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Xiao Heyun and Li Shiqing, two ordinary people who lack the aura of protagonists, experience life and death challenges again and again to achieve self-growth.

The passengers on the bus, with different identities and experiences, have their own dilemmas and hopes for their future lives. Through their experiences, one can see the thickness of life, the gesture of survival, and feel the meaning of life.

The truth of the explosion is hidden in layers of fog, but justice will eventually come, as the name of the main character foretells, ushering in the "A crane in the clear sky will lead poetry to the blue sky".

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Episode 1 Recap

Li Shiqing urgently calls the police to report a bomb on Bus 45, giving the license plate number A77651. She states the bus is about to cross a bridge and that there are around seven or eight other passengers on board. She stresses the urgency for the police to stop the bus because she has just gotten off, but the bomb is still on board. Moments later, Bus 45 explodes as it drives onto the bridge.

Li Shiqing opens her eyes to find herself back on the bus, disoriented and sweating profusely. The male passenger next to her, Xiao Heyun, attempts to offer her a tissue, explaining that he accidentally bumped into her while reaching for it. However, in her panicked state, Li Shiqing screams, accusing him of being a pervert and touching her while she slept. She demands the bus driver immediately divert to the police station.

Other passengers intervene, some recording the incident on their phones, but none are willing to go to the police station with her, suggesting she get off at the next stop. Realizing the next stop is "after" the bridge, Li Shiqing frantically insists on getting off immediately. After some debate, the driver pulls over, and Li Shiqing drags a bewildered Xiao Heyun off the bus with her.

Once off, Xiao Heyun demands they go to the police station to clear his name, but Li Shiqing apologizes, admitting she knows he's not a pervert and thanking him, before walking away. Moments later, the bus explodes. Li Shiqing is then hit by a motorcycle and hospitalized, suffering a mild concussion. Xiao Heyun, who took a taxi after she left him, is also badly injured and hospitalized.

Li Shiqing wakes in the emergency room, complaining of a severe headache and nausea. A doctor confirms she has a mild concussion but no serious brain injury. Meanwhile, the police, led by Vice Captain Zhang Cheng, investigate the bus explosion, deemed the worst traffic accident in Jialin City in ten years, initially attributed to a delivery motorcycle cutting traffic.

They discover that while ten people were on the bus, only eight bodies were found at the scene, leading to suspicions about the two missing passengers. Surveillance footage reveals Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun getting off the bus at an unscheduled stop shortly before the explosion. Jiang Feng, a police officer, questions Li Shiqing in the hospital. Li Shiqing, a 20-year-old college student, struggles to recall details.

She initially states she was going to a bookstore but can't explain why she got off the bus early. Her memory is fragmented; she first suggests she felt unwell, specifically a heart problem, and a male passenger offered to call an ambulance and get off with her. However, her memory then shifts, and she claims she accused a "pervert" and wanted to take him to the police station.

Jiang Feng finds her inconsistent statements suspicious and reminds her of the severity of the situation. Zhang Cheng arrives and takes over the interrogation, reassuring Li Shiqing. He gently presses her for details, noting her changing story. He then shows her the surveillance video of her pulling Xiao Heyun off the bus. Seeing it, Li Shiqing becomes distraught and confesses, "I killed him."

Zhang Cheng offers her water and, once the other officers leave, encourages her to speak freely, assuring her of his experience and discretion. Li Shiqing, feeling helpless, finally confides in him, explaining that she has encountered a "dream within a dream," which is a time loop. Zhang Cheng asks if he can record her statement.

Li Shiqing explains her routine: she boarded Bus 45 at her university's north gate, intending to go to a city center bookstore, and often fell asleep on the bus. The first time she experienced the loop, she was abruptly woken by a jarring, old-fashioned phone ringtone. A blinding light flashed, followed by a burning sensation on her face, a feeling of lightness as if floating, and then a distinct explosion.

She "woke up" again on the bus, experiencing a severe headache but no visible injuries. The bus was less crowded, and Xiao Heyun was still sleeping beside her. The same old phone ringtone blared, and then the powerful, clear sensation of the bus exploding repeated, making her realize it wasn't just a dream.

In subsequent loops (the third and fourth cycles), she desperately tried to escape the bus by force, even attempting to use the emergency hammer, but each time the bus's alarms would blare, and it would explode. By the fifth loop, she abandoned direct escape methods and tried a different approach. She feigned a heart attack, pleading with the driver to take her to a hospital.

While some passengers showed concern, they preferred to continue across the bridge where a health station was, rather than diverting. Only Xiao Heyun offered to get off with her and call an ambulance, but an elderly woman intervened, offering her a "quick heart-saving pill" from her extensive collection of medicines.

Forced to stay on the bus, Li Shiqing witnessed the entire accident unfold: the bus, speeding up to make up for lost time, swerved to avoid a delivery motorcycle suddenly cutting in from the right, causing it to collide head-on with an oil tanker and explode. Zhang Cheng is skeptical but intrigued by Li Shiqing's detailed account of the accident, which she couldn't have known from news reports based on her hospital admission time.

He sends Jiang Feng to verify if she had any access to accident details. Li Shiqing acknowledges his suspicion but insists she's telling the truth, even though it sounds outrageous. She continues, describing her sixth awakening. Feeling utterly lost and unsure if she would wake up again, she resorted to falsely accusing Xiao Heyun of being a pervert. She knew he was innocent, but felt it was her only option to get them off the bus.

She demanded to be let off immediately, knowing a police station was across the bridge. Despite typical bus protocol in such situations (calling police, securing the bus until the next stop), the driver stopped the bus, and she pulled Xiao Heyun off. Believing she had saved his life, she left him, and he took a taxi. However, she now laments that her actions may have harmed him instead. Zhang Cheng confirms Li Shiqing is describing a "loop."

Li Shiqing adds that this is a new phenomenon for her, denying any prior mental health issues. At that moment, Jiang Feng calls Zhang Cheng to inform him that Xiao Heyun, the passenger who took a taxi, is in critical condition and might not survive. Zhang Cheng tells Li Shiqing to rest, promising to return, and assigns a female officer to watch over her.

Just as Xiao Heyun's heart stops during his emergency treatment, he suddenly gasps awake on Bus 45, finding Li Shiqing unconsciously slumped beside him, commenting on how realistic his "dream" feels.

Episode 2 Recap

Xiao Heyun, having just taken a taxi, followed the bus’s route. Feeling agitated after being falsely accused of being a pervert earlier, he was stuck in traffic behind the bus and texting a friend that he would arrive soon, when a sudden explosion engulfed the bus ahead. He was severely burned and critically injured, his last memory being a doctor attempting to defibrillate him, followed by the harsh flatline sound of a heart monitor.

He then startlingly awoke on the bus, seeing Li Shiqing beside him. He immediately recognized her and the recurring nightmare, now realizing it was a loop. Li Shiqing, who had experienced many loops before him, immediately understood that he too had entered the cycle. Disoriented and believing it was a dream, Xiao Heyun tried to quickly exit the bus against Li Shiqing’s pleas to "think about it" and remember their previous interactions.

He attempted to force the driver to stop, which led to other passengers restraining him. Despite his struggle, the bus was inevitably involved in an explosion, and both of them woke up on the bus once more. Still desperate to escape, Xiao Heyun attempted various methods to get off the bus, including pulling the emergency alarm and smashing a window with a safety hammer, but each attempt was futile and always ended with the bus exploding.

After these failed attempts, he finally believed Li Shiqing, who had tried to warn him that getting off the bus wouldn't help. Li Shiqing explained that she had experienced the loop numerous times before pulling him into it by falsely accusing him of being a pervert to get him off the bus and save him. She then proposed a new strategy: instead of trying to escape the bus, they should try to prevent the explosion itself.

She observed that each explosion happened at the same intersection, caused by the bus swerving to avoid a delivery bike and colliding with a tanker. If they could prevent this collision, perhaps they could break the loop. In the next loop, Li Shiqing feigned a heart attack to get the bus to stop. However, Xiao Heyun, still not fully trusting her new approach, told the driver to speed up.

Their plan was further complicated when an elderly woman offered Li Shiqing Quick-acting heart-saving pills, preventing the bus from stopping or altering its course. This loop, like the others, ended with the predictable collision and explosion, as a couple of bickering truck drivers and an anxious delivery rider all followed their usual patterns. On their next attempt, as the bus approached the critical intersection, Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun quickly alerted the driver to the approaching delivery bike.

The driver, heeding their warnings, successfully avoided the bike, preventing the collision with the tanker. Believing they had finally broken the loop, they expressed relief as the bus continued towards the cross-river bridge. However, an old-fashioned phone ringtone suddenly chimed, unsettling Li Shiqing. She remembered hearing this same ringtone in her first two loops, before she started interfering with the bus's course.

The sound of the ringtone was quickly followed by an explosion, making her realize that the bus carried a bomb, independent of the collision. Once again, they awoke on the bus. Realizing a bomb was on board, Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun understood they had to get off the bus. They decided to reuse the only method that had successfully gotten them off before: Li Shiqing again accused Xiao Heyun of being a pervert.

They successfully exited the bus at Qing Shui Xiang. Li Shiqing immediately called the Jialin City 110 police hotline, urgently reporting a bomb on Bus 45 (license plate Jia A77651) and stating it was heading for the cross-river bridge. However, the police operator continued to ask for specific details about the bomb's location and her identity, which Li Shiqing couldn't fully provide.

Frustrated by the lack of time, Xiao Heyun quickly advised her to hang up and turn off her phone, which she did. Standing on a nearby pedestrian bridge, they watched as a distant explosion sent plumes of smoke into the sky, confirming their warning to the police had been too late. The accident was still caused by the bus colliding with the tanker. At the City Criminal Investigation Bureau, Zhang Cheng listened to the frantic 110 recording from Li Shiqing.

He immediately contacted Jiang Feng, instructing him and the explosive unit to proceed cautiously at the scene to check for any bombs to prevent a secondary explosion, given the caller's report. Meanwhile, other officers reviewed surveillance footage from the area, spotting Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun on a pedestrian bridge observing the distant explosion. Their identities were soon confirmed as Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun.

Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun, contemplating their next steps in a nearby park, discussed whether they should turn their phones back on and await police questioning. They reasoned that even if they told the truth about the loop, no one would believe them. Li Shiqing pondered if they were already dead, trapped as souls repeating their final moments due to a wrongful death.

Xiao Heyun, however, argued that their ability to change events within each loop indicated they were not truly dead. Li Shiqing then explained that she had chosen to save him because, among all her previous loops, he was the only one who seemed to understand her plight and genuinely wanted to help. Despite their concerns about the police, Xiao Heyun advocated for honesty, believing that fabricating a story would only create inconsistencies and deepen suspicion.

He reminded her that without evidence, the police couldn't hold them indefinitely. Soon after, Chief Du received an update: surveillance cameras had tracked Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun to Qingshui Park. Chief Du ordered a GPS car to the location and dispatched Jiang Feng and a team to the park, while Ye Qian was tasked with monitoring all park exits and sharing footage in real-time. The police were closing in.

Episode 3 Recap

Xiao Heyun, anticipating the police's arrival, decided to meticulously organize the events of the time loop. He noted that there had been ten loops in total. In the current, tenth loop, he and Li Shiqing woke up at 1:36 PM, with the explosion occurring at 1:42 PM at an intersection due to a car crash involving an oil tanker.

