Psych-Hunter Episode 1 Recap
> Psych-Hunter Recap
"If one is not guilty, how could a ghost haunt him? What troubles the spirit is born from the heart. To diagnose from the mind and treat at the soul. To delve into a patient's subconscious and root out the evil within. Those skilled in this aspect are known as Psych-Hunters." One day, an old man discovered an unconscious youth in a graveyard.
The old man, who later mentioned how scary it was to find him there, took the youth home. When the youth awoke, the old man, noting the young man’s amnesia, handed him a red cloth bag found nearby, asking if "Jiang Shuo" written on it was his name. The youth repeated "Jiang Shuo" as flashes of unusual scenes, including headlines about "Changshan's tycoon Qin Yi mysteriously disappears overnight" and the date "October 14," filled his mind.
Later, Liu Xin was tormented by a nightmare. A very disheveled man, calling for "Liu Xin," burst into his house for help, claiming "the one who killed Zhang Meng is here." Panicked, Liu Xin shut the door, only to turn and see a blood-soaked Xiang, with a dagger, floating behind him. Liu Xin desperately pleaded, "Xiang, please let me go!" to which Xiang replied, "My good friend, pay for your sins!"
Suddenly, Jiang Shuo, the "Master," appeared and attempted to restrain Xiang. Xiang quickly broke free, but Jiang Shuo intervened, telling Xiang that the real killer was not Liu Xin, but the person who had been chasing him. He proposed that Liu Xin should find Xiang’s murderer for revenge, promising Xiang, "If he fails to do so, I'll personally bring him to you." Xiang agreed to the deal, but warned Liu Xin to "Remember what you have done."
Liu Xin awoke from the nightmare to find Jiang Shuo. Jiang Shuo remarked on his mind-reading skills and how they "can solve problems and avert disasters," though he found Liu Xin's dream "a little weird," asking what he meant by "karma." Liu Xin angrily retorted, "Don't stick your nose in this," demanding Jiang Shuo only cure his nightmares. Jiang Shuo suggested that good fengshui was essential for a peaceful sleep, attributing Liu Xin's nightmares to his original home's bad fengshui.
He then pitched a house he was selling, highlighting its "good fengshui," "good location with great vibes," and "definitely fair" and "cheap" price. Liu Xin, convinced, purchased the property, with Jiang Shuo assuring him, "This residence will definitely help you get a good night's sleep." Meanwhile, at a casino, Qin Yiheng, a psychologist, was engaged in a high-stakes game with Mr Ji, whose wife had enlisted Qin Yiheng's help to cure his gambling addiction.
Mr Ji proposed a bet for Qin Yiheng's family fortune. Qin Yiheng confidently declared, "I can give you anything you want because I, Qin Yi Heng, have never lost." He explained his strategy, stating he intentionally let Mr Ji "win the first round." He then detailed how a seasoned gambler's habits—their reactions and the duration of their gaze on the dice—betrayed whether the numbers were consistent or not.
Qin Yiheng, who holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of Cambridge, affirmed his expertise as a psychologist. Out on the street, Jiang Shuo discovered a wanted poster featuring his own face, identifying him as a serial killer responsible for three murders that month. People recognized him, commenting on the resemblance, though Jiang Shuo protested, "How are we alike? He's so ugly, I'm so handsome!" A crowd quickly formed and began chasing him, shouting his name.
Qin Yiheng, from a casino balcony, watched the chase unfold. Elsewhere, Yuan Muqing was shopping, receiving compliments from store clerks on her "boldness" and "natural beauty." Sergeant Yang was also present. When she heard the commotion and learned a "serial murderer" had been sighted, she swiftly took her car and sped off in pursuit. Jiang Shuo, desperate, drove into army barracks, where Yuan Muqing apprehended him. " Take him away!" she commanded.
Jiang Shuo, upon arrest, called her a "lunatic" and questioned if she was "mad." At Renci Hospital, Qin Yiheng found a death certificate for "Jiang Shuo," dated "October 15," among his patient appointments. Troubled by this, he asked a nurse to search for Jiang Shuo's patient records. He located a file containing a finger wearing an archer's ring and a letter.
