The Knockout Episode 18 Recap
> The Knockout Recap
Zhang Biao and Li Xiang reviewed surveillance footage that showed Zhang Daqing and Zhang Xiaoqing assisting Li Qing in the kidnapping of Xiaochen. After the incident, the Zhang brothers vanished. Li Youtian reported that they had borrowed money from the Village Committee and left town, claiming they needed to learn resort management.
Li Hongwei, for his part, claimed that Zhang Daqing had borrowed the Village Committee's minivan from him the day before the incident, and that he himself had sold the vehicle after the kidnapping to avoid being implicated. An Xin urged the police chief to issue an assistance in investigation notice for Zhang Daqing and Zhang Xiaoqing, which the chief approved.
Meanwhile, a drug test report confirmed that the drugs Li Hongwei had been selling were fake, consisting only of starch and coloring. An Xin was also informed that "colorful Magu" (meth) was spreading on the market, and he was asked to share any information he might acquire. The very next day after the arrest warrant was issued, traffic police discovered Zhang Xiaoqing's body, strangled to death, in a truck belonging to the Construction Engineering Group.
Forensic analysis determined the cause of death was mechanical asphyxiation. An Xin and Li Xiang immediately suspected Gao Qiqiang, especially since the Zhang brothers' involvement was internal police knowledge, suggesting an internal leak. Li Xiang expressed his frustration to the chief, arguing that procedural restrictions severely hampered their ability to fight ruthless criminals. However, the chief firmly upheld the importance of maintaining integrity within the system, fearing that loosening rules would eventually harm the police force itself.
Shortly after, Officer Wu reported that Gao Qiqiang had booked a one-way flight to Hong Kong and was attempting to flee. An Xin and Li Xiang were dispatched to pursue him. Gao Qiqiang dangerously drove through police checkpoints, a move that struck An Xin as uncharacteristic. Realizing Gao Qiqiang might be a decoy, An Xin contacted the airport police via phone. He discovered that Shuting and Xiaochen had booked an earlier flight to Hong Kong.
Gao Qiqiang had intentionally booked a later flight and created a spectacle to draw police attention, hoping to cover their escape. However, An Xin's timely action meant Shuting and Xiaochen were apprehended just before boarding their flight and were brought back to the Public Security Bureau. An Xin went to speak with Shuting and Xiaochen. Xiaochen, upset, asked why they were being held.
An Xin gently explained they were simply cooperating with the police to catch bad guys, reassuring him that Hong Kong could wait until he and his father completed their "mission" (referring to Gao Qiqiang's cooperation with police). Shuting tried to shield Xiaochen, offering to answer questions herself, but An Xin politely stated he couldn't share details and that they would need to remain in Jinghai for the time being.
As they left, Xiaochen inadvertently dropped a keychain with a family photo. During interrogation, Gao Qiqiang initially played ignorant about Zhang Xiaoqing's murder and denied involvement in the kidnapping. When confronted with the fact that Zhang Xiaoqing's body was found in a Construction Engineering Group truck, he dismissed it as a matter for the massive company to investigate. An Xin then presented Xiaochen's dropped keychain, which revealed that his family had been intercepted, enraging Gao Qiqiang who demanded their release.
An Xin later received an anonymous email containing a CD. The recording revealed Gao Qiqiang coaching Xiaochen to lie to the police, saying only one person (Li Qing) kidnapped him. An Xin realized Gao Qiqiang was trying to protect his family from someone other than the police. An Xin confronted Gao Qiqiang with the evidence, expressing profound disappointment that he would make his own son lie.
Gao Qiqiang, accusing An Xin of tricking him, confessed that he knew about other kidnappers but denied knowing their identities or killing them. He admitted to sending people to Mang Village to brutally beat some individuals to get information but yielded nothing useful, and no one reported the assaults. Gao Qiqiang concluded that powerful enemies were framing him and had likely planted the murder weapon in his home to ensure his downfall.
Acting on Gao Qiqiang's suggestion, Officer Shi Wei and his team searched Gao Qiqiang's residence. They discovered the balcony door had been expertly pried open from the outside. Furthermore, they found a rope in the house that matched the strangulation marks on Zhang Xiaoqing's neck. The rope also contained the victim's biological information. Confronted with this, Gao Qiqiang vehemently denied any knowledge of the rope and insisted he was being framed by his enemies.
