The Lion's Secret Episode 24 Recap
> The Lion's Secret Recap
Na Mu, accompanying Yan Jing to meet Atuna, was deeply moved when she witnessed Atuna attempting to execute a young girl who was searching for her sister. This disturbing scene brought back painful memories of her own sister, Su Pan, prompting Na Mu to draw her gun. However, Yan Jing intervened, ordering her to lower her weapon and apologize to Atuna.
Atuna, dismissive of the apology, instructed his men to hold back from harming the girl, but his true ire was directed at Yan Jing for orchestrating Liu Qing's raid on his operations and the death of many of his subordinates. Atuna, revealed to be the mastermind behind the human trafficking ring, wanted to kill Yan Jing, but Yan Jing possessed incriminating evidence against him. This leverage forced Atuna to let Yan Jing and Na Mu leave.
As soon as they were out of sight, Atuna brutally ordered his men to kill the girl. Back at their hideout, Na Mu confronted Yan Jing, demanding to know why he would align himself with a man like Atuna, who showed no mercy even to an innocent girl searching for her sister.
Yan Jing, focused solely on his business objectives, retorted that he didn't need to explain himself and warned Na Mu that if she continued to be so impulsive, she should stay out of his life. Na Mu pressed further, showing him a lock of Su Pan's hair and asking if he remembered her sister. She recounted how, as children, she and Su Pan had lost their parents in a war and were adopted by Niusha.
Yan Jing then reminded Na Mu of how Su Pan had pleaded with his father to take her along for a transaction, which tragically ended in an ambush where his father was gravely wounded and Su Pan was killed. Yan Jing, overcome with grief, had vowed revenge for his father and asked Na Mu to join him, promising to help her avenge Su Pan's death and build a peaceful life together.
However, Yan Jing, now solely driven by profit, dismissed his past promises, telling Na Mu that he had already shown her leniency and that her misplaced sympathy would lead to dire consequences if she didn't learn her place. He snatched the lock of hair from her, reiterated that they were now in business, and once again ordered her to disappear from his sight. Meanwhile, Atuna paid a visit to Taisa in the hospital, feigning concern and charity.
During the visit, Taisa caught sight of a distinct mark on Atuna's sleeve—a mark she recognized from before her traumatic ordeal. This triggered a severe emotional breakdown, causing her to scream and recoil from him. Tata, Taisa's caregiver, quickly intervened, asking Atuna to leave and apologizing for Taisa's erratic behavior.
Though maintaining a facade of understanding, Atuna secretly instructed one of his men to remain at the hospital, monitor Taisa's memory recovery, and eliminate her if she recalled anything that could expose him. Soon after, Wu Fengyu contacted Liu Qing, relaying the unsettling news about Taisa's sudden and extreme reaction during Atuna's visit.
Liu Qing, along with Mu Wanqing, then had to field calls from their concerned parents, assuring them they were fine and on a "honeymoon trip" in Bazhen to prevent them from coming. That night, Na Mu, feigning repentance, approached Yan Jing with a bottle of wine, suggesting they celebrate their recent tactical victories against Atuna. Yan Jing, still suspicious, was momentarily swayed when Na Mu took the first sip, then convinced him to drink his own glass.
The wine, however, was drugged, and Yan Jing soon passed out. Na Mu then carefully cut into his arm and retrieved a hidden storage card. She left without further harming him, having secured what she came for. She then arranged for the storage card to be delivered to Liu Qing. Upon receiving the mysterious chip, Liu Qing and his team quickly analyzed its contents.
To their astonishment, it contained comprehensive drug transaction records belonging to Ma Kulu, providing the police with enough evidence to dismantle his entire criminal organization. The card also revealed disturbing videos of Atuna engaged in sadistic acts of violence, exposing his true identity as a cruel and hypocritical individual who used his illicit activities to gain influence among the elite. In a separate development, Pakse's associate attempted to bribe Nawa to withdraw his forces from the charity school.
Nawa, demanding two million, received immediate agreement from Pakse, who saw it as a worthwhile investment for future control of the school. Elsewhere, Yan Jing was informed that Na Mu had absconded with the storage card and was proving difficult to track down. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Yan Jing ordered his men to intensify the search, threatening to accelerate his overall plan if she wasn't found soon.
He also instructed them to summon his brother, Pakse, for an urgent task. After his meeting with Atuna, Liu Qing contacted Wu Fengyu. They exchanged information and confirmed their suspicions that there was a hidden mastermind behind Atuna and a shadowy figure orchestrating the events. Liu Qing, now armed with the damning evidence, arranged a meeting with Atuna, who was dining with his father.
Liu Qing confronted him, implicitly threatening to expose his illicit activities if he didn't guarantee the safety of Liu Qing, his friends, and the children. With his reputation and political future at stake, Atuna reluctantly agreed to Liu Qing's demands. Liu Qing pressed further, attempting to uncover the true mastermind behind the school's troubles, but Atuna remained tight-lipped. Liu Qing warned Atuna that while the evidence currently served as his protection, it could swiftly become his downfall.
Meanwhile, back at the school, Aunt Yan expressed her concerns to Mu Wanqing, explaining that even with the land deed, the situation in Bazhen was too volatile to ensure the school's safety, especially now that Nawa's formidable presence had been bought off. Fu Jun Die echoed these sentiments, noting that Liu Qing, Lei Shuo, and Wu Fengyu had been acting evasively, hinting at a deeper crisis they were investigating but were hesitant to reveal.
On the investigation front, Wu Fengyu and Sun Yu, working together, then identified Bangbang, a firearms expert who had served as their local contact during a failed mission in Bazhen years ago, and was the sole local survivor. Lei Shuo, who had left Bazhen to investigate the past mission, called Wu Fengyu with a critical revelation: Niusha had a missing son who was now in Bazhen.
Lei Shuo suspected that this missing son was, in fact, Ma Kulu, and that his grand scheme wasn't merely about acquiring the school's land, but a meticulously planned act of revenge against Liu Qing, Lei Shuo, and Wu Fengyu for their past actions.
He recounted how Ma Kulu had systematically orchestrated every event, from Liu Qing's ambush to the kidnapping of Mu Wanqing and Fei Fei, framing Wu Fengyu, coercing them to steal the Mu family's title deed, and ultimately luring them to Bazhen through the charity school. As Wu Fengyu and Sun Yu closed in on Bangbang's location, their pursuit took a grim turn.
Just as they found him, Bangbang was suddenly killed by a sniper, his last words, "They are all still alive," hanging heavy in the air. Wu Fengyu immediately informed Liu Qing of the assassination. Liu Qing, now able to piece together Ma Kulu's true identity, realized the imminent danger to Mu Wanqing and rushed towards the school, despite Wu Fengyu's plea to wait for Lei Shuo's arrival.
Simultaneously, Yan Jing, having been informed by Atuna that Liu Qing possessed the incriminating storage card, decided to accelerate his plans. Ma Kulu's forces, led openly by Yan Jing, stormed the school, seizing children and causing chaos. Yan Jing confronted Fu Jun Die, mocking her fear and demanding Mu Wanqing's presence, threatening her friends if she didn't comply.
Mu Wanqing, instructing Pa Tong to hide under the bed and find a way to alert Liu Qing, then emerged to confront Yan Jing, pleading with him not to harm the children.
