Stealth Walker Episode 18 Recap
> Stealth Walker Recap
Lin Qiang and Zhang Xianhe found an opportunity to speak privately. Lin Qiang started by asking Zhang Xianhe why he had left without a word, only a note, after promising to return. Zhang Xianhe countered, asking why Lin Qiang and Cheng Jingsong had suddenly come to Miao Village in Mengchen to acquire Xunma grass. Lin Qiang didn't answer directly, instead revealing that she had visited Coco at Ms. Li's place after he disappeared and saw that Coco's ear was injured.
She pressed him for an explanation. Zhang Xianhe remained silent, leading Lin Qiang to his mother's grave. There, as he placed offerings, he began to recount his past. He spoke of his childhood poverty, and how his mother had left him in Mengchen to earn money, returning home sick each time. He overheard adults whispering that she was a drug mule. Though he didn't believe it at first, he later learned it was true.
His mother eventually tried to quit and returned home secretly, but the drug dealer wouldn't let her go. During a brutal beating, the drug packets still inside her body ruptured, and she died right in front of him. After her death, the drug dealer, Ma Hongtao, adopted him. Zhang Xianhe explained that Ma Hongtao, once powerful in Hongwa, had been sidelined by his nephew, Liu Bing, due to infighting among his subordinates. Lin Qiang acknowledged she understood.
Zhang Xianhe further revealed that Fang Lin, who had been captured earlier, could produce a new type of meth that didn't require ephedra, but instead needed large quantities of Xunma grass as a catalyst. With Fang Lin now in Liu Bing's hands, Liu Bing would be dependent on Xunma grass to manufacture the new drug.
Zhang Xianhe stated that he didn't know Liu Bing's current whereabouts, but if he could control the Xunma grass supply, he would undoubtedly track Liu Bing down. He then clarified that Coco’s ear injury occurred when Liu Bing’s men attempted to kidnap her as part of his efforts to eliminate Zhang Xianhe to secure his own position. Zhang Xianhe vowed that he would not allow anyone he cared about to be harmed again.
Later, Lin Qiang reported Zhang Xianhe's story to Cheng Jingsong. Cheng Jingsong expressed skepticism, questioning the veracity of Zhang Xianhe's claims. However, Lin Qiang felt that Zhang Xianhe was genuinely explaining his circumstances and had no reason to lie. Meanwhile, Captain Cao had instructed Cheng Jingsong to prioritize obtaining the exclusive distribution rights for Xunma grass, emphasizing that this was crucial for uncovering leads related to the new meth.
He also mentioned that since the police couldn't directly intervene, they had to rely on their own methods. Lin Qiang relayed this, agreeing that their primary goal remained securing the Xunma grass rights, regardless of Zhang Xianhe's motives. That evening, Wu Feng noticed the Village Head looking troubled. The Village Head confessed his worries about his daughter Xina's impending marriage to Zhang Xianhe.
He revealed that Zhang Xianhe's mother had been a drug mule and feared Zhang Xianhe might follow a similar path, endangering Xina's future. Wu Feng, seeing an opportunity, offered to help the Village Head disrupt the marriage if he was truly against it. The Village Head, desperate, asked for the plan, to which Wu Feng simply stated it was easy but required the Village Head to follow his instructions.
Wu Feng then went to brief Lin Qiang and Cheng Jingsong on his plan, which was to simply sabotage the wedding. Both Lin Qiang and Cheng Jingsong initially balked at the idea, finding it too audacious. Wu Feng, however, insisted that he had already discussed it with the Village Head and, having no other solutions, told them to proceed as planned.
The next day, Xina approached Lin Qiang, offering her a bowl of chicken soup she claimed contained donkey-hide gelatin for health. Xina, acting sweet, said she wanted to get to know Zhang Xianhe's friends better before her wedding. Lin Qiang took the opportunity to warn Xina that Zhang Xianhe was not the man she imagined. She revealed that she and Zhang Xianhe had once been together, and he had callously dumped her.
Lin Qiang painted Zhang Xianhe as manipulative, noting his secretive phone calls and pensive solitary moments. She asserted that Xina was merely "one percent" of his world, not his "only." Xina feigned shock and distress. Lin Qiang then bluntly told Xina that Zhang Xianhe was marrying her solely for the Xunma grass supply, and once he got it, he would vanish. She urged Xina not to repeat her past mistakes. Xina thanked her for the warning.
As they spoke, Lin Qiang developed a rash on her neck. Xina pointed it out, suggesting it might be an allergic reaction. When Lin Qiang went to check her face in the mirror, Xina quickly grabbed Lin Qiang’s phone and covertly scanned her messages. Upon Lin Qiang’s return, still itchy and red-faced, she questioned if the herb in the soup caused the allergy, wondering if it was not donkey-hide gelatin after all.
Xina then confessed that it was indeed the wild geranium, a special herb from their village, which could be poisonous in large quantities. Realizing Xina had deliberately drugged her, Lin Qiang became furious. Xina then declared that Zhang Xianhe was "her man," and she didn't care about his past because she would be his future. She dismissed any other women, warning them not to "covet" him.
Infuriated by Xina’s deception, Lin Qiang stormed back to Cheng Jingsong, ordering him to ruin the wedding and secure the Xunma grass supply at all costs, threatening that he wouldn’t be allowed to return to Lingnan otherwise. Cheng Jingsong, noticing her reddened face, asked what had happened.
Meanwhile, Xina reported back to Zhang Xianhe that she had successfully fed Lin Qiang the wild geranium to get her phone, and found messages from someone named Hong urging Lin Qiang to acquire Xunma grass. Zhang Xianhe acknowledged the name "Wu Hong" (Hong). Xina then reminded him of their "big day" in three days, implying their wedding was a planned operation for his mission.
On the day of the wedding, Wu Feng reiterated the plan to Cheng Jingsong: when the Village Head struck the gong to commence the ceremony, Cheng Jingsong was to be the first to rush into Xina’s room, which, by village tradition, would successfully nullify the marriage. To ensure Cheng Jingsong’s success, Lin Qiang detained Zhang Xianhe in his room by blocking his exit, preventing him from interfering.
As the gong sounded, a confused Cheng Jingsong hesitated, but Wu Feng frantically urged him to act, revealing that Lin Qiang had Zhang Xianhe detained. Inside the room, Lin Qiang physically struggled with Zhang Xianhe, refusing to let him out. She accused him of working for Hong and attempting to disrupt her mission, and he questioned how she knew. Cheng Jingsong, finally spurred into action, raced into Xina’s room, disrupting the ceremony as planned.
Though Xina was heartbroken and in tears, the Village Head, relieved, comforted her while secretly expressing his satisfaction with Zhang Xianhe's failure. He then publicly granted the Xunma grass distribution rights to Cheng Jingsong, and a contract was swiftly signed. With the mission complete, Zhang Xianhe prepared to leave Mengchen. Xina came to help him pack, revealing that the idea of marrying to secure the Xunma grass rights from her father was actually hers.
Despite the wedding being a ruse, her feelings for him were genuine. She confessed that they had grown up together, and regardless of what others in the village said about him and his mother, she had always believed them to be the kindest people. Zhang Xianhe, unable to reciprocate her affections, could only apologize and wish her to find someone who truly loved and deserved her.
As Lin Qiang and Cheng Jingsong began their journey back to Lingnan, Hong sent Lin Qiang an address, instructing them to pick up an additional person. Upon reaching the designated location, they were both stunned to find Zhang Xianhe waiting for them. Lin Qiang, surprised, looked at him, and Zhang Xianhe simply urged her to drive, reminding them it was a two-day trip to Lingnan.
