The Knockout Episode 23 Recap
> The Knockout Recap
In a gambling den, Gao Qiqiang stormed in and was incensed to find people openly dealing and using drugs. He angrily slapped Tang Xiaolong, who was in charge of the place, and silenced others who tried to intervene. Soon after, Gao Qisheng arrived, knelt, and confessed to dealing drugs, but vehemently denied kidnapping Meng Yu. Gao Qiqiang, unconvinced, reminded Gao Qisheng of his ruthless nature and the severe penalties for drug trafficking and kidnapping.
Gao Qisheng swore he didn't even know Meng Yu and pleaded for one day, until midnight, to find the real culprit, as Gao Qiqiang warned he would not be able to protect him otherwise. Gao Qiqiang then ordered Tang Xiaolong to keep a close eye on Gao Qisheng. Meanwhile, Meng Yu had secretly followed Li Hongwei to a junkyard located under the Riverside Bridge.
Zhong Asi, the gatekeeper and Li Hongwei's accomplice, bound Meng Yu and hid her in a secret underground room to prevent their identities from being revealed. The next morning, Zhong Asi pressured a terrified Li Hongwei to kill Meng Yu, insisting she had seen their faces. Li Hongwei, fearing the repercussions due to Meng Yu's father, District Committee Secretary Meng Dehai, hesitated.
Zhong Asi, however, argued that as a drug dealer he faced death anyway and compelled Li Hongwei to dispose of Meng Yu by burying her alive. An Xin, desperate to find Meng Yu, urgently brought Yang Jian to meet Director Guo. Meng Dehai was also present. Director Guo explained that Meng Yu's disappearance appeared linked to a drug trafficking operation and requested the Narcotics Control Team to share information with the Criminal Investigation Unit.
Initially, members of the Narcotics Control Team resisted, concerned about compromising their long-term undercover investigations. Yang Jian intervened, emphasizing that saving a life was the utmost priority, and ordered his team to fully cooperate. Their combined intelligence identified a key drug dealer named Cheng operating near Dadong Bridge. An Xin personally led the team to apprehend Cheng.
During interrogation, Cheng, after initially denying involvement, eventually hinted that half of Jinghai was controlled by the police and the other half by a "boss" with the surname Gao, implying Gao Qiqiang. Cheng was subsequently taken into custody. Back at Gao Qiqiang’s home, Gao Qisheng and Tang Xiaohu reported their findings.
Li Hongwei had been buying drugs from Zhong Asi, who was subordinate to Cheng, who in turn answered to Baldy Yong, whom Gao Qiqiang identified as a long-time associate of their organization, asking Tang Xiaohu if he knew about his drug activities. When Tang Xiaohu remained silent, Gao Qisheng interjected, taking full responsibility.
Gao Qiqiang then instructed Tang Xiaohu and Chen Jinmo to "take care of" Baldy Yong to sever that line, and he tasked Gao Qisheng with "comforting" Baldy Yong's elderly parents from the old factory street, while also supervising Tang Xiaohu to ensure the task was carried out without hesitation. Tang Xiaohu later lured Baldy Yong to a secluded location, reminiscing about their past at the arcade.
Tang Xiaohu then pressed Baldy Yong for Zhong Asi's address, which Baldy Yong said was in his phone, claiming Cheng had been arrested and they needed the information. After seizing Baldy Yong's phone, Tang Xiaohu brought him to the gambling den. Gao Qisheng, overseeing the operation, instructed Chen Jinmo to strangle Baldy Yong to death and then disfigure his face with sulfuric acid to prevent identification.
Chen Jinmo quietly cautioned Gao Qisheng against accompanying him to find Li Hongwei, reminding him that Gao Qiqiang's orders were only for Gao Qisheng to supervise Tang Xiaohu and to always trust Gao Qiqiang's leadership. Gao Qisheng dismissed the advice, stating he would handle his brother.
In the junkyard's basement, when Li Hongwei descended with a knife, Meng Yu desperately tried to reason with him, offering to testify that he was acting to save her if he knocked out Zhong Asi and surrendered. Li Hongwei reluctantly agreed to her plan. Above, Zhong Asi heard a dog barking and went to investigate, leaving Li Hongwei to finish the job.
Upon returning and finding Meng Yu still alive, Zhong Asi flew into a rage, threatening both Li Hongwei and Meng Yu. Their attempt to overpower Zhong Asi failed, and Li Hongwei, under pressure, betrayed Meng Yu by revealing her plan. At that moment, Gao Qisheng and Chen Jinmo, wearing masks, burst into the room. Chen Jinmo immediately struck Zhong Asi on the head with a frozen marine fish, killing him instantly. Li Hongwei, witnessing the brutal killing, fled in panic.
Chen Jinmo quickly cut Meng Yu's chains with an axe and set her free. Gao Qisheng pursued Li Hongwei, cornering him and savagely beating him to death with the frozen fish, fueled by old resentments from Li Hongwei's past insults. A deeply traumatized Meng Yu stumbled out of the junkyard and flagged down a passing police car. An Xin swiftly arrived and transported her to the hospital.
In the car, a distressed Meng Yu recounted the ordeal, rambling about the masked men, the blood, and her belief that one of the attackers harbored a profound hatred for Li Hongwei. At the hospital, Meng Dehai and his wife arrived, and Meng Yu broke down crying, overwhelmed by the horror she had endured. Doctors confirmed Meng Yu was in shock but had no serious physical injuries. At the crime scene, Director Guo arrived to oversee the investigation.
Li Hongwei was discovered critically injured and comatose, clinging to life. Investigators noted the unusual murder weapon: a frozen marine fish. Meanwhile, Gao Qisheng returned home to report to Gao Qiqiang. Gao Qiqiang warned him about the severe risks if Chen Jinmo, a known murderer, were ever exposed. Gao Qisheng defiantly declared his willingness to die for the Gao family.
Learning that neither Gao Qisheng nor Chen Jinmo had been seen by the police at the crime scene, Gao Qiqiang quickly instructed Gao Qisheng to call Tang Xiaolong and Tang Xiaohu, order them to buy plenty of alcohol, and come to the house to stay overnight, establishing a false alibi for everyone. The next morning, An Xin, suspicious of Gao Qiqiang due to Meng Yu's description of a personal vendetta against Li Hongwei, visited Gao Qiqiang's house with Lu Han.
Gao Qiqiang feigned a hangover. When questioned about his activities, he and his three associates—Gao Qisheng, Tang Xiaolong, and Tang Xiaohu—all quickly provided a coordinated story: they had been drinking heavily from 7 PM until 2-3 AM, consuming two bottles of spirits and four cases of beer, and had slept at Gao Qiqiang's house. An Xin noticed a scrape on Tang Xiaolong's neck, which Gao Qiqiang dismissed as a minor injury from brothers roughhousing.
An Xin, discerning their rehearsed alibi, left with Lu Han but instructed him to check nearby surveillance cameras for their arrival times and to specifically investigate Gao Qisheng for any connections to drugs and Li Hongwei's case. Separately, Li Youtian went to the police station seeking information about Li Hongwei but was given little.
Returning to the Village Committee, a despondent Li Youtian confided in Li Shan about the magnitude of Li Hongwei's predicament, especially given the history with Meng Dehai. He implored Li Shan to intercede with Li Xiang, hoping to save Li Hongwei from jail. Recognizing his own defeat, Li Youtian then entrusted all Mang Village affairs to Li Shan.
