The Knockout Episode 2 Recap
> The Knockout Recap
An Xin, when asked about his past with Gao Qiqiang, deliberately left out important details, prompting Xu Zhong and Ji Ze to realize he didn't fully trust the guidance team. Ji Ze noted that this distrust was a common sentiment within Jinghai's political and legal circles, and Xu Zhong acknowledged the need to earn An Xin's confidence to uncover the full truth.
Meanwhile, Gao Qiqiang, while enjoying tea, received a phone call from Tang Xiaolong, who reported that several of their establishments in Xiawan, Dongshan, Beian, and Xiapo had been raided by the police. Gao Qiqiang calmly revealed that he had orchestrated these raids himself, explaining it was necessary to provide the arriving working group with "achievements" for their reports.
When Tang Xiaolong expressed concern about the group's potential for greater demands, asking if they would keep digging, Gao Qiqiang dismissed it, stating they would deal with such issues if and when they arose. He then left to prepare dinner for his child. Later, An Xin was seen at a roadside stall, eating rice noodle rolls, when Xu Zhong and Ji Ze coincidentally joined him.
Xu Zhong remarked on the popular eatery and, shifting to business, asked An Xin where they should begin their crackdown on gang crimes in Jinghai. An Xin, expressing his weariness and disillusionment, suggested that any approach would be effective as long as the team remained diligent. However, he quickly added a cynical remark, implying that previous anti-gang operations were merely temporary, with criminal elements inevitably resurfacing like "spring shoots after rain" once the teams departed.
Xu Zhong emphasized that the current mission aimed for a permanent, "normalized" crackdown to eradicate, not just suppress, gang crimes. An Xin then subtly pointed out that the increased number of fruit vendors and vehicles near the guidance team's guesthouse suggested they were under surveillance. Xu Zhong admitted that he had anticipated such difficulties in Jinghai, acknowledging the deep-rooted and complex issues.
However, he affirmed his unwavering commitment, stating that a true Communist Party member would never retreat in the face of adversity. The narrative then shifted back to 2000, where Meng Dehai, then the Chief of Jinghai City Public Security Bureau, arrived at a crime scene where a female body was discovered in a river. He requested An Xin to assist in retrieving the corpse from the canal.
An Xin hesitated, not wanting to be perceived as relying on his connections to advance. Seeing his reluctance, Li Xiang bravely volunteered, enduring the frigid water. Meng Dehai, impressed, offered Li Xiang his coat and noted his name, remembering his transfer from Shuangqiao Police Station. Later, as An Xin drove Li Xiang home, Li Xiang commented on An Xin's missed opportunity to make a good impression on Meng Dehai, sarcastically suggesting An Xin's "open-mindedness" stemmed from having a powerful "backer."
An Xin, however, stated he had no desire to "show off." An Changlin, then Executive Deputy Director of the Public Security Bureau and a close friend of An Xin's late father, sternly reprimanded An Xin for his lack of initiative. He explained that Meng Dehai's request was not for a performance, but an opportunity to teach An Xin how to uncover crucial clues and develop into a skilled detective.
An Changlin gave An Xin an ultimatum: either apologize to Meng Dehai and admit his mistake or submit his resignation. Following deep reflection, An Xin sought out Meng Dehai to offer his apologies, acknowledging his superficial understanding of the situation. Meng Dehai accepted the apology, adding that An Xin was indeed meant to "show off," given their familial relationship, and praised his "soul-searching" written reflection.
During a meeting at the Criminal Investigation Unit, Li Xiang presented the initial findings on Huang Cuicui's body, noting that a cervical fracture caused her death, and she had suffered severe beatings before dying. He speculated that the body had been in the sewer and was flushed out by heavy rains, making it difficult to find valuable evidence or determine the original dumping site.
The victim was identified as Huang Cuicui, a 28-year-old woman from Wanxiang Village, Ningyuan County, Bobei, with a history of prostitution, mainly operating around Old Factory Street. Cao Chuang, the unit chief, assigned An Xin and Li Xiang to the challenging task of investigating her social circle, even during the Spring Festival. An Xin and Li Xiang visited Huang Cuicui's rented room. While interviewing her landlord, they noticed a man escaping through a window.
They gave chase, apprehending the suspect after a struggle. The man then pulled out what appeared to be a hand grenade, but An Xin, acting quickly and courageously, pounced on it to shield Li Xiang. It turned out to be mere fireworks, leaving An Xin with only minor burns. Cao Chuang, while expressing concern for An Xin's safety, praised his bravery but also stressed the importance of officer self-preservation.
During interrogation, the suspect admitted to buying the "grenade" from a fireworks stall on Xiping Road, intending only to scare people. He had fled because he mistakenly thought the police were investigating gambling or prostitution. He confessed to a "flesh relationship" with Huang Cuicui and last saw her in early January when she mentioned wanting a higher-paying job to support her child. He denied any involvement in her disappearance.
After the interrogation, An Xin was assigned to escort the suspect to the detention center. There, he encountered Gao Qiqiang, who was being released. Noticing the lack of public transport, An Xin offered Gao Qiqiang a ride home. Gao Qiqiang asked to be dropped off at Old Factory Street, wanting to retrieve some personal belongings from his fish stall before potentially closing his business after the New Year. Concerned for Gao Qiqiang's safety, An Xin followed him into the market.
