Tientsin Mystic Recap, Plot, Synopsis

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Tientsin Mystic Synopsis

During the Republic of China period, the floods in Tianjin were frequent, and the river was full of strange and disorderly things.

Guo Deyou, the captain of the five river corpse retrieval team of the police bureau, has been deeply taught by the master’s “Old River God”, and his skill of lighting a cigarette to identify injustice has comforted countless unjust souls.

When the president of the Caoyun Chamber of Commerce dies in the river, Guo Deyou is under suspicion. He investigates the case together with the president’s son Ding Mao, his childhood friend Gu Ying, and Xiao Lanlan, the daughter of the secretary-general of the Tianjin Municipal Government. They find that all the treacherous signs point to a past incident twenty years ago.

At that time, a cult called “Mo Gu Dao” was ravaging the Beijing-Hebei area.

Twenty years later, Guo Deyou and Ding Mao discover the trail of “Mo Gu Dao” again. Guo Deyou, Ding Mao, Gu Ying, and Xiao Lanlan are involved in a thrilling and bizarre case in order to prevent the resurgence of the “Mo Gu Dao”.

Tientsin Mystic Recap

Episode 1 Recap

Nine rivers flow down to meet in Tianjin, a city characterized by three bridges and two passes. As many people relied on the water for their livelihood, many also died in it. To live by the water meant respecting the water, and in the hearts of Tianjin's residents, no event was more important than the annual River Worship Ceremony. The ceremony commenced with drums and gongs on the Qing River bank.

Groups of men, wearing fearsome, fanged masks, prepared to offer a yellow-robed infant to the River God. An elderly priestess, adorned in white, chanted invocations, calling upon the River God. The gathered villagers watched silently as a performance unfolded on a nearby wooden platform: A woman in red, later identified as Xiao Lanlan (also known as Miss Xiao), enacted a play depicting a battle with a river demon, its defeat drawing cheers from the crowd.

Chants, invoking protection from "The spirits in the mountains" and "The ghosts in the water," resonated through the air, culminating in an offering "to feed the god." Following the main ritual, a swimming competition was held where members of the Five Rivers Corpse Retrieval Team of the capital would dive to catch a released tortoise, hoping to apprentice under the Senior Tientsin Mystic. However, the swimmers quickly returned to shore in a panic.

The last one to emerge, Tieniu, urgently told the crowd to disperse. Xiao Lanlan, who was covering the event, initially thought he had caught the tortoise but became alarmed by his distressed state. The priestess, too, grew anxious. Tieniu then threw a dead child, whose back was covered in green hair, onto the bank, startling the villagers, who scattered. Tieniu declared that the Black Tortoise, a revered deity, had killed someone.

The priestess admonished him, forbidding him from insulting the sacred Black Tortoise, but Tieniu delivered an even more shocking revelation: "There's an adult underwater." Meanwhile, Xiao Lanlan, frantic about the situation at the ceremony, rushed to a dilapidated wooden dwelling, calling for "Mr. Guo." She found Guo Deyou, the Junior Tientsin Mystic and apprentice to Senior Tientsin Mystic Guo Chun, practicing breath-holding in a large wooden barrel.

She confronted him about his whereabouts the previous night, accusing him of carousing due to the distinct scents of expensive rouge on his clothes. Guo Deyou admitted to saving Ding Mao, the young master of the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation, from the river and being treated to a celebratory meal at the Cang Cui Tower, which Xiao Lanlan pointed out was a brothel, not just a restaurant.

Dismissing his excuses, Xiao Lanlan informed him that the larger body in the river could not be retrieved and requested his help. Unbeknownst to them, Ding Mao awoke disoriented in the Cang Cui Tower, quickly realizing he was in a brothel. He paid his bill with a signature, aware that his identity as the son of the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation was known, and hastily departed.

At the same time, Supervisor Hu of the Chamber of Commerce, desperate to find Ding Mao, visited the Senior Tientsin Mystic Guo Chun at his gambling house. He offered a substantial sum for Guo Chun's help in locating Ding Mao, who was presumed drowned. Guo Chun, an experienced body retriever, implied that his team primarily dealt with dead bodies and that retrieving a living person would command a higher price.

He hinted cryptically that Ding Mao might still be alive, advising Supervisor Hu to "smoke less." Guo Deyou, despite the priestess's warnings about angering the river god, prepared to dive. Ding Mao arrived at the riverbank, attempting to question Guo Deyou about the previous night, but Guo Deyou ignored him, leaping into the water.

Deep underwater, Guo Deyou discovered a previously unseen Black Tortoise statue, to which Ding Yiqiu, Ding Mao's father and the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation, was tightly bound. Guo Deyou managed to free and retrieve the body, presenting the devastating truth to Ding Mao. Grief-stricken and suspicious, Ding Mao, who had studied forensics in Germany, confronted Guo Deyou.

He found Guo Deyou's ability to remain underwater for so long, especially considering the effort required to untie a body, to be "unscientific." He accused Guo Deyou of having ulterior motives concerning the Chamber of Commerce, especially given his opportune presence at Ding Mao's own rescue the night before.

Overwhelmed, Ding Mao declared his intention to perform an autopsy on his father, but Supervisor Hu intervened, blocking him and appealing to his respect for customs, suggesting Ding Mao would have to cut him first. The Deputy Captain of the police then proposed that Senior Tientsin Mystic Guo Chun perform his renowned "analysis by lighting cigarette" to settle the dispute and determine the cause of death.

To settle the dispute and determine the cause of death, the Deputy Captain of the police requested Senior Tientsin Mystic Guo Chun to perform his renowned "analysis by lighting cigarette." Guo Chun reluctantly agreed, warning that the truth might not be what people desired. He sent Guo Deyou away, explaining his apprentice's sensitivity to smoke. During the ritual, Guo Chun recited enigmatic verses: "Filled with grievances, thy soul could revive through the smoke. Leave the deep water.

Enter the pure land later." When pressed for a clearer explanation, he offered only that it involved "deities and evil spirits" and that "the time was not right to reveal it." Later, in their wooden shack, Guo Deyou confronted Guo Chun, convinced his master had uncovered the truth about the two bodies but was deliberately withholding it. Guo Chun, however, refused to elaborate, instead sternly advising Guo Deyou never to call himself "Tientsin Mystic" again, even if the villagers did.

He emphasized that they were mere mortals, "not gods," and that such a title would "shorten our normal span of life." Frustrated and unable to shake his suspicions, Guo Deyou lay awake, tormented by the unresolved mystery. Meanwhile, at the Ding family's mourning hall, Ding Mao dismissed the servants. Gazing at his father's photograph, he reflected on their strained relationship, particularly his father’s insistent desire for him to lead the Chamber of Commerce despite Ding Mao's passion for forensics.

Overcome with regret and a burning need for answers, Ding Mao prepared to perform an autopsy on his father in private. Supervisor Hu arrived unexpectedly, but Ding Mao had already begun the procedure on his father, which Supervisor Hu did not seem to notice. Supervisor Hu expressed his sorrow, remarking on Ding Yiqiu’s lifelong dedication and his tragic, undignified end in the river, which had only amplified Ding Mao's determination to uncover the truth.

Driven by his need for answers, Guo Deyou decided to attempt his own "analysis by lighting cigarette." He retrieved his master's tools and, under the guise of offering condolences, managed to convince the Ding family servants to leave him alone with Ding Yiqiu's body. Despite his known aversion to smoke, Guo Deyou lit the cigarette, but the intense experience overwhelmed him, and he collapsed.

Episode 2 Recap

Driven by curiosity and ignoring his master's reluctance, Guo Deyou, the Junior Tientsin Mystic, attempted the "analysis by lighting cigarette" ritual himself, despite his weak physique. In a chilling hallucination, he waded through icy river water, disoriented, as floating red floral fragments guided him. Following them, he discovered Ding Yiqiu, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation, lying dead before him, with a mysterious red substance slowly entering Ding Yiqiu's nose.

The acrid smoke of the ritual overwhelmed Guo Deyou, and he thrashed, attempting to clear the air, before collapsing into the darkness of the vision. Meanwhile, at the ancestral hall, Ding Mao discussed the burning of paper effigies and horses for his deceased father with Supervisor Hu. Ding Mao found the practice wasteful and without meaning, but Supervisor Hu explained it was to offer comfort to the living and a gesture of companionship for the deceased.

Shortly after, Ding Mao, recalling a familiar silhouette of a worker moving paper horses, came downstairs to unexpectedly find Guo Deyou unconscious on the ground. Before he could process the sight, Gu Ying, the young shamaness, struck him with a stick, knocking him out. When Ding Mao regained consciousness, he was bound. He was furious and initially intended to call for help to apprehend Guo Deyou for trespassing. However, Guo Deyou's words stunned him.

Guo Deyou revealed that he had used "analysis by lighting cigarette" to uncover the details of Ding Yiqiu’s death, which was his true reason for entering the Chamber of Commerce. He asserted that Ding Yiqiu did not drown in the river, but in the sea. He had been tied to a Xuanwu bronze statue, thrown into the ocean, and then dragged along with the statue by a ship to the spot where his body was recovered.

Ding Mao confirmed that this matched his own autopsy findings, but then accused Guo Deyou of being the murderer, as only the culprit could possess such precise details without being present. Guo Deyou countered by citing tiny red algae residue found in Ding Yiqiu’s nose and mouth, a species that only grows in the sea, and pointed to the deep rope marks on Ding Yiqiu’s wrists, indicating he was dragged a long distance by a heavy cargo ship.

Such an operation, conducted at night to avoid detection, could only be orchestrated by the Chamber of Commerce itself, implying an inside job. Realizing the implications, Ding Mao immediately confronted Supervisor Hu, demanding records of any large ships (over twenty tons) that left port during the nights his father went missing. Supervisor Hu initially hesitated, claiming such large vessels rarely moved at night due to poor visibility and potential problems.

However, Ding Mao’s insistence led him to provide the records, further solidifying Ding Mao's suspicion that someone within the Chamber was involved in his father's death. Frustrated by the police's inaction, Ding Mao marched to the police station to demand an explanation. He found the police chief and his officers idle, despite numerous unresolved cases. Ding Mao, with his sharp observations, exposed the department’s lack of personnel and progress.

The Police Chief, hoping to divert public attention and media scrutiny from his incompetent force, offered Ding Mao a temporary special detective badge to investigate his father’s case personally, without pay or a firearm. Ding Mao accepted, determined to find the truth. Armed with his new authority, Ding Mao went to the Dragon King Temple, Guo Deyou's residence, to interrogate him, still convinced he was the prime suspect.

He found Guo Deyou repairing his tools, grumbling about Gu Ying, who had broken them. Guo Deyou defiantly stated that he was the murderer to provoke Ding Mao to present evidence. The Senior Tientsin Mystic, Guo Chun, intervened, emphasizing that the official legal process differed from the unwritten rules of their trade. He advised Ding Mao to consider the "speechless" green-haired infant found alongside Ding Yiqiu. He stated, "Corpses in the same place, floated on the same day.

Unravel one, and you’ll know the other." Following Guo Chun's advice, they began to examine the infant's body. Guo Chun forbade a full dissection, instructing them to rely solely on observation, as he wanted to respect the deceased's family. Guo Deyou speculated that the infant, judging by its robust physique, likely came from a wealthy family whose mother had a good diet, and believed it had drowned, based on his experience as a corpse retriever.

Ding Mao disagreed, arguing that affluent families would not easily abandon a child with a minor illness, suggesting the infant must be from a poor family who couldn't afford medical care, and therefore likely not drowned. Guo Chun listened intently but refrained from declaring a winner in their debate. Back at the temple, Guo Chun instructed them to prepare a trap in the courtyard: scattering dried leaves and oil in one area and spreading soybeans across the floor.

He cryptically warned them to "watch your step at night." That night, a thief silently entered the temple, but the trap worked, causing him to slip on the soybeans. Guo Deyou swiftly recovered the infant's body from the thief. The thief, despite being in pain, made no sound, adhering to a "thieves' code" where silence distinguished stealing from robbing. Impressed by Guo Chun's uncanny foresight, Ding Mao decided to seek him as a master.

Guo Deyou found the idea amusing, and Guo Chun initially rebuffed Ding Mao, claiming their paths were too different and he lacked the necessary qualities, suggesting he needed more tempering. Undeterred, Ding Mao humbly insisted, vowing to meet any conditions. Guo Deyou mockingly listed exorbitant demands: a thousand silver dollars tuition, a three-day feast at Taifeng restaurant, ten years of absolute loyalty where his fate was his own, and additional gifts for festivals and birthdays.

Ding Mao, without hesitation, agreed to all. The very next morning, Ding Mao arrived at the Dragon King Temple with an entourage, moving in with a large tortoise (which he claimed was proof he met the condition to become an apprentice) and expensive gifts for Guo Chun: a luxurious African Padauk chair for his comfort, and a German-made clock for Guo Deyou, intended to help with his punctuality (unaware of the cultural taboo of "sending a clock" symbolizing a funeral).

He also brought in a lavish feast from famous restaurants and even prepared some dishes himself. Guo Deyou was visibly annoyed by Ding Mao's ostentatious gestures and attempted to enforce household rules, such as not sitting directly in front of the Kitchen God, which he considered great disrespect.

Ding Mao, however, asserted his authority as a special detective and argued that he had every right to be there to investigate, as he was a witness and investigator, and as a special detective, he outranked the auxiliary corpse retrieval team. Guo Deyou, in turn, accused Ding Mao of being disrespectful and unfilial by so readily seeking a new father figure after his own father's recent death. Over dinner, Guo Chun asked them about their investigation plans.

Ding Mao proposed to first establish the infant's identity, believing it was the most convenient way to uncover the truth. Guo Deyou, drawing from his street smarts, hypothesized that the infant was likely an illegitimate child, which would explain why the "owner" attempted to steal the body rather than claim it openly, as their identity could not be exposed. Deciding to pursue both angles, they agreed to split up.

Ding Mao returned to the police station to request access to missing persons archives, especially for infants and children. The Police Chief, again citing regulations and his position, refused. Ding Mao then skillfully pointed out details in the Chief’s office: a teacup with lipstick and animal fur on a chair. He inferred that the Chief had a mistress, observing that the Chief’s devoutly Buddhist wife would neither wear fur nor heavy lipstick.

Cornered and exposed, the Chief quickly relented and led Ding Mao to the archives. Meanwhile, Guo Deyou visited a local brothel, inquiring discreetly about pregnant women. He asked the madam hypothetically what a "friend" should do if they got pregnant "on the wild side" (meaning, an illegitimate pregnancy). The madam, understanding his coded question, directed him to the Black Witch in the ghost market, a figure known for handling such sensitive matters.

She cautioned him, however, to "mind the ghosts’ rules and seek good fortune." Unaware of these developments, Supervisor Hu visited Guo Chun at the temple, concerned about Ding Mao's decision to stay and become an apprentice. He feared that the ongoing turmoil at the Chamber of Commerce meant they "couldn't afford to gamble" on Ding Mao's risky endeavors and that Ding Mao shouldn't be put in danger.

Guo Chun gravely informed him that since Ding Yiqiu and the Xuanwu statue were discovered together in the water, everyone connected to a twenty-year-old incident had already been drawn into this perilous "gamble," and whether they could afford it was no longer relevant. Supervisor Hu immediately understood that Guo Chun was referring to the sinister Demonic Cult.

Episode 3 Recap

Gu Ying stood on a bustling Tianjin street, ringing her spirit-calling bell and performing a ritual to summon the soul of a man who had long been away from home. She was filling in for her mother, who, according to Gu Ying, was often too drunk or lazy for such minor jobs. Gu Ying also promised Guo Deyou pork knuckles at Dengying Tower. Coincidentally, Guo Deyou, preoccupied with the mystery of the dead infant, stumbled upon her.

A plan forming in his mind, Guo Deyou decided to enlist Gu Ying's help to investigate how the notorious Black Witch of the ghost market handled children born out of wedlock. Guo Deyou coached Gu Ying on how to act, instructing her to appear tired, anxious, yet with a hint of excitement, like a mother who had just suffered a great loss.

He described the feeling as a profound separation of flesh and blood, akin to a hot sweet potato falling to the ground and being stepped on. Gu Ying, initially confused, struggled to embody the role, reminding Guo Deyou of his promise to treat her to pork knuckles and commenting that she only had a "jianbing guozi" in her stomach.

