Sword Rose Episode 2 Recap
> Sword Rose Recap
Deng Yan learned that Fafa called Whiteboard "dad" and sought to question her about Whiteboard's whereabouts. Ai Xin observed Fafa's guarded demeanor around people, leading Deng Yan to suspect that Fafa might have been kidnapped by Whiteboard. The officers spent the night comparing old kidnapping case files, and Ai Xin quickly identified three cases with similarities to Fafa. Deng Yan decided to visit Fafa at the welfare home the next day to verify the information.
The following morning, Deng Yan arrived at the welfare home to see Fafa sitting on the ground, seemingly lost in thought. Noticing a wound on Fafa's hand, Deng Yan gently bandaged it. Upon learning that Deng Yan was a police officer, Fafa grew suspicious, asking if the police were there to catch her father. Deng Yan affirmed that police officers catch bad people and would indeed apprehend Fafa's father if he were a criminal.
Meanwhile, Chang Rui, having heard that Whiteboard was a heavy gambler, went to a casino he frequently visited to investigate. Deng Yan's conversation with Fafa confirmed Whiteboard's gambling habit. She immediately contacted the Anti-abduction Office, instructing officers to search all entertainment venues and underground casinos in the city for Whiteboard, ensuring no lead was overlooked. Just then, Chang Rui called back, confirming he had already located Whiteboard.
Chang Rui, posing as a wealthy man named Xie, began gambling lavishly at a casino and arranged a high-stakes game. The casino boss, alerted to Xie's presence, called Whiteboard to join the game, also involving Zhao Dafeng. Whiteboard, introducing himself as Bai, readily agreed and quickly won a substantial amount of money. When he attempted to leave, Zhao Dafeng, nicknamed Crazy, challenged him, leading to a heated argument.
Chang Rui intervened, calming the situation and suggesting they continue playing for fun, covering Zhao Dafeng's previous losses. Chang Rui continued to play with Whiteboard and Zhao Dafeng through the night, eventually winning all their money. He then returned their winnings, explaining that he sought partners to expand his "business" in Linshan, and proposed they make money together. Whiteboard and Zhao Dafeng were eager to join him.
Chang Rui immediately called Yin Jiansheng, explaining that he had found not only Whiteboard but also an accomplice named Zhao Dafeng, whom he suspected of being part of an organized kidnapping group. He wanted to prolong the operation to catch a larger target. Yin Jiansheng then reported this to Deng Yan, who, in turn, decided to report the situation to Captain Han.
Suddenly, Yan Lei received an urgent report: a baby boy named Little Spud was missing from the Central Garden Square in Xinmin Street. Deng Yan, without delay, led her officers to the scene, instructing Ai Xin to remain at the office for calls. Upon arriving at the small square, Deng Yan and Yin Jiansheng learned from local police officers that the child's grandmother, Mrs. Lin, a former doctor, had rushed to help an unconscious person.
After the ambulance took the patient away, she realized Little Spud was gone. Deng Yan recognized Mrs. Lin as her mother's colleague and reassured her that they were there to help. Little Spud's parents soon arrived, distraught and demanding that the police find their child immediately. Deng Yan calmly explained that they were already deploying traffic police and other units to assist in the search.
Yang Jiajia reviewed the square's surveillance footage and quickly identified a suspicious vehicle with a fake license plate. Deng Yan, suspecting it belonged to kidnappers, personally led the pursuit. The vehicle carried a couple and a baby. The couple sped away, but Deng Yan and Chang Rui pursued relentlessly, eventually forcing the vehicle to stop. The couple adamantly claimed the child was theirs, attributing their frantic escape to having smuggled cigarettes and a fake license plate in the car.
Forensic tests confirmed that the baby in the vehicle belonged to the couple. Little Spud's parents were devastated and directed their anger at Mrs. Lin. Deng Yan felt their investigative direction might be flawed and suggested broadening the search. She proposed expanding the search radius beyond the park entrance to include all exits, deep areas, and blind spots, ensuring no area was overlooked.
She also suggested re-visiting the park to find potential eyewitnesses and contacting other police stations to issue a joint investigation notice, as the child might have already been transferred. Deng Yan and Yan Lei began posting missing person notices for Little Spud near the crime scene. They arrived at Tuanyuan Restaurant, a long-standing civilian anti-kidnapping organization. Madam Zhang, the proprietor, immediately recognized Deng Yan as a childhood friend of her missing daughter, Lin Ranran.
Madam Zhang greeted her warmly, and Deng Yan assured her that she had never forgotten Lin Ranran's case. Yan Lei then received a call from the bureau, prompting them to leave. Meanwhile, lawyer Sun Wenhan encountered Luo Xiaoxing on the street. She was still searching for her younger brother, Luo Xiaoyu, who had been kidnapped fifteen years prior. Sun Wenhan offered to be her legal representative and accompanied her to the Public Complaints Administration to seek assistance.
The administration then called Deng Yan's office. Both Sun Wenhan and Luo Xiaoxing expressed doubts about the Anti-abduction Office's effectiveness, to which Deng Yan responded by detailing the police's extensive efforts, including 327 investigations across 11 provinces and interviews with over 760 individuals since Luo Xiaoyu's disappearance. Luo Xiaoxing recounted her family's tragedies: her mother committed suicide after Luo Xiaoyu went missing, and her father, grandfather, and grandmother all passed away without seeing him return.
She expressed her anguish, having searched for fifteen years with no results. Sun Wenhan pressed Deng Yan for tangible results, demanding Luo Xiaoyu's swift return. In response, Deng Yan made a solemn promise: if she failed to solve Luo Xiaoyu's case, she would resign from the police force. Later, a fisherman discovered Zhao Dafeng's body in a river. Chang Rui personally went to confirm the identity, confirming it was indeed Zhao Dafeng.
He recalled their last encounter in the casino, where he, as Xie, had befriended Whiteboard and Zhao Dafeng. During that meeting, Chang Rui implied he was involved in human trafficking, using the slang term "leather business," which Zhao Dafeng confirmed was also their line of work. Chang Rui then offered Zhao Dafeng 30,000 yuan as a down payment for goods, agreeing to a two-day delivery. Back at Tuanyuan Restaurant, Qian, the landlord, arrived to collect rent.
Madam Zhang, in financial straits, gathered 1,100 yuan, supplemented by money pooled by the restaurant's volunteers. She handed it to Qian, who noted it was insufficient but agreed to give her a few more days to gather the rest.