Inside, Tang Xiaolong and his younger brother, Tang Xiaohu, confronted Gao Qiqiang, preventing him from taking anything, citing market regulations during a period of reorganization. An Xin intervened, attempting to reason with them and offering to vouch for Gao Qiqiang, but Tang Xiaolong remained adamant, questioning An Xin's authority and jurisdiction. The situation escalated, with An Xin insisting Gao Qiqiang collect his items, leading to a physical altercation.
Just then, Li Xiang arrived and, to An Xin's dismay, publicly revealed An Xin's identity as the nephew of Deputy Director An Changlin. Tang Xiaolong and his men were instantly terrified, their hostile demeanor replaced by fear and deference. They immediately apologized, offered An Xin a cigarette, and dropped all objections, even offering to help Gao Qiqiang move his belongings.
An Xin later chastised Li Xiang for exposing his family connection, reiterating his desire to succeed based on his own merit as an officer. Shortly after, Tang Xiaolong and Tang Xiaohu, now aware of Gao Qiqiang's powerful connections, visited his home under the guise of looking for someone else. They then inquired about Gao Qiqiang's relationship with An Xin and, by extension, Deputy Director An Changlin, whom they heard was An Xin's uncle.
Gao Qiqiang, sensing an opportunity to secure his position, deliberately feigned ignorance but implied a close bond with An Xin. Tang Xiaolong, convinced of Gao Qiqiang's influence, expressed regret for their earlier conflict and offered Gao Qiqiang significant advantages: exemption from sanitation fees and a guaranteed spot at the market's best stall for three to five years, despite an upcoming re-allocation lottery (which Tang Xiaohu conveniently claimed to have "won" for Gao).
Gao Qiqiang, recognizing the manipulation, cautiously accepted these offers. As the investigation into Huang Cuicui's murder continued, An Xin and Li Xiang visited Huang Cuicui's aunt, who was caring for Huang Cuicui's young daughter, Yao. The aunt recounted that Huang Cuicui had been gone for over a year, only returning once to buy gifts for Yao before a fight with her father sent her away again. Villagers had spread rumors about Huang Cuicui's involvement in illegal activities.
Little Yao, overhearing these whispers, innocently asked An Xin if her mother was a "bad woman" and if she was a "wild child" without a father. An Xin, visibly moved, gently reassured Yao that her mother was not bad and that her father was simply busy but would visit when his work allowed. He promised Yao that her mother would return if she studied hard, ate well, and grew up happily.
Li Xiang observed An Xin's empathy, jokingly suggesting he should be a wedding MC, always witnessing happy moments. An Xin countered that such exposure might lead to numbness, a state he found undesirable. Li Xiang, however, argued that sometimes numbness was a necessary defense mechanism in their line of work.
The investigation intensified, with An Xin and Li Xiang discovering that Huang Cuicui and other sex workers shared a common "leader" known as "Crazy Donkey" (Feng Dazhuang), a ruthless individual who had recently disappeared. An Xin recalled personally arresting Feng Dazhuang in 1995 for assault.
A system check by Li Xiang revealed that Feng Dazhuang was currently in detention, having been arrested on January 30 for drunk driving and crashing into a traffic police station, with additional days added for fighting a cellmate. This timeline complicated the case, as Huang Cuicui's estimated time of death was January 31.
The forensic expert confirmed that if the body had been refrigerated or frozen before being submerged, the actual time of death could indeed be a day or two earlier, making Feng Dazhuang a significant suspect. To gather more evidence, Cao Chuang announced a plan to send an officer undercover into the detention center to gain Feng Dazhuang's trust. He sought volunteers from the newer officers, emphasizing it as an opportunity for training and merit, and assured them of their safety.
Despite the importance of the mission, the other new officers offered various excuses, claiming they were unsuited for undercover work or looked "too righteous." After an officer questioned what "Director An" (An Changlin) thought of the plan, An Xin, concerned about accusations of "stealing credit" if he volunteered too eagerly, stepped forward and agreed to go undercover. Around this time, Tang Xiaolong deliberately spread word in the market about Gao Qiqiang's seemingly influential connection to An Xin.
A vegetable vendor, whose brother was being bullied at his video shop, initially approached Tang Xiaolong and Tang Xiaohu for help. However, Tang Xiaohu, as part of their scheme to test Gao Qiqiang's newfound standing, directed the vendor to Gao. The vendor pleaded with Gao Qiqiang, citing his "close relationship" with the police. Gao, understanding he was being observed and tested by Tang Xiaolong and Tang Xiaohu, reluctantly confirmed he would help.
An Xin was subsequently admitted to the detention center and placed in the same cell as Feng Dazhuang. As a newcomer, he faced immediate bullying, being forced to sleep near the toilet. When confronted by one of Feng Dazhuang's subordinates, An Xin retorted sharply, claiming he "fought with others" and that those he fought were "beasts," not humans. Feng Dazhuang, asserting his dominance, ordered An Xin to be silent and eat by the toilet.
In a separate conversation with a superior, it was confirmed that An Xin was safely in detention and was integrating well into his undercover role. Back in the cell, An Xin continued to face harassment from Feng Dazhuang, who would punch and kick him at the slightest provocation, pushing An Xin to retaliate until a prison guard intervened.
