Storm Eye Episode 31 Recap
> Storm Eye Recap
An Jing encouraged Ma Junhai not to blame Ma Shang but to try and understand him. Ma Junhai then expressed his desire to go home and asked Ma Shang to drive him. Ma Shang was concerned about the ongoing situation, but An Jing reassured him that she and Department Chief Song were present, and Du Meng's role was also crucial.
Before leaving, Ma Junhai thanked An Jing for revealing everything, praised her as a good kid, and asked her to continue looking after Ma Shang. As they drove home, a tense silence filled the car. Ma Junhai’s wife called, and he answered brusquely, telling her he was busy. She asked if the goods had been shipped successfully, to which Ma Junhai confirmed everything was fine and that he would be home soon.
Upon reaching their street, Ma Junhai quickly got out of the car without waiting. Ma Shang followed, apologizing and pleading with his father not to be angry. Ma Junhai waved him off but then tapped on the car window, instructing him to "Pay attention to safety." Ma Shang, He Zixuan, and An Jing convened a video meeting with Department Chief Song.
Song confirmed that Fu Mengyao had been kidnapped and emphasized that no information about any arrests could be leaked before she was safely rescued. Ma Shang suggested allowing the first batch of goods to be sent, then having customs delay the shipment for other reasons to keep their opponents unaware. An Jing disagreed, citing too many uncertainties, such as unknown meeting times, the number of people involved, or potential secret codes or hidden sentries.
He Zixuan reported finding two potential breakthroughs among the arrested individuals and promised to send the relevant information. Ma Shang proposed offering a reduced sentence or witness protection to these individuals to secure their cooperation.
During the meeting, An Jing provided an update on Fu Mengyao's whereabouts, reporting that the Sky-Eye system showed her leaving Shuangqing Airport after being seen off by Fu Dayong, then getting into a black limousine that traveled to Binhai city, where surveillance was lost due to a blind spot. Ma Shang confirmed that the provincial government office had approved him to assist the Binhai city office in investigating the case.
Recognizing the urgency, Ma Shang requested to work with An Jing on this mission to rescue Fu Mengyao, hoping to leverage this to gain cooperation from Fu Dayong, who had been unforthcoming due to concerns for his daughter's safety. Department Chief Song approved An Jing's preparations. Earlier, Du Meng noticed Pang Yishan hadn't gone to work. He later followed Pang Yishan as he drove to the city hospital, not Dinghua.
Ma Shang suspected this visit might be linked to Pang Yishan's prior conversation with Miao Fei. Du Meng attempted to monitor the conversation, though direct mobile phone monitoring required approval. Inside the hospital, Pang Yishan met Lin Xiaolan and announced he was there to say goodbye. He presented information about Knowledge & Invention Union, revealing its deep background and backing by the Hermes Group. Lin Xiaolan knew of Hermes but was unaware of any past collaboration with Dinghua.
Pang Yishan explained that the connection dated back about ten years, before Lin Xiaolan joined Dinghua, and was handled by Miao Huanyang. He admitted he tracked it out of "selfishness," intending to use it against Miao Huanyang. Pang Yishan disclosed that Dinghua's DS ore was secretly sold to the Hermes Group at that time, likely flowing overseas.
Lin Xiaolan was furious, demanding an immediate halt to all collaboration with Knowledge & Invention Union, asserting that Hermes's interest in acquiring Dinghua was clearly not simple due to their meddling in DS ores. Pang Yishan acknowledged this, confirming that Knowledge & Invention Union was secretly buying Dinghua's shares to gain control. Lin Xiaolan believed the transaction would fail because the government, which closely monitored Dinghua, would undoubtedly intervene.
He then revealed that the only way to prevent Dinghua's collapse was to allow state-owned enterprises to step in. He confessed that his and Miao Huanyang's previous opposition to state funding was not to preserve Dinghua's autonomy, but rather to hide their past "bad debts." Pang Yishan concluded by stating he was turning himself in. Lin Xiaolan was moved, understanding that this difficult choice showed how much Dinghua meant to him and assuring him he hadn't disappointed her.
