Reset Episode 12 Recap
> Reset 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.