When pressed to identify these individuals, Gao Qiqiang provided a list consisting entirely of department heads from the Construction Engineering Group. Li Xiang immediately saw through this, accusing Gao Qiqiang of attempting to manipulate the police into eliminating his business rivals. To prevent any further deceit, Li Xiang handcuffed Gao Qiqiang to the first-floor staircase. Shortly after, Li Xiang informed Gao Qiqiang that Shuting was on her way to bring him clothes.
Panicked at the thought of Shuting seeing him in such a state, Gao Qiqiang desperately called for An Xin. When An Xin arrived, he confronted Li Xiang, accusing him of violating regulations and arguing that Gao Qiqiang's actions, and the unusual circumstances, suggested he was being framed and was attempting to use the police. Despite Li Xiang's strong objections, An Xin forcibly took the handcuff keys and released Gao Qiqiang.
As Shuting entered, An Xin quickly moved Gao Qiqiang to a detention room and instructed Officer Jiang to escort Shuting upstairs to complete the necessary paperwork, trying to shield her from the truth. Li Xiang, frustrated, warned An Xin not to regret his kindness. An Xin began to suspect Chengcheng, Chen Tai's assistant, as the true mastermind behind the recent events. Meanwhile, Chen Tai visited Li Youtian, who eagerly welcomed him, expressing his honor at meeting the prominent chairman.
They discussed the Mang Village project, with Li Youtian pledging his full support. This meeting coincided with suspicious activities: high-value goods, later understood to be cables, were being loaded onto a truck, and workers at a construction site were unexpectedly told work was suspended but they would still be paid, indicating pre-planned disruption.
Simultaneously, three senior managers from the Construction Engineering Group—Mr. Xiao, Mr. Du, and Mr. Wang—were forcibly taken from a warehouse by unknown individuals who presented a bill of lading. Away from Jinghai, Gao Qisheng received a phone call informing him of Gao Qiqiang's arrest. He realized that Gao Qiqiang had intentionally sent him and Chen Jinmo away, not just to protect them, but to prevent Chen Jinmo's impulsiveness, allowing Gao Qiqiang to orchestrate his moves freely while in custody.
Chengcheng later reported to Chen Tai that a crisis had erupted overnight: three senior Construction Engineering Group executives were missing, all seven construction sites had halted operations, valuable cables were stolen from warehouses, and security guards had vanished. She believed Gao Qiqiang orchestrated these disruptions from jail. Chen Tai, however, prioritized immediate solutions, instructing her to resolve the chaos.
Chengcheng, facing uncooperative foremen at the sites who cited flimsy excuses, was forced to arrange for new construction teams from outside Jinghai to ensure work resumed, specifically on the municipal fiber-optic cable project. Later, Chengcheng visited An Xin at the Public Security Bureau and admitted to anonymously sending the CD that exposed Gao Qiqiang's manipulation of his son.
An Xin, recognizing her from their "key list" of suspects, did not shy away from confronting her about her methods, noting that eavesdropping was a crime, even if she claimed to be a "law-abiding citizen." Chengcheng, bitter about her long career and imprisonment for the company while a "fish seller" like Gao Qiqiang rapidly gained power, accused him of corrupting the Construction Engineering Group into an "underworld gang."
An Xin dismissed her internal power struggles, reiterating that "punishing a crime with crime is a crime itself," and warned her that just as they would monitor Gao Qiqiang, they would also keep a close watch on her. She attempted to forge an alliance, proposing they be "friends," but An Xin flatly refused.
In a separate development, the police chief held a meeting, announcing that the negative public opinion against An Xin had subsided, and the city leaders had positively reviewed their work. An Xin was reinstated as the lead of the special investigation team. The chief cautioned him to investigate the list of names Gao Qiqiang provided but warned against being used as a tool in corporate infighting.
Zhang Biao reported that Chengcheng was the prime suspect in Zhang Xiaoqing's murder, noting her suspiciously rapid takeover of the Mang Village resort project after Gao Qiqiang's arrest, suggesting pre-arranged collusion. An Xin further hypothesized that Li Youtian and his son might also be involved in the kidnapping. Separately, Secretary Wang, acting on orders from Zhao Lidong, met with District Head Gong Kaijiang and Li Youtian.
He implicitly warned them to sever ties with "troublemakers" like Gao Qiqiang, whose involvement in a murder case meant he "can't get out." Wang subtly encouraged District Head Gong by mentioning his bright future and the leader's continued trust. Later, Secretary Wang also invited Captain Li Xiang to join them.