Pang Yishan expressed gratitude for her trust, feeling that for years, he had been nothing more than Miao Huanyang's "pug," underestimated by everyone. He thanked her for trusting him to lead during the company's crisis. With a bow, Pang Yishan left, instructing Lin Xiaolan to oversee the new investments he had arranged once she recovered, viewing this as his final contribution to Dinghua. Ma Shang later confirmed Pang Yishan's intention to surrender.
However, Ma Shang found the situation "terrible" and "strange," noting that the acquisition of Dinghua by Knowledge & Invention Union was something Dinghua could resolve internally, without their intervention. He felt the entire "game" was poorly executed and that their opponents were not typically this incompetent. An Jing advised Ma Shang not to overthink it. During a meeting, Ma Shang reiterated his concern that the progress felt "too smooth," as if the opponent had suddenly become foolish.
An Jing still considered getting Qiao Xichuan to talk a major breakthrough. An Jing also revealed a significant discovery: a string of fingerprints found on the phone Fu Dayong had submitted, which had been sent for cross-matching. Ma Shang remained uneasy, believing that the internal threat within Dinghua had not yet been eliminated, as they had seemingly misidentified the insider. Ma Shang returned home to find Ma Junhai still awake.
His father expressed frustration at his inability to discern Ma Shang’s true identity for so long. Ma Shang asked his father to keep his identity a secret from his mother for now, as the timing wasn't right. Ma Junhai promised to do so, only asking Ma Shang to prioritize his safety during missions. When Ma Shang mentioned going on a business trip, Ma Junhai immediately deduced he was going to rescue Fu Dayong’s kidnapped daughter.
Ma Junhai supported Ma Shang's work but couldn't help but worry about his safety. Meanwhile, Qiao Xichuan arrived at Dinghua for a meeting. Lin Xiaolan, now recovered, confronted him, stating that during their previous negotiations, he had deliberately withheld the fact that Knowledge & Invention Union was backed by the Hermes Group. She made it clear that if Hermes’s involvement in acquiring Dinghua had been disclosed earlier, they would never have entered negotiations.
Qiao Xichuan tried to dismiss her concerns, but Lin Xiaolan insisted it was a critical matter. As Qiao Xichuan prepared to leave, An Jing entered. She informed him that National Security had evidence proving Knowledge & Invention Union’s malicious intent in acquiring Dinghua’s shares to gain a controlling interest.
An Jing stated that while he wasn't being detained yet, he was restricted from leaving the country and was required to cooperate with their investigation, warning that any attempt to depart would result in detention. Qiao Xichuan, asserting his status as a businessman and non-Chinese citizen, tried to call his lawyer, but An Jing clarified that her visit was merely to inform him, and further questions would be addressed later in the investigation.
Before Ma Shang left, his mother handed him a package containing his favorite foods and cold medicine, despite his protests that it was just a short business trip. She reminded him to call her upon arrival. Ma Junhai, after a moment of silence, decided to drive Ma Shang to his drop-off point. In the car, Ma Junhai reflected that Ma Shang was now grown and no longer needed their protection, but as parents, they would always worry.
He urged Ma Shang to focus on his mission and not be distracted by concerns for them. Ma Shang promised to handle everything quickly and return home safely. Before Ma Shang exited the car, Ma Junhai leaned in and said that Fu Dayong had only one precious daughter, and Ma Shang "must rescue her!" Ma Shang guaranteed he would complete the mission.
Du Meng informed An Jing that Qiao Xichuan was under comprehensive surveillance, with all his movements, telephone signals, and potential exit points being monitored. He confirmed that they were following An Jing's instructions to allow Qiao Xichuan some room to maneuver, anticipating his next move. An Jing then entrusted the monitoring of Qiao Xichuan to Du Meng and his team, as she and Ma Shang were departing to rescue Fu Mengyao. Du Meng later noted that a recent call from Qiao Xichuan could not be monitored as it was a satellite signal.