In the ninth loop, they woke up at 1:37 PM, and while the exact explosion time was uncertain, it took place on the cross-river bridge, caused by deliberate human detonation. They observed a pattern: they woke up one minute earlier in each successive loop, but the significance of this earlier awakening remained a mystery.

Xiao Heyun, a game designer, applied a game's logic, suggesting that to break the loop, they would likely need to prevent the explosion and save everyone on the bus. While discussing the previous loops, Li Shiqing recalled her fifth loop, when she pretended to be sick, causing the bus to slow down and hit a red light, resulting in an explosion at 1:42 PM. Based on their pattern, they deduced she must have woken up at 1:41 PM that time.

Xiao Heyun felt Li Shiqing was holding back details, especially when she struggled to describe certain events, only clearly recalling an old-fashioned phone ringtone right before the explosions. He grew frustrated, tossing his notes and accusing her of hiding information. Li Shiqing insisted she was telling everything she knew and asked if he doubted her. She mentioned being interrogated by the police in the sixth loop and worried they wouldn't believe their bizarre story.

Xiao Heyun, however, believed that if they stuck to the truth and the police found the bomb on the bus, their names would be cleared. Before they could devise a concrete plan, Captain Zhang Cheng, along with Jiang Feng and other officers, located them and took them to the police station. On the way, Captain Zhang insisted they travel in separate vehicles.

He drove Xiao Heyun and subtly questioned him, remarking that Xiao Heyun seemed unfamiliar with the city, where he claimed he was heading for a 2:30 PM meeting. Captain Zhang urged Xiao Heyun to turn on his phone to explain his tardiness. Immediately, Xiao Heyun received an angry call from his friend, who scolded him for being uncontactable and leaving him to apologize to investors. Xiao Heyun quickly hung up, embarrassed.

When Captain Zhang asked about Li Shiqing, Xiao Heyun maintained that they had only just met on the bus. At the police station, the officers noted the complete destruction at the accident scene made it difficult to recover surveillance footage, thus making Xiao Heyun and Li Shiqing their primary leads. Chief Du, after reviewing their clean records and simple social networks, found no clear motive for them to be involved.

However, Captain Zhang and Jiang Feng expressed suspicion about the pair's close behavior, contradicting their claim of just meeting. They also discovered a crumpled piece of paper Xiao Heyun had discarded, which contained a detailed diagram with times and locations that precisely matched the fatal bus crash. During her interrogation by Captain Zhang, Li Shiqing struggled to explain how she knew about the bomb.

Despite confirming she willingly made the 1:38 PM report, she remained evasive and unable to provide concrete details. Captain Zhang confronted her with the diagram Xiao Heyun had discarded, which accurately depicted the 1:42 PM collision at the crossroad, questioning her connection to the incident. Meanwhile, Jiang Feng interrogated Xiao Heyun, who boldly claimed they were stuck in a "time loop," reliving the same day.

He explained that both he and Li Shiqing revived after explosions, and that even avoiding the car accident didn't prevent the blast, leading them to conclude there was a bomb. He likened their predicament to a supernatural phenomenon or an "infinite flow" science fiction novel. Jiang Feng dismissed this as a ludicrous fabrication, growing increasingly agitated, but Xiao Heyun insisted it was the truth.

Observing the chaotic interrogations, Chief Du, frustrated by Jiang Feng's short temper, ordered drug tests for both suspects. As Captain Zhang continued to press Li Shiqing, she surprised him by addressing him as "Captain Zhang" and asking if the police had taken her initial report seriously. He was taken aback, realizing she knew his surname despite him never introducing himself.

Li Shiqing then revealed that they had met in a previous loop at a hospital, where she recalled him introducing himself and attempting to open a bottle with his right hand, struggling due to a previous injury. Captain Zhang was visibly stunned by these details. Li Shiqing explained that he wouldn't remember because it happened "in the loop."

She then recounted the ten loops, explaining how avoiding the initial car crash confirmed the presence of a bomb on the bus, which propelled her to call the police. Later, as Jiang Feng took over Li Shiqing's interrogation, he tried to trap her by falsely claiming Xiao Heyun had confessed, stating he knew nothing about the incident, that Li Shiqing had dragged him off the bus, and that the diagram was based on her instructions.

When Jiang Feng added that Xiao Heyun claimed it was merely a traffic accident, Li Shiqing immediately spotted the lie, knowing they had both concluded there was a bomb. Horrified, she vehemently denied his claims, asserting they had experienced everything together. However, her drug test results came back clean, further puzzling the investigators. Just then, Chief Du received a critical phone call.

He quickly called Captain Zhang and Jiang Feng out of the interrogation rooms, revealing the new information: "At the scene, they found bomb residue. There was indeed a bomb on the bus." With the bomb confirmed, the nature of the case dramatically shifted. Facing the imminent arrival of city superiors, Chief Du swiftly decided to detain Xiao Heyun and Li Shiqing as major suspects.

He reasoned that Xiao Heyun, being more emotional and having a weaker psychological defense, would be the easier target for interrogation. As Chief Du walked Xiao Heyun out to formally inform him of his detainment, Li Shiqing, who had been in her interrogation chair, suddenly woke up on the bus once more. A man walked past, and the bus announcement echoed: "The vehicle is in motion, please be seated. The next stop is Yanjiang West Road."

Episode 4 Recap

On his first mission outside the office, a tense Jiang Feng accompanies his mentor, Captain Zhang Cheng. Jiang Feng’s nervousness draws the attention of a suspect, who then pulls out a knife. Captain Zhang intervenes immediately, grabbing the blade, but his right hand is deeply cut and bleeds profusely. He urges a worried Jiang Feng to continue the pursuit. Meanwhile, Li Shiqing wakes up on Bus 45, which is approaching Yanjiang West Road Station.

Xiao Heyun is asleep, leaning on her shoulder. As she shifts, he bumps his head and wakes up. He recalls sweating intensely after being held in the interrogation room and then falling asleep. Li Shiqing also remembers falling asleep, and they conclude that sleeping causes them to re-enter the loop. Xiao Heyun apologizes for not trusting and even suspecting her earlier, acknowledging his own issues, and suggests they put their past disagreements behind them.

Xiao Heyun shares a crucial piece of information he obtained from the police: there is indeed a bomb on the bus. He remembers Captain Zhang's question about why he didn't warn the driver and passengers. Realizing they hadn't considered this direct approach, Li Shiqing loudly informs the driver that there is a bomb on board and urges him to stop. However, moments after her warning, the bus explodes.

They find themselves back in the loop, having confirmed the explosion was manually detonated by someone on board. Xiao Heyun deduces that a bomb of such power would likely be hidden in a bag. They begin to eliminate suspects, ruling out passengers without bags and an auntie whose bag contained only medication.

Li Shiqing points out a suspicious man in the back row wearing a cap, mask, and all black, noting he seems to be missing from the bus in this loop. They realize that time has advanced, and they have woken up earlier, before this masked man boarded the bus. This means they can now get off the bus normally at the next stop, Yanjiang East Road Station.

Li Shiqing also recalls hearing a specific old-fashioned phone ringtone just before previous explosions on the bridge and wonders if it's connected to the bomber. As they alight at Yanjiang East Road Station, Xiao Heyun sees the masked man board the bus. Li Shiqing immediately calls the police, reporting a bomb on Bus 45 (license plate Jia A77651) and explaining that the bomber is among the passengers heading towards the cross-river bridge.

She emphasizes the urgency and assures the dispatcher that her information is accurate. Simultaneously, Xiao Heyun deliberately keeps his distance from Li Shiqing, pretending to be on a phone call. He subtly instructs her to maintain separation and follow him to a secluded area, carefully avoiding surveillance cameras. In a quiet park, Xiao Heyun confronts Li Shiqing for calling the police, expressing his reluctance to be interrogated again.

He argues that since they got off the bus normally, they have a chance to analyze the situation and perhaps even escape the loop. Li Shiqing counters that if this is the last loop, it's their only chance to save the passengers. Xiao Heyun passionately argues that kindness is not a cheap virtue and must be accompanied by capability, otherwise it only causes more chaos.

He proposes waiting until the loop moves earlier, giving the police enough time to act, while they gather more evidence and avoid repeated deaths and detentions. Li Shiqing challenges him, asking if he would still get on the bus if the loop continued to start earlier.

After their argument, Xiao Heyun apologizes for his harsh tone, clarifying that his intention was to prevent both of them from being detained, hoping to use the extra time to gather clues before alerting authorities. Despite their unresolved argument, he leads her to a vantage point where they can observe the bridge. True to Li Shiqing's report, Captain Zhang has established roadblocks. Jiang Feng boards the bus to search for the bomb, instructing passengers to disembark but leave their belongings.

An old man, however, refuses to part with his large woven bag, leading to a struggle with Jiang Feng and other officers. Amidst the confrontation, the bus explodes once more. Witnessing the blast, Li Shiqing tells Xiao Heyun to leave, promising to explain everything to the police without mentioning him. Xiao Heyun reluctantly takes her phone number and watches as she gets into a police car.

Later, Xiao Heyun receives a call from his friend, who urgently summons him to an investor meeting for his game. Recalling Li Shiqing's commitment to saving the passengers and her question about whether he would still board the bus, Xiao Heyun abandons the meeting. He searches online for news about the Bus 45 explosion and finds reports falsely attributing the accident to the bus driver's lighter exploding.

Meanwhile, surveillance footage from the bus stop reveals Xiao Heyun getting off the bus with Li Shiqing, prompting the police to initiate an investigation into his identity. At the City Criminal Investigation Unit, Li Shiqing struggles to convince the police about the loop. Captain Zhang is informed that during questioning, she repeatedly mentioned "the loop" and expressed concern about the police response, specifically asking about "Old Zhang and Xiao Jiang." Captain Zhang finds it strange that she knows their names.

During his direct interrogation, Li Shiqing correctly addresses him as Captain Zhang and expresses dismay at not seeing him and Jiang Feng. Captain Zhang informs her that they lost an officer. Realizing it's Jiang Feng, Li Shiqing breaks down, repeatedly apologizing and believing her report led to his death. Captain Zhang assures her that her call was critical, allowing them to intercept the bus on the bridge.

He then questions her about turning off her phone after calling and whether she was talking to herself or someone else when she left the bus stop. Finally, he shows her a picture of Xiao Heyun, asking if she knows him. As Captain Zhang interrogates Li Shiqing, Xiao Heyun calls her phone. Captain Zhang answers and puts the call on speaker.

Li Shiqing, understanding her delicate situation, quickly declares to Xiao Heyun that they have broken up and he should stop calling her. Xiao Heyun immediately grasps her message, and calmly tells her, "Sleep. Everything will be fine once you sleep."

Episode 5 Recap

Distraught over Officer Jiang Feng's death, for which she felt responsible after calling the police, Li Shiqing voiced her deep regret. She lamented involving the police in such a dangerous situation and admitted she would have gone crazy if she were alone. She also acknowledged that for her and Xiao Heyun, sleeping was the only way to reset the loop and escape their current reality.

