Stealth Walker Episode 7 Recap
> Stealth Walker Recap
Qiu Hu fired a gun at Chen Zhiyong, while Hei Pi dealt with Chen Zhiyong's subordinates. Hei Pi expressed concern that killing Chen Zhiyong would cut off Hong's supply and potentially create conflict with them. Qiu Hu, however, explained that his elaborate plan was not just about Chen Zhiyong. He asserted that every dealer now believed Chen Zhiyong had tipped off the police, a grave transgression in their world.
Therefore, killing Chen Zhiyong at this moment would not provoke retaliation from Hong or others, as they would consider a veteran like himself, whose goods were seized by police, more reliable than a supposed informant. Qiu Hu then ordered Hei Pi to remove Chen Zhiyong's body. To their surprise, Chen Zhiyong was gone, having worn a bulletproof vest and escaped. Furious, Qiu Hu ordered his men to chase after the "rat bastard."
Later, Lin Qiang pondered Zhang Xianhe's invitation to meet her at a hotel room two nights from now. Meanwhile, Qiu Hu summoned Lin Qiang, who feigned enthusiasm, expecting a reward. Qiu Hu presented her with money but first questioned a phone call she made during a recent delivery. Lin Qiang claimed it was her boyfriend. Suspicious, Qiu Hu accused her of being a mole, linking her call to the police raid.
Qiu Hu attempted to take her phone, but Lin Qiang pulled it away, saying she would give it to him herself. Qiu Hu then used her phone to call the number, waiting silently. Fortunately, Cheng Jingsong, acting as her boyfriend, answered, calling her "honeybunch" and expressing how much he missed her. Convinced, Qiu Hu remarked that her boyfriend was "quite clingy."
Seizing the moment, Lin Qiang angrily confronted Qiu Hu, accusing him of orchestrating the police raid to frame Chen Zhiyong and unfairly testing her loyalty, calling his actions "unethical." Reassured, Qiu Hu chuckled, praised her intelligence, and then gave her the money. After work, Cheng Jingsong arrived to pick up Lin Qiang. Noticing Hei Pi observing them, he deliberately put his arm around Lin Qiang and pulled her close, whispering that they were "being watched."
Once in the car, Cheng Jingsong scolded Lin Qiang for not deleting her call history. Lin Qiang retorted that deleting everything would be more suspicious, adding that she had intentionally left the records, which contained only calls from him and telemarketers. Cheng Jingsong acknowledged their quick thinking and explained that Qiu Hu's test indicated a lack of complete trust.
He proposed they commit fully to their fake relationship, including him picking her up daily, being visibly intimate, exchanging photos, using pet names, and going on regular dates. Lin Qiang readily agreed to the dates, especially for the "free food and drinks," but informed him she had another date first. Cheng Jingsong asked who it was, and Lin Qiang prepared to meet Zhang Xianhe, changing into a revealing uniform based on advice from Zhang Xianhe's daughter, Coco, about his preferences.
People stared at her outfit, to which she defensively told them, "Don't you know cosplay?" Upon seeing Zhang Xianhe's expression, she believed her "costume was spot on." Still concerned about Lin Qiang's upcoming date, Cheng Jingsong had earlier consulted his daughter, Coco, asking her about older girls' preferences in men's attire. Coco, having been asked the same question by Lin Qiang (whom she referred to as Wang Qian), deduced the date's purpose.
Speaking to Lin Qiang on the phone, Cheng Jingsong questioned why Zhang Xianhe chose a hotel room instead of his home next door. Lin Qiang suggested it might be inconvenient due to his child. Still worried, Cheng Jingsong sternly advised her to "behave yourself" and remember her identity, then told her he would book the adjacent hotel room. He instructed her to knock on the wall three times if she encountered any danger, promising to "immediately rescue" her.
Lin Qiang noticed his worried expression, jokingly asking if he was "shocked." Lin Qiang met Zhang Xianhe in her provocative outfit. After an initial awkward encounter, Zhang Xianhe showered and returned in a bathrobe, then pushed Lin Qiang against the wall. Lin Qiang, sensing his intentions, quickly asserted that they should discuss business before any intimacy, questioning if their interaction was about money.
She clarified that she would do anything for cash and was open to a long-term partnership, also mentioning she needed his help. Zhang Xianhe laughed, revealing he was "messing with her" and not to take it seriously, and that he actually needed her help. He then offered her money and revealed his plan: she was to accompany him to Qiu Hu's birthday party at his hotel tomorrow.
While he distracted Qiu Hu, she was to sneak into Qiu Hu's office to "borrow" something. Lin Qiang realized he was asking her to steal. Zhang Xianhe clarified it as "borrowing," stating he needed to "probe Qiu Hu's financial background" before investing in his hotel. He promised to reveal the specific item to "borrow" tomorrow and provided a dress for the occasion. Lin Qiang commented on the dress, saying it "shows his lack of taste."
After her late-night meeting, Lin Qiang forgot to contact Cheng Jingsong. The next day, she faced an angry Cheng Jingsong, who accused her of violating protocols due to her delayed report. Lin Qiang apologized, explaining she was absorbed in writing her operational log, and asked if he had indeed waited for her all night in the adjacent room. He admitted waiting until 4 AM but had not heard her three knocks.
