Storm Eye Episode 1 Recap
> Storm Eye Recap
On an international flight delayed by weather, Ma Shang quietly waited in his seat. The man next to him, Chen Can, began a conversation, assuming Ma Shang, with his sharp suit, must have been unable to get a first-class seat and was consequently in economy. Ma Shang noted that Chen Can was using rented WiFi and hadn't yet switched to a domestic SIM card.
When asked, Ma Shang identified himself as working in human resources, a headhunter, while Chen Can stated he worked in IT and had been abroad for nearly ten years. Meanwhile, at the National Security Bureau, An Jing, the chief of the investigation section, was organizing an operation. She briefed her team that their target was an international commercial spy known as Blaster, whose real name was unknown. Their mission was to track and surveil him without exposing themselves.
The target's flight landed in Shuangqing. An Jing's team began their close surveillance of Chen Can, who was the designated target. Chen Can took a taxi from the airport. Shortly after, the taxi driver informed the monitoring team that he had forgotten his luggage and needed to return to the airport. An Jing instructed the team to withdraw and use the SkyEye system for tracking.
Later, Chen Can changed to a black Chevrolet sedan with license plate RA9210, and the surveillance continued. Ma Shang returned home to Shuangqing, surprising his parents. His mother, calling him by his childhood nickname Xiao Juzi, was overjoyed but quickly began inquiring about his marital status and grandchildren. Ma Shang presented gifts for his parents, and just as they were about to go shopping for food, he received a work email, compelling him to attend to it.
Later, while walking with his mother after grocery shopping, Ma Shang excused himself to buy red wine, sending his mother home alone. He then encountered his high school classmate, Jia Shi, who proudly announced he was now a top cameraman at Shuangqing TV Station. Jia Shi informed Ma Shang that their high school teacher, Lao Wang, had passed away from lung cancer and his funeral was scheduled for the next day at Tao Yuan Public Cemetary.
Ma Shang promised to attend. During the ongoing surveillance, Du Meng, an agent, reported that Chen Can was slowing down and appeared to be testing him by letting him pass. An Jing confirmed she saw the situation and calmly directed Du Meng to exit at the next ramp, with another team member taking over the tail. Chen Can's vehicle later entered the underground parking garage of the Pavilion Shopping Center.
An Jing ordered all available CCTV footage from the garage and dispatched her teams to the location. Inside the shopping center, Zhou Lian and Chen Can entered an elevator together, with Chen Can remaining highly vigilant. Du Meng identified a subway station and requested permission to wait at its entrance. An Jing approved, aware of the complexity of the subway environment.
Du Meng tracked Chen Can into the subway, but while helping a pregnant woman who nearly fell, he lost sight of the target. The mission failed, and An Jing ordered the technical department to use the SkyEye system to locate Chen Can and recall the teams. Following the failed mission, An Jing approached Department Chief Song, taking responsibility for the failure but also raising several doubts.
She questioned why the provincial department, which had the target's flight information and knew of his forged identity and name, did not provide this crucial information. She argued that such details would allow them to investigate car rentals, hotels, and bank accounts. An Jing also suspected that Chen Can was keen on confirming his security, suggesting he might be planning a crime in Shuangqing.
She expressed concern about the limited preparation time and the possibility that Chen Can might have already connected with accomplices on the plane. Department Chief Song, however, dismissed her concerns and instructed her to write an action report. Meanwhile, Chen Can checked into a hotel, remaining highly vigilant about his surroundings. Later, An Jing's mother visited her, bringing food and expressing worry about her daughter's dangerous work. She suggested An Jing transfer to the technical department for a safer role.
An Jing, however, joked that her father's "ADHD gene" made her unsuited for a desk job. Her mother also mentioned that An Jing's high school teacher, Lao Wang, had passed away from lung cancer. The next day, An Jing attended Lao Wang's funeral. She observed Ma Shang speaking at the tombstone, then approached after he left to pay her respects. Ma Shang, who had returned, then saw An Jing.
They sat down for coffee, and Ma Shang shared that he had been working in Beijing since graduation, while An Jing said she worked for a Public Security Unit in Shuangqing. Ma Shang pressed her about her sudden disappearance ten years prior, revealing he had searched for her for a long time without any news, but An Jing evaded the question and they both left. Unbeknownst to An Jing, Ma Shang was a National Security investigator.
He later met with Director Song and Hao Zixuan. Ma Shang revealed that he had anticipated Chen Can's evasiveness and had planted a tracker on him during the flight. He explained that by letting Chen Can believe he had shaken off surveillance, Chen Can would likely continue with his plans, giving them an opportunity to intervene. Director Song commended Ma Shang's strategy.
He then showed Ma Shang files on the team's new collaborators from the Shuangqing City National Security Bureau's investigation section. To Ma Shang's surprise, one of the profiles was An Jing's.