Guo Deyou then clarified, telling her to stuff her Daoist robe under her clothes to feign pregnancy, and warned her to be cautious in the ghost market as its merchants were not to be trifled with. They arrived at the ghost market, a dark and eerie place filled with strange figures, which unnerved Gu Ying. Gu Ying decided to scout ahead herself, stopping Guo Deyou from going further.

Before Gu Ying could enter the Black Witch's tent, a basin of blood water was splashed out. The Black Witch, with one eye obscured by a wooden stick and a husky voice, immediately saw through Gu Ying's disguise, stating that she was a virgin pretending to be pregnant and asking them to leave. Guo Deyou quickly interjected, explaining they were sent by a young lady from a wealthy mansion to discreetly inquire about the Black Witch's skills.

He requested information about her recent clients to verify her expertise. The Black Witch refused, citing a sacred vow that prevented her from revealing clients' identities, and told them to seek help elsewhere if they didn't trust her. Gu Ying then took the initiative, performing a ritual. She tore off a strand of Guo Deyou's hair, dipped it in red liquid, and drew frantically on a piece of paper, chanting a spell.

She dramatically claimed the drawing depicted the face of a male infant born a month ago, a "ferocious ghost" with an "evil water fate" that would cause widespread disaster if not appeased. The Black Witch, visibly shaken, confirmed a male infant was indeed born there a month prior. Unable to speak the names due to her vow, the Black Witch instead wrote down the names of three families who had received her services.

She then offered them a demon-suppressing runestone for protection, for which she demanded a silver dollar. Guo Deyou, quick to deflect, declared that Ding Mao would pay for it, arguing it was for his father's case. Meanwhile, Ding Mao was tirelessly researching recent missing persons cases, but his efforts yielded no clues.

Guo Deyou visited him, finding his room filled with scientific specimens, including a human brain, slugs (whose secretions could treat infections), and tuberculosis samples, which Guo Deyou found rather unsettling. Ding Mao explained their clinical value in his rigorous scientific pursuits. When Guo Deyou pressed him about his father's case and the dead infant, Ding Mao admitted he had no new leads.

Just then, Gu Ying arrived with crucial information: Miss Xue Yuanyuan of the Xue family, one of the families mentioned by the Black Witch, had drowned in the river a few days earlier. The Xue family was secretly arranging a funeral and had engaged Gu Ying's mother for the ritual, keeping the death quiet from the public. Guo Deyou immediately suspected a connection to the dead infant.

He suggested Ding Mao, as the Young Master of the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation, use his status to attend the funeral as a supposed friend of Miss Xue, a strategy he jokingly referred to as "making an inquiry." Ding Mao arrived at the Xue mansion, introducing himself as "Fu Mao," a friend of the deceased Xue Yuanyuan. Xue Qingyang, Yuanyuan's father, questioned how Ding Mao knew of her death, which had been kept private.

Xue Qingyang then unexpectedly asked Ding Mao to change into graveclothes, claiming it was to fulfill a "wish." Ding Mao, confused, realized he was being forced to serve as a sacrificial "adulterer" to be buried alive with Xue Yuanyuan, whom Xue Qingyang believed was his lover and the father of her child. Fortunately, Guo Deyou and Gu Ying arrived just as Ding Mao was about to be forced into the coffin.

Gu Ying swiftly intervened, claiming to be Witch Zhang’s daughter, sent to check on the corpse because her mother suspected issues with the ritual. Guo Deyou then loudly exposed Ding Mao's true identity as Ding Mao, the Young Master of the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation, recently returned from studying in Germany. Realizing his grave error, Xue Qingyang immediately apologized and ordered Ding Mao to be released.

In the guest room, Xue Qingyang attempted to bribe them into silence and keep the matter private. However, Ding Mao produced his temporary police badge, demanding a full account of the events or he would take Xue Qingyang to the police station. Under pressure, Xue Qingyang revealed his family's secret: Yuanyuan had disappeared for half a year after running away during a temple fair, only to return pregnant, having been deceived by a rich young man.

To preserve the family's reputation, Xue Qingyang confined her and arranged for a midwife to deliver the baby in secret. After the baby was a month old, Yuanyuan escaped with the infant. Later, her body was found floating in the river, but the baby was never found. Guo Deyou then confirmed that the dead infant found at the Dragon King Temple was indeed Xue Yuanyuan's child. Xue Qingyang then requested to retrieve the infant to be buried with its mother.

Ding Mao initially refused, wanting to investigate the cause of death. However, Xue Qingyang vehemently insisted, citing the need for family privacy and Tianjin's unofficial rule that authorities do not investigate unless a crime is reported. Frustrated by the lack of progress, Ding Mao offered to hire Guo Deyou to investigate, initially offering thirty silver dollars, eventually settling on fifty silver dollars. The next day, Xue Qingyang's butler, Uncle Gui, arrived at the Dragon King Temple to retrieve the infant.

Guo Deyou engaged Uncle Gui in conversation, asking about Xue Yuanyuan. Uncle Gui described her as a kind and naive girl, expressing doubt that she would willingly die as a new mother. He recounted the night of her disappearance: after a frantic search, Xue Qingyang and his staff found Yuanyuan's body floating in the river near their mansion.

Guo Deyou noted the peculiarity of this, questioning why the Corpse Retrieval team was not the first to discover a body in the river. Sensing a deeper mystery, Guo Deyou offered to accompany Uncle Gui back to the Xue mansion to ensure the proper rituals were observed, using the opportunity to further his investigation.

Episode 4 Recap

During the autumn rainy season, Uncle Gui, the butler of the Xue mansion, along with several servants, carried a red wooden coffin containing a dead infant into the Xue residence and placed it beside the coffin of Miss Xue Yuanyuan. Xue Yuanyuan's coffin had not yet been sealed. Guo Deyou, observing Xue Yuanyuan inside, appeared somewhat uneasy. His curiosity, much like Ding Mao's, often led him to hands-on investigation.

After the infant's coffin was brought back, Guo Deyou used the excuse of dispelling bad luck from Uncle Gui to ask for a cigarette, a crucial element for his "cigarette divination for justice" technique. Meanwhile, at the wooden fort where the Old River God resided, Ding Mao and Old River God Guo Chun were discussing Guo Deyou's allergic constitution.

Old River God Guo Chun explained that anyone sensitive to irritants, like smoke, could experience choking, coughing, hallucinations, amplified senses, or even suffocation. As they spoke, inside the Xue family ancestral hall, Guo Deyou had already entered a trance through his ritual. Xue Yuanyuan appeared before him in the vision, surrounded by clues intimately connected to her death. Upon emerging from the trance, Guo Deyou, true to his allergy, was overcome by the smell of smoke.

He noticed that Xue Yuanyuan had been wearing jade earrings when her body was recovered. Later, as Ding Mao was changing, Uncle Hu, the general manager of the Caoyun Chamber of Commerce, entered his room. He informed Ding Mao that Xiao Lanlan, the daughter of the secretary general of the municipal government, was getting engaged.

Although the Chamber of Commerce and the Xiao family had a generational feud, Uncle Hu believed this engagement presented the perfect opportunity to mend their strained relationship and requested Ding Mao attend. That same day, Xiao Lanlan visited the police station to report that her fiancé, Qian Zixian, had been missing for a week, expressing a premonition that he wouldn't show up at their engagement party that evening.

Captain Fu dismissed her concerns, suggesting Qian Zixian was merely being playful before the wedding. He tried to assure her that Qian Zixian, a prominent figure in Tianjin and soon-to-be son-in-law to Secretary General Xiao, was likely just relaxing. However, Xiao Lanlan asserted that while the Qian family might prioritize reputation and delay reporting, she didn't care for such face-saving and wanted the police to take the matter seriously.

Despite her fiancé's disappearance, she insisted the engagement party proceed as planned. That evening, the engagement banquet was held at the prestigious Juhua Hotel. Outside, amidst the dazzling neon lights of Tianjin, Vice Mayor Xu, Colonel Luo of the city defense regiment, Feng shopkeeper of Suxin Fang, and President Sun of the Charity Hall were among the notable guests arriving with extravagant gifts.

Gu Ying and her mother, the divine shaman, attempted to enter the lavish event without an invitation or a gift. Dressed unusually, they were promptly stopped by the guards. Gu Ying's mother, irritated, threatened the guard with a "diarrhea spell" if he angered her, claiming she was there to help the family, as a hexagram she cast for the host predicted dire trouble for the bridegroom.

Ding Mao arrived just in time, vouching for them and allowing them entry, while his gift of 500 silver dollars was announced. Gu Ying's mother quickly slipped inside. Guo Deyou also appeared at the hotel entrance, ready to inform Ding Mao of Xue Yuanyuan's true cause of death, promising to solve the case by morning.

Accepting the proposal (and confirming the previously promised 50 silver dollars for investigation), Guo Deyou confirmed their meeting for the next day to investigate Xue mansion. The next morning, before the sun was high, Uncle Gui had arranged for eight masked porters from the docks to carry Xue Yuanyuan's coffin for burial. However, Guo Deyou, Ding Mao, and Gu Ying forcefully entered the Xue mansion, halting the procession.

Guo Deyou, without hesitation, openly accused Xue Qingyang, detailing the actual circumstances of Xue Yuanyuan's death. Xue Qingyang, enraged but unable to refute the facts, called for the trio to be thrown out. Ding Mao intervened, stating that the murder weapon was still within the mansion. Guo Deyou then presented his evidence: although Xue Yuanyuan's nails had been repainted, scratch marks from grappling with a hard object, likely varnished mahogany furniture, were still visible.

He also pointed out that her body, unlike a drowned victim's, was impeccably clean, and her hair carried the scent of high-quality Longjing tea, while her jade earrings held fragments of rice paper soaked in tea. These details, he argued, proved she died in her boudoir, not in the river. Since the Xue mansion was well-guarded, the perpetrator had to be an insider. Cornered, Xue Qingyang confessed to accidentally killing his own daughter.

He explained that Xue Yuanyuan, a daughter of a distinguished family, had conceived an "evil child" out of wedlock, which brought disgrace to the family and ruined their reputation. He believed she deserved to die for it. In a flashback, Xue Qingyang was seen confronting a pregnant Xue Yuanyuan who was trying to escape. He tried to stop her from leaving with the baby, desperately attempting to "cover up" the scandal.

In their struggle, he accidentally killed her while attempting to prevent her from bringing further shame to the family. He confirmed that the baby had been taken by a mysterious, limping man shortly after the murder. As he finished his confession, the hired porters suddenly seized the coffin and ran out of the mansion.

Guo Deyou and Gu Ying gave chase, while Ding Mao pressed Uncle Gui for more details about the mysterious man, learning he was not an acquaintance and had a persistent cough. Uncle Gui admitted he hired the porters from the docks to discreetly handle the burial, unaware of their ulterior motives. Guo Deyou and Gu Ying relentlessly pursued the porters, eventually catching up. However, upon opening the coffin, they discovered Xue Yuanyuan's body was gone.

One of the porters, revealing they were "robbers" who "see the money, not the faces of the buyers," admitted they were only instructed to transport the body to Yaowa Wharf for someone else to collect. Gu Ying, furious, knocked him out and immediately headed for Yaowa Wharf. But she arrived too late. At the wharf, she witnessed a man carrying Xue Yuanyuan's body jump into the river. Gu Ying wondered if it was a tragic act of lovers dying together.

Later, by the riverbank, Ding Mao, Guo Deyou, and Gu Ying discussed the situation. Gu Ying reiterated that she saw the man and the body plunge into the water and not resurface, though she was unsure due to the darkness. Ding Mao offered Guo Deyou money to retrieve Xue Yuanyuan's body. Guo Deyou, initially hesitant, negotiated a fee per corpse, likening the search to "gambling on stones" where he could either find nothing or uncover a major case.

Ding Mao agreed to Guo Deyou's proposed rate of 50 silver dollars per body, prompting Guo Deyou to dive into the murky water. Underwater, he discovered Xue Yuanyuan's body bound to the propeller of a large, sunken ship. As he resurfaced, hundreds of other bodies began to float up, victims discovered within the tightly sealed compartments of the sunken vessel, appearing to be dock workers who had been transporting cargo.

The horrifying sight of hundreds of floating corpses left Gu Ying and Ding Mao speechless, confirming their suspicions that Xue Yuanyuan's death was far more complex than a simple family tragedy, hinting at a much larger, sinister plot.

Episode 5 Recap

After Guo Deyou surfaced from the Hai River, gasping for breath, Gu Ying and Ding Mao rushed to ask him what happened. To their astonishment, hundreds of floating corpses began to appear on the Hai River, near the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation dock. The crowd murmured about the eerie sight, confirming that the Junior Tientsin Mystic had found a gate under the river, from which bodies kept emerging.

The Fifth River Corpse Retrieval Team members were busy, counting over a hundred bodies, anticipating they would be rich, as each body was worth fifty silver dollars, totaling more than five thousand. Ding Mao, reflecting on the situation, questioned how retrieving Xue Yuanyuan's body could lead to so many other deaths, all from the same spot. Soon, Captain Fu, accompanied by his men, arrived at the dock.

Ding Mao, already on site, immediately ordered more men to protect the scene, set up an investigation, and gather all missing person reports from Tianjin, determined to understand the connection behind these numerous deaths, which had escalated from Xue Yuanyuan's disappearance. However, Captain Fu curtly reminded Ding Mao that he was the heir of the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation, not the police station, and insisted he would handle the police matters.

Ding Mao argued that he had pulled the bodies from the river and had been following Xue Yuanyuan's case, believing he had reason to investigate. Captain Fu countered that Guo Deyou, the Junior Tientsin Mystic, found the bodies, but Ding Mao asserted he paid Guo Deyou for the retrieval.

Captain Fu then stated that the corpse retrieval team was under police command and paid by them, implying that Ding Mao had ignored regulations and overstepped his bounds by paying for the investigation himself. He openly speculated if the Chamber of Commerce had an "inside story" related to Xue Yuanyuan's case.

As Captain Fu and Ding Mao debated, Supervisor Hu of the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation arrived with his servants, lamenting that their dock, the biggest in Tianjin, had become the largest open-air morgue. He criticized Captain Fu for the recent River Worship Ceremony drawing so much attention and now this new predicament. Captain Fu demanded an explanation, but Supervisor Hu quickly checked the bodies and declared that none of them belonged to the Chamber.

Unwilling to be drawn into an argument, Supervisor Hu offered a solution: the Chamber would allocate special funding to transport all the bodies to the Mercy Hospital, which was funded by the Chamber. There, the bodies would be preserved for identification by their families, relieving the police of any further trouble.

Captain Fu, impressed by Supervisor Hu's "thoughtful" and "perfect" handling of the situation, accepted the offer and instructed his men to ensure the autopsy was done thoroughly and cleanly, warning that the police would not take the blame for any further complications. Later, Captain Fu’s subordinate showed him a pocket watch found on one of the bodies. Captain Fu then paid a visit to Xiao San Ye, engaging in pleasantries about Secretary General Xiao and Miss Xiao Lanlan.

He revealed the true purpose of his visit: the discovery of Qian Zixian's pocket watch among the hundreds of retrieved bodies. He mentioned that the bodies were now at the Mercy Hospital, and though it was hard to tell, there was a possibility that Qian Zixian was among them. Xiao San Ye, taking the watch, discreetly paid Captain Fu, instructing him to keep the discovery a secret, especially from Xiao Lanlan.

Captain Fu tried to mention Secretary General Xiao again but was quickly dismissed. Meanwhile, at a hidden location, Xiao San Ye discussed "birth" as "creation" and "original life" with a member of the Demonic Cult (Mogudao), revealing their belief that the "Holy Child" was the "original life of our Demon Sect." He lamented that even though the "Holy Child" (presumably Xue Yuanyuan's baby) was found, it had been dead too long to be of use.

Xiao San Ye expressed his frustration that Ding Yiqiu, even in death, continued to cause trouble, and now his son, Ding Mao, had become a police agent, threatening to disrupt their plans. He also warned the cult leader to "be careful of Guo Deyou," as he had "helped a lot with Xue Yuanyuan's case."

The cult leader, unconcerned about the Junior Tientsin Mystic, asked about the Senior Tientsin Mystic, Guo Chun, noting that he always chose to "keep a low profile" and had not been involved when Ding Yiqiu died. The cult leader then stressed the urgency of finding other "Holy Children" from the three who had survived years ago, suggesting they check who had adopted children back then.