Lin Qiang then recounted her successful interaction with Zhang Xianhe, informing him that she would attend Qiu Hu's birthday party to "steal something" from his office, which she believed could also lead them to their own intelligence. Cheng Jingsong expressed suspicion about the plan and insisted on reporting it to Cao Yongming before she proceeded. Lin Qiang, confident, questioned his caution, asserting she could easily handle Zhang Xianhe.
Cheng Jingsong then pressed her about the details of what happened in the hotel room, mentioning a knock he heard twice on the wall. Lin Qiang, annoyed by his prying, reminded him that as her contact, he was only privy to operational reports, not personal details. She conceded her "failure" to report fully and urged him to report to Cao Yongming.
Cheng Jingsong then reported to Cao Yongming that Lin Qiang had found a way to the top floor and would infiltrate Qiu Hu's office that night to search for the storeroom key. Cao Yongming praised Lin Qiang's recent performance but noted she was "clever but reckless," instructing Cheng Jingsong to "keep an eye on her" and offer more support.
He reiterated that while investigating the storeroom, which Chu Jiaojiao had earlier mentioned might contain "red wine" and "heroin," was a viable lead, they needed a backup plan. He anticipated another trade from Qiu Hu given his recent losses. He emphasized that Lin Qiang's risk in entering Qiu Hu's office must yield significant results.
Cao Yongming then interrupted a junior officer decocting herbs, playfully remarking on the specialized unit turning into a traditional Chinese medicine clinic, and ordered him to retrieve a pinhole camera. He then questioned Li Yan, who was engrossed in texting his girlfriend, about Lin Qiang's social connections. Li Yan confirmed that Lin Qiang's police academy connections were handled, and among her younger associates, all except De were unaware she was a police officer.
He added that De's art studio had closed and his whereabouts were unknown. Cao Yongming then gave the pinhole camera to Cheng Jingsong, instructing him to give it to Lin Qiang to install in Qiu Hu's office. This was not only to gather evidence but also to assess Qiu Hu's trust in Lin Qiang. He sternly warned Li Yan that if he met his girlfriend before finding De, he should submit a resignation instead of a work report.
Meanwhile, De spotted Lin Qiang in Zhang Xianhe's car. He followed them to the Haoting Hotel but was stopped at the entrance by a waiter who accused him of being a repeat "dine and dasher." Rejected and insulted, De noticed a "Hiring" sign outside the hotel and decided to apply for a job there to get closer to Lin Qiang. At Qiu Hu's birthday party at the Haoting Hotel, Lin Qiang accompanied Zhang Xianhe as his girlfriend.
Lei Jie initially attempted to block Lin Qiang's entry to the top-floor banquet hall, but Zhang Xianhe intervened, asserting Lin Qiang was his girlfriend and warning Lei Jie to show respect. Qiu Hu greeted them, and Zhang Xianhe apologized for their tardiness, offering a toast. Qiu Hu then questioned Lin Qiang about her relationship with Zhang Xianhe and the "other boyfriend" she had mentioned, to which Lin Qiang coolly replied that having two boyfriends was not an issue.
During the party, Zhang Xianhe discreetly signaled Lin Qiang. He then informed her that Qiu Hu's office was the "first one on the left." He initially handed her a device to open the door, but Lin Qiang confidently revealed her lock-picking tools, making a joke about not carrying lipstick in her bag.
Zhang Xianhe instructed her to find an "electronic key" in the right drawer of Qiu Hu's desk and duplicate it using a mold, explaining that it was for a special alarm-connected lock that couldn't be picked. He reiterated that he needed this to gauge Qiu Hu's financial standing before considering an investment in his hotel. Lin Qiang successfully entered the office, duplicated the key, and installed the pinhole camera behind a mirror.
However, she accidentally knocked over a cup, making a noise that alerted Lei Jie and Hei Pi, who were nearby. As Lei Jie and Hei Pi approached to investigate, Lin Qiang tried to exit the office, but her skirt got caught in the door. Just as they were about to discover her, Zhang Xianhe appeared, embracing and kissing Lin Qiang.
He subtly whispered to her that they were "being watched," prompting her to play along as she discreetly pulled her skirt free from the door. Lei Jie and Hei Pi, witnessing the intimate scene, assumed nothing suspicious and retreated. After the party, Zhang Xianhe dropped Lin Qiang off at her building. He gave her money, including an extra 20,000 as a "bonus" because he had "touched her" during the kiss.
Offended, Lin Qiang angrily threw the money back at him, asking what he thought of her and declaring it "far from enough." Zhang Xianhe teased her, suggesting her "body language said differently back there" and telling her to "drop her act." As Zhang Xianhe prepared to leave, Cheng Jingsong, who had been waiting, approached Lin Qiang, asking why she hadn't answered his calls. Zhang Xianhe, surprised, asked Lin Qiang who Cheng Jingsong was.
Cheng Jingsong confidently introduced himself as Lin Qiang's boyfriend. Zhang Xianhe expressed surprise, saying he had "never heard her saying she has one." Lin Qiang confirmed that Cheng Jingsong was indeed her boyfriend and introduced them. Cheng Jingsong then politely bid Zhang Xianhe goodnight and led Lin Qiang away.
