Stealth Walker Episode 8 Recap
> Stealth Walker Recap
Lin Qiang handed Cheng Jingsong the key mold she had copied, asking him to quickly create a key for himself. She noted that Zhang Xianhe had also asked her to obtain a key to the storeroom, and she had just given him the key mold he requested. Lin Qiang expressed her desire to understand Zhang Xianhe's true intentions before arousing his suspicion.
Cheng Jingsong, finding Zhang Xianhe to be a complex individual, immediately decided to report to Captain Cao and investigate Zhang Xianhe's background. Cheng Jingsong was also independently pursuing Cheng Ji's case. He discovered a Greek mythology book among Cheng Ji's belongings, which he realized was a codebook for encrypted messages previously dismissed as gambling ads. He recounted how Captain Cao had initially found no leads from Cheng Ji's phone records.
Using the codebook, Cheng Jingsong deciphered one message: "8 pm Wednesday at Yiwan Hotel, Iron Sword." Lin Qiang acknowledged Cheng Jingsong's unwavering dedication to his uncle's case. Cheng Jingsong stated that with the codebook, they now had a chance to contact Iron Sword. He vowed to uncover the truth and capture the mastermind behind Cheng Ji's death, regardless of whether it was due to betrayal or a trap. Lin Qiang assured him of her support.
To gain access to the warehouse, Lin Qiang distributed gifts to the hotel staff, saying, "I have gifts for everyone." She then hosted a hot pot meal in the kitchen, inviting everyone, including the warehouse guards. She specifically insisted that the storeroom keeper be invited to the meal, asserting that "lunch won't take much time."
While the staff enjoyed the meal and Chu Jiaojiao, encouraged by Lin Qiang's praise as "a renowned singer among us," performed, Lin Qiang discreetly left for Qiu Hu's warehouse. She used the copied key to open the door effortlessly. Inside, she found crates of red wine, which "had nothing wrong" upon inspection. However, one specific crate contained unsettling "blood and claw marks" and "traces of someone living in," indicating that a person had been smuggled "in a wine crate."
As Lin Qiang was examining this evidence, Zhang Xianhe unexpectedly entered. She quickly hid and observed as he looked around. Before leaving, Zhang Xianhe picked up Lin Qiang's lost Schnauzer keychain pendant. Lin Qiang later met with Cheng Jingsong, providing him with a bread bag and the fingerprints she had recovered from the suspicious wine crate. She explained that the conflict between Qiu Hu and Ma Hongtao was likely centered on "a person," not drugs.
She also informed him of Zhang Xianhe's appearance at the warehouse, expressing her confusion about why he was "so interested in the delivery that Qiu Hu intercepted." Cheng Jingsong then revealed that Zhang Xianhe was "Ma Hongtao's foster son" and that "he's looking for a person for Ma Hongtao." He elaborated that Zhang Xianhe managed several securities companies connected to Ma Hongtao's drug cartel and was suspected of money laundering.
Cheng Jingsong conveyed Captain Cao's new directive: Lin Qiang must "find the person Qiu Hu smuggled before Zhang Xianhe does." Meanwhile, at Zhang Xianhe's home, Coco recognized the pendant he found, exclaiming, "Isn't this Wang Qian's Schnauzer?" and confirmed she had played with it before. Through the pinhole camera Lin Qiang had installed in Qiu Hu's office, Captain Cao learned of "Fang Lin and Yenta" from Qiu Hu. Captain Cao's analysis suggested that "Fang Lin. . .
is probably the person in the crate." Cheng Jingsong instructed Lin Qiang to locate Fang Lin but sternly warned her to "keep a safe distance from Zhang Xianhe," given Zhang Xianhe had likely investigated "Wang Qian's identity" and the brutality of Ma Hongtao's cartel. Lin Qiang countered by citing legal principles, stating that all individuals are "innocent until proven guilty."
She argued that "even if the father is a drug dealer, the son could be innocent," suggesting, "Perhaps Zhang Xianhe is a good man." Cheng Jingsong, clearly agitated, admonished her, "You can't weather every crisis with petty tricks. In an operation, we must look out for any potential danger," and firmly advised her to "quit your fantasies about Zhang Xianhe." Later, Zhang Xianhe approached Lin Qiang at work to return her keychain pendant.
Both had unanswered questions about the other's presence at the warehouse. Zhang Xianhe proposed a billiards game, stipulating, "The loser answers the questions. One ball for a question." During the game, Lin Qiang asked how he gained entry to the warehouse, to which he admitted, "I made another for myself" when she asked him to make a key. When pressed on why he was there, Zhang Xianhe candidly replied he was there "to find a person."
He also shared personal details, revealing he was "born in Mengchen, raised in Hongwa and studied in the US." When asked about Coco, he confessed, "Coco is adopted. Soon after she was born, her parents died. Overdosed," adding that Coco was unaware of this fact. He assured Lin Qiang, "I won't tell you anything I shouldn't, but I will never lie to you."
After work, Lin Qiang met Cheng Jingsong and proposed leveraging Zhang Xianhe to confirm Fang Lin's identity, believing she could "get close to Zhang Xianhe by helping him" and potentially extract "information about Ma Hongtao." She reiterated her belief that "Zhang Xianhe is not a malevolent person" and that he "was honest with me" regarding his personal life. Cheng Jingsong reacted furiously, reminding her that Zhang Xianhe had found her pendant and "tested her."
He questioned her reckless judgment, asking, "Do you know what's gonna happen to you?" Lin Qiang defended her actions, arguing that if Zhang Xianhe intended harm, "he would have done so," and suggested cooperation since "he and I share the same target for now." Lin Qiang then challenged Cheng Jingsong's intense reaction to any mention of Zhang Xianhe, asking, "Why do you flare up when it comes to Zhang Xianhe?" and provocatively, "Think very hard about our current relationship."
Cheng Jingsong defensively responded, "I'm your brother. Put the operation aside, I have to guarantee your safety." Deeply troubled, Cheng Jingsong reported to Captain Cao, requesting the termination of Lin Qiang's undercover mission due to what he perceived as her "dangerous game" and "reckless" behavior, emphasizing his need to "keep her out of any danger." Captain Cao acknowledged Cheng Jingsong's emotional "concern" but highlighted Lin Qiang's significant contributions to their recent successes.
He noted that they had "captured almost 30 drug dealers and confiscated over 20 kilos of heroin," largely due to "Lin Qiang" and the information, particularly Wu Hong's phone log, she provided. He praised Lin Qiang's rapid progress, noting she had "learned to deal with her rivals." Captain Cao explained his initial apprehension about Cheng Jingsong being Lin Qiang's contact because personal attachment "clouds your judgment."
He also revealed that he had "implored" Cheng Ji to "contribute to Qiu Hu's case," which tragically led to Cheng Ji's death. Captain Cao told Cheng Jingsong that while he regretted Cheng Ji's death, he did not "regret it" because "by destroying drug cartels, we protect thousands of millions of civilians."
He strongly advised Cheng Jingsong to "drop your private feelings and focus on the case," adding that if forced to choose "between the case and my life, I hope you can choose the case without a second thought," concluding, "It is the police's duty to protect our people." Meanwhile, Lin Qiang successfully tracked the waitress delivering food to Fang Lin and subsequently located Fang Lin's hidden whereabouts.
Cheng Jingsong then called Lin Qiang, informing her that Captain Cao had "approved your plan." He instructed her to find a tall building and observe the "smoke of burning heroin" across the river, proudly stating, "The Narcotics Control confiscated the heroin thanks to the information you provided. Uncle Cheng would be proud of you."
