Storm Eye Episode 40 (Ending) Recap
> Storm Eye Recap
Jeffrey contacted Cheng Lei, informing him that an exit route had been prepared. However, Cheng Lei insisted that he would not hand over any data until he saw Jeffrey in person. Jeffrey, unable to be located by the authorities due to an anti-location device on his phone, expressed frustration about being watched and the need to get rid of their tails.
An Jing, recognizing the potential for Cheng Lei to resort to extreme measures, requested two additional teams to manage the situation. Ma Shang supported this by stating that they would also prepare backup plans to control the surrounding area and avoid a forced arrest if circumstances became uncontrollable. The next day, Cheng Lei began his mission, leaving his hotel room after intentionally damaging items.
An Jing and her team, including Wang Zuo, entered to investigate, while other agents continued to tail Cheng Lei. Wang Zuo discovered dozens of soap wrappers in the trash, leading An Jing to conclude that Cheng Lei had likely created and was carrying homemade explosives. She immediately alerted all teams. Director Song and Director Qin, upon learning this, immediately decided to arrest Cheng Lei, authorizing lethal force if necessary.
They asserted that protecting public safety was their primary mission, even if it meant not luring Jeffrey out. As Cheng Lei entered a densely populated area, An Jing requested Ma Shang's cooperation, and Ma Shang initiated the backup plan. Ma Shang convinced Qiao Xichuan to impersonate Jeffrey on the phone, explaining that they hoped Cheng Lei would face legal sanctions rather than being killed.
Ma Shang assured Qiao Xichuan that close surveillance would prevent any detonation even if Qiao Xichuan failed. Meanwhile, Cheng Lei and the real Jeffrey had exchanged emails, with Cheng Lei stating "Qinghai Square" and Jeffrey replying "In five minutes." Qiao Xichuan, posing as Jeffrey over the phone, directed Cheng Lei to proceed "one step further" to a "better location" in the underground parking lot at spot 331, asking him to contact him once his mission was complete.
As Cheng Lei followed these instructions into the underground parking garage, the real Jeffrey called him. Jeffrey became suspicious, realizing he had been exposed, and promptly abandoned the meeting. Surrounded by An Jing's team in the parking lot, Cheng Lei realized he had been duped by an impostor. An Jing informed him that his explosives would be harmless at that distance. Cheng Lei, after provocatively asking about Du Meng, ultimately surrendered.
An Jing, wary of other hidden weapons, instructed her team to maintain a safe distance before successfully arresting him. With Cheng Lei apprehended, Ma Shang immediately began analyzing the recording of Jeffrey’s last phone call to Cheng Lei, recognizing it as their sole chance to capture Jeffrey. He isolated a distinct "subway station card" sound, confirming Jeffrey was at a subway station.
Based on the call's timing, Jeffrey should be at Qinghai Square, a complex interchange station with multiple lines, entrances, and 134 surveillance cameras. Ma Shang ordered all surveillance footage from the time of the call to be displayed, despite the initial lack of clarity. He then met Qiao Xichuan to help sift through the numerous screens. While initially struggling with identification, Ma Shang, with intense focus, identified an individual who abruptly changed direction amidst the usual flow of the crowd.
He then synchronized the surveillance footage with the exact call time, 09:08, and requested facial and gait analysis, confirming the target's identity. Jeffrey was located on Subway Line 2, Platform 5. Director Qin and Director Song highly commended Ma Shang's calm and swift decision-making.
When Zixuan inquired how Ma Shang could discern Jeffrey from such small, crowded screens, Ma Shang explained his method: recognizing that subway crowds typically move in fixed, clear directions, he focused on individuals who deviated from this pattern. Jeffrey's realization of the crisis would have caused him to abruptly change direction, making him a "disruptive element" and thus, detectable. Ma Shang and An Jing interrogated Cheng Lei.
An Jing urged him to confess, reminding him that "there's no perfect crime in this world," though Cheng Lei maintained his arrogance, attributing his capture to carelessness. Cheng Lei then inquired about Jeffrey, dismissing him as "not the big shot" and offering to exchange a "big secret" for amnesty. An Jing rejected the offer, stating that only a sentence reduction for cooperation was possible.
When An Jing pressed for his true identity, Cheng Lei revealed he was not the original Cheng Lei. Years ago, his organization tasked him with a challenging mission to infiltrate Dinghua. The original Cheng Lei, an IT professional studying in the States, died with his family in a car accident.
Taking advantage of their similar appearance and height, he assumed the identity of Cheng Lei, a "top-notch staff member from the overseas branch of Dinghua," and claimed to have adopted many other identities, such as Johnny, a Key Account Manager, or a doctor.
He recounted his personal history, revealing he discovered he was adopted at thirteen and later learned his biological parents perished in an air crash on September 1, 1983, leaving him without knowledge of his nationality or true age. Cheng Lei admitted to killing Jia Changan, humorously noting his good fortune that it occurred in a surveillance blind spot, or he would have had to "solve the security control room."
He continued to demand amnesty in exchange for information, arrogantly stating he "wouldn't have to wake up from a sound sleep" if not for them. Ma Shang retorted that the People's Republic of China would find and "wake up" anyone threatening its security. Later, Ma Shang, Director Qin, and Director Song discussed Cheng Lei’s revelations, fearing that the organization they had dismantled was merely the "tip of the iceberg," with more formidable missions ahead.
An Jing questioned Cheng Lei's sudden decision to share his life story and mention the 1983 air crash. Ma Shang also found it odd, convinced Cheng Lei wouldn't speak "meaningless things." Director Qin warned Ma Shang against falling into "cognitive inertia" from their prolonged confrontation, advising him not to let himself be "thrown into a vortex" by Cheng Lei's distorted personality. He reiterated the saying, "When you look at evil, evil will look at you too."
Director Qin then announced that Headquarters would assume control of the case, transferring all involved parties, including Jeffrey, Qiao Xichuan, Cheng Lei, "Leader," and "Bat," into their custody. An Jing was visibly enraged by Cheng Lei’s brazen demeanor. Du Ling carried Du Meng's urn to the Martyrs' Cemetery, where Ma Shang, An Jing, and their fellow National Security agents, dressed in uniform, gathered to bid farewell to their fallen comrade.
Director Qin delivered a solemn speech, acknowledging their recent success in cutting off the "devil's talons" but warning that the "brain still exists" and "this monster is hibernating in the dark," with "even more hostile forces" lying in wait. He declared that "Protecting the security of the country is an endless battle," urging them to remain "fully-prepared to take the enemies head on" to honor the sacrificed heroes.
Later, as Ma Shang drove An Jing, he playfully reminded her about a trip she owed him from college. However, their lighthearted moment was interrupted by a new mission, involving a target named Xu Feng, code-named "Stone," a 36-year-old male of 1. 6 meters height.
This perpetual readiness, accepting new challenges and embarking on new journeys at any time and place, epitomized their lives and work as National Security warriors, committed to silently protecting the nation's peace and tranquility, unwavering through all adversities.
