carried little weight and that Dakun, as head of sales, taking over new territories was inevitable without a direct line to Mr. Ou. He asserted that their immediate goal was to bypass Dakun and establish a direct connection with Mr. Ou to gain control.
Mu Qing then proposed a bold plan: they should eliminate Scorpion, a problem for Group K due to his low-quality, cheap drugs, and seize his territories. This move would not only expand their power but also allow them to discredit Dakun in front of Mr. Ou. Li Ruosheng agreed to this strategy. As Mu Qing opened a car door, he suddenly heard a woman's voice calling for a taxi, prompting him to rush to her.