He also indicated that if the Chamber of Commerce was "bold enough," they should "enjoy themselves," implying he had things arranged at the dock. That night, members of the Fifth River Corpse Retrieval Team gathered in Guo Deyou's wooden shack, drinking and chatting. The conversation turned to the Xuanwu statue found in the river. One member questioned whether it was a tortoise or a turtle, and then asked, "What about Xuanwu?"

The mood grew somber as another member mentioned that the Xuanwu statue, meant to guard the safety of the waters, was found with Ding Yiqiu's dead body tied to it, which was "scary." Guo Deyou then questioned Tieniu, asking where Xuanwu statues were typically placed. Tieniu explained that they were erected in places where the water was historically "not safe" or had "flooded," especially in Tianjin, with its complex waterways and many riverside villages.

He added that if truly horrible things happened, like a whole village being drowned, residents would ask witches to hold rites and, if necessary, set up a Xuanwu statue to "guard the restless water." Later, Guo Deyou discussed the recent events with Guo Chun, feeling that the over a hundred bodies had been "put there on purpose."

He connected the dead infant, Ding Yiqiu, Xue Yuanyuan, and the recent influx of bodies, noting how all these cases seemed "related to water." Guo Chun advised him to stop overthinking and just do his job, commenting that Ding Mao had been "preoccupied" and locked himself in his room since returning from the dock, urging Guo Deyou to "take care of him," as they were both his apprentices.

Meanwhile, Xiao Lanlan rushed to the newspaper office after receiving an urgent assignment from her editor: to publish an extra edition announcing a pandemic at the Mercy Hospital, where the bodies were taken. The hospital was quarantined, and body claims were to be delayed. Xiao Lanlan, surprised by the sudden outbreak, questioned the authenticity of the report, asking for proof like a telegram or a pandemic certificate.

Her editor dismissed her concerns, removed her from the story, and assigned it to Xiao Zhe. Determined to uncover the truth, Xiao Lanlan sought out Ding Mao at Yizhuang. She asked him about the Buddha head in the Yizhuang, which Guo Deyou explained had been there since he could remember, only the head, having rolled down a mountain. He recounted that his Master believed it would bring good fortune, but the temple eventually became an Yizhuang.

Xiao Lanlan then brought up the 100 bodies and the sudden hospital pandemic, asking if Ding Mao found anything unusual. He admitted that, aside from the sheer number, the bodies seemed normal, but he hadn't been able to perform an autopsy because the Mercy Hospital had immediately been sealed. Xiao Lanlan suspected an "inside story" and urged Ding Mao, as the Young Master of the Chamber, to investigate.

Ding Mao confided that the police had banned him from the case, but Xiao Lanlan pressed him, revealing her own connection: her fiancé, Qian Zixian, had been missing for a long time, and she had a strong feeling his body was among the corpses. She pleaded with Ding Mao to take her to the hospital. Though initially hesitant, Ding Mao agreed, his curiosity piqued by the Chamber's determined cover-up.

Later, Ding Mao and Xiao Lanlan attempted to enter the Mercy Hospital but were firmly blocked by guards who cited "three fatal orders from the Chamber, the police, and the hospital" forbidding entry. Despite Ding Mao's insistence that he was from the Chamber, the hospital belonged to them, and he was also a police detective, the guards would not budge. Frustrated, Ding Mao went to confront Supervisor Hu at his home.

He accused Hu of "hiding the truth" and ignoring the rumors circulating outside, which blamed the Chamber for "something wicked." Supervisor Hu dismissed the rumors, stating that they were waiting for German virus experts to assess the situation before making any decisions, arguing that spreading unconfirmed information would cause panic, not solve problems. He emphasized that "cautiousness and prudence" had built the Chamber's success, not "impulsion or recklessness."

Ding Mao angrily questioned why he, a forensic doctor and a Chamber member, was still denied entry. Supervisor Hu reiterated that his priority was Ding Mao's safety and preventing the virus from spreading further, which would "doom" the Chamber. Ding Mao retorted that this was the same obstruction he faced when his father died and when the Xue Yuanyuan case came up, all connecting back to the Chamber and its secrets.

He accused Hu of wanting him to "gobble food and wait to die," but declared he couldn't stand being a coward. He decided he would help investigate to uncover the truth, even if it meant discovering a father different from his imagination or revealing secrets of the Chamber of Commerce he "should not know."

At the same time, Gu Ying's mother attempted to stop her from going with Guo Deyou, calling him a "catastrophe" and warning of "bad luck" from so many corpses, even trying to exorcise bad luck from her daughter with "mussels mud." Unfazed, Gu Ying later revealed her plan to Guo Deyou and Ding Mao: they would pretend to be corpses to get into the hospital.

Observing the guards changing shifts, complaining about being tired and hot, the trio seized their chance. Disguised as dead bodies, they were pushed into the hospital on gurneys, along with "another three bodies" that had just been retrieved from the river. A guard joked about Gu Ying's "tofu" (referring to her delicate appearance) while they were being moved. They were instructed to remove their clothes before being left inside.

Navigating the dark, chaotic corridors, they cautiously made their way to the morgue. Gu Ying tried to use Ding Mao's sterile surgical tools to pick the lock, but he protested, concerned about contamination. Gu Ying then confidently pushed the door, revealing it was already unlocked, and let out a startled scream as she stepped inside. Guo Deyou and Ding Mao rushed in after her to see what had happened.

Episode 6 Recap

Gu Ying shrieked as she entered the morgue and nearly struck an armed searcher. It was a false alarm, however, as Xiao Lanlan removed her mask, revealing herself to the group. Xiao Lanlan had arrived earlier than the others, having swapped clothes with a guard during a shift change to sneak in. Guo Deyou, sensing the heavy "yin" energy in the morgue, instructed Gu Ying and Xiao Lanlan to stand guard outside, pushing them out.

He and Ding Mao then proceeded to examine the visible bodies. Guo Deyou, with his extensive experience in salvaging corpses, could immediately distinguish between those who drowned and those thrown into the river after death. Ding Mao, a proponent of modern forensics, initially dismissed Guo Deyou's empirical observations. However, upon closer inspection, he found that the victims' engorged blood vessels were inconsistent with drowning. Using his instruments, Ding Mao discovered that all the individuals had died from cyanide poisoning.

He even recognized Qian Zixian, Xiao Lanlan's fiancé, among the bodies, but decided against revealing this to Xiao Lanlan to spare her distress. Their investigation was interrupted when the two guards they had been avoiding earlier entered the morgue. Gu Ying quickly incapacitated them. Amidst the chaos, Xiao Lanlan inadvertently saw Qian Zixian's body. Though grief-stricken, she maintained a strong resolve, vowing to find the killer. Ding Mao, witnessing her determination, promised to bring her a satisfactory explanation.

Ding Mao explained that all the victims, including Qian Zixian, died of cyanide poisoning and were then thrown into the river. He also noted that many bodies were infected with a virus, but Qian Zixian’s body showed no signs of it, leaving the connection unclear. He acknowledged that their presence had already alerted the perpetrators, making further investigation challenging. The constant discovery of bodies in the Hai River left everyone feeling increasingly overwhelmed.

The case of the deceased infant remained unsolved, with the child's body disappearing, and Xue Yuanyuan's body was deliberately thrown into the river before the hundreds of floating corpses appeared. Unable to tolerate further loss of life, Guo Deyou decided to use the forbidden "analysis by lighting cigarette" technique, despite the physical toll it would take. While in a trance, he was jostled out of the vision.

After gasping for air, he collapsed, only to suddenly spring up during Ding Mao's resuscitation attempts, grabbing Ding Mao's clothes and shouting the word "opium." Before dawn, Ding Mao rushed into the police station, surprising Captain Fu by entering without knocking.

Following Guo Deyou's hint, Ding Mao, leveraging his temporary police badge and special detective status, declared his intention to investigate the opium trade, reasoning that if he couldn't handle the floating corpse case directly, he would tackle this related, illegal activity. Captain Fu, unaware of the full context, was reluctant but eventually agreed to let Ding Mao investigate opium "secretly." To gather information, Ding Mao reluctantly went to a brothel, Cangcuilou.

The madam explained that various girls catered to different types of clients. Ding Mao paid a high price for Guan Mei, a girl known to serve clients who enjoyed "smoking a few puffs," hoping she would have information. Meanwhile, at the Hai River's water transportation dock, Gu Ying and her mother performed rituals, scattering paper money to send off the hundreds of floating bodies.

Guo Deyou arrived, and a lively argument ensued between him and Gu Ying's mother, who, as a self-proclaimed medium, accused him of bringing bad luck. Feigning a desire to cleanse himself, Guo Deyou plunged into the Hai River. After searching for some time, he discovered a hidden entrance related to where the hundred floating bodies were found, leading him through an underwater passage. He eventually emerged from a well in a desolate, overgrown field outside the city.

Back at the brothel, Ding Mao was in an awkward situation with Guan Mei in a private room, trying to extract information while fumbling with tea. With the promise of payment, he learned from Guan Mei that Qian Zixian not only smoked opium but was also involved in opium dealing. She recalled Qian Zixian frequently mentioning the word "jasmine."

Ding Mao conveyed this new information to Xiao Lanlan, warning her about the dangers of Qian Zixian's past associates and asking if she knew what "jasmine" meant. Xiao Lanlan then brought Ding Mao to the Ju Hua Grand Hotel. Coincidentally, Guo Deyou and Gu Ying, who had been following a car with mud matching that from the well, also observed it stop at the same hotel. As they dined, a singer on stage began performing a song whose title was "Jasmine," prompting Ding Mao to realize the meaning of Qian Zixian's last word.

Episode 7 Recap

Ding Mao informed Xiao Lanlan that Qian Zixian's last word before his death was "Jasmine Flower." Xiao Lanlan became visibly sensitive, explaining that she had first met Qian Zixian at the Ju Hua Grand Hotel—an arranged family engagement—and "Jasmine Flower" was the first song she heard there. She confessed to feeling uneasy whenever their engagement was mentioned.

Ding Mao empathized, sharing his own experience of returning to a life of family obligations despite his desire for freedom, remarking that his previous years felt like they were lived for others. Xiao Lanlan acknowledged their shared sense of being bound by fate, quoting opera lyrics about friends meeting across the land. Xiao Lanlan then led Ding Mao to the Ju Hua Grand Hotel.

Meanwhile, Guo Deyou and Gu Ying, having tracked a suspicious car, also arrived at the same hotel. Gu Ying, admiring the elegant setting and live music, mistakenly believed Guo Deyou had brought her there for a romantic gesture, expressing her comfort and relief when with him. However, their romantic interlude was short-lived as they realized they had no money, not even for soda water. Guo Deyou, already suspecting the hotel held secrets, decided to create a diversion.

He loudly proclaimed the presence of a rat, sending the dining hall into chaos as patrons panicked and staff scrambled to investigate. Observing the commotion, Ding Mao, who was already at a table, spotted Guo Deyou, and their eyes met in mutual understanding. Capitalizing on the ensuing disorder, the four managed to slip past the disoriented service staff into a restricted back area of the hotel.

They were confronted by two men guarding an inner door, who demanded the time as a password. Ding Mao, quickly calculating the sun's position, provided a precise time. With the guards momentarily confused, Gu Ying swiftly incapacitated them, clearing the path forward. Beyond the guarded door, they discovered a vast opium den, filled with the thick, cloying smoke of opium and patrons lost in addiction. A female host greeted them warmly and ushered them into a private room.

When asked what they desired, Ding Mao boldly requested the "most expensive" item, and she returned with opium paste. Guo Deyou, acutely sensitive to the smell of opium, quickly became disoriented and began to succumb to the fumes. Gu Ying, increasingly alarmed by his deteriorating condition, tried to help him. While Ding Mao tried to create a new diversion by claiming they needed the restroom, the guards again demanded the time.

As they attempted to escape the suffocating environment, Guo Deyou collapsed, entering a deep trance and initiating his "analysis by lighting cigarette" vision. While Ding Mao and Gu Ying bravely fought off the den's thugs, Guo Deyou, guided by his hallucinatory visions, stumbled upon a hidden mechanism, which opened into a secret room. Inside, Ding Mao discovered a rare loquat seedling and crucial ledgers detailing opium transactions. Xiao Lanlan simultaneously found another exit.

Seizing the opportunity, they quickly escaped, supporting the still-unconscious Guo Deyou. That evening, the police, led by Captain Fu, raided and sealed off the Ju Hua Grand Hotel. Captain Fu, eager to claim credit, publicly praised Ding Mao for the discovery before conveniently delegating the entire opium case to him, citing other urgent matters at the precinct. Meanwhile, Guo Deyou, having recovered from his trance, used his keen sense of smell to identify Manager Wang amidst the arrested staff.

He noted the faint but distinct odor of opium paste on her fingers and the unique, expensive fragrance she wore—a blend of Jianan eaglewood, Songpan musk, pearl, powder of jade, and roses. This luxurious scent precisely matched the aroma emanating from the secret ledgers found in the hidden room. When Guo Deyou confronted her, Manager Wang inadvertently confirmed the existence of the "secret room," solidifying her guilt. Ding Mao immediately took her into custody for interrogation.

At the police station, Ding Mao pressed Manager Wang on how such a significant opium operation could evade detection for so many years despite Tianjin City's strict ban, implying powerful protection. Manager Wang initially claimed to be a mere "scapegoat," revealing that the true owner of the opium den was Qian Zixian, who had hired her to manage the staff. She feigned ignorance about Qian Zixian's last visit.

Ding Mao challenged her, pointing out Qian Zixian's conspicuous absence from his own engagement and his unusual half-month disappearance from the den, highly uncharacteristic for an opium addict. Ding Mao then introduced the topic of the floating bodies at Yaowa Wharf. Manager Wang, startled, revealed knowledge of the exact number of victims, a detail not publicly released, confirming her deeper involvement.

Under continued pressure, she confessed that Qian Zixian had acquired a dangerous and unstable batch of potent opium, which frequently led to deaths among users. She admitted to warning Qian Zixian, telling him that while "selling opium is immoral, don't take lives." However, he, protected by his impending marriage into the powerful Xiao family, dismissed her concerns and ordered her to dispose of the bodies, threatening to blame her if she failed.

Consequently, she, with the help of accomplices, secretly dumped the bodies into an abandoned well in the northern city. Eventually, Qian Zixian himself, in a drunken stupor, consumed the lethal opium and died. Manager Wang then disposed of his body in the same well. She clarified that this "abandoned well" was actually a drainage pipe from a defunct paper mill, which was directly connected to the Yaowa Wharf, explaining the large number of bodies found in the river.

Finally, Ding Mao presented her with the secret opium sales record. Manager Wang, now fully cooperative, revealed a more shocking truth: before Qian Zixian's "hot potato" batch, all the opium supplied to the den came from the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation and was directly handled by none other than Ding Yiqiu, Ding Mao's own deceased father. This devastating revelation left Ding Mao speechless, confirming his deepest fears about his family's entanglement in the illicit trade.

Meanwhile, at the Ding family ancestral hall, Hu Zongguan offered respects to the late Ding Yiqiu, assuring him that the Chamber's affairs were stable and Ding Mao was safe. Ding Mao later arrived and confronted Hu Zongguan with the opium ledgers bearing Ding Yiqiu's signature, as well as mentioning the loquat seedling found in the secret room of the opium den. He directly questioned the Chamber of Commerce's involvement in the opium trade.

Hu Zongguan vehemently denied any wrongdoing, imploring Ding Mao to keep the matter confidential to protect his father's and the Chamber's reputation, emphasizing Ding Yiqiu's honorable life. Unswayed, Ding Mao, determined to uncover the truth, vowed to investigate the matter himself.

Episode 8 Recap

Late in the evening, Supervisor Hu Haijiang arrived at the police station with a pot of Guiqi black chicken soup, claiming to visit Young Master Ding Mao. Ding Mao was secretly poring over the stolen ledger from the opium den. Startled by Supervisor Hu's voice, Ding Mao quickly closed the book. He glanced at the clock, wondering why Uncle Hu was there so late. After tasting the soup, they sat down to chat.

Supervisor Hu commented on Ding Mao's tired appearance, noting he hadn't been eating properly and was constantly at the police office instead of home. He urged Ding Mao to take care of himself, but Ding Mao insisted he couldn't rest until he uncovered the truth about his father's death. Ding Mao confided that many things remained unclear, causing him much anxiety.