Meanwhile, police had identified Xiao Heyun as the man seen with Li Shiqing and the source of the phone call to her. Captain Zhang led a team to apprehend him. Desperate to re-enter the loop, Xiao Heyun sought out pharmacies for sleeping pills. Unable to obtain them without a prescription, he settled for melatonin and then purchased a high-proof white wine from a supermarket, hoping to induce sleep before the police found him.

His erratic behavior attracted the attention of store owners, who helped the police track his movements. Despite his attempts to avoid detection, his phone was briefly turned on to make a payment, allowing the police to pinpoint his location and close in. Xiao Heyun, having consumed both the melatonin and the white wine, eventually passed out in an alley. When Captain Zhang and his team found him, he was delirious.

He pleaded with them not to take him back to the police station or the "small black room" without windows. He vehemently questioned why the police were dispatched if they weren't experiencing the time loop, stressing that police officers' lives also matter, and dismissed Li Shiqing's story as "bullshit." Captain Zhang, looking somber and reflecting on Jiang Feng's recent death, ordered Xiao Heyun to be taken away.

As Xiao Heyun finally succumbed to sleep in the police car, he was startled awake by Li Shiqing's voice on the bus, confirming their return to the loop. Profoundly regretting that involving the police had led to Jiang Feng's sacrifice, Li Shiqing resolved not to call them again, deciding instead that she and Xiao Heyun would investigate the bomb's location themselves.

Xiao Heyun, apologetic for abandoning her in the previous loop, affirmed they were partners and would face the challenge together. They soon noticed a suspicious passenger: a man wearing a mask and clutching a backpack. Li Shiqing suggested they pretend to be a quarreling couple to get close to him and search his bag.

However, Xiao Heyun's inexperience in acting and arguing caused him to hesitate, as he was waiting for a specific traffic light to avoid an early loop reset. His delay led to them missing their chance, and the bus exploded once more. Li Shiqing expressed frustration at his inaction, while Xiao Heyun defended himself by explaining his fear of an early loop reset and his unfamiliarity with artificial arguments. In the next loop, they adjusted their strategy.

Xiao Heyun decided to confront the masked man, accusing him of secretly filming Li Shiqing. He attempted to snatch the man's bag, leading to a struggle. The masked man denied the accusation and fiercely protected his bag. In the midst of the scuffle, he appeared to suffer a severe asthma attack, collapsing while still clinging to his bag. The bus driver pulled over, and other passengers offered help, urging the man to open his bag for medication.

However, he adamantly refused to let go. Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun debated whether the asthma attack was genuine, noting his surprising strength despite his apparent distress. They remained convinced that his intense protectiveness of the bag was highly suspicious and that they absolutely needed to find out what was inside. Despite their efforts, the bus exploded again. A new plan emerged: prevent the masked man from boarding the bus entirely.

In the next loop, as the bus arrived, Xiao Heyun got off while Li Shiqing blocked the entrance, feigning distraction with her phone. This delay allowed Xiao Heyun to pull the masked man away from the bus doors. After a struggle, they managed to open his backpack, only for a small stray cat to leap out. Xiao Heyun quickly apologized, fabricating a story about a friend losing a similar bag.

They realized the man was merely an animal lover trying to transport his rescued cat, which was prohibited on public transport, hence his protective behavior. After helping the masked man retrieve his cat, the bus exploded as usual, leaving Xiao Heyun and Li Shiqing to calmly depart, a reaction that bewildered the man. Later, seeing news of the bus explosion, he grew increasingly suspicious of them.

Li Shiqing, however, was optimistic, suggesting that since they had pulled him off the bus, he might also enter the loop, becoming a new "teammate." She highlighted his strength and compassion for the cat, arguing that "there's more power in numbers." Xiao Heyun vehemently disagreed, offering various nonsensical reasons why the man wouldn't be in the loop, such as not having fully boarded the bus.

He also seemed keen to impress Li Shiqing, boasting about his own increased strength from previous loops, much to her amusement. He worried that an unprepared third party could hinder their efficiency. Deciding they needed to regroup, Xiao Heyun led Li Shiqing to a secluded cafe he had "scouted" in a previous loop. There, they analyzed the mechanics of the loop.

Xiao Heyun explained that physical changes like injuries, energy consumption, or even weight gain did not persist between loops, and money spent would reset. This realization prompted Li Shiqing to indulge in a hearty meal, freed from the worry of gaining weight or wasting money. Despite a fleeting moment of guilt, Xiao Heyun reassured her, "Man is iron and rice is steel. You can only save the world when you are full."

They then discussed delaying their re-entry into the loop by taking turns staying awake, hoping to gather more information from police reports in the "real world" before the reset. They clarified that simultaneous sleep was required for both to enter the loop; otherwise, one would enter a "standby state" in a prolonged dream, waiting for the other to join before the loop could restart.

Xiao Heyun argued that relying on police intelligence for victim lists and suspect profiles would be more efficient than their current, limited, and time-consuming individual efforts. Later, while browsing online, they identified a frequently filming and talkative passenger as "Brother Yi," a web celebrity. They saw a live stream from the accident scene where his colleagues mourned his death, describing him as annoying but optimistic, and announced a memorial event for his fans and friends.

Li Shiqing suggested attending the memorial to gather more information about other passengers, and Xiao Heyun agreed. They watched one of Brother Yi's old videos, where he enthusiastically promoted bus travel as clean, scenic, and eco-friendly. As Xiao Heyun and Li Shiqing were at the accident site, watching videos related to Brother Yi and other passengers, the masked man, the cat rescuer, suddenly confronted them.

He directly questioned why they had previously tried to search his bag and if they knew the "inside story" of the bus explosion. Xiao Heyun attempted to dismiss it as a misunderstanding, but the man countered, asking if they were there to save him. When he threatened to call the police, Li Shiqing, feeling cornered, admitted that the situation was "hard to explain." The masked man, sensing there was more to their story, then instructed them to follow him to discuss it further away from prying eyes.

Episode 6 Recap

Following Jiang Feng's sacrifice in a previous loop, Li Shiqing decided against calling the police, and Xiao Heyun committed to working with her to break the cycle. They had successfully avoided the explosion by pulling Lu Di off the bus, only to discover his bag contained a stray cat he was rescuing.

The bus exploded shortly after, leaving Lu Di bewildered by their calm reaction to the distant smoke, leading him to suspect something was amiss, especially after seeing news of the bus explosion at a pet store. Meanwhile, in Jialin City, the police established a special task force to investigate the explosion.

Detective Zhang Cheng led a meeting, announcing that while the initial report suggested a collision with an oil tanker caused the blast, bomb residue found on the bus confirmed it was a man-made explosion. He stressed the importance of secrecy to avoid public panic and the need to bolster security.

Since the bus's surveillance footage was completely destroyed and the bus had been deemed normal before departure, the investigation would proceed in two directions: scrutinizing the social connections of all deceased passengers for potential motives, and individually questioning all passengers who boarded or alighted the bus along its route to uncover any suspicious clues.

Lu Di, now carrying his cat in a carrier, brought Xiao Heyun and Li Shiqing to his hidden room, adorned with anime figures and filled with cats. Li Shiqing inadvertently asked about his asthma, prompting Lu Di to wonder how a stranger knew his condition. She then revealed their repeated experiences in the bus explosion loop.

Lu Di, surprised, questioned why a loop would occur in May when, according to his anime and game knowledge, loops usually happen in August, explaining that the number eight rotated horizontally represents infinity. While Lu Di was excited by the prospect of "saving the world" and becoming a "loop teammate," offering them "Vitality water" to celebrate, Xiao Heyun found his anime and gaming jargon annoying, dismissing him as a childish nerd.

With Lu Di's innocence confirmed, the trio shifted focus to other passengers. Xiao Heyun drew the bus layout, eliminating the muscular man and the live-streaming host wearing a bright-colored shirt from their suspicions, as they had no bags and seemed upright. They noted an old man with a snake-skin bag containing watermelons, an aunt with an unknown red bag under her feet, and an old woman whose bag was filled with medicine.

Lu Di, familiar with Jialin's public transportation, found the suitcase carried by another uncle suspicious; there were direct routes to the airport and train station from that location, so taking a bus that required a transfer made no sense unless his destination was elsewhere. Lu Di's mother called, urging him to come home. Before leaving, he observed his usually aloof cats being unusually clingy, making him wonder about their fate in the loops where he died.

He offered his secret base for Xiao Heyun and Li Shiqing to stay, giving them the code 666666, though they declined. He then assured them that even if he didn't enter the loop, he would believe and help them if they called his full name: Lu, Cat Apostle, Asthma Conqueror, A Person Chosen by the Light, Di. Li Shiqing found him endearing, acknowledging he was likely their only ally. Xiao Heyun, however, found his long name impractical to remember.

Xiao Heyun and Li Shiqing then found a private room at an internet cafe. As they settled in, Li Shiqing expressed embarrassment over the ambiguous lighting, while Xiao Heyun insisted they focus on finding clues to the explosion. They discussed their relief at having someone believe them. Back home, Lu Di's mother, finding cat fur on him with a lint roller, erupted in anger about his secret cat-raising.

Lu Di, fed up with his parents' constant control, argued that his asthma was stable and cats didn't affect him. He recounted years of following doctor's orders, avoiding activities, and being friendless, always wearing a mask. He wished for their understanding, stating his only desire was to keep a cat. He then retreated to his room, where an asthma attack soon forced him to use his inhaler as his parents listened anxiously outside.

Around this time, the police, having identified Lu Di from surveillance footage of his conflict at the bus stop, called him for questioning. Lu Di's father drove him to the police station. On the way, Lu Di reflected on a letter he'd written earlier, a kind of will.

He expressed gratitude for his parents and for life itself, asserting that his asthma hadn't stifled his spirit; he possessed a richer inner world than "healthy" children and had found meaning in "protecting his dimension." He wished his parents could see his world and understand his love for them, hoping that if he didn't return, they would visit his secret base at Animation City, Building 9, Room 201, password 666666, to uncover his secrets.

He concluded by mentioning his two new, "cool" friends, fantasizing about a parallel universe where they fought alongside him to save the passengers, making him their pride rather than a burden, with everyone remembering his name: Lu, Cat Apostle, Asthma Conqueror, A Person Chosen by the Light, Di. Meanwhile, at the internet cafe, Xiao Heyun and Li Shiqing saw an official police report that, while confirming an explosion, still attributed it to a collision without mentioning a bomb.

They learned the bus driver's name, Wang Xingde, discovering through online news that he was an excellent driver with a history of selfless acts, which deepened their resolve to save him and the passengers. Watching a video from a live streamer named Brother Yi, they noticed an old man in the background with a "weird" expression, making them suspect him.

Suddenly, Li Shiqing received a call from the police, who inquired about her and Xiao Heyun's dispute with Lu Di at the bus stop and asked them to come to the station. Realizing the urgency of the late-night call, Xiao Heyun deduced the police had likely found the bomb residue. They discussed how to answer the police without revealing the loop and worried about Lu Di, who might inadvertently divulge too much.

At the police station, Lu Di, visibly nervous in front of Zhang Cheng, downplayed the incident, explaining it as a misunderstanding over a lost bag, and mentioned Xiao Heyun and Li Shiqing helping him find his cat, hoping to reduce suspicion. He described Li Shiqing as a gentle cat lover, stating that all misunderstandings between cat lovers can be resolved. However, Zhang Cheng remained unconvinced, sensing that the relationship between the three was more complex than Lu Di portrayed.

He instructed Jiang Feng to thoroughly investigate the trio's connection. Since Lu Di hadn't been on the bus, Zhang also told Jiang Feng to focus his questioning of the other two on any abnormalities they might have noticed on board.

Episode 7 Recap

In a prison visiting room, Ma Guoqiang excitedly tells his wife, Liu Caicai, that he will be released in two months due to his good behavior. He expresses his wish to go home, cultivate his sandy land to grow watermelons, and renovate their old house for their son, Xiaolong, who is nearing marriageable age. However, Liu Caicai reveals that she has already sold their house and plans to move to Jialin with Xiaolong.

She explains that because of Ma Guoqiang's past as a "murderer," Xiaolong has faced constant discrimination, making it impossible for him to live a normal life or find a partner in their village. She urges Ma Guoqiang not to seek them out after his release. Ma Guoqiang, heartbroken but understanding, agrees, prioritizing his family's future. Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun are at the police station, providing statements regarding the bus explosion.

Officer Zhang Cheng questions their decision to get off the bus at the last minute. Li Shiqing fabricates a story about Xiao Heyun losing his backpack days earlier and spotting a young man, Lu Di, with a similar bag at the Yanjiang East Road stop. They claim they hastily exited the bus to investigate, only to discover it wasn't the stolen bag.

Zhang Cheng, however, notes inconsistencies, such as their claim of seeing the bag before Lu Di boarded and Lu Di's statement that they pushed him off the bus and unzipped his bag. He questions why they would inspect the bag's interior if its contents would have likely changed. Li Shiqing attributes their actions to panic and not thinking clearly.

When asked about their reaction to the explosion, Li Shiqing states they were finding a cat that had escaped from Lu Di's bag when the explosion occurred, expressing surprise and relief at having narrowly escaped. Xiao Heyun then "recalls" details about two suspicious passengers: a man with a large suitcase secretly using his phone, and an old man, Ma Guoqiang, sitting in the front with a large canvas bag of watermelons, who seemed overly protective of his belongings.

Li Shiqing corroborates this, identifying Ma Guoqiang from a social media clip they had previously seen, reinforcing his nervous demeanor. Zhang Cheng finds their detailed observations unusual for typical passengers and suspects their heightened awareness, especially regarding Ma Guoqiang's bag, is suspicious. The police quickly identify Ma Guoqiang as a native of Ningxia with a criminal record. In 2006, he committed a hit-and-run while driving a tricycle, killing a person.

He evaded the law for four years before his arrest in 2010, receiving a nine-year sentence and an early release in 2017. Since then, he had been farming watermelons. Ma Guoqiang had arrived in Jialin that morning by bus, intending to visit his son and ex-wife, who both reside there. The police consider the possibility of financial disputes or revenge from the victim's family as potential motives.

Zhang Cheng decides to release Li Shiqing but to keep Xiao Heyun and Lu Di for further questioning. He also orders surveillance on Li Shiqing's phone. As Li Shiqing prepares to leave, she observes Liu Caicai and Ma Xiaolong arriving at the station. Using the pretext of waiting for her boyfriend, she stays to gather information. Ma Xiaolong is questioned by Zhang Cheng, confirming he has had no contact with his father and didn't know he was visiting.

He recounts the lasting impact of his father's crime—killing his classmate—and how he and his mother were left to pay the compensation. While Ma Xiaolong denies any threats from the victim's family, he becomes visibly distressed when Zhang Cheng suggests a possible link, implying a growing suspicion of his father's involvement.

Afterward, Li Shiqing overhears a distraught Liu Caicai worrying that if the explosion was an act of revenge against Ma Guoqiang, their family would now be responsible for even more "human lives." Li Shiqing later speaks with a guilt-ridden Ma Xiaolong outside. Learning that she saw his father, he laments that his own fear led him to cut ties, leaving his father isolated after seven years in prison.

Suddenly, Lu Di's mother bursts into the station, waving his diary and accusing him of being swayed by others to "save the world from an explosion." Her startling revelation of an "explosion" immediately catches Zhang Cheng's attention. Upon reading Lu Di's diary, Zhang Cheng discovers details about the time loop and Lu Di's intention to join Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun in their mission. He quickly orders Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun to be brought back for separate interrogations.

Lu Di's mother continues to lambast him for his secretive behavior. Overwhelmed, Lu Di snaps, articulating his long-suppressed desire for independence and the profound sense of purpose he felt from being "chosen" for the loop. His father intervenes, criticizing his wife for invading Lu Di's privacy and displaying a surprising understanding of his son's youthful idealism. He apologizes to Lu Di and encourages him to cooperate honestly with the police.

During their separate interrogations, Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun attempt to explain the time loop and their efforts to prevent the explosion. The police, however, dismiss their accounts as delusions, especially after Lu Di also tries to explain the concept of the loop. As midnight approaches, Lu Di frantically urges the officers to believe him, but they remain skeptical. Precisely at midnight, the loop resets.

Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun wake up on the bus, realizing that Lu Di's farewell letter, which his mother exposed, led to their re-arrest and the subsequent reset of the loop. They express frustration at having to repeat their explanations to the disbelieving authorities. Back in the loop, Li Shiqing informs Xiao Heyun that Ma Guoqiang has a criminal record for killing someone. Xiao Heyun attempts to subtly investigate Ma Guoqiang's bag but finds him extremely cautious.

They initially consider enlisting Lu Di's help, but upon seeing him, they realize he has not entered the current loop, as he does not recognize them. Undeterred, Xiao Heyun devises a new plan. He stages a loud argument with Li Shiqing, intentionally escalating it near Ma Guoqiang. During the commotion, Xiao Heyun "accidentally" steps on and crushes two of Ma Guoqiang's watermelons.

Ma Guoqiang reacts with profound distress, instinctively pushing Xiao Heyun away, but then immediately raises his hands in an apologetic gesture. Other passengers criticize Xiao Heyun, while Ma Guoqiang laments the ruined watermelons, explaining they were a special gift for his son. Seizing the opportunity, Li Shiqing improvises and tells Ma Guoqiang that she is a colleague of Ma Xiaolong from Mantang Realty.

She mentions that Xiaolong had shown her his father's photo and often spoke fondly of his father's sweet watermelons. Ma Guoqiang is visibly touched. He explains that he learned through a relative's social media post that Xiaolong missed his homegrown watermelons, which prompted his long journey to Jialin. Grateful for Li Shiqing's kind words, Ma Guoqiang shares the broken watermelons, noting the insides are still clean, with her and the other passengers, who all enjoy their sweetness.

Just before the familiar old-fashioned phone on the bus begins to ring, signaling the imminent explosion, Li Shiqing quickly tells Ma Guoqiang that his son knows he was wrong and truly loves him. The bus explodes, and the loop restarts once more. Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun realize that they have now narrowed down the suspects to just two individuals, who boarded the bus at the same stop.

Episode 8 Recap

Old Jiao and his friends gathered for a meal, lamenting their struggles to find stable work due to their limited education. One of the friends was preparing to return to his hometown. Old Jiao, whose daughter Jiao Jiao was nearing her high school entrance exams, expressed his deep concern about earning enough for her tuition and living expenses.

He confided that he couldn't go back home yet, as Jiao Jiao was unaware that the construction site where he worked had been shut down, and he didn't want to distract her from her studies. A friend inquired if Old Jiao was still residing in the garage, noting the impending summer heat and lack of windows or running water. Old Jiao confirmed he only used it for sleep.

Another friend then proposed that Old Jiao join him and his nephew in delivering take-out in the older district, highlighting the high demand from young people. Old Jiao hesitated, citing his lack of formal education and poor communication skills. However, his friend assured him that the job simply required running errands and knowing the routes, emphasizing that endurance was key. He also mentioned that a second-hand electric scooter, costing around 700 to 800 yuan, would be necessary.

Later, a friend brought up Old Jiao’s Good Samaritan Award, speculating he had received 20,000 yuan. Old Jiao quickly refuted this, stating he lived day-to-day and dared not spend a single extra penny. Subsequently, Old Jiao’s landlord approached him, explaining that the Neighborhood Committee had issued a directive prohibiting the rental of garages.

He urgently informed Old Jiao that inspectors, including the Fire Department, were scheduled to conduct checks that very day, and severe fines would be imposed if residents were discovered. The landlord insisted Old Jiao pack up and move out immediately. Old Jiao offered his meager savings, pleading for two more days to secure alternative accommodation.

The landlord, however, explained that the money only covered the previous month's rent, and while he would waive the current week’s rent, Old Jiao had to leave at once due to the imminent inspection. Acknowledging the hardships they both faced, the landlord returned some of Old Jiao’s money.

As Old Jiao silently gathered his few belongings, including Jiao Jiao's school certificates, the landlord offered him an old travel bag, explaining that his wife had forgotten to unpack it after a trip. Inside the bag, Old Jiao discovered some sanitary pads. Soon after, Jiao Jiao called Old Jiao, who earnestly urged her to concentrate on her studies. He promised to work diligently to provide for her, including items like pads and face wash.

Jiao Jiao, however, expressed her desire to drop out of school to find work, hoping that together they could pay off their family’s debts. Old Jiao grew agitated, firmly instructing her not to mention the debt and insisting she attend school. Jiao Jiao abruptly ended the call. Sighing, Old Jiao set off for the bus stop, planning to seek help from a co-worker across the river.

Along the way, he noticed the woman with the pressure cooker struggling to ascend the stairs to the station. Inside the bus, Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun studied the two remaining suspicious passengers. They found it peculiar that these individuals had consistently appeared indifferent to unfolding events, prompting Li Shiqing to wonder if they were accomplices. Xiao Heyun, however, found this unlikely, given they weren't sitting together.

Concluding that inspecting the suitcase would be too difficult, they decided to focus their attention on the woman carrying the plastic bag. Li Shiqing approached her, feigning menstruation and asking if she had any sanitary pads. The woman coldly denied having any. Li Shiqing then questioned the woman about the pot she was carrying and its contents, remarking on its apparent weight. The woman simply replied, "Meat."

Li Shiqing expressed surprise at the idea of carrying stewed meat in a pressure cooker. Xiao Heyun, however, explained that his own family often transported meat in pots and that his mother used to bring him pots of meat during his university days, deeming it quite normal. He also noted the woman's lack of reaction when Li Shiqing had gestured towards her bag, reinforcing his belief that she was not the suspect.

With the woman seemingly cleared of suspicion, Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun concluded that Old Jiao was the most likely bomb carrier. Xiao Heyun proposed a risky strategy: at the next bus stop, they would seize the moment to throw Old Jiao's suitcase out of the bus. Li Shiqing voiced her apprehension about making another mistake, but Xiao Heyun reminded her that if they failed, the next loop would likely reset even earlier, affording them less time to act.

As the bus neared Yanjiang East Road, Old Jiao unexpectedly opened his suitcase. Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun watched with bated breath as Old Jiao retrieved some sanitary pads and offered them to Li Shiqing. Realizing their misjudgment, Xiao Heyun quickly shoved Li Shiqing out the back door, urging her to run, while he sprinted towards the woman with the pressure cooker.