He recalled his father once telling him that the ring signified "the successor of the Qin family," and that his father had urged him to wear it, despite it being "too big." The letter, signed "Liu Zhi," revealed that Qin Yiheng's father was being held captive and that Qin Yiheng must find Liu Zhi before Jiang Shuo's impending death on "October 15" to secure his father's return. The letter stressed, "Jiang Shuo is your only clue."
At Changshan Police Station, Jiang Shuo was interrogated by Sergeant Bai Kai and Yuan Muqing. Yuan Muqing introduced Sergeant Bai and demanded Jiang Shuo confess to his "murderous acts." Jiang Shuo expressed shock, learning from the officers that three people had been murdered recently, with Liu Xin being the latest victim. The officers also revealed that all the victims had bought houses from Jiang Shuo and knew each other.
Yuan Muqing confronted Jiang Shuo in his cell, accusing him of having a "sly look" and not being "a good person," while Jiang Shuo called her a "mad woman," maintained his innocence, and offered to find the real murderer if released. After Yuan Muqing left, a prisoner being escorted away from an adjacent cell discreetly slipped Jiang Shuo a note that read: "Jiang Shuo, you're next after Liu Xin."
Jiang Shuo immediately pointed out the man as the killer, but the police dismissed him, thinking he was "playing tricks" on them. Shortly after, Qin Yiheng arrived at the police station, having been personally invited by Sergeant Bai Kai, who introduced him as a "psychologist" and "my friend." Yuan Muqing also arrived, expressing her concern about Jiang Shuo's dangerous nature as a serial killer.
Meanwhile, in his cell, Jiang Shuo used a string of copper coins to mesmerize the jailer by presenting them as "something good." While the jailer was entranced, Jiang Shuo made his escape. Qin Yiheng and Yuan Muqing discovered the unconscious jailer, Xiao Wu, and Jiang Shuo's absence, prompting Yuan Muqing to order a city-wide search. Jiang Shuo returned to his old home in the courtyard, where he found Sergeant Bai interrogating Master Bu Yan about his whereabouts.
Master Bu Yan claimed they had celebrated Jiang Shuo's "birthday" the previous night, explaining that it was his one-year anniversary of arriving at the courtyard, as he had no memory of his past. Jiang Shuo's friend, Quan'er, recognized a "golden-spotted tiger beetle" Jiang Shuo carried. Quan'er explained that a "wiseman" had taught him that these beetles came in pairs, with the female releasing an odor that the male would track, thus it "can show the way."
Jiang Shuo realized Liu Zhi was manipulating him. To protect his friends from further danger, Jiang Shuo decided to follow the beetle, reasoning, "I'll see where Liu Zhi is leading me to." As they discussed this, police officers, alerted by their voices, approached. Jiang Shuo and Quan'er quickly hid. Another friend, Tie Zhu, who had remained behind, was questioned by police officers, and later encountered Qin Yiheng and Yuan Muqing.
Qin Yiheng immediately sensed Tie Zhu was lying about Jiang Shuo not being there. Deducing Jiang Shuo's recent presence from Tie Zhu's subtle movements, Qin Yiheng quickly gave chase. Jiang Shuo and Quan'er followed the golden-spotted tiger beetle, which was clearly "leading the way," to a notorious "haunted place in Changshan," a "Ghost Tower" known for a past fire that "claimed many lives."
Quan'er, frightened, mentioned rumors of crying sounds and the building's inauspicious fengshui due to a "sharp corner" of a building opposite. Jiang Shuo clarified that fengshui was "merely a way of life" passed down from "the older generations" but acknowledged that feeling uneasy due to bad surroundings could lead to "something. . . bound to happen." Quan'er's reluctance to enter prompted Jiang Shuo to tell him to wait outside while he ventured into the dark, dilapidated building alone.
On the second floor, guided by the male beetle, Jiang Shuo found a female beetle alongside several memorial tablets. To his shock, the topmost tablet bore his own name: "Jiang Shuo."