He recalled the Xue Yuanyuan case, specifically a detail that the person who took her child was lame and had a persistent cough. These characteristics reminded him of his late father, Ding Yiqiu. Ding Mao hesitantly asked Supervisor Hu if his father had ever considered marrying another wife or had any romantic entanglements outside of their family.

Supervisor Hu dismissed these notions as "rubbish," asserting that Chairman Ding Yiqiu was wholly dedicated to the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation's growth and to worrying about Ding Mao, leaving no time or inclination for such thoughts. Supervisor Hu then offered Ding Mao his last cigarette, knowing Ding Mao occasionally smoked when stressed.

As Ding Mao lit the cigarette, unbeknownst to him, it contained a substance that, combined with the soup, was part of a sinister plan by Supervisor Hu. Supervisor Hu spoke of his deep admiration for Chairman Ding Yiqiu, highlighting the Chamber of Commerce's current prominence in Tianjin, thanks to Ding Yiqiu's efforts for the Hai River and the entire city. Supervisor Hu added that if Ding Yiqiu had any selfish desires, it was for Ding Mao.

Soon after, Ding Mao, feeling increasingly tired, drifted off to sleep. Supervisor Hu woke him, reminding him it was past midnight and urging him to go home. Ding Mao, however, insisted he had an important prisoner to interrogate and, after a warning from Supervisor Hu not to tarnish the Chamber of Commerce's reputation, told him to leave first. When Ding Mao finally went to the interrogation cell, he was stunned to find Manager Wang drowned, completely soaked.

Captain Fu was furious, demanding an explanation for how a prisoner could drown in a police station with no source of water, and angrily blamed Ding Mao for letting him investigate the case. Ding Mao maintained that an autopsy confirmed Manager Wang had drowned due to water in her lungs, suggesting foul play to silence her. Captain Fu, however, angrily retorted that people were already circulating rumors of a "River Demon" in the police station.

Meanwhile, Guo Deyou was at home, soaking in a medicinal bath. His Master, Senior Tientsin Mystic, sternly reprimanded him for venturing into the opium den, particularly given Guo Deyou's fragile health and extreme sensitivity to smoke. Guo Deyou apologized, attributing his actions to being "forced by the situation" and blaming Ding Mao for leading him into trouble. Senior Tientsin Mystic warned him about the dangers of opium and his delicate constitution.

Just then, an officer arrived, requesting Guo Deyou's help to "retrieve a corpse" from the police station, specifically asking for him by name, as the deceased had drowned in a cell. Upon arriving at the police station cell, Guo Deyou detected an unusual scent that Ding Mao couldn't identify. Ding Mao explained that the room was a sealed chamber, with only he possessing the key, making him the prime suspect.

Guo Deyou jokingly accused Ding Mao, emphasizing that anyone investigating the case would immediately suspect him given the circumstances. Ding Mao defended himself with an alibi, stating that Supervisor Hu was with him in the main hall until just after midnight, a fact the guards could corroborate. Ding Mao remembered the exact time Supervisor Hu left because the clock chimed twelve times as he saw him out, after which he discovered Manager Wang's body.

Guo Deyou meticulously searched Ding Mao's office, finally finding clues in the ashtray. Ding Mao admitted to occasionally smoking when upset and reiterated that Supervisor Hu left at precisely midnight. Based on his observations, Guo Deyou declared that he knew the killer's identity and their method. However, he warned Ding Mao that the situation was complex and that uncovering the truth might require Ding Mao to make a significant sacrifice by falsely admitting guilt.

Ding Mao, understanding the gravity of the "bet," accepted, acknowledging that its outcome would ultimately affect the future of the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation. Following this, Guo Deyou visited Xiao Lanlan at the newspaper office, where she had been researching historical floods in Tianjin. She discovered that 21 years prior, after a severe flood, an evil organization called the Demonic Cult emerged in Qiming Village, a disaster-stricken area in the western suburbs.

This cult was notorious for kidnapping children, and while details were sealed, it was known that the government had deployed troops to suppress them. Xiao Lanlan then revealed that the three key figures involved in besieging and suppressing the Demonic Cult were Commander-in-Chief Ding Yiqiu (Ding Mao's father), Deputy Commander-in-Chief Hu Haijiang, and a believer in brotherhood, Guo Chun (Guo Deyou's Master).

Ding Mao recognized the Black Tortoise statue, identical to the one found with his father's body, and realized the need to question Guo Chun about this past event. In return for her information, Guo Deyou promised Xiao Lanlan an exclusive story that would shock the entire city of Tianjin. The next morning, Supervisor Hu Haijiang, after reading a newspaper article detailing Ding Mao's "confession" to Manager Wang's murder and subsequent imprisonment, became agitated.

He rushed to the police station and frantically pleaded with Captain Fu to make an exception for Ding Mao, claiming he was innocent. Captain Fu, however, stated that Ding Mao had voluntarily confessed to using excessive force, which led to Manager Wang's death, and that the incident had already been reported to higher authorities, leaving him powerless to intervene. Seeing that appeals to emotion were fruitless, Supervisor Hu confessed that he was the one who had killed Manager Wang.

Supervisor Hu recounted his plan: he had prepared the murder tools before bringing the soup to Ding Mao late that night. The soup contained a drug that, when combined with a specific cigarette (also containing a drug trigger), would render Ding Mao unconscious at precisely midnight. Supervisor Hu had carefully timed the dosage so that the chimes of the clock would make Ding Mao believe he had only momentarily dozed off, thus obscuring the time he was truly incapacitated.

Once Ding Mao was unconscious, Supervisor Hu stole his keys, entered Manager Wang's cell, choked her, and then drowned her using a pig bladder, making it appear as if she had drowned herself. Captain Fu demanded to know Supervisor Hu's motive. Hu claimed a personal feud with Manager Wang but refused to elaborate.

He then leveraged the immense influence of the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation, threatening to expose the police station and escalate the matter if Ding Mao was not released immediately, putting Captain Fu in a difficult position. Returning to the Dragon King Temple, Guo Deyou found his Master, Senior Tientsin Mystic, gone, leaving only his pipe behind, suggesting an abrupt departure.

Guo Deyou explained his deductions to a devastated Ding Mao, clarifying that the sour smell in the cell was white vinegar, used to neutralize the pungent odor of a pig bladder, a tool familiar to Corpse Retrieval teams for underwater breathing. He pointed out the undisturbed dust in the office, except for the clock, indicating it had been tampered with. The oily residue on the glass near the clock, combined with water, also implicated the killer.

Guo Deyou further explained that the drug used on Ding Mao was a two-part concoction – one in the soup, one in the cigarette – a formula known primarily in military circles as an anesthetic, suggesting the killer had military experience. He linked this to Xiao Lanlan's discovery about the Demonic Cult and the three individuals involved in its suppression, noting that Hu Haijiang, as a deputy commander, would have knowledge of such military-grade drugs.

Guo Deyou admitted these were still inferences but reminded Ding Mao that he had chosen to "roll the dice." Ding Mao, realizing Supervisor Hu's betrayal, was heartbroken. Guo Deyou reflected on his Master's words about the Chamber of Commerce's "loyalty" and grew increasingly concerned about Senior Tientsin Mystic's disappearance, suspecting a deeper connection to the Demonic Cult, a truth that might be more painful than the initial mysteries.

In a remembered conversation, Senior Tientsin Mystic had dismissed Guo Deyou's questions about the Black Tortoise statue and investigations, telling him to focus on his own duties as such matters were "not your concern."

Episode 9 Recap

Guo Deyou arrived at Gu Ying's home, where she was drawing talismans and chanting a Buddhist incantation. He was searching frantically for his master, Senior Tientsin Mystic, who had disappeared, leaving no trace behind. Guo Deyou questioned Gu Ying and her mother, but neither had seen him. Gu Ying then conducted a divination using turtle shells and coins, which landed in a pattern indicating "extreme bad luck" and "Yin omen."

She declared that something terrible was about to happen in the river. Meanwhile, Ding Mao visited Supervisor Hu's home, where he expressed his sorrow over the recent events involving Supervisor Hu, who had willingly sought punishment to prove Ding Mao's innocence. Seeing a portrait of Hu Tianming, Supervisor Hu's late son and Ding Mao's childhood friend, brought back memories.

Ding Mao recalled Tianming's boastful confidence as a Red Badge Guard, telling Ding Mao to pursue his studies abroad while he handled the Chamber of Commerce, assuring him no one could challenge him in Tianjin. Supervisor Hu's wife, still grieving, revealed Tianming had died brutally while serving the Chamber of Commerce, his body "hacked all over" upon return.

She confessed to Ding Mao that she harbored resentment towards Supervisor Hu, not for his sacrifices as a manager, but as a father who lost their son, saying she had stopped having decent conversations with her husband because he reminded her of Tianming. She even suggested that Ding Mao seemed more like Supervisor Hu's biological son, before reflecting on life's fleeting joys and lasting sorrows.

Just then, an associate from the Chamber of Commerce pulled Ding Mao aside, informing him that one of their men had run into trouble on The Door of Life's territory. The trouble concerned the body of Feng Erma, an employee of the Chamber of Commerce, which was recovered by Tieniu of the Fifth River Corpse Retrieval Team at The Door of Life's wharf. Feng Erma's body was severely bloated, and the flesh from two wounds on his neck was missing.

Both Madman Cui, leader of The Door of Life, and Yu Si, representing the Chamber of Commerce, arrived with their respective entourages. Yu Si immediately accused The Door of Life of murder and threatened to tear down the wharf if no explanation was given. Madman Cui retaliated, disclaiming responsibility and accusing the Chamber of Commerce of bringing trouble to his territory, citing their recent internal issues and blaming them for angering the River Demon.

Ding Mao, now stepping up as the new leader of the Chamber, asserted that the Chamber and its people were his responsibility. He demanded the killer reveal themselves to face legal procedures, promising justice. Madman Cui challenged him to produce evidence, threatening consequences if Ding Mao caused trouble without proof. Police Captain Fu arrived, breaking up the escalating tension.

After initial confusion and arguments over jurisdiction and proposed autopsy (which Madman Cui vehemently rejected, accusing Ding Mao of trying to frame them), Guo Deyou, also present, intervened. He pointed out the disrespect shown to the deceased and his young son and suggested that the Corpse Retrieval Team take the body to Dragon King Temple as per custom. Madman Cui initially agreed but then grew suspicious of Guo Deyou and Ding Mao's sworn brotherhood, hinting at collusion.

A frustrated Guo Deyou then sarcastically suggested the two factions fight it out, which Yu Si readily accepted. Captain Fu, however, put an end to the brawl. Ding Mao then addressed Madman Cui directly, admitting no immediate proof but questioning his defensiveness, given the death occurred on his territory. Madman Cui then proposed a "reasoning competition" in one week at the Chamber of Commerce's Nangu Wharf, stating that the loser, regardless of the case's resolution, would bear all the blame.

Ding Mao accepted, and Captain Fu declared the matter temporarily settled. Following the confrontation, Gu Ying led Feng Erma's son to Dragon King Temple, where Feng Erma's body was also taken for temporary keeping. With a multitude of unanswered questions regarding the Demonic Cult and its alleged connection to Supervisor Hu, Ding Mao visited Supervisor Hu in prison, seeking a full explanation.

Supervisor Hu, appearing weary but composed, offered to reveal everything if Ding Mao promised one condition: to protect the Chamber of Commerce and prevent its collapse. Ding Mao readily agreed. Supervisor Hu began his astonishing confession by explaining the history of the Demonic Cult, tracing back over two decades.

He recounted a severe flood that had devastated Tianjin, particularly Qiming Village, leaving survivors afflicted with a mysterious illness characterized by protuberant blood vessels and festering skin, which they only found relief from through opium. This crisis led to the rise of the Demonic Cult, whose followers believed in a "holy child," an incarnation of a River Demon, capable of warding off natural disasters and diseases.

To find this child, they forced Tianjin's children to drink infected blood, believing the one who survived was the true holy child. This horrific event prompted the government to order the cult's eradication. Ding Yiqiu, then a Chief General, Supervisor Hu, his deputy, and Senior Tientsin Mystic, led a combined force to suppress the cult in Qiming Village. However, their plans were leaked, and a cultist possessing "evil magic" turned their own soldiers against each other, causing heavy casualties.

Despite eventually succeeding, most of the abducted children perished in gruesome ways, a memory that still haunted Supervisor Hu. The government, embarrassed by the costly and brutal victory, suppressed all news of the incident. The cult's witchcraft master was imprisoned, Senior Tientsin Mystic resumed his corpse retrieval, and Ding Yiqiu and Supervisor Hu left the military to establish the Chamber of Commerce, which rapidly became Tianjin's largest business.

However, in recent years, Supervisor Hu revealed that the Demonic Cult had resurfaced, silently infiltrating the Chamber of Commerce. Ding Yiqiu discovered that the cult's new witchcraft was even more formidable; terminally ill members could sacrifice their bodies to the hierarch for extended life, albeit at the cost of their consciousness, transforming them into savage, beast-like figures. Supervisor Hu deduced that the cult had infiltrated the Chamber to control opium flow, using it to alleviate their members' suffering.

In response, Ding Yiqiu resorted to a drastic measure: secretly mixing poison into the opium to eliminate the cult members, believing it was the only way to save more lives. Only Ding Yiqiu, Supervisor Hu, and Shopkeeper Wang were aware of this plan. Qian Zixian's interference in the opium house, threatening to expose Wang, forced Wang to kill him with poisoned opium.

Ding Mao's subsequent investigation and arrest of Shopkeeper Wang then compelled Supervisor Hu to kill Wang in prison, drowning her, to prevent the entire operation from being exposed. Supervisor Hu then dropped another bombshell: the cult had learned from its past defeat and, instead of kidnapping, planned to "create" a holy child through the union of their interim hierarch and a virgin.

Ding Mao immediately deduced that Xue Yuanyuan was involved, and Supervisor Hu confirmed that Ding Yiqiu had "carried off the baby in advance" to prevent this. Ding Mao expressed concern for the child's innocence, to which Supervisor Hu conceded that Ding Yiqiu never intended to harm the baby, but sacrifices were deemed necessary to prevent the potentially catastrophic creation of a new holy child.

Ding Mao then surmised that his father was murdered by the cult in revenge, but Supervisor Hu revealed the shocking truth: "Chairman Ding. . . was killed by me." He recounted Ding Yiqiu's desperate plea for Supervisor Hu to kill him and dispose of his body in the Hai River.

Ding Yiqiu had rejected other options, viewing his death as "the ideal way," preferring not to become a monster or die at the hands of outsiders, despite having killed many for the greater good. Ding Yiqiu's elaborate plan involved tying his body to the Xuanwu statue (under which past cultists were executed) and drowning them together near Qiming Village, then releasing the body near the River Worship Ceremony.

This staged death would appear as Demonic Cult's revenge, a potent message to awaken the public and righteous individuals to the cult's resurgence. That's why Supervisor Hu had framed Shopkeeper Wang's death as a drowning, linking it to the "River Demon" to further implicate the Demonic Cult. Ding Yiqiu, Supervisor Hu concluded, sought to end all the past feuds with their generation and leave a "pure Chamber of Commerce" for Ding Mao.

He expressed his hope that their sacrifices would atone for any past wrongdoings by the Chamber and implored Ding Mao to safeguard its future. Supervisor Hu ended his confession with a philosophical reflection on the unpredictable course of a river's life, sometimes reaching the sea, other times drying up in a forgotten ravine. Back at Dragon King Temple, Tieniu informed Guo Deyou that Feng Erma's body had been placed there.

Guo Deyou calmly stated that the body would remain there until the "reasoning competition" between the Chamber of Commerce and The Door of Life was resolved. Tieniu, noticing the mysterious circumstances of Feng Erma's death, suggested Guo Deyou perform an autopsy or consult Senior Tientsin Mystic. Guo Deyou confirmed that his master was indeed missing, having left only his tobacco pipe, causing him great anxiety.

Given the unrest in Tianjin, Guo Deyou instructed Tieniu to send other members of the Corpse Retrieval Team to investigate Senior Tientsin Mystic's regular haunts and inquire about his recent contacts. He also told Tieniu to spread the word across Tianjin that Senior Tientsin Mystic was missing, promising a substantial reward from the Corpse Retrieval Team for any valuable information.