As he reached her, the woman calmly pulled the top knob of the pressure cooker, and the bus violently exploded once more. In the subsequent loop, Li Shiqing jolted awake to the familiar sound of a coin dropping into the fare box. She immediately noticed that the woman with the pressure cooker had already boarded the bus. This time, crucially, the loop’s starting time had not advanced.

Xiao Heyun, however, was in a profound sleep, unresponsive to Li Shiqing’s desperate attempts to rouse him. Other passengers came to assist, observing Xiao Heyun's faint breathing. Eventually, Xiao Heyun stirred, explaining he had suffered from sleep paralysis; he could hear their voices but was unable to move. They realized that once the bomb was on the bus, the loop’s starting time would no longer move back.

Li Shiqing contemplated the gravity of their situation, speculating that if the time was no longer advancing, the loop might be concluding, making this their final chance to escape. This also meant it was the last opportunity for everyone else on the bus to survive. Grappling with the immense moral dilemma, Li Shiqing questioned whether they should truly abandon the other passengers. She confessed her deep-seated fear of death and her past daydreams of exploiting the loops for personal indulgence.

However, she concluded that saving everyone on the bus represented the most "over-the-top" and "self-liberating" act she could conceive, explaining that these passengers were no longer mere strangers to her. She apologized to Xiao Heyun and declared her resolute decision to remain on the bus. As the bus pulled into Yanjiang East Road, Xiao Heyun attempted to pull Li Shiqing off, but she resisted.

Li Shiqing quickly asked the driver to momentarily delay departure, fabricating a story about having dropped a USB drive, and began searching near the woman with the pressure cooker. Seizing an opportunity, Xiao Heyun lunged and firmly pinned the woman's bag, aiming to prevent her from detonating the bomb. Unexpectedly, the woman produced a knife and stabbed Xiao Heyun. As Li Shiqing rushed to his aid, the woman violently pulled her back and stabbed her in the neck.

Xiao Heyun desperately cried out for the other passengers to intervene, but they remained frozen in terror. The precious opportunity slipped away, and the bus exploded once more. Li Shiqing awakened in the next loop, overcome by the chilling memory of her brutal death, tears streaming down her face. Xiao Heyun gently embraced her, assuring her that the ordeal was over.

He took her hand, his decision firm: they would get off at the next stop and make no further attempts to intervene. As the bus reached Yanjiang East Road, Xiao Heyun guided Li Shiqing towards the exit. However, at the very last moment, Li Shiqing made an impulsive decision to try one more time. She turned back and rushed to grab the pressure cooker. Xiao Heyun immediately lunged to intercept the woman, who once again brandished her knife.

A frantic struggle ensued, culminating in Xiao Heyun stabbing the woman in the abdomen. The woman collapsed, horrifying the other passengers. Xiao Heyun, covered in blood, pulled Li Shiqing off the bus. Yet, even as they exited, the gravely injured woman, with her last ounce of strength, managed to pull the knob, and the bus exploded.

Episode 9 Recap

Neighbors rushed to an old garage fire, with Old Jiao leading the way, clearly anxious. Upon arrival, they saw a woman calmly sweeping water from the floor. She was revealed to be the woman with the pressure cooker bomb. She reassured the neighbors, thanking them for their help. Once everything was tidy, she returned to the garage, her eyes distant and hollow. After Xiao Heyun and Li Shiqing fled the bus, it exploded again.

Surveillance cameras near the bus stop clearly captured their escape, along with Old Jiao peeking out. All three became subjects of a police investigation. Following the pair's escape route, the police discovered they were heading towards Gangwu New Village, an area known for its densely packed "handshake buildings" and numerous surveillance blind spots. Chief Du immediately instructed Zhang Cheng to lead a team to apprehend them, while dispatching Officer Jiang Feng to investigate Old Jiao's situation.

Meanwhile, Jiang Feng and his colleagues visited the garage Old Jiao had rented. The landlord, Fan Yonggang, initially thought they were there for a fire safety inspection and was surprised to learn Old Jiao was involved in something serious. While the police were investigating, Xiao Heyun and Li Shiqing used the complex terrain of Gangwu New Village to hide in an obscured residential area. Reaching a secluded spot, Xiao Heyun leaned over a water basin and began to vomit.

As he washed the blood from his body, the horrifying scene on the bus replayed vividly in his mind. Li Shiqing watched Xiao Heyun, pale and slumped on the ground, knowing that simple words of comfort wouldn't ease his profound pain. Xiao Heyun had never imagined becoming a killer, and the terror of taking a life was a sensation he felt he would never forget, no matter how many times they looped.

He declared that he would rather have been blown up than become a killer. He tried to push Li Shiqing away, saying he didn't want to drag her into his predicament and that he was now an "evil person" who had failed to protect her. He urged her to tell the police she was his hostage. Li Shiqing countered, reminding him that they had gotten off the bus holding hands, so the police would never believe that.

She argued that the loop not resetting was because they had reached the starting point of the incident, and they needed to find a place to sleep to enter the next loop and correct their mistakes. Despite Xiao Heyun's despair about the indelible memory of killing, Li Shiqing insisted on facing everything together, telling him, "Wherever you go, I'm going with you," and "No matter what happens, I'm going to be with you."

Knowing they needed to evade the police, she gently pulled him up, urging him to quickly regain his composure as law enforcement could find them at any moment. Jiang Feng learned from Fan Yonggang that Old Jiao had once bravely helped extinguish a fire in a woman's garage, hoping to receive a commendation and reward like a coworker he knew. It was this woman's tinkering in her garage that caused the fire.

Community residents also reported hearing an explosion just before that fire. Upon questioning the landlord, Jiang Feng discovered the woman's name was Tao Yinghong. He reported this information to his superior, mentioning Tao Yinghong was also a passenger from Gangwu New Village and that an explosion had been reported at her garage fire. Jiang Feng then arranged for police to cordon off and investigate Tao Yinghong's garage. Meanwhile, Zhang Cheng and his team continued their pursuit.

Based on their phone signals, Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun were still together. To prevent further tracking, Xiao Heyun threw his phone from the moving truck they had hidden on. Li Shiqing, determined not to abandon him, followed suit, discarding her own phone. The two had managed to hide in the back of a small truck laden with sculptures, successfully fleeing Gangwu New Village.

The truck driver, startled when they jumped out, later reported to the police that he saw a tall, skinny man covered in blood, along with a pretty girl, and that the man had left a bloody bag on his truck before they ran off in a specific direction. The truck eventually arrived at its destination, which Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun recognized as Lu Di's secret base, whose password Lu Di had shared with them in a previous loop.

They quickly entered the apartment, finding temporary refuge. Inside, Xiao Heyun cleaned himself and discovered a wound on his arm. Li Shiqing, using cash from Lu Di's piggy bank and disguised in an anime costume and wig she found, went to a nearby pharmacy to buy bandages, medicine, and melatonin. There, she saw a news report on TV about the bus explosion.

It identified her and Xiao Heyun as wanted suspects for committing violence on the bus, and described the incident as a major criminal case with a pernicious social impact. The news urged citizens to provide any leads to the police. Xiao Heyun, too, had seen similar news on a tablet in Lu Di's room, which branded him a "bomber" and criticized his game for its violent elements. He was visibly distraught by the public's judgment.

Li Shiqing tried to console him, advising him not to dwell on the self-righteous opinions of others, as most people only believe what they see without understanding their unique circumstances. She reminded him that discovering the bomber's identity was their most significant breakthrough. As Li Shiqing was bandaging Xiao Heyun's wound, he suddenly stood up, holding the melatonin.

He instructed Li Shiqing to stay put and wait for him in "standby mode" in the safety of the room, then departed without elaborating on his destination. Chief Du, analyzing surveillance footage, shrewdly deduced that Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun had escaped by hiding in the small truck. Following the truck driver's and a cleaner's eyewitness accounts, Zhang Cheng and his officers quickly raided Lu Di's apartment. However, the room and its balcony were empty; Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun had already moved to the balcony of an adjacent building.

Episode 10 Recap

At the police station, as families of the deceased mourned, Lu Di's father suddenly became agitated. He told Captain Zhang Cheng that his son, Lu Di, was still alive, because his tablet, which was linked to his own phone, showed it was constantly moving. He pointed out that the tablet had been moving ever since it left Anime City, which immediately caught Captain Zhang's attention. Xiao Heyun led Li Shiqing to his friend's house.

His friend, upset and informed by the police about Xiao Heyun's alleged involvement in a stabbing, confronted him. The friend questioned how Xiao Heyun could stab someone and also accused him of arson, revealing that the police had instructed him to report Xiao Heyun immediately. Xiao Heyun tried to explain, admitting to the stabbing but denying any involvement in the bus bombing. He asked his friend to remove all game-related information concerning him to prevent the studio from being implicated.

His friend angrily accused him of selfishness and irresponsibility, lamenting the impact on the studio and their families, and asserting that he shouldn't "go crazy when he wants to." Xiao Heyun apologized for his past "violence for violence" mindset and admitted his irresponsibility, explaining that he now wanted to protect them from being implicated.

The friend, while still upset, told Xiao Heyun to take responsibility, turn himself in to the police, and not hide, promising that they would still be friends once everything was resolved. Xiao Heyun agreed to surrender. Shortly after they left, Captain Zhang, having tracked Lu Di's tablet to the address, arrived with his team. Finding no one, they took Xiao Heyun's friend in for questioning.

Xiao Heyun and Li Shiqing spent what he believed might be his last moments of freedom by the sea. Li Shiqing asked if he was truly going to surrender, and he confessed that he wanted to wait until she was asleep before doing so. She then walked into the cold water, saying she wanted to feel more awake. Xiao Heyun, concerned, pulled her back, and she worried about his injury. They embraced, finding comfort in each other.

Eventually, Li Shiqing fell asleep. Xiao Heyun then carried her towards a monitored area to surrender, triggering another loop. He woke up on the bus, feeling incredibly exhausted, to Li Shiqing's desperate calls of his name. She asked if he had managed to surrender, to which he replied that he had fallen asleep in the police car after they were taken away. Holding her hand tightly, he found his composure.

Xiao Heyun and Li Shiqing agreed to implement their plan to get everyone off the bus at Yanjiang East Road Station. Recognizing Tao Yinghong's extreme vigilance, they decided that verbal warnings were too risky. Instead, they would pretend to be university students promoting a startup event at the next stop, offering free gifts to encourage passengers to look at their phones. Once passengers glanced at their devices, they would see a hidden message: "I'm a police officer.

When you see this text, stay calm, there is a bomb on the bus." The message also warned about a woman with a knife and a bomb, instructing them to get off at the next stop. While Xiao Heyun spoke to passengers, Li Shiqing would discreetly show Tao Yinghong photos of their "event" to allay suspicion. One passenger, a video content creator, even mistook them for fellow videographers and offered to collaborate, but declined to join the "event."

As they reached Yanjiang East Road Station, many passengers, having seen the message, began to exit. When Lu Di attempted to board, Li Shiqing pushed him off the bus. Witnessing the mass evacuation, Tao Yinghong realized something was amiss and immediately detonated the bomb. The explosion brought them back into the loop, confirming that simply evacuating passengers wouldn't work, as Tao Yinghong would detonate the bomb at the slightest hint of trouble.

However, they had learned that passengers would believe them if they posed as police. They now decided to recruit passengers to help them. Xiao Heyun remembered Old Jiao, who had shown willingness to help in a previous loop. Xiao Heyun went to speak with Old Jiao, who, after confirming his actions would be considered a good deed, agreed to help, hoping for a reward to support his daughter's education. They planned for two people to restrain Tao Yinghong.

Xiao Heyun then proposed that instead of getting off at Yanjiang East Road, they should wait for the bus to be on the bridge, grab the pressure cooker bomb, and throw it into the river to minimize casualties. Li Shiqing pointed out that she couldn't simultaneously convince the driver to stop and help with the bomb, meaning they needed a third helper.

When Lu Di boarded the bus at Yanjiang East Road, Xiao Heyun, claiming to be a police officer, called out Lu Di's full, peculiar nickname ("Lu. Cat Apostle, Asthma Conqueror, A person chosen by the light. Di." ) and recited intimate details about his life, including his hidden cats, asthma, secret apartment in Anime City, and its passcode. Though Lu Di doubted his police identity, he was stunned by Xiao Heyun's knowledge of his secrets and agreed to cooperate.

Li Shiqing discreetly approached the driver, Wang Xingde, urging him to keep his eyes on the road. She informed him about the "crazy woman" at the back with a powerful bomb in a plastic bag at her feet, cautioning him not to look back due to Tao Yinghong's alertness and danger.

She explained that police officers on board would take action once the bus reached the bridge, and he simply needed to pull over and open the doors so they could throw the bomb into the river, stressing that this was their only chance for survival.

As the bus drove onto the bridge, Xiao Heyun and Old Jiao moved to restrain Tao Yinghong, while Lu Di quickly took the pressure cooker and Li Shiqing disarmed her by throwing her knife to the floor. Li Shiqing calmed the other passengers, announcing that they were police officers handling a dangerous woman.

Tao Yinghong, now on the floor, struggled and screamed, condemning the passengers as "murderers" and "executioners," and fiercely denouncing Wang Xingde as a "coward" who was "afraid to die" and "did not deserve to be a man," accusing him of calling the police. Wang Xingde denied calling the police. Despite Li Shiqing's desperate pleas for him to stop the bus, Wang Xingde calmly glanced at his watch. He eventually stopped the bus, engaged the handbrake, and locked the doors.

Realizing time was running out and the doors wouldn't open, Xiao Heyun frantically smashed a window and jumped out, managing to catch the pressure cooker as Lu Di passed it to him, but as the old phone began to ring, it was too late; the bomb detonated. Waking up in the loop, Li Shiqing's mind replayed a past memory. She remembered an incident where she had lost her wallet, containing her exam ID, on Wang Xingde's bus.

He had stopped the bus, locked the doors, and announced to the passengers that if the thief returned the wallet, he wouldn't call the police; otherwise, he'd use the surveillance cameras to identify them. The wallet was returned, and he then sternly warned everyone against stealing on his bus. Later, when Li Shiqing tried to give him a gift as thanks, he refused but gently spoke to her.

He mentioned his own daughter also attended Jialin University, but when Li Shiqing asked about her major and year, he abruptly stated, "She is working already." This memory triggered a realization in Li Shiqing. In the current loop, she confronted Wang Xingde. He quietly asked if she wanted to get off the bus, but she tearfully questioned him aloud, asking why he was doing this, which version of him was real, and if he was being threatened by Tao Yinghong.

Her emotional outburst drew Tao Yinghong's attention, and the bomb was once again detonated. As the next loop began, Wang Xingde observed Tao Yinghong boarding the bus with the pressure cooker, his expression a mix of internal conflict and hesitation, while Tao Yinghong stared directly at him with a chillingly indifferent gaze.

Episode 11 Recap

At the bus company, the general manager, Mr. Yang, was interviewed by two reporters about a driver who had returned lost money. He tried to call Wang Xingde, the driver, who was scheduled to be there, but Wang Xingde repeatedly refused to show up. Mr. Yang, unable to get Wang Xingde to appear, held up the commendation banner himself and told the reporters about Wang Xingde's past good deeds, asking them to photoshop Wang Xingde into the picture later.

Meanwhile, back in the loop, Li Shiqing woke up first, while Xiao Heyun was still in a painful "standby" state. When she finally roused him, he looked exhausted but quickly pulled himself together. Li Shiqing apologized for her previous emotional reactions, explaining her deep trust in Wang Xingde, whom she had known for over two years as a kind driver. She found it hard to believe he was an accomplice.

Xiao Heyun, however, reasoned that Wang Xingde's long tenure on the route suggested meticulous planning for the explosion. They decided that in this loop, they would get off the bus at the next stop, Yanjiang East Road, to re-evaluate the situation. Soon after, the bus exploded on the bridge at 1:45 p. m. , as they had observed in previous loops when no one intervened.

To gather clues about Wang Xingde, Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun went to the bus company, posing as student journalists from Jialin Normal University. They claimed to be researching Wang Xingde's "good deeds" for a school program. Initially, the manager was hesitant, but then a colleague rushed in with news of the Bus 45 explosion. Amidst the chaos, Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun managed to quickly photograph Wang Xingde's personal file.

They discovered he wasn't a local, had previously been a truck driver, and his reason for leaving his previous job was "spouse relocation." This led them to suspect that the woman with the bomb, Tao Yinghong, might be his wife. However, they found it perplexing that he would be living in the company dorm if he had a spouse. Believing Wang Xingde's dorm might hold more clues, they went there.

Finding the door locked, Xiao Heyun was about to call a locksmith when Wang Xingde's roommate unexpectedly arrived. Xiao Heyun quickly improvised, claiming to be Wang Xingde's nephew who had lost his key and needed to retrieve a household registration booklet for a family matter. While Xiao Heyun searched the room, Li Shiqing played along, pretending to be Xiao Heyun's girlfriend and nervously asking the roommate about Wang Xingde and his wife.

The roommate revealed that Wang Xingde's wife was "mentally unstable" and "a tormentor," implying they were getting a divorce. He mentioned that Wang Xingde's home was in Gangwu New Village, nearby, but he preferred living in the dorm to avoid his wife, who would frequently call him, including a bizarre incident last month where she called him to come home because the house was on fire. Inside, Xiao Heyun found an old, broken cell phone but couldn't access its contents.

Later, at a convenience store, they discussed their limited findings. Xiao Heyun further clarified the consistent 1:45 p. m. explosion time, which he had confirmed from news reports, a phone ring, and direct observation. They speculated if the couple was acting under orders, possibly a terrorist attack, but realized they, as ordinary citizens, couldn't investigate such deep connections.

They decided their best strategy was to involve the police by providing specific, leading clues to quickly focus the investigation on Wang Xingde and Tao Yinghong. This, they hoped, would shorten the police's investigation time and allow them to gather more information for future loops. They presented themselves to Zhang Cheng, the deputy captain of the city detective unit, and his colleague Jiang Feng, as witnesses who had gotten off Bus 45 early.

They claimed to have gotten off at Gangwu New Village because a "mentally unstable" woman (Tao Yinghong) boarded the bus. They described her wearing a gray outfit, being skinny, carrying a red plastic bag containing what looked like a pressure cooker, and emitting a strange chemical smell. They testified that she muttered alarming phrases like "everyone will blow up," "not a single one will be left behind," and "1:45 p. m. , all will die."

They also mentioned she spoke to the driver, calling him "Wang Xingde" and talking about "dying together." They explained that other passengers likely didn't hear her due to the bus noise and their focus on the knife she was holding. Zhang Cheng, finding their precise and leading testimony suspicious, nevertheless noted the accuracy of their information. Forensic evidence later confirmed residues consistent with a pressure cooker on the bus.

To test Xiao Heyun's capabilities and their intentions, Zhang Cheng asked him to map out the bus seating and describe the passengers from memory. Xiao Heyun, a game designer, accurately drew the layout and described various passengers in detail. Impressed, Zhang Cheng then asked him to draw the layout of the police station itself. Xiao Heyun, despite a few minor omissions, successfully drew a detailed map.

While looking at blurry photos of the victims, Li Shiqing became visibly distressed, clutching Xiao Heyun's hand. Xiao Heyun quickly explained that she was overwhelmed by seeing the victims' faces after feeling guilty for not preventing the tragedy. Zhang Cheng suspected she was suffering from survivor's guilt, while still viewing their overall demeanor and the specific details they provided with suspicion. Meanwhile, Jiang Feng’s investigation confirmed that Tao Yinghong and Wang Xingde were indeed married.

Tao Yinghong, 56, from Jiaodao, lived in Gangwu New Village and worked in the quality inspection department of a chemical plant. She was previously a chemistry teacher in Jiaodao, possessing extensive theoretical and practical chemical knowledge, and had even written textbooks. Wang Xingde, originally from Jiaodao, was a highly experienced and commended transport squad leader at a factory.

He specifically applied to drive the Bus 45 route in Jialin and repeatedly declined promotions, determined to stay on that route until retirement. Tao Yinghong's position at the chemical plant provided her with direct access to chemical products and raw materials, making it plausible she could obtain materials to construct a bomb herself. The police concluded that Tao Yinghong and Wang Xingde were likely involved in a premeditated crime.

They initiated a broader investigation with Jiaodao police for more background information. Back in the resting area, Li Shiqing expressed her worry about being unable to help and possibly slowing them down. Xiao Heyun reassured her, stating that they still had a chance. Their immediate goal was to remain within the police station to acquire more valuable information for the next loop, as leaving would mean starting over with minimal knowledge.

Episode 12 Recap

Police investigators, led by Zhang Cheng, were initially suspicious of Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun due to their leading statements and attempts to gather information independently. Before reporting to the police, the pair had posed as reporters at the bus company and as relatives at Wang Xingde's dormitory. They had also contacted a locksmith regarding Wang Xingde's room. Zhang Cheng, cautious but discerning, decided to investigate if the four individuals—Li Shiqing, Xiao Heyun, Wang Xingde, and Tao Yinghong—had any connections.

He instructed his team to collect all electronic devices from Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun, including a distinctive flowery phone Xiao Heyun had taken from Wang Xingde's dorm. As Zhang Cheng was leaving, Li Shiqing called out to ask if they had discovered any new clues, specifically if Tao Yinghong, the woman carrying the plastic bag, was responsible for making the bomb.

Xiao Heyun supported her by noting that if Tao Yinghong worked at a chemical factory, she would have both the means and knowledge to construct such a device. He also recalled smelling a strong, choking, and unusual odor from the pressure cooker. However, Li Shiqing's persistent questions about Tao Yinghong's background only heightened Zhang Cheng's suspicion. His team, meanwhile, confirmed that there were no direct communication records or social overlaps between the four, initially finding no concrete links.

Further investigation, including testimonies from the bus company staff, Wang Xingde's roommate, and the locksmith company, confirmed that Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun had used false identities in their unauthorized attempts to collect information. Faced with this mounting evidence, Xiao Heyun and Li Shiqing decided to confess. Xiao Heyun admitted that the flowery phone was not his but one he had taken from Wang Xingde's dorm, believing it might contain crucial information.

He then explained that Li Shiqing was suffering from "survivor's syndrome," a psychological condition causing intense guilt after a traumatic event. This, coupled with Li Shiqing’s visible anxiety, began to alleviate some of Zhang Cheng’s doubts. Xiao Heyun then subtly mentioned that the explosion was set for 1:45 p. m. , suggesting it might be a significant time for the perpetrators.

The police quickly identified the owner of the flowery phone as Wang Mengmeng, Wang Xingde and Tao Yinghong's daughter, who had died five years prior. This contradicted Li Shiqing's memory of Wang Xingde telling her his daughter was studying at the same university as her and had already started working. Further checks revealed that Wang Mengmeng’s last outgoing call, made five years ago on May 13th at 1:44 p. m.

, was to her father, Wang Xingde, but it went unanswered. Tragically, she was killed in a traffic accident on the cross-river bridge at 1:45 p. m. that day while riding Bus 45, after insisting on getting off at a non-designated stop. Meanwhile, forensic analysis of Tao Yinghong’s rented garage and home confirmed traces of chemical explosives and online records of chemical purchases, proving she had indeed manufactured the bomb herself.

It was also discovered that the explosion had been moved up from their anniversary date of May 13th to May 9th due to an unannounced fire safety inspection in Tao Yinghong’s garage. This inspection was prompted by a small fire there on April 4th, forcing the couple to act earlier than planned. The case was solved remarkably quickly—in less than eight hours—largely thanks to the information provided by Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun.

Despite the case being effectively closed, the pair knew that understanding the motive wouldn't stop the next explosion. Li Shiqing pressed Zhang Cheng for details of Wang Mengmeng's death and posed a hypothetical: if a stranger reported a bus bomb set to explode in twenty minutes, would he respond? Zhang Cheng unequivocally affirmed that he and his colleagues would immediately dispatch police, as their duty was to protect citizens' lives.

Taking advantage of the moment, Xiao Heyun quietly asked for Zhang Cheng's phone number. In the next time loop, Li Shiqing noticed Xiao Heyun’s nose bleeding profusely. Xiao Heyun confessed that his physical condition was deteriorating with each cycle, hinting that his ability to loop might be limited. Reassuring Li Shiqing, he quickly wiped the blood, took a photo of Tao Yinghong, and sent it to Zhang Cheng via text message.

The message detailed the bomb on Bus 45, identified Tao Yinghong as the carrier, and indicated that the driver, Wang Xingde, was her accomplice, with the explosion set for 1:45 p. m. He followed up with a phone call to Zhang Cheng to ensure the message was received. Acting swiftly on the tip, Zhang Cheng immediately dispatched police units to Yanjiang West Road Station to set up a perimeter.

On the bus, Xiao Heyun comforted a distraught Li Shiqing with a hug. To buy time for the police, they staged a dramatic confrontation, with Li Shiqing accusing Xiao Heyun of being a pervert, causing a commotion. Although Li Shiqing initially got off the bus, Xiao Heyun claimed she had stolen his belongings, forcing her back on. The escalating argument prompted Wang Xingde, despite his desperate timeline, to briefly stop the bus before reaching Yanjiang East Road Station.

As the bus started moving again, Wang Xingde accelerated towards the bridge, ignoring the stop and subsequent police commands. Police vehicles pursued and skillfully blocked the bus, preventing it from proceeding further. Inside, Xiao Heyun alerted the passengers to the bomb and pointed out Tao Yinghong. He rallied Old Jiao and other passengers to help subdue her as she clutched the pressure cooker.

Simultaneously, Li Shiqing desperately pleaded with Wang Xingde to stop, reminding him that innocent lives were at stake and urging him to seek police help for Wang Mengmeng's case. Wang Xingde, however, remained resolute, locking the bus doors and declaring his intention to die with everyone on board, believing Wang Mengmeng was waiting for them on the bridge.

In a perilous moment, Xiao Heyun smashed a bus window and passed the pressure cooker bomb to Zhang Cheng, who had arrived on the scene. Zhang Cheng, entrusting his firearm to a colleague, took the bomb and ran towards the edge of the bridge, shouting for everyone to take cover. As he threw the bomb over the side, it exploded mid-air, engulfing him in a fiery blast and leaving him severely injured on the ground.

Episode 13 Recap

Five years ago, Tao Yinghong rode Bus 45 and approached a young woman, asking if she had been harassed, touched, or taken advantage of by men on the bus. Frightened, the young woman called the police. Officers arrived, expressing their frustration that this was the third time they had responded to a complaint about Tao Yinghong's self-conducted investigations disturbing passengers.

Despite the police urging her to trust them and stating that Wang Mengmeng's case was closed, Tao Yinghong remained unresponsive, believing the police were unreliable and that she had to find the truth herself. Her husband, Wang Xingde, tried to calm the police, promising she wouldn't cause trouble again. Meanwhile, at the hospital, Xiao Heyun received treatment for his arm wound. The doctor noted his significant blood loss and admitted him for rest.

Jiang Feng, reeling from Zhang Cheng's severe injuries, tried to question Xiao Heyun about how he knew there was a bomb on the bus but was prevented by hospital staff and a call from Chief Du, who emphasized Xiao Heyun's critical role. Xiao Heyun told Li Shiqing he felt that some issues remained unresolved after Wang Mengmeng's accident. He asked Li Shiqing to search online for news about the Bus 45 cross-the-bridge car accident on May 13th, 2014.

Li Shiqing found numerous harsh and judgmental online comments about Wang Mengmeng, which Xiao Heyun observed must be heartbreaking for her parents, suggesting that "living might not be true salvation" for them. He concluded that they hadn't yet reached the core of the matter. Chief Du began his investigation into the five-year-old accident, calling in Captain Qin, the original investigating officer, and Driver Zhu, who was driving Bus 45 that day.

Captain Qin explained that the original case was straightforward, ruling it an accidental traffic accident. He mentioned that the bus driver was held primarily responsible, with the dump truck secondarily, and the bus company handled compensation, with no lawsuit filed by the family. Driver Zhu, visibly agitated, recounted Wang Mengmeng's desperate demands to get off the bus and her physically grabbing his arm, forcing him to pull over on the bridge to prevent a worse accident.

He lamented that no passengers helped him at the time. Driver Zhu said he believed Wang Mengmeng had simply missed her stop and was mumbling incoherently. He expressed resentment for losing his job and being subjected to repeated questioning, sarcastically offering to be executed as compensation for the girl's life. Chief Du reviewed the bus surveillance footage and noticed Wang Mengmeng looking back as she exited the bus.

Captain Qin explained that this particular section of the route often led to disputes because it was the last stop before the bridge, making it inconvenient for passengers who missed their stop as they would have to travel across the bridge and back. He speculated that Wang Mengmeng was one such impatient passenger.

Captain Qin also revealed that Tao Yinghong initially refused to accept the official findings and spent over a month conducting her own investigation, riding Bus 45 daily and interrogating young female passengers. Due to Tao Yinghong's emotional instability, Wang Xingde ultimately signed the accident liability report. Further inquiries revealed that Tao Yinghong's personality had drastically changed after Wang Mengmeng's death, becoming easily angered and even physically aggressive with students, leading to her dismissal from teaching.

Wang Xingde, in contrast, became withdrawn and acquiesced to Tao Yinghong's decisions, including their move to Jialin despite his initial reluctance. The devastating news reached Xiao Heyun and Li Shiqing when Jiang Feng burst into their hospital room, distraught. He angrily demanded to know how they knew about the bomb, revealing that Zhang Cheng had died. Xiao Heyun and Li Shiqing were shocked and deeply saddened by Zhang Cheng's sacrifice. Jiang Feng was then escorted away by his colleagues.

During her interrogation, Tao Yinghong, disheveled and defiant, claimed sole responsibility for the bombing. She stated that she made the bomb herself and brought it onto Bus 45, asserting that Wang Xingde was coerced by her because she wanted him to die alongside her so they could reunite with their daughter. She accused the police of constantly monitoring her but failing to diligently investigate the true cause of Wang Mengmeng's death.

Overcome with emotion, Tao Yinghong experienced breathing difficulties and fainted. Wang Xingde initially remained silent during his interrogation, only asking about Tao Yinghong's condition. After Chief Du promised to reopen Wang Mengmeng's case, Wang Xingde expressed his profound grief and anger over the online defamation of his daughter, stating that Wang Mengmeng, at twenty years old, had never harmed anyone and didn't deserve such insults. He regretted missing her last phone call.

Taking responsibility to protect his wife, Wang Xingde claimed that he had planned the entire bombing, forced Tao Yinghong to make the bomb, and threatened her into moving from Jiaodao to Jialin. He explained that they sought closure for their daughter, unable to let her death remain a mystery. Chief Du confronted him, emphasizing that their hatred could not justify harming innocent people and ruining their families. Wang Xingde lowered his head and apologized.

A flashback to five years ago, on May 13th, showed Wang Xingde working as a truck driver and missing Wang Mengmeng's repeated phone calls while he was in his manager's office. Later, at the police station, a distraught Wang Xingde learned of Wang Mengmeng's death and collapsed. Tao Yinghong was already there, seemingly calm, refusing compensation and insisting on knowing the truth about why Wang Mengmeng suddenly got off the bus.

Days later, while using a public restroom at the bus company, Tao Yinghong overheard two men discussing a "pervert" on Bus 45 who specifically harassed young girls. This conversation solidified her conviction that her daughter had been threatened. She embarked on a relentless quest, riding Bus 45 repeatedly and confronting young female passengers, eventually being labeled as mentally unstable and refused entry by drivers.

Wang Xingde tried to reason with her, telling her that surveillance footage had already disproved her restroom theory and explaining the futility of their search. He urged her to sign the papers and "bring Mengmeng home," but Tao Yinghong, covering her ears, silently wept on the bridge, unwilling to let go of her desperate search for answers.

Episode 14 Recap

Wang Xingde signed the compensation agreement for Wang Mengmeng's accident. Standing by, Tao Yinghong suddenly felt unwell and vomited. Later, while teaching, she confiscated a student's phone and was horrified to see a video of her daughter's accident accompanied by cruel online comments. Returning home, Tao Yinghong confronted Wang Xingde, playing Wang Mengmeng's phone ringtone as she demanded to know why he hadn't answered their daughter's two calls on the day of the accident.

She tearfully accused both of them of being responsible for Wang Mengmeng's death. Seeking to uncover the truth, Wang Xingde proposed they move to Jialin, to which Tao Yinghong agreed. He then applied for a bus driver position, specifically requesting to drive Bus 45. The company manager did not recognize him, a fact Wang Xingde found infuriating, lamenting that people had forgotten Wang Mengmeng only 174 days after her death.

On April 4th, Wang Xingde found Tao Yinghong in their makeshift home in an old garage after she had caused a small fire. She excitedly told him that she had successfully created the bomb. Wang Xingde tried to persuade her to abandon her plans and visit Wang Mengmeng's memorial, suggesting she could still live a good life as a respected driver.

However, Tao Yinghong was resolute, giving him an ultimatum: either they continue their plan together, or he could leave Jialin and they would divorce, setting him free. Meanwhile, Chief Du's team gathered evidence from Tao Yinghong's residence, including records of her online chemical purchases, which confirmed her intent to build a bomb. Their investigation also concluded that Wang Xingde and Tao Yinghong had no prior connections with Li Shiqing or Xiao Heyun.

In the hospital, Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun discussed their predicament, uncertain if more loops would occur. Li Shiqing felt there was more to uncover about Wang Mengmeng's death and decided to contact her university advisor for help. Advisor Wu rushed to the hospital, relieved to find Li Shiqing safe.

She then revealed that five years ago, the same Bus 45 had been involved in an accident where her student, Wang Mengmeng, died after being hit by a truck immediately after exiting the bus. Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun revealed that Wang Mengmeng's parents were behind the current bus bombing.

Advisor Wu admitted she didn't know the full details but stated that Wang Mengmeng's parents had never made unreasonable demands to the school and had signed the compensation agreement without further objection. Realizing the gravity of the situation, she believed the police needed to know this new information. Outside the hospital room, Jiang Feng, still grieving the loss of Officer Zhang Cheng, overheard their conversation and entered.

At the station, Chief Du urged the entire police force to remain calm and avoid jumping to conclusions about Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun, despite the department's heightened tensions. Jiang Feng learned from Advisor Wu that the university's online forum had contained many discussions about Wang Mengmeng after her accident, but all these posts were later locked by the administration.

Advisor Wu described Wang Mengmeng as an introverted but well-behaved student, not someone who would cause a disturbance or demand to exit a bus mid-route. Jiang Feng requested Advisor Wu to contact the network administrator to retrieve the old forum posts. Li Shiqing insisted on accompanying him, urging Jiang Feng to trust them, just as Officer Zhang Cheng had.

When his superior called, demanding he bring Li Shiqing back to the station, Jiang Feng explained he had new leads concerning a past witness from Bus 45 and would report back after locating them. At the university, Li Shiqing, Jiang Feng, and Advisor Wu began examining the archived forum content. With remote guidance from Xiao Heyun, who was on speakerphone with Li Shiqing, they found a critical post on the 45th "floor" of a thread.

It claimed, "She's not a psycho. She encountered a pervert on the bus." The poster's confident tone suggested direct knowledge. They discovered this post was made three days after Wang Mengmeng's accident, but the entire thread was locked that same day, limiting its reach. Tracing the IP address, they found it linked to dorm room 324 in Building 3. Advisor Wu began searching student records for the residents of that room from five years prior.

Meanwhile, at her workplace, Liu Yao was visibly shaken by news of the Bus 45 explosion. Soon after, Li Shiqing, Jiang Feng, and Advisor Wu found her. She initially denied making the forum post, claiming it was random, and became distressed after learning they had spoken to her roommate. Jiang Feng identified himself as a police officer, stressing the gravity of the bus bombing.

Li Shiqing then appealed to Liu Yao, revealing she was a passenger on the bombed bus, that Wang Mengmeng's parents were the orchestrators, and that an officer had died. Liu Yao, however, was skeptical of their ability to protect her, citing the past public criticism of Wang Mengmeng despite her mother being a teacher, and fearing similar retaliation if her identity was revealed. Jiang Feng then gave her his solemn professional guarantee that her information would be kept confidential.

Encouraged by Li Shiqing, who reminded her of her initial attempt to speak out, Liu Yao finally confessed. She revealed that five years ago, she had accidentally taken a photo of a middle-aged man with glasses molesting Wang Mengmeng on the bus, but the man had discovered her. She had remained silent due to intense fear of reprisal.

Episode 15 (Ending) Recap

Five years earlier, on May 13th, a student named Liu Yao was on a bus, filming herself. She inadvertently captured a middle-aged man molesting Wang Mengmeng. The man noticed Liu Yao and repeatedly looked back at her, terrifying Liu Yao, who then quickly exited the bus. She called her mother, explaining she had filmed a pervert rubbing his private part against a girl on the bus and asked if she should call the police.

Her mother, deeply worried about Liu Yao studying alone in a distant city, urged her not to report the incident, fearing retaliation from the man who might remember her face and seek revenge. She even admonished Liu Yao for her choice of clothing, implying that her revealing outfits made her vulnerable, to which Liu Yao retorted that such views unfairly placed blame on victims.

Later that night, Liu Yao browsed online forums that were slandering Wang Mengmeng, blaming her for the bus accident. Despite her initial fear, she anonymously posted a message asserting that Wang Mengmeng was not crazy but had encountered a pervert on the bus. However, her post was met with a torrent of aggressive replies, questioning her credibility and accusing her of complicity for not intervening.

Overwhelmed by the "terrifying" backlash, which made her "really scared," she tried to delete her comment but found the post blocked. She confessed years later that she had felt too selfish and weak to speak up, prioritizing her own protection. Nevertheless, she had diligently kept the incriminating photo, transferring it across multiple phones and backing it up on a cloud service.

During a later investigation, Jiang Feng stressed the photo's importance as crucial evidence and instructed her not to delete or share it. After Li Shiqing completed her investigation, she returned to the hospital. Preoccupied with planning their next move, she didn't notice Xiao Heyun's pale face or his desolate expression after he had just washed blood from his mouth. Jiang Feng arrived, scolding Li Shiqing for acting independently but acknowledging her unwavering dedication to solving Captain Zhang's case.

Li Shiqing shared the recently acquired photo of the pervert with Xiao Heyun. She then expressed her profound concern, wondering if many other girls, like Wang Mengmeng, silently suffered similar experiences without the courage to speak out. Xiao Heyun reassured her that the perpetrator would undoubtedly face justice. They then meticulously reviewed their plan for the next loop.

Xiao Heyun emphasized that Li Shiqing must immediately text Zhang Cheng upon waking, then seek help from Old Jiao and Lu Di, making sure to minimize the time spent convincing Lu Di. He further instructed that if they were still unable to subdue Tao Yinghong, they would reveal the truth about Wang Mengmeng's death to Wang Xingde. He concluded that their primary challenge was always time.

Sensing Xiao Heyun's concern for her, he solemnly suggested that Li Shiqing might have to complete these tasks on her own, and made her promise to exit the loop even if he could not accompany her further. Distressed by his words, Li Shiqing confessed her fear of losing him. Still deeply troubled by the possibility of losing Xiao Heyun, Li Shiqing asked what would happen if the loop ended and they woke up with no memory of their shared ordeal.

Xiao Heyun, smiling reassuringly, promised he would always remember her. He declared that even if she forgot him, he would find her, knock on her door, and ask, "Hello, my name is Xiao Heyun. Will you be my girlfriend?" Li Shiqing, moved by his sincerity, responded with a heartfelt "I will." They then shared a tender, passionate kiss, cementing their bond and commitment to each other.

In the final loop, Li Shiqing woke up on the bus to find Xiao Heyun unconscious beside her, his physical condition clearly deteriorating, hinting that his loops were not infinite. Forcing herself to remain calm, she immediately put their plan into action. She sent a detailed anonymous text message to Zhang Cheng, disclosing the bomb's presence, its location, the perpetrators (Wang Xingde and Tao Yinghong), the detonation time of 1:45 PM, and their motive related to Wang Mengmeng's accident.

She urged him to intercept the bus on the bridge without using sirens. Receiving her messages, Zhang Cheng quickly mobilized his police force, sealing off the bridge and river, and instructing his officers to silence their sirens as they pursued the bus. Inside, Li Shiqing discreetly approached Old Jiao, showing him a message explaining the situation and enlisting his help to restrain Tao Yinghong. Old Jiao silently nodded his agreement.

Maintaining contact with Zhang Cheng via phone, Li Shiqing then approached Lu Di as he boarded. To gain his attention, she addressed him by his online gaming titles: "Lu. Cat Apostle, Asthma Conqueror, A person chosen by the light. Di." She showed him a similar text message, persuading him to assist as "the chosen one," and Lu Di also agreed to help.

As the bus approached the bridge, Li Shiqing, deciding to act ahead of schedule, suddenly shouted her desire to get off, which caused Tao Yinghong to brandish a knife. Li Shiqing quickly warned the other passengers about the bomb and the knife, urging them to help. Old Jiao and other passengers, prompted by Li Shiqing, bravely moved to restrain Tao Yinghong. In the ensuing struggle, Lu Di successfully grabbed the pressure cooker bomb from under Tao Yinghong's feet.

Tao Yinghong fiercely resisted, lunging at Lu Di to reach the bomb's knob. Just then, a now-conscious Xiao Heyun powerfully intervened, blocking Tao Yinghong. The muscular passenger then stepped in to help restrain her. With police cars surrounding the bus and Zhang Cheng issuing warnings over a megaphone, both Xiao Heyun and Li Shiqing desperately pleaded with Wang Xingde to stop the bus. The bus was finally forced to a halt by the police.

Wang Xingde, clutching the bomb, threatened to detonate it. Li Shiqing stepped forward and showed him the photograph of Wang Mengmeng being molested. She passionately explained that the photo proved his daughter's innocence, revealing she was a victim. She informed him that her advisor was also Wang Mengmeng's, and they had found the person who took the photo, who was now ready to testify.

Li Shiqing urged him to let everyone off the bus so she could hand the evidence to the police, clearing Wang Mengmeng’s name. Zhang Cheng, now inside the bus, reinforced the plea, identifying himself as the head of the city detective unit and promising a full reinvestigation. Wang Xingde initially expressed skepticism, believing that after so long, no one would believe them, and argued that their actions wouldn't truly harm the man who molested his daughter.

Both Li Shiqing and Zhang Cheng insisted that they believed him and encouraged him to trust the police. Li Shiqing then made a heartfelt plea for him to live, to witness the man who harmed Wang Mengmeng receive his deserved punishment. Moved by their words and the irrefutable evidence, Wang Xingde slowly loosened his grip on the bomb.

Seizing the opportunity, Zhang Cheng snatched the bomb, sprinted to the edge of the bridge, and flung it into the water, where it harmlessly exploded. With the bomb neutralized and all passengers safe, Xiao Heyun checked on Li Shiqing. Old Jiao, relieved, exclaimed that he had forgotten to record the event for his livestream. Zhang Cheng then approached Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun, expressing his confusion about their extraordinary knowledge of the bomb plot and the bus passengers.

They struggled to provide a coherent explanation, but Zhang Cheng, grateful for their immense bravery, allowed them to leave, telling them to call him when they had a plausible story. Still processing the events, Li Shiqing worried if they would return to the loop, but Xiao Heyun dismissed the idea, noting Zhang Cheng's apparent lack of deep suspicion.

Relieved, Li Shiqing insisted on celebrating their freedom with the most expensive meal in Jialin, to which Xiao Heyun responded that they now had "plenty of time." That night, they exchanged "Goodnight" texts, and the next morning, Xiao Heyun sent a "Good morning" message, confirming they had truly broken the loop. They then attended a ceremony where all eight passengers were publicly honored with the "Award for Acting Bravely" and each received a ¥30,000 financial reward.

Old Jiao proudly looked at his wife and daughter in the audience. He Yingjun, the middle-aged man who molested Wang Mengmeng five years prior, was now a father. Unaware of the impending consequences of his past actions, he was arrested by the police as he left for work. Later, in the detention center, Wang Xingde, while being processed for his own actions, saw He Yingjun being brought in.

A look of profound relief finally appeared on Wang Xingde's face, signaling that justice for his daughter had at last begun. The lives of all the passengers on the bus had been profoundly changed. They returned to their families and everyday routines, now cherishing them even more. Xiao Heyun and Li Shiqing visited Wang Mengmeng's grave, placing a wreath in her memory. Hand-in-hand, they walked away, ready to embrace their new lives together.