The Knockout Episode 11 Recap
> The Knockout Recap
An Xin, recovering from his injuries with an IV drip, interrogated Feng Dazhuang. Feng Dazhuang recounted details about Huang Cuicui, explaining that Xu Jiang had arranged for her to entertain a high-ranking official on a yacht. Huang Cuicui brought a hidden recorder, capturing the official's activities. Feng Dazhuang gave her two thousand yuan as a payoff, but she demanded two hundred thousand yuan, threatening to send the recording to the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection.
Enraged, Feng Dazhuang admitted to beating her severely before handing her over to Xu Jiang. He claimed to know nothing about what happened to her afterward and also confirmed the recorder was never found. Fearing repercussions, he had voluntarily gone to the detention center to evade trouble. Feng Dazhuang concluded by telling An Xin that it would be difficult for them to meet again and urged him to work hard.
Li Xiang transmitted the confessions from Feng Dazhuang, Pock, and Guo Zhen to Jinghai, solidifying the murder charges against Xu Jiang. An Xin expressed his profound regret at being unable to participate in Xu Jiang's arrest due to his injuries, but Li Xiang reassured him that he would have the opportunity to interrogate Xu Jiang personally.
Chief Li from Xiping County's police department arranged for four vehicles, three to transport the suspects and one as a lead car, along with an officer to drive the suspect's vehicle back to Jinghai. Li Xiang expressed his gratitude for the comprehensive assistance. Just then, Feng Dazhuang's phone rang, and Li Xiang identified the caller as Xu Jiang, promptly notifying Cao Chuang. Cao Chuang led officers to Xu Jiang’s residence, but Xu Jiang had already fled, leaving them empty-handed.
Meanwhile, Gao Qiqiang consulted Lawyer Zhu about turning himself in. Upon hearing Gao Qiqiang's account, Lawyer Zhu estimated a minimum sentence of ten years due to multiple serious criminal offenses. This news stunned Gao Qiqiang, who, distraught, got drunk. Returning home, he was surprised to find his sister, Gao Qilan. He learned that Gao Qisheng had called her back. Gao Qiqiang angrily confronted Gao Qisheng, who vehemently opposed his brother’s plan to surrender.
Gao Qisheng argued that such an act would permanently taint Gao Qilan's reputation, affecting her future marriage and children, forcing her to introduce herself as the sister of a criminal. Gao Qiqiang insisted his personal mistakes shouldn't impact his sister, but Gao Qisheng maintained they were family and that any action of his brother’s would directly affect them all.
He even suggested Gao Qilan could cut ties and leave to start a new life if she wanted to escape the consequences. Gao Qilan's arrival on the rooftop abruptly silenced their argument. To ease her distress, Gao Qiqiang falsely claimed he would be going away for several years to engage in foreign trade on the border.
Seeing her sadness, both brothers quickly spun the story as a joke, explaining that Gao Qisheng had called her back to discuss increasing her monthly living allowance by seven hundred yuan, which brightened Gao Qilan's mood. Led by Guo Zhen, police located the site where Bai Jiangbo had been buried. An Changlin supervised the excavation, and the officers soon unearthed Bai Jiangbo's body. An Changlin immediately reported the discovery to Meng Dehai, confirming Xu Jiang's crimes.
A city-wide warrant for Xu Jiang’s arrest was issued, and officers launched a comprehensive search, but he remained at large, indicating a potential leak within their ranks. Later, Chen Shuting's men intercepted Gao Qiqiang and Gao Qisheng. Gao Qisheng admitted to Chen Shuting that he had disclosed Guo Zhen's address to Xu Jiang. Enraged, Chen Shuting began to choke Gao Qiqiang, accusing him of betrayal.
An Xin arrived just in time, intervening and explaining that Gao Qiqiang had actually provided Guo Zhen's location to the police, which had been crucial in finding Bai Jiangbo's body and securing the charges against Xu Jiang. Satisfied with this clarification, Chen Shuting and her men departed. An Xin sent his colleagues back in the police car, choosing to speak with Gao Qiqiang alone.
He shared personal stories from his childhood, including his early street fights and how his parents’ death in a car accident at age thirteen led him to a period of dishonesty, a habit he eventually overcame. An Xin then revealed that Xu Lei's death was determined to be an accidental electrocution, not a murder, which visibly relieved Gao Qiqiang. An Xin vowed to apprehend Xu Jiang and urged Gao Qiqiang to fully disclose his involvement.
Gao Qiqiang, however, evaded the topic, instead expressing his concern that his brother Gao Qisheng had no one to cook for him at home. An Xin sensed Gao Qiqiang's reluctance to implicate his siblings. An Xin warned him that important decisions were at hand, but Gao Qiqiang, focused on his family, invited An Xin home for dinner, which An Xin politely declined, reminding him not to miss this "last chance" to come clean.
The public outcry following Xu Jiang’s manhunt prompted several officials who had been on the yacht to turn themselves in. An Xin, however, was determined to uncover Xu Jiang's influential backer. Li Xiang informed him that the "backer" had revealed himself: Zhao Lidong, the Secretary of the Municipal Political and Legal Affairs Commission.
Zhao Lidong stated he had met Xu Jiang on the yacht for a work discussion, dismissing Huang Cuicui as merely "an ordinary waitress" and claiming to possess a recording of their entire conversation to prove his innocence. He also stated the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection had concluded the matter with a "party disciplinary criticism."
An Xin was furious at this convenient explanation and questioned its legitimacy, but Meng Dehai and An Changlin rushed downstairs to welcome Zhao Lidong, who arrived with reporters. Zhao Lidong warmly greeted An Xin, praised his heroic actions, delivered a pompous speech, and then quickly left. An Xin, seething, confronted Zhao Lidong as he departed, declaring that he would capture Xu Jiang and ensure he confessed to all his crimes, promising that no one involved would escape justice.
Zhao Lidong, unfazed, simply told An Xin he awaited his "good news." Xu Jiang, desperate and cornered, called Uncle Tai for help, but Uncle Tai coldly refused, stating he only knew "Mr. Xu" and advising Xu Jiang to take care of himself to avoid implicating him.
Meanwhile, Zhao Lidong lodged a false complaint with the mayor, accusing Cao Chuang, An Xin, and Li Xiang of violating procedures during the Xiping operation and criticizing the Criminal Investigation Unit for severe disciplinary issues, including officers under investigation operating in other jurisdictions without proper authorization and filing fraudulent travel requests. The mayor granted Zhao Lidong full authority to address the situation.
Exploiting this power, Zhao Lidong retaliated by rescinding the Criminal Investigation Unit's "High Morality Unit" title and canceling their bonuses, imposing a two hundred and fifty yuan fine on each officer. This move sparked widespread resentment among the police force, who largely blamed An Xin for their predicament. Later, Chen Jinmo, known as Mo, was released early from prison due to his exemplary conduct and positive transformation.
His first stop was the police station to find An Xin, but An Xin was out. Mo left copies of his award certificates with the gate guard, conveying that "Mo has been released and has reformed." He then tried to see his daughter, Yao, but her grandmother vehemently turned him away, and Yao herself appeared frightened. Mo sought construction work but was rejected. Unexpectedly, Tang Xiaohu recognized Mo from the old factory district and introduced him to Gao Qiqiang.
Having been informed of Mo's situation by An Xin, Gao Qiqiang offered Mo his fish stall to manage, explaining that he was now pursuing other business ventures. Gao Qiqiang then meticulously instructed Mo on how to run the stall, from stocking different types of fish to managing the tanks. Mo, deeply moved, expressed his profound gratitude.