Episode 10 Recap

Guo Deyou sits in the Dragon King Temple, lost in thought, holding the pipe his master left behind. Gu Ying, feeling bored, plays with Feng Erma's son, Xiaohai. Suddenly, the main door is violently pushed open and Ding Mao storms in. He pushes people aside, puts on his gear, and takes out a dissection knife, intending to perform an autopsy immediately. Gu Ying tries to stop him, pointing out that Xiaohai is right there and it's inappropriate.

She asks Ding Mao to curb his "young master's temper" as this is not the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation. Xiaohai also cries nearby. Ding Mao, however, asserts his authority as the new chairman of the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation, stating that Feng Erma's life belonged to the Chamber, and he threatens to make anyone who interferes lie down with Feng Erma. Understanding Ding Mao's urgency, Guo Deyou gestures for Gu Ying to take Xiaohai out.

It is established that the Senior Tientsin Mystic's disappearance is connected to the Demonic Cult, and therefore, Feng Erma's death must also be related. Ding Mao theorizes that the Demonic Cult uses sorcery to manipulate corpses, transforming them into "mindless beasts."

Guo Deyou, questioning Ding Mao's belief in "sorcery" after his usual reliance on science, asks how he can prove if the wound was inflicted by an actual beast or a human behaving like one, and if the tooth can offer such proof. Ding Mao then finds a human tooth in Feng Erma's neck wound. Ding Mao uncovers Feng Erma's sleeve, revealing distinct finger marks and bruises on his arm, indicating he was forcefully grabbed.

He notices that one of the finger marks on Feng Erma's right arm is missing, leading him to conclude that the killer is missing a ring finger from their left hand. Before Ding Mao can continue his deductions, Guo Deyou, after some hesitation, lights his master's pipe. Inhaling the smoke, he enters the "analysis by lighting cigarette" trance.

Holding the blackened tooth, Guo Deyou cycles through various possibilities for its origin: a cook, a waiter, a pregnant woman, an old person, a butcher, a sick person, a scholar, or an official. He also considers if the wound was faked by someone knowledgeable in medicine to frame an innocent party, or if it belonged to a rich wife involved in adultery.

Dismissing all these, he finally concludes in his trance that the tooth belongs to a "drifter" or "dead body." He then emerges from the trance, confirming that the tooth is from a "dead man," meaning a dead man bit Feng Erma to death. Meanwhile, Gu Ying brings Xiaohai to Ding Mao's room in the Dragon King Temple, trying to cheer him up.

She encourages him to make himself at home, telling him he can take anything he likes and sleep wherever he wants, as the items belong to the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce. While exploring the room, Xiaohai unexpectedly discovers a skull. This triggers a traumatic memory for the boy, reminding him of his father being pulled into the river by a River Demon. Gu Ying quickly reassures him that everything is fine.

Ding Mao sends Yu Si to The Door of Life to investigate if anyone there is missing a ring finger on their left hand. Yu Si returns, informing Ding Mao that while he doesn't know about anyone fitting that description in The Door of Life, the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation once had such a person. This was Sun Laoqi, a Red Badge Guard and close friend of Tianming, who had teamed up with Tianming to protect the docks.

However, Sun Laoqi was killed several years ago during a battle to defend the docks alongside Tianming, seemingly bringing the Feng Erma case to a complete standstill. Guo Deyou, processing the gravity of the situation, questions Ding Mao about the implications of his father and Supervisor Hu's elaborate plan.

He asks if they truly orchestrated their sacrifices to expose the Demonic Cult, leaving Ding Mao to lead the Chamber, and if such a high cost is justifiable for the cult's resurgence. Ding Mao emphasizes the urgent need to inform the public that the Demonic Cult, thought to be eradicated two decades ago, has returned. Gu Ying expresses her skepticism about the entire situation, especially her Master's unexplained disappearance related to the cult.

Guo Deyou reiterates that Feng Erma was indeed bitten by a dead person, and the only remaining clue is to investigate Sun Laoqi, the dead person with a missing finger, even if it means digging up his grave to confirm the corpse came to life. Ding Mao, Guo Deyou, and Gu Ying head to the cemetery to excavate Sun Laoqi's tomb.

The cemetery is shrouded in mist, with countless tombstones creating a desolate atmosphere that terrifies Gu Ying, despite her self-proclaimed status as a "fairy." Gu Ying is clearly frightened, complaining that such an act is "unscientific" and will bring retribution. Ding Mao, undeterred, declares he will bear all consequences himself.

Gu Ying, asserting her role as a "fairy" raised by a shaman, offers to serve as an expert to "check it out," though Guo Deyou playfully reminds her of her childhood fear of ghosts and bed-wetting. Guo Deyou guides them through the dark, advising them to "see trees not roads" to avoid getting lost.

Ding Mao insists on following traditional rules for grave digging, such as "Gold-touchers don't choose the time in the morning," even though they are not grave robbers themselves. Gu Ying eventually agrees to stand guard for them. After much effort, the three excavate the grave and open the wooden coffin. Guo Deyou immediately notes that the coffin has been tampered with because the coffin nails are not hammered back into place, a specific sign among grave robbers in Tianjin.

He explains that grave robbers typically leave the nails in the coffin to signal to others that it has already been disturbed. Indeed, the coffin is empty. Prominent marks from a "San Chi Pry," a specialized tool used by grave robbers, are visible on the coffin lid. Guo Deyou deduces that this implies grave robbers have been here. He further clarifies that if it were an empty cenotaph, one coffin nail would typically be removed.

However, since all seven nails are present, it confirms something was taken from inside. He also dismisses the idea of an empty cenotaph or grave robbers only taking clothes, as Sun Laoqi, while a Red Badge Guard, was not exceptionally wealthy, and clothes are the least valuable items for grave robbers to take. Guo Deyou spots some grave robbers and, deducing their destination, leads Ding Mao and Gu Ying to the ghost market.

It's Ding Mao's first time visiting this place, and he finds it disorienting. Guo Deyou explains that the ghost market operates under the cover of darkness, where both the goods and the people are "not under the light." It's a place where one can find anything unavailable elsewhere, and it serves as the lair of grave robbers.

As they venture deeper into the ghost market, which serves as the grave robbers' hub, Ding Mao attempts to gather information from a vendor. He tries to pay for news, but the vendor dismisses his initial offer, deriding the jade as merely a "stone" and accusing Ding Mao of not understanding the unwritten rules of their trade. Gu Ying interjects, brandishing her "Ghost Chasing Whip" and threatening the grave robbers, highlighting their weakened state from their "wicked business."

She is supported by Guo Deyou and Ding Mao. Ding Mao then asserts his identity as the newly appointed chairman of the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation, an identity the grave robber leader eventually recognizes from a newspaper. Respectfully, the leader admits they had indeed opened Sun Laoqi's coffin. He clarifies that it wasn't a robbery but a service requested by a "benefactor" from the Chamber of Commerce.

This individual, described as a "subordinate with a white badge," paid them to exhume Sun Laoqi's body. The leader explains their task was to remove the corpse and nothing else, but they couldn't resist taking some valuable items like "silver wine pots" and "silk handkerchiefs." He recalls the client specifically wanted the body removed and reburied elsewhere. Ding Mao is visibly surprised, having no knowledge of this arrangement. The grave robber leader describes the client as a fisherman, identifiable by his "waders."

Episode 11 Recap

The story continues with someone from the Chamber of Commerce paying grave robbers to steal Sun Laoqi's corpse, leading to the battle of liberal arts at the wharf and the involvement of living deads. Meanwhile, a discussion among members of the Demon Sect touches on their doctrine of biological evolution, questioning whether humans, once fully evolved, would rely on basic needs like food and water or more abstract concepts like intellect and love.

They dismiss Supervisor Hu's recent actions as low-end instinct but acknowledge that his interference has indeed affected their plans. However, they believe the Chamber of Commerce will still descend into chaos as predicted, or even more so, allowing their "cocoon to transform into a butterfly" before anyone fully understands what is happening. At the Yizhuang in the morning, Ding Mao provided breakfast for everyone.

He explained that within the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation, people of different statuses held different colored badges. Wharf workers and sailors carried blue badges, servants had white badges, while hatchet men like Tianming and Sun Laoqi, whose work often involved bloodshed, held red badges. Supervisor Hu, ranking higher, possessed a silver badge. Guo Deyou humorously noted that as chairman, Ding Mao must then hold a unique, shining gold badge.

Their banter soon turned serious as Ding Mao brought up Feng Erma, a white badge servant who was found wearing swim trunks. Ding Mao wondered why Feng Erma, a servant, was wearing water trousers when he had no need to go to the wharf. He also questioned where Feng Erma, a mere servant, acquired the funds to hire grave robbers to exhume Sun Laoqi's body.

As soy milk and fried dough sticks were served, the sight of the torn food triggered Xiaohai, Feng Erma’s son, to vividly recall the night his father was killed. He collapsed, crying out "river demon" repeatedly. Gu Ying quickly comforted him, urging him to explain what he saw. Xiaohai recounted that his father had taken him to the Yishengmen wharf, where Feng Erma, acting suspiciously, told his son to hide and stay put because the area was dangerous.

Feng Erma then went alone to the riverside to investigate a commotion in the water. Xiaohai witnessed a terrifying scene: his father was dragged into the river and bitten to death. He was still traumatized by the event. Gu Ying relayed Xiaohai's account to Ding Mao and Guo Deyou.

Ding Mao tried to reconcile the facts: Feng Erma hired someone to dig up Sun Laoqi, and then Sun Laoqi, supposedly a dead man, bit Feng Erma to death in the river. He acknowledged the impossibility of it from a scientific perspective but vowed to find a scientific explanation. He outlined two investigation paths: first, to identify who paid Feng Erma to exhume Sun Laoqi's body, and second, to locate Sun Laoqi.

Guo Deyou, recognizing that Sun Laoqi was last seen in the river and that locating him required an expert in the water, leveraged Ding Mao's predicament. He demanded one hundred silver to retrieve the dead man, noting the increased danger of a biting corpse, up from his usual fifty silver fee. Ding Mao returned to the Chamber of Commerce to inquire about Feng Erma.

Yu Si informed him that Feng Erma was a lone individual with no relatives other than his son, Xiaohai. Feng Erma primarily worked for the Hu family, assisting Mrs. Hu and Supervisor Hu, especially after Tianming's death. Yu Si assured Ding Mao that Xiaohai would be cared for. The conversation then shifted to the upcoming "battle of liberal arts" with The Door of Life, scheduled for that very night.

Ding Mao expressed his intention to attend, and Yu Si agreed, stating that his presence would boost morale, but strictly forbade him from participating due to his status as chairman. Ding Mao jokingly agreed, remarking that as a foreign-educated individual, participating would be unfair to the less educated opponents. Yu Si laughed but held back unspoken concerns.

Ding Mao decided to visit Mrs. Hu, only to learn from a servant that she had gone back to her family home to recover from the recent loss of Tianming and Supervisor Hu's imprisonment. In Tianming's room, behind his portrait, Ding Mao discovered a packet of black granules. He took them to his laboratory, where microscopic examination revealed viable biological cells, baffling him.

Meanwhile, Guo Deyou and his team had already deployed their nets in the Hai River, waiting for a sign, with Guo Deyou confidently stating they would only catch "something extremely big." That evening, the "battle of liberal arts" commenced at the Dagu River bank. Madman Cui, leading The Door of Life, confronted Yu Si and the Chamber of Commerce. The "battle" proved far more brutal than Ding Mao had anticipated.

A member of The Door of Life stepped forward, dramatically cut off his own ear, and offered it as a "gift." Yu Si, not to be outdone, had a Chamber of Commerce member prepare to cut off his arm in retaliation, shocking Ding Mao, who realized this was far from the civilized debate he had envisioned.

Captain Fu and his police officers were present, observing from their patrol car, with Captain Fu instructing his men to let the gangs handle their own affairs as long as it didn't escalate too much. As the tension escalated, a commotion erupted in the Hai River. Sun Laoqi, appearing like an inhuman creature, emerged from the water, entangled in Guo Deyou’s net. He charged ashore, terrifying the onlookers who scattered in fear.

Amidst the chaos, people desperately tried to subdue the powerfully deranged Sun Laoqi. Guo Deyou, using a fish fork, forcefully plunged Sun Laoqi’s head into a pot of boiling oil. But to everyone’s horror, Sun Laoqi’s head, now ablaze, violently jerked out before he stumbled and fell back into the Hai River, finally disappearing and bringing an end to his unnatural rampage. The alarming spectacle forced Captain Fu to intervene, admonishing both sides for the unrest.

Madman Cui seized the opportunity to accuse the Chamber of Commerce, stating that the burning figure was their red badge hatchet man, Sun Laoqi, and blaming Ding Mao for disregarding Jianghu principles. He linked Feng Erma's death to Sun Laoqi, claiming the Chamber of Commerce was framing The Door of Life. Yu Si fiercely retorted, asserting that the Chamber of Commerce had won the battle.

Captain Fu, however, silenced their bickering, asserting police authority and ordering an end to the "battle of liberal arts." Before leaving, Ding Mao retrieved a black worm that had fallen from Sun Laoqi's mouth. Guo Deyou recognized the worm, recalling seeing identical ones on the bodies in the charity hospital's morgue during their previous visit. A bad feeling gripped him, and he urgently led Ding Mao back to the charity hospital.

Meanwhile, at the newspaper office, Xiao Lanlan was defying her editor's orders to stop reporting on the twenty-one-year-old flood. She believed there were deeper, hidden connections between the flood, the hundred floating bodies from the charity hospital, and the secret opium den, insisting that the public deserved to know the truth, even as her editor warned her that delving too deep could endanger her and her powerful family.

Guo Deyou knew that if Sun Laoqi could be reanimated by these insects, then the numerous bodies at the hospital might also pose a terrifying threat. The bodies were supposed to be destroyed, but due to Supervisor Hu's incident, the destruction was delayed.

Episode 12 Recap

Ding Mao, acting as the President of the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation, and Guo Deyou successfully entered the charity hospital. They quickly made their way to the morgue, pushing open the door to a sickening stench. Inside, half-decomposed bodies lay quietly on beds. Ding Mao immediately decided that Yu Si should dispose of all the bodies to prevent any further complications.

He observed that the bodies remained still, which initially led him to believe that Guo Deyou's earlier concerns were unfounded. However, as they prepared to leave, they discovered the hospital's main gate had been locked from the outside. Unbeknownst to them, the black-cloaked leader of the Demonic Cult was tracking them. Meanwhile, at the Yizhuang, Xiaohai had just finished performing a memorial for his deceased father, Feng Erma.

Xiao Lanlan was informed by Gu Ying that Guo Chun had gone missing. Gu Ying explained that Guo Chun wasn't just gone, but had disappeared, a fact that left Xiao Lanlan perplexed. She pointed out that all three righteous men who had besieged the Demonic Cult in the past—Ding Yiqiu, Steward Hu, and now Guo Chun—had met with misfortune or disappeared.

She felt that the River Demon killings and the floating corpses, which all powerful figures and the public were silently ignoring, indicated something far more sinister was at play. Suddenly, a deep, muffled conch sound echoed, causing strange vibrations that made Ding Mao's ears itch. In the hospital morgue, the shrouded corpses began to stir, just like Sun Laoqi at the Dagu Wharf. They were grotesque, devoid of humanity, and charged at Ding Mao and Guo Deyou with bloodthirsty mouths.

The hospital quickly devolved into a horrifying battlefield; even a couple who had been discreetly together in a room were brutally dismembered by the reanimated corpses. Ding Mao and Guo Deyou were trapped, but using the principle of mirror reflection, they managed to escape the encirclement of the zombies. At the Yizhuang, things were equally dire. Feng Erma, reanimated, fiercely attacked Xiaohai, who had just finished his mourning.

Gu Ying swiftly intervened, instructing Xiao Lanlan to take Xiaohai to the second floor for safety, leaving her to face the frenzied Feng Erma alone. Feng Erma, acting like a beast, lunged at Gu Ying. Despite Xiao Lanlan's attempts to help, she couldn't break Feng Erma's grip on Gu Ying, who was now on the brink of death. It was Xiaohai's desperate cry of "Daddy!"

that briefly stirred something in Feng Erma, causing him to release Gu Ying and turn towards his son. Gu Ying then used a paper talisman, which caught fire while she chanted a spell. Feng Erma stood mesmerized by the flames until a heartbroken Xiaohai pushed him into the fire, ending his reanimated existence. Back at the hospital, Ding Mao used his scientific knowledge to create an explosive chemical reaction in the laboratory.

The resulting blast consumed the zombies in flames, allowing him and Guo Deyou to discover and flee through a hidden cabinet leading to a secret underground passage. However, the explosion caused the underground tunnel to collapse, separating them. Ding Mao urged Guo Deyou to go ahead and find the Chamber of Commerce people for help. Guo Deyou, unwilling to abandon him, started moving the rocks himself. Suddenly, Lian Huaqing, the Demonic Cult leader, appeared behind Ding Mao.

Ding Mao, unaware of his identity, kindly warned him that the place was dangerous. Lian Huaqing calmly introduced himself, revealing his true identity and expressing his frustration that the "army" the Demonic Cult had painstakingly rebuilt was now destroyed by the fire set by Ding Mao and Guo Deyou. Lian Huaqing then unexpectedly stabbed Ding Mao before turning to leave. With the rock wall still between them, Guo Deyou watched in horror as Ding Mao collapsed, covered in blood.

Driven by desperation, Guo Deyou furiously cleared the debris until he reached Ding Mao's side. As he tried to move Ding Mao to find a doctor, Ding Mao weakly warned him not to move, explaining that any motion would worsen his wound and hasten his death. Ding Mao then instructed Guo Deyou to stitch his abdomen. Guo Deyou, his hands trembling with blood and panic, couldn't steady himself.

Seeing Ding Mao losing consciousness from blood loss, Guo Deyou resorted to his ritual of "lighting a cigarette to divine the truth." In a hallucinatory state, he meticulously mended a broken Buddha statue, and upon returning to reality, he had successfully stitched Ding Mao's wound. Ding Mao later woke up in the hospital, finding Gu Ying, Xiao Lanlan, and Guo Deyou all by his side. They shared a moment of laughter, their bond strengthened by the recent ordeal.

Guo Deyou playfully suggested that since he saved Ding Mao, the Chamber of Commerce should support him for the rest of his life. Outside, the police, led by a frustrated Deputy Captain, surveyed the burnt hospital. He reported that the morgue was empty, and the bodies were mostly concentrated around the lab, charred beyond identification, leaving him at a loss for how to proceed. Ding Mao then brought in his German mentor, Professor Schroeder, a biologist.

Professor Schroeder explained that the black insects found in the corpses were a rare type of parasite, controlled by a "Queen of the insects" through specific wing vibrations. These parasites require water during their egg stage and, as adults, can enter mammalian bodies through wounds to reproduce asexually, taking control of their hosts.

Guo Deyou immediately deduced that someone mimicking the queen's vibrations could control the zombies, and Ding Mao recalled the strange vibrating sounds they heard in the hospital, confirming his suspicion that Lian Huaqing and the Demonic Cult were behind it. However, Professor Schroeder stated that research was just beginning, and there were currently no known natural enemies or effective methods to eradicate them, cautioning that humans must be particularly careful due to the insects' ability to control mammals.

As the gravity of the situation settled upon them, Xiaohai departed the Yizhuang to start a new life, and the others fell into a thoughtful silence, reflecting on the escalating power of the Demonic Cult and the new challenges ahead.

Episode 13 Recap

Ding Mao, having recovered from his injuries, returned home to a grand welcome orchestrated by Yu Si and the servants of the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation. Inside, Xiao Lanlan and Gu Ying awaited him. Gu Ying expressed concern, asking about the wound from Lian Huaqing. Ding Mao assured them it was fully stitched and healed, joking that he narrowly avoided joining his father among the deceased. Xiao Lanlan offered her congratulations on his discharge.

Gu Ying then attempted to recite a hemostasis charm for him, but Ding Mao stopped her, appreciating the gesture while stating his bleeding had long ceased. When Ding Mao invited them to stay for dinner, Gu Ying declined, citing other engagements, though Xiao Lanlan noted that someone important was missing from their gathering: Guo Deyou. Meanwhile, at her godmother's home, Gu Ying angrily practiced her wooden sword.

Her godmother quickly perceived Gu Ying's underlying sadness, correctly deducing it was due to Guo Deyou. Gu Ying admitted she hadn't seen him in a very long time and was worried about him. Her godmother, in turn, expressed her own exasperation at Guo Deyou. Ding Mao was reviewing files related to the burnt zombie bodies in his office when Guo Deyou, having sneaked in through a skylight to avoid being seen by the staff, appeared before him.

Guo Deyou, true to form, exaggerated his role in saving Ding Mao, who then inquired about Guo Deyou's recent activities and Gu Ying's search for him. Ding Mao, now fully taking charge of the Chamber of Commerce, acknowledged he wouldn't be returning to the Dragon King Temple. Guo Deyou then asked to borrow three hundred silver dollars for an urgent matter. Ding Mao readily agreed.

Before Ding Mao could hand over the money, Yu Si interrupted, reporting a minor disturbance at the Chamber of Commerce wharf. Ding Mao insisted on going, wanting to check on the workers. The "disturbance" turned out to be a film crew, operating with permission from Secretary General Xiao, causing a standoff with the Chamber of Commerce workers whose operations were disrupted.

Captain Fu of the police arrived to mediate, but Ding Mao refused to back down, stating that the film shoot violated their rules and jeopardized his workers' livelihoods. Guo Deyou then stepped in, proposing a compromise: the film crew could finish, and in return, the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation would receive prominent thanks on the movie posters. Ding Mao, after some consideration, agreed, clarifying it was a one-time exception, and instructed his workers to disperse.

As the dispute settled, Wang Meiren, the film's star, descended the steps and thanked Ding Mao for his generosity, especially acknowledging Junior Tientsin Mystic for his skillful mediation. She invited both Ding Mao and Guo Deyou to the film's promotion banquet at the Ju Hua Grand Hotel in a few days. Guo Deyou, ever eager for a free meal, immediately accepted. Gu Ying later confronted Ding Mao, complaining that Guo Deyou was still avoiding her.

She was surprised when Ding Mao mentioned lending Guo Deyou money, finding it unusual that Guo Deyou, who usually preferred to trick people out of money, would formally borrow it. Ding Mao also told her about Wang Meiren's invitation, adding to Gu Ying's confusion about Guo Deyou's recent behavior. Guo Deyou took the borrowed money to the ghost market to seek information about Lian Huaqing and the Demonic Cult.

He found an old fisherman who claimed Lian Huaqing had once deceived him, even pretending to be a beggar. The fisherman described Lian Huaqing's unsettling, snake-like eyes and stated that some people are born killers, mentioning rumors that Lian Huaqing had killed his own father. When Guo Deyou pressed for more details about the Demonic Cult, specifically about a secret known as "The Preacher," the fisherman was suddenly struck and killed by a hidden projectile.

A shadowy figure emerged, noting that it was too late to prevent the information from being partially revealed, but also commenting that this was the last time the fisherman would speak. The figure then instructed an accomplice to attend to their own business. Back home, Gu Ying's godmother noticed Gu Ying's frequent visits to the Chamber of Commerce, teasing her about having a crush on President Ding. Gu Ying denied it, quickly leaving for the Chamber of Commerce again.

Shortly after, Guo Deyou arrived, bribing the godmother with rare wine to inquire about the weapon that killed the fisherman. She described it as a rope with a metal weight, instantly recognizing it as the Huang family's Immortal Rope. She added that only masters, not ordinary disciples, could wield it, noting that the current head of the Huang family was a youngster named Huang Yisuo.

As Guo Deyou prepared to leave, his godmother stopped him, demanding to know why he was avoiding Gu Ying. Guo Deyou confessed that the Demonic Cult posed extreme danger, and with his master's fate unknown, he didn't want anyone else, especially Gu Ying, to get entangled in such a perilous situation. His godmother was touched by his sincerity. Later, Gu Ying, dressed in Xiao Lanlan's fashionable jumpsuit, felt awkward at the Ju Hua Grand Hotel banquet.

Ding Mao found her a plate of cake, teasing her when she expressed reluctance to eat anything, thinking it might cost money. Suddenly, Guo Deyou snatched the cake from her. Gu Ying immediately confronted him about his recent coldness and evasiveness, recalling her worries about Ding Mao's unhealed wound and Guo Deyou's missing master, asking if anyone cared about him if not for her.

She threatened to leave, but Guo Deyou stopped her with a long, rambling explanation about the consequences of her hasty departure, including her mother's wrath and her own unhappiness. He then revealed his true purpose for attending the banquet: to question Huang Yisuo, the head of the Huang family, about the Immortal Rope. He promised to take her for stinky tofu afterward and personally escort her home. Gu Ying, appeased, agreed.

At the banquet, Wang Meiren formally greeted Ding Mao and Guo Deyou, and Ding Mao introduced Xiao Lanlan as a Tianjin News journalist, and Gu Ying as a Taoism research specialist. Wang Meiren then gave a speech about the film and introduced Huang Yisuo, The Head of Huang, as a master of traditional Chinese magic and the film's technical adviser.

Huang Yisuo began his performance by having an audience member inspect his ropes, who confirmed it was indeed the Huang family's Immortal Rope. Huang Yisuo then had his arms tightly bound and stepped into a wooden cabinet. When the cabinet was reopened, it was filled with white roses, but Huang Yisuo was nowhere to be found. Moments later, his lifeless body, strangled, was discovered hanging from the stage's ceiling. The shocking discovery sent the guests into a panic, and Wang Meiren fainted from fright.

Episode 14 Recap

As Huang Yisuo's body hung from the stage ceiling at Ju Hua Grand Hotel, Wang Meiren fainted from shock. Guo Deyou quickly attended to her, while Gu Ying, who had been sulking backstage, hurried to investigate. Before she could ascend the stairs, a fat man with a bald head tossed a handful of white powder at her, causing her to lose strength and collapse. Guo Deyou discovered Gu Ying unconscious later.

The police arrived and, much to Guo Deyou and Ding Mao's dismay, Captain Fu ordered the rope holding Huang Yisuo's body to be cut, effectively destroying the crime scene. Captain Fu dismissed the death as a mere "performance accident," stating that Huang Yisuo had "screwed up the show and killed himself," and no suspicious individuals were found during the initial sweep.

Guo Deyou and Ding Mao angrily argued that cutting the rope ruined evidence and pointed out Gu Ying's sudden collapse backstage as a clear sign of foul play, but Captain Fu simply told them not to "make trouble for yourself and don't bother the police station." Meanwhile, Guo Deyou comforted Wang Meiren, who was kept in a hotel room under police guard as a key witness.

He calmly massaged her Hoku point to soothe her nerves and offered to listen if she wished to speak. Later, Guo Deyou controversially splashed Gu Ying with cold, overnight tea to wake her, enraging Ding Mao, who worried about potential brain injury. Upon waking, Gu Ying recalled seeing the "fat man with a bald head" throw white powder at her before she lost consciousness.

She also vaguely remembered him carrying a suitcase as he left, strongly suspecting him to be the killer and urging everyone to catch him immediately. Guo Deyou, disguised as a stableman, infiltrated the Huang family mansion where a mourning hall was set up for Huang Yisuo. He overheard other stablemen discussing Huang Yisuo's profligate lifestyle and hinted at foul play, even suggesting the Old Lady Huang was indifferent.

As Guo Deyou prepared to use his "point smoke to identify grievances" technique in front of the body, Ding Mao and Gu Ying suddenly appeared, startling him. Their commotion attracted Old Lady Huang, who, despite Guo Deyou introducing himself as a member of the Wuhe River Salvage Team and Ding Mao as a special police detective suspecting murder, vehemently refused to allow anyone to "humiliate" her son's body.

To protect Ding Mao and Gu Ying from the dangers he anticipated, Guo Deyou deliberately used harsh words, calling Ding Mao a "burden" and criticizing Gu Ying's "thievish-looking" appearance and getting knocked out by the killer. Offended, Gu Ying and Ding Mao left. In the background, Ding Sanye, facing increasing risks, pressed Lian Huaqing to quickly find the "Holy Child" and a "Preacher" to fulfill their goals, emphasizing their mutual utilization rather than any deeper connection.

At the newspaper office, Xiao Lanlan overheard Huang Yu, the second son, making arrangements with the editor. Huang Yu intended to "put an ad on paper to invite to a battle," challenging his brother's killer to appear, hoping to provoke the culprit who "licks the blood from the blade." The editor proposed a special column where, if the killer didn't show up, Huang Yu would regularly "reveal some secrets of rivers and lakes"—a significant taboo—to maintain public interest.

Huang Yu agreed to this risky plan, leaving Xiao Lanlan unsettled. Wang Meiren met with Guo Deyou again, recounting her experience at the hotel. She confirmed that when Huang Yisuo died, she distinctly saw only his head, without a body, insisting she was sober and not hallucinating. Guo Deyou explained this was likely a "Jianghu illusion," a secretive technique of the "Cai Men" (Colored Door) sect, often involving drugs.

Since Huang Yisuo's performance was simple and didn't require such complex illusions, Guo Deyou deduced that the illusion was cast by the killer to deceive witnesses, solidifying his belief that Huang Yisuo was indeed murdered. Ding Mao received a call from Xiao Lanlan, informing him about Huang Yu's dangerous "letter of challenge" and his intention to expose "code words" and "bandit argot" in the newspaper.

Ding Mao believed Huang Yu was being manipulated and would destroy the Huang family, so he decided to rush back to the mansion. Meanwhile, Tieniu brought Guo Deyou some fried cakes wrapped in a newspaper. Guo Deyou noticed the newspaper headline announcing Huang Yu's challenge and immediately headed to the Huang residence. Upon arrival, Guo Deyou heard a struggle in the east wing. Peeking through the door, he saw Huang Yu fighting the bald fat man Gu Ying had described.

Just as Guo Deyou prepared to intervene, Ding Mao and Gu Ying arrived, loudly calling his name, which startled the assailant. The bald fat man seized the opportunity and fled through a broken window. Seeing Huang Yu injured, Old Lady Huang was finally convinced. Ding Mao and Guo Deyou explained the risks of Huang Yu's public challenge and reiterated their belief that Huang Yisuo was murdered.

Recognizing the grave danger to her family, Old Lady Huang finally permitted them to examine Huang Yisuo's body. Ding Mao's examination found no external injuries or signs of struggle, confirming Huang Yisuo died of asphyxiation. Ding Mao observed that the rope's knot appeared to be self-tied. Guo Deyou countered that if the killer was left-handed, the knot would appear the same.

He then suggested that Huang Yisuo, like Gu Ying, could have been drugged before being strangled, explaining the lack of struggle. Old Lady Huang then recalled that the "fat man with a bald head," who had injured Huang Yu and drugged Gu Ying, could be Wu Laoxian, a former disciple expelled for "secretly learning medicine art" and who was left-handed.

Huang Yu, having recovered slightly, thanked the trio for their "folk ways" assistance, but requested them to cease their interference until after his brother's "seventh week of death" and all funeral matters were concluded, as he was still upset by their investigation in the mourning hall. Despite this, Guo Deyou continued his search for Wu Laoxian in the ghost market, spending money to gather more information.

He learned that Wu Laoxian was eccentric, lived in the suburban grasslands, sold peculiar "medicine sugar" that caused nightmares, and had a distinctive appearance. The informant directed Guo Deyou to a reed land upstream of the Yingou River, where Wu Laoxian had "got a land" and was said to be even stranger now. Gu Ying and Ding Mao were already at the reed land, having gotten a lead on Wu Laoxian.

Gu Ying expressed her frustration to Ding Mao about Guo Deyou's coldness towards her, attributing it to his admiration for Wang Meiren. She recounted how she and Guo Deyou were childhood sweethearts, and how he had saved her from a human trafficker years ago, but had been distant ever since, as if there was "something in between us inside him." Back at the Huang mansion, Old Lady Huang discovered Huang Yu's room in disarray and him missing.

She called Captain Fu, who arrived and presented a lengthy, theatrical, but illogical deduction based on a broken window catch—that the criminal entered through the window, fought Huang Yu, and then took him through the main door. Old Lady Huang, however, rejected his fanciful theories, asserting that it was undoubtedly Wu Laoxian, her family's traitor, who had killed her eldest son and kidnapped her second.

She declared her intention to accompany the police in the search for Wu Laoxian, knowing that Captain Fu was unprepared for the unconventional Jianghu methods of the Cai Men (Colored Door) sect.

Episode 15 Recap

Ding Mao and Gu Ying finally traversed the swamp, discovering a desolate hut in the uninhabited wilderness. Without hesitation, they burst into the thatched hut. Inside, they found no trace of Wu Laoxian, but a nearby shed containing peculiar white flowers caught Ding Mao's attention. He lifted a white curtain and peered inside, his vision blurring as he seemed to see the white flowers.

Ding Mao was drawn in and did not emerge until Gu Ying pulled him out with a sharp cry. Gu Ying commented that all men were alike, always wanting a second look at pretty things. She observed that the beautiful white flowers had a pervasive, enchanting scent, calling them "as ostentatious as an actress" and "bad news." Suddenly, Wu Laoxian appeared, first inside the hut, then vanishing and reappearing on the roof in a blink.

Gu Ying confronted him, telling him to come down, but he challenged her to come up. She climbed onto the roof, but he disappeared again, leading her to chase him. Ding Mao was also caught in the confusion, seemingly chasing Wu Laoxian along the river. Gu Ying, however, caught Ding Mao before he could jump into the river, realizing they were under a spell.

She recognized the alluring scent from the Juhua Grand Hotel, where Huang Yisuo had died, and revealed her mother had given her a "calming incense" which she claimed could break spells. They decided to split up to corner Wu Laoxian, Gu Ying along the river and Ding Mao by land. However, Wu Laoxian's illusionary techniques were too potent. Ding Mao found himself back in the hut, where he saw Uncle Hu calmly seated, with Wu Laoxian tied up outside.

Uncle Hu urged Ding Mao to kill Wu Laoxian as revenge for his father, claiming Wu Laoxian was a remnant of the Demonic Cult that he, Ding Mao's father, and Old Guo had once fought. Ding Mao hesitated, suspecting a trick, especially when Wu Laoxian transformed into his own reflection. Uncle Hu, however, insisted these were tricks of the Demonic Cult and continued to press Ding Mao to kill "him."

Meanwhile, Gu Ying was by the river, chasing a small boy playing with pebbles. The boy turned, revealing the face of a young Guo Deyou. He told her he had killed a human trafficker to save her, and therefore her life belonged to him, before attempting to strangle her. She cried out for Guo Deyou to wake up.

Guo Deyou, having learned of Wu Laoxian's whereabouts from the ghost market, rushed to the riverbank and encountered an older man, whom he initially believed to be his Master, Senior Tientsin Mystic. However, Guo Deyou quickly saw through the deception; his real Master would never smoke in front of him. Realizing he was under an illusion, Guo Deyou asked the fake Master to slap him to break the spell.

Upon escaping the illusion, Guo Deyou found himself on the ground, his face stinging, having seemingly slapped himself. Gu Ying also broke free from her illusion by cutting her ankle, as she observed bleeding seemed to be the only way to awaken. She hurried back to the hut, where she found Ding Mao holding a knife to himself, still in an illusion, while Wu Laoxian (also an illusion) watched on delightedly.

Gu Ying swung a stick at the illusory Wu Laoxian, who evaded it. She then quickly cut Ding Mao's ankle, causing him to bleed and awaken from his trance. The duo then staged a dramatic scene, with Gu Ying feigning death and Ding Mao pretending to be distraught. Guo Deyou arrived, and overcome with emotion, confessed his deep care for Gu Ying, lamenting that she insisted on involving herself in dangerous affairs.

Gu Ying and Ding Mao, unable to hold back their laughter, revealed it was a prank to elicit Guo Deyou's true feelings, much to his fury. Analyzing their experiences, Ding Mao speculated that they had unknowingly fallen victim to Wu Laoxian's hallucinogenic flowers. He explained that many plants and animals, such as mandalas, sage, certain fungi, tree frogs, and the "fork-toothed sea bream" fish, could cause hallucinations if ingested, but they had only smelled Wu Laoxian's flowers.

Gu Ying reiterated that only bleeding had broken her illusion, and therefore Ding Mao's as well. Soon after, a cry for help led them to a clearing where they found Huang Yu in a panicked state, with Wu Laoxian lying dead nearby. Captain Fu arrived with Mrs. Huang and police officers.

Huang Yu confessed to killing Wu Laoxian, claiming he was kidnapped by Wu Laoxian and acted in self-defense, using the Huang family's unique knot-tying and untying skills to escape his bonds. Mrs. Huang confirmed that the white flowers Ding Mao and Gu Ying described were "camel flowers," an important Huang family medicinal ingredient that could cause hallucinations, but was not potent enough on its own to induce such strong effects.

She also revealed that Gu Ying's "calming incense" was merely brown sugar and flour, confirming the "placebo effect" was at play. Ding Mao inquired about the illusion that could only be broken by bleeding. Mrs. Huang, after some reluctance, confirmed it was the Huang family's "highest secret art," deemed too dangerous and therefore no longer passed down to new generations.

She added that only the Head of the Huang family (which after Huang Yisuo's death, was now herself) possessed such knowledge, and since she had only just arrived, she could not have been the culprit. Captain Fu dispatched his officers to search the area for any remaining traps Wu Laoxian might have set, with Mrs. Huang, at Ding Mao's request, agreeing to assist with her expertise, leaving Guo Deyou to watch over Huang Yu.

Guo Deyou then skillfully cornered Huang Yu, first by mentioning the limestone powder he had secretly sprinkled outside Huang Yu's window. Since Huang Yu claimed to have been kidnapped from his room, the presence of limestone powder on his own shoes but not on Wu Laoxian's indicated he had left the house willingly.

Guo Deyou then revealed that the "fish knot" used to strangle Wu Laoxian was the same as the one found on Huang Yisuo, a knot that only the Huang family knew how to tie and untie. Huang Yu, realizing he was exposed, prepared to use the same technique on Guo Deyou.

However, Guo Deyou preemptively pricked Huang Yu's shoulder, using a needle coated with a concoction of tobacco leaves and puffer fish blood, which he described as a potent paralyzing agent. Huang Yu immediately felt his limbs growing numb and collapsed, acknowledging that he had been defeated by poison despite his lifelong study of medicine. Huang Yu then confessed his full scheme. Since childhood, he felt overshadowed by his elder brother, Huang Yisuo, despite his superior talent.

He was enraged when his mother chose his "dull" brother to be the Head of the family, especially seeing Huang Yisuo disrespect their traditional arts by flaunting their secret medicine-making techniques and publicly performing Western magic. To uphold the Huang family's reputation and claim leadership, he conspired with Wu Laoxian to stage a kidnapping and murder of Huang Yisuo, framing Wu Laoxian as the culprit.

After the deed, Wu Laoxian wished to return to the Huang family, but Huang Yu, seeing him as "shortsighted" and a liability to his plans for the "revival of the School of Magic," betrayed and murdered him to silence him. Guo Deyou later clarified to Ding Mao and Gu Ying that the needle he used on Huang Yu was not poisoned, but merely invoked a "placebo effect," leading Huang Yu to believe he was paralyzed and confess.

They pieced together that they had all initially fallen under the spell from incense burned at the Huang family mourning hall, with Guo Deyou being less affected due to holding his breath. Ding Mao concluded that Huang Yu used "The Art of Soft Bones" to hide in a large suitcase carried by Wu Laoxian, thus appearing absent from the crime scene.

Guo Deyou also revealed that Huang Yu was responsible for the death of Lian Hua-qing, his informant from the ghost market, who was killed by the "Immortal Rope," further connecting Huang Yu to the Demonic Cult. When they brought Huang Yu to the police station for interrogation, they found him in a state of complete mental derangement. He had confessed to his crimes, but now his communication ability was lost, behaving like a severely mentally ill person.

Captain Fu explained that they couldn't get any more information from him and would have to arrange a psychiatric evaluation before deciding whether to send him to prison, leaving the case once again shrouded in mystery.

Episode 16 Recap

Ding Mao, Guo Deyou, and Gu Ying reunited at the Dragon King Temple. The case had stalled due to Huang Yu's seemingly unstable mental state, which Ding Mao suspected was an act, prompting him to arrange for a psychiatric evaluation. Guo Deyou admitted he had borrowed three hundred silver dollars from Ding Mao to visit the ghost market, hoping to find information about the Preacher.

This mysterious figure held crucial secrets about the Demonic Cult, unbeknownst to most of its followers, and even Lian Huaqing was diligently searching for him. Unfortunately, the fisherman Guo Deyou was questioning was suddenly killed by the Immortal Rope, rendering the three hundred silver dollars wasted. Ding Mao recalled reviewing old Demonic Cult files at the hospital, where he noticed one prisoner's information was entirely encrypted and highly suspicious.

This individual, rumored to possess potent psychic abilities, had once caused hundreds of soldiers to suffer from hysteria, resulting in heavy losses. Ding Mao believed this person could be the elusive Preacher. The original encrypted documents were stored in the police archives. While obtaining Captain Fu's approval was an option, Guo Deyou knew it was unlikely, and outright theft was too risky given the file's sensitive nature and the severe consequences if discovered missing.

Guo Deyou then proposed an ingenious alternative to acquire the files. Adopting a worker's uniform, Guo Deyou surprised Wang Meiren in her car, having sent her driver away. He offered to treat her to a Tianjin specialty, "paste cornmeal cakes and boiled fish," an elaborate dish cooked by the river, if she would help him with a favor. He reminded her of a previous promise to "flatter him."

Meanwhile, the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation's dockworkers were unsettled after the recent incident where Sun Laoqi seemingly returned as one of the living deads. Madman Cui of The Door of Life seized this opportunity, arriving at the docks to sow discord. He blamed Ding Mao for the "living dead" incident, questioning the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation's integrity and urging workers to join The Door of Life, promising better treatment.

Ding Mao, accompanied by Yu Si, arrived to confront Madman Cui. A heated debate ensued, with Ding Mao promising to double the workers' wages. Not to be outdone, Madman Cui immediately countered by offering triple the wages. At this critical juncture, Xiao Lanlan sent for Ding Mao. Speaking as a friend, she revealed that Madman Cui's actions were not merely about poaching workers.

The British Consulate reviewed its sea transportation partners every three years, and The Door of Life was a contender. Madman Cui sought to weaken the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation to secure the partnership. Unexpectedly, Xiao Lanlan advised Ding Mao to "reduce" worker wages, not increase them. Later, Wang Meiren made a grand entrance at the police station.

Her celebrity status caused a stir, distracting Captain Fu and all the police officers who vied for her autograph and praised her for her noble character and understanding of their difficult work. Wang Meiren requested a group photo with the "heroes." During the commotion, Guo Deyou took advantage of the distraction and slipped into the archives. Inside, Guo Deyou located the confidential file and meticulously photographed every page. His plan, enabled by Wang Meiren, was a success.

He later asked her to develop the photos. Xiao Lanlan's strategy proved effective. The Door of Life, unable to sustain the triple wages they promised, began laying off workers, severely damaging their reputation. Yu Si reported this news to Ding Mao, who credited Xiao Lanlan. However, Yu Si cautioned Ding Mao against getting too close to Xiao Lanlan, fearing the Xiao family might have ulterior motives toward the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation.

Ding Mao dismissed these concerns, hoping to mend past estrangements. Yu Si also informed Ding Mao that Ms. Hu had gone missing. Lian Huaqing appeared before Madman Cui, offering to help The Door of Life dismantle the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation. Lian Huaqing revealed a deep personal vendetta, stating that the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation had ruined his family, and he sought revenge.

Back in his cell, Huang Yu, who had seemed deranged, murdered a guard who was bringing him food. During the act, he clearly recalled Lian Huaqing's late-night visit. Lian Huaqing had recognized Huang Yu's mastery of the Immortal Rope and Art of Soft Bones, implying his talents were wasted merely as the head of the Huang family. He had offered Huang Yu the opportunity to lead the Outer Eight Gangs and dominate the Tianjin underworld.

Enraged by the guard's murder, Captain Fu lashed out at Ding Mao for his meddling and promptly revoked his special detective status, threatening arrest if Ding Mao continued to act as a police officer. Huang Yu, meanwhile, merely laughed chillingly in his cell. Guo Deyou returned to the Dragon King Temple, confiding in what appeared to be his late master's memorial, expressing fear that his investigation into the Demonic Cult might endanger his loved ones.

Gu Ying interrupted, annoyed that he was speaking to a memorial instead of her, and accused him of seeing "that vixen," Wang Meiren. Shortly after, Wang Meiren arrived, and Gu Ying, clearly jealous, left in a huff. Wang Meiren, observing Gu Ying's devotion, advised Guo Deyou not to take her affection for granted. Wang Meiren returned the developed photos, remarking on a peculiar "face" visible in one of the images, wondering if it was something sinister.

Guo Deyou explained it away as a camera smudge or magnified bloodstains on the document itself. Wang Meiren thanked him for saving her life. Guo Deyou noted that with her help in developing the photos, they were "even," but Wang Meiren expressed hope that he would need her assistance again before departing. Gu Ying's mother, the Shaman, had earlier complained about a lack of business.

Soon, however, she excitedly informed Gu Ying that The Door of Life had commissioned them for a major ritual. Carrying the printed photos of the encrypted document, Guo Deyou sought help from Xiao Lanlan at the newspaper office. She quickly identified it as an encoded document, explaining that the text itself held no inherent meaning and could not be deciphered without a "mother copy"—a key, most likely a specific book. Guo Deyou pondered this new obstacle.

Episode 17 Recap

Guo Deyou brought several cooked crabs to the police station. Maintaining his usual casual approach, he bribed two young police officers, using the opportunity to chat and subtly extract information. He learned that since the encrypted files had been stolen from the police archives, the "mother copy" of these files was most likely still at the station.

The officers revealed that the previous police chief was fascinated by Morse code and even required his subordinates to use it for leave requests. After his death, his wife buried his personal codebook, which he had studied his whole life, with him. However, many undecipherable encrypted files remained at the police station, simply taking up space. Meanwhile, at the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation, a fierce confrontation with Yishengmen was looming.

Manager Hu had already set plans to launch a surprise attack on Yishengmen, instructing Yu Si to prepare everything. However, Ding Mao warned Yu Si vehemently, stating that no one, not even members of Yishengmen, should be harmed or killed. He insisted that the Chamber of Commerce, now under his leadership, must change its aggressive ways and abandon violence. Elsewhere, the shaman A-niang and Gu Ying were invited to Yishengmen to perform a ritual.

Gu Ying, ever practical, wondered aloud if they had been paid, noting the scarcity of Yishengmen members present. A-niang explained that Yishengmen’s leaders were at the British Consulate for negotiations, hoping that performing the ritual simultaneously would bring more success. At the British Consulate, both Ding Mao and Madman Cui (representing Yishengmen) presented their cases for securing sea transportation rights. Ding Mao was confident that the Chamber of Commerce's wealth and influence would secure the rights.

The Consul noted that while the Chamber of Commerce had shipping restrictions, Yishengmen had ample manpower but fewer ships and ports. Madman Cui argued that his organization could easily acquire more ships and boats, emphasizing that his true strength lay in the "lower end" businesses such as casinos, restaurants, and nightclubs, which provided guaranteed sales channels and generous profits.

He also boasted that Yishengmen had no restrictions on the types of goods they would transport and offered the Consul a tax rate "up to him." Ding Mao countered, highlighting the Chamber of Commerce's established position as the top shipping industry in Tianjin, with the lowest freight costs, best capacity, fastest delivery times, largest ports, and lowest risks.

He attempted to clarify a tax rate of 5%, but immediately sensed something was amiss with the interpreter, who seemed to misrepresent his offers. During the discussion, Madman Cui, in a bold move, offered the Consul 48 prime-location stores with a three-year rent-free contract as a token of Yishengmen's "sincerity."

He then maliciously defamed the Chamber of Commerce, accusing them of violent incidents resulting in over a hundred deaths and the spread of "living deads," warning the Consul against partnering with such a "sanctimonious" organization. Ultimately, the Consul, referencing Ding Mao's expressed intention to transform the Chamber of Commerce and implying dishonesty, decided to prioritize Yishengmen for the three-year sea transportation rights between Britain and Tianjin.

Following up on this information, Guo Deyou went to the ghost market to find the former police chief’s codebook. The grave robber, after initially claiming to have thrown out the "worthless" books from the chief's grave, pointed Guo Deyou to a stack of books under a table leg.

The grave robber then idly recounted how, a few days prior, an elegant old lady had bought ten freshly deceased bodies from him at an exorbitant price, which were then transported away in large wooden boxes. Guo Deyou retrieved the codebook and immediately took it to Xiao Lanlan, who confirmed it was the "mother copy" needed to decrypt the files. She assured him she would help in his investigation into the Demonic Cult.

Later, Guo Deyou tried to apologize to Gu Ying for his past troubles by bringing her spicy fried dough twists. Gu Ying playfully chided him for the uninspired gift. Guo Deyou then fabricated a gruesome story about "ghost fried dough twists" made with oil rendered from corpses, hoping to disgust her. This prompted Gu Ying to reveal that she had also heard the ghost market owner mention the old lady buying ten bodies.

More significantly, she recounted seeing ten large, "one-man-tall" wooden boxes being carried into Yishengmen while she was performing a ritual there recently. This new information solidified Guo Deyou's suspicion that Yishengmen was "raising corpses." In a shadowy encounter, a masked woman presented Madman Cui with a box of jewels, instructing him to deliver them to the British Consul to "completely break off" the British's ties with the Chamber of Commerce.

Guo Deyou, meanwhile, had disguised himself as an Yishengmen guard to infiltrate their compound. He spoke with another guard, who confirmed that the wooden boxes had been moved to the consulate as "gifts for the foreign devils." The guard also mentioned they were brought by an old lady, leading Guo Deyou to connect this to the old lady who bought bodies at the ghost market. Guo Deyou deduced that these "gifts" were likely the "fatal things"—the living deads.

Separately, Ding Mao received a phone call from his German biology professor. The professor confirmed that the method of cultivating the virus that turns people into living deads was effective, and a vaccine was now under development. He credited Ding Mao for his samples and information, calling it a significant breakthrough in biological research. As a gesture of gratitude, the German Consul, impressed by Ding Mao's contributions, intervened with the British Consul.

This led to a renewed invitation for Ding Mao and the Chamber of Commerce to attend a banquet at the British Consulate and discuss the sea transportation rights once more. Guo Deyou and Gu Ying arrived at the British Consulate for the banquet. When stopped by guards for lack of invitations, Wang Meiren, who was scheduled to perform traditional opera, smoothly vouched for them as "special VIPs," securing their entry.

Once inside, Guo Deyou, seeking to ensure Wang Meiren's safety during his investigation, "secured" her by knocking her unconscious and locking her in her dressing room, misinterpreting his previous instruction to "lock her up" if trouble arose. While Gu Ying became increasingly intoxicated at the lavish banquet, Guo Deyou continued his search. During the banquet, Ding Mao met with the British Consul. Over whiskey, they discussed business.

The Consul acknowledged Ding Mao's father as a respected businessman and Ding Mao’s efforts to reform the shipping industry. However, the Consul revealed that during Ding Mao's father’s time, the British Consulate maintained a profitable, secret opium trade with the Chamber of Commerce. He bluntly stated that if Ding Mao were willing to resume this opium transportation, he would "seriously reconsider" the sea transportation rights.

Guo Deyou soon found a distraught Ding Mao and warned him that the boxes brought by Yishengmen to the consulate contained "fatal things," possibly "living deads." Ding Mao was furious, suspecting a connection between the British Consul, Yishengmen, and the Demonic Cult. He instructed Guo Deyou to search upstairs for the boxes, while he watched over Gu Ying, who was now quite drunk.

Guo Deyou, however, deftly declined, suggesting Ding Mao was more experienced with handling intoxicated individuals, given his mentor’s fondness for drink. Meanwhile, Xiao Lanlan, back at the newspaper office, painstakingly worked on deciphering the mother copy. She made a breakthrough, identifying prime numbers in the code and eventually decrypting a crucial five-character phrase related to "Xiao Xiguan Prison" and mentioning "Huang Yu," who was currently incarcerated there.

As the banquet continued below, Gu Ying, unsteady from drink, stumbled into a dimly lit side room on the second floor. There, amidst stacked wooden boxes and flickering candles, she discovered a mysterious old lady performing a ritual. The old lady chanted verses, invoking practices to "open the mind and let soul return" and "lend me some life then buried me later."

Guo Deyou arrived, confronting the old lady about her "dead-reviving sorcery" and the "Bone Array" she was creating with nine corpses to exchange for one life—an evil, blasphemous art that would inevitably shorten her lifespan. The old lady responded that she didn't mind sacrificing years of her life if "Tianming" could call her mother. Guo Deyou, putting the pieces together, correctly identified her as Hu Furen, Manager Hu’s wife, a fact she acknowledged before greeting him as "Junior Tientsin Mystic."

Episode 18 Recap

Guo Deyou and Gu Ying ascended to the second floor of the consulate, where, despite being heavily intoxicated, Gu Ying's sharp senses remained intact. They witnessed an elderly woman in black performing a "Bone Array" ritual, a sinister formation using nine corpses to revive one, a practice considered evil and invoking demonic energies. This woman was Supervisor Hu's wife and Hu Tianming's mother.

She confessed that she orchestrated Sun Laoqi's transformation into a living dead and Feng Erma's death, as well as secretly assisting The Door of Life, all as part of her desperate plan to revive her son. With the nine-corpse array complete, Hu Tianming, now a zombie, roared to life from the water-filled coffin and stumbled towards his mother with stiff movements. Hu Tianming's gaping maw nearly bit his mother, but Gu Ying quickly intervened, kicking the zombie aside.

Overwhelmed by her grief and trusting Lian Huaqing's deceptive promises, Hu Tianming's mother had made a grave mistake. The ten corpses resurrected, crawling out of their wooden crates and running amok. Downstairs, the British Consul was on stage, inviting Miss Wang Meiren to perform. However, Wang Meiren had been knocked unconscious and locked in a room by Gu Ying, an act orchestrated by Guo Deyou who, anticipating danger at the consulate, had implemented this measure to protect her.

As Wang Meiren remained confined, the revived corpses stormed out from the second floor. The British Consul himself fell victim to the rampaging zombies, and most of the hundreds of guests were infected, turning the banquet into utter chaos. Amidst the pandemonium, Ding Mao spotted Lian Huaqing disguised among the crowd and gave chase. He was intercepted by his good friend, Hu Tianming, who had also turned into a zombie.

Despite her drunkenness, Gu Ying's martial arts skills proved more than a match for the living dead. Guo Deyou managed to lead Gu Ying out of the consulate, but then remembered Wang Meiren was still trapped inside. Risking his life, he returned to rescue her. Ding Mao was nearly killed by the zombified Hu Tianming when Hu Tianming's mother suddenly appeared. She embraced her son and, holding him tightly, plummeted from the second floor.

Though she couldn't save him, her final act fulfilled her desperate wish to be with him. Watching Hu Tianming and his mother lie dead on the first floor, Ding Mao, leaning on the second-floor railing, was overcome with profound sorrow. Police reinforcements eventually arrived, bringing the chaotic situation under control. Lian Huaqing, meanwhile, revealed his motives to a companion, explaining that he finds it easier to control "parasites" than dead people, and dead people easier than the living.

He stated his attack on the British Consulate was to avenge over a hundred members of the Demon Sect who died due to opium supplied by the British and transported by the Chamber of Commerce, stating that his goal had been achieved. Outside, survivors recounted the horror of being attacked by the frenzied living dead. In Xiao Xiguan Prison, a blindfolded old man in a cell was seen receiving food from a young girl named Ashuang.

He told Ashuang that he was imprisoned because people feared his hypnotic abilities, which could make disobedient children compliant. He noted that not everyone could be hypnotized, like the deaf and blind or innocent children, but hinted that there was "always a way." The next morning, Xiao Lanlan presented Guo Deyou with the deciphered encrypted file, which contained only five words: "Xiao Xiguan Special."

She explained that Xiao Xiguan Prison was Tianjin's most heavily guarded facility, housing important prisoners, and "special" referred to an inmate requiring particular treatment. Guo Deyou became anxious, realizing Huang Yu had just been transferred there, and feared what this could mean. Xiao Lanlan, a reporter from a prominent family, driven by her curiosity about strange occurrences, asked Guo Deyou to let her join the investigation.

The Junior Tientsin Mystic initially refused, citing the difficulty of entering Xiao Xiguan Prison without special permission. However, Xiao Lanlan countered that her influential background offered her distinct advantages in gaining access. Guo Deyou pondered her words, acknowledging their merit. Leveraging her family connections, Xiao Lanlan effortlessly brought Guo Deyou into the Xiao Xiguan Police Station.

Meanwhile, Ding Mao offered to help Captain Fu retain his position as police captain, using this as leverage to gain access to Xiao Xiguan to interrogate Huang Yu. Ding Mao, speaking on the phone to his superior, assured them that the situation would be handled, implying he would take responsibility. He later urged Captain Fu to immediately burn all the bodies at the consulate, emphasizing the extreme danger.

Captain Fu, lamenting his impending dismissal due to the British consul's death, initially resisted, but Ding Mao suggested a strategy: blame the British themselves. He explained that the British consulate's corruption and security failures, combined with their opium shipments carrying parasitic worms, caused the outbreak. Ding Mao offered to have his German mentor, Dr. Schroeder, who had close ties with the German consul, corroborate this story, thus protecting Captain Fu's career.

Ding Mao then expressed his suspicion that Huang Yu's earlier madness was an act, and he intended to use a new German medical paper on psychiatric testing to prove it. Sure enough, Huang Yu, using the Colored Door technique, The Art of Soft Bones, easily slipped out of his handcuffs and extended his arm through the cell bars, signaling that a new, extraordinary event was about to unfold at Xiao Xiguan Prison.

Episode 19 Recap

The Warden offered red tea to Xiao Lanlan and Guo Deyou, noting it was a foreign drink from his British friend. He mused that certain things suited certain people, implying the tea was for a distinguished guest like Xiao Lanlan. Guo Deyou found the sweetened tea unpalatable. Xiao Lanlan quickly got to the point, asking about the Special Needs Cell. The Warden assured her that the cell was made of special materials, regularly checked, and absolutely secure.

Guo Deyou inquired about the prisoner in this cell. The Warden explained that the inmate possessed "sorcery," with eyes capable of controlling others, which was why his eyes were kept covered by an iron mask. He claimed that only those with pure hearts and no distracting thoughts could resist the prisoner's power.

He recalled that a previous deaf and blind old man had delivered food without issue, but after his mysterious death, with his head missing, a little girl named A Shuang, with a pure and simple mind, was assigned the task. He was confident the prisoner couldn't use his powers with his eyes bound. Meanwhile, two police officers on duty decided to take a short break in the duty room. One noticed a locker door ajar.

Upon opening it, he discovered Huang Yu, who had used the Colored Door's Art of Soft Bones to escape from his cell by contorting his body into the small space. Huang Yu then swiftly and lethally attacked both officers. The Warden was called away due to an urgent matter, leaving Xiao Lanlan to continue her tea. Seizing the opportunity, Guo Deyou slipped away to investigate the prison.

Later, Captain Fu and Ding Mao arrived at Xiaoxiguan Prison, informing the Warden of their intent to interrogate Huang Yu. A police officer led them to Huang Yu's cell, only to find it empty. Ding Mao was exasperated, realizing Huang Yu's earlier display of madness was merely an act. He quickly learned about the two dead guards, murdered in the changing room, and deduced that Huang Yu was likely searching for the "Preacher" in the Special Needs Cell.

Captain Fu tried to dismiss their involvement, citing the extreme danger, but under pressure, the police officer reluctantly revealed the Special Needs Cell was downstairs, and the Warden had just gone there. Captain Fu threatened to arrest them for trespassing. Unaware of the unfolding chaos, the young girl, A Shuang, made her way through the dark cell block to deliver food to the Special Needs inmate.

The prisoner, a man with half-black, half-white hair and a long beard, whom the guards referred to as the "Little Immortal," found a steel wire in his meal. He discarded his iron mask, and A Shuang, peering through the food slot, was met with his intensely staring eyes. Guo Deyou discovered the bodies of the two police officers stuffed into a large cabinet in the changing room. The Warden reached the Special Needs Cell to find A Shuang collapsed outside.

As he bent to check on her, she suddenly grabbed his pistol, having been hypnotized by the psychic prisoner. A Shuang, under the prisoner's command, forced the Warden to look into the cell, and he too fell under hypnosis. The hypnotized Warden then began opening all the prison doors, releasing the inmates. Amidst the escalating riot, the Warden, having unleashed all the prisoners, pointed his service pistol to his throat.

A gunshot echoed, and blood sprayed from his neck as he took his own life. Supporting guards rushed in, clashing violently with the freed inmates. Guo Deyou and Ding Mao, seeking to hide their identities, quickly changed into inmate uniforms and blended into the chaotic crowd. Meanwhile, Xiao Lanlan found herself in grave danger. An escaped prisoner, who had managed to put on a guard's uniform, burst into the office where she was.

He cornered her, stating that after being locked up for so long, he desired only "freedom" and "women." Despite Xiao Lanlan's desperate cries and struggles, no one came to her aid as he began unbuttoning her clothes, her innocence seemingly on the verge of being shattered. At this critical moment, Ding Mao appeared. With a swift movement of his dissecting knife, he slashed the attacker's windpipe. He then untied Xiao Lanlan and covered her with a coat.

The wounded prisoner, fueled by a desire for revenge, grabbed an iron bar and ambushed Ding Mao, choking him. Drawing on her own recent ordeal and Ding Mao's perilous situation, Xiao Lanlan seized pens from a nearby holder and frantically stabbed the attacker's neck, severing an artery. The man collapsed, bleeding profusely, and Xiao Lanlan, her hands covered in blood, sank to the floor.

Back in the Special Needs Cell, Guo Deyou confronted the hypnotized A Shuang, who held the Warden's gun pointed at her own throat. The "Little Immortal," now visible, began to lay out a grim choice, claiming that everything was destiny. Guo Deyou realized it was hypnosis, but he didn't know how to break it. Ding Mao, observing the situation, identified the method as hypnosis, to which the "Little Immortal" interjected, stating his hatred for chains.

Ding Mao then suggested that A Shuang's hypnotized state seemed to be focused on "you" (singular), implying that if one of them left, she might not fire. The "Little Immortal" then explicitly detailed the choice: if Guo Deyou left, A Shuang would shoot herself; if he entered the cell to save her, she would shoot him. Ding Mao offered to leave and find help, stating his confidence in dealing with girls, and then he departed. Guo Deyou, taking a deep breath and deciding to gamble, stepped boldly into the Special Needs Cell. A piercing gunshot echoed from the darkness.

Episode 20 Recap

As the chaos of the prison riot unfolded, Captain Fu fearlessly joined the fray, showcasing an unexpected prowess in combat. He efficiently brought down attacking prisoners with an over-the-shoulder throw, commanding the remaining officers to subdue the "bastards" and return them to their cells. Meanwhile, Yu Si rushed through the turmoil, frantically calling out for Ding Mao.

Once he confirmed Ding Mao was unharmed, Ding Mao instructed Yu Si to promptly escort a visibly panicked Xiao Lanlan back home, then told his own Grain Transportation men to retreat. Guo Deyou, who had been shot in the left arm after snatching a gun from a hypnotized young girl, later found himself face-to-face with a crazed Huang Yu. Huang Yu, also under hypnosis, chanted about the "Caimen Revival" and displayed formidable kung fu, easily overpowering guards.

Guo Deyou, noting Huang Yu's hypnotized state, confronted him. Huang Yu threw a belt and choked Guo Deyou, vowing to eliminate anyone who stood in his path. Just as Guo Deyou struggled, Captain Fu, despite his earlier admonition to hold fire, decisively shot Huang Yu, killing him instantly. After the riot was quelled, Captain Fu, Guo Deyou, and Ding Mao found themselves confronted by a military contingent.

A military officer declared the prison was now under their command and ordered everyone to leave. Guo Deyou protested, questioning how they could simply claim victory after others had risked their lives, but the officer curtly stated his authority came from his guns and dismissed them. Captain Fu attempted to warn the military about the still-missing and dangerous "special category prisoner," but the officer retorted that prison matters were no longer their concern and instructed them to "get out."

Later, Xiao San reported to Secretary General Xiao that the special needs prisoner, known as 'the little Immortal' (the Preacher of the Demonic Cult), was dead, claiming the army had handled the body and it was buried due to its gruesome appearance.

Secretary General Xiao was furious, lamenting that he had kept the Preacher alive for years, hoping to study what was hidden in his brain, which he believed was unlike ordinary people's, and now the body was gone without his approval. Xiao San offered to dig up the body and retrieve his eyes, noting that they were unlike ordinary people's, but Secretary General Xiao dismissed him.

Meanwhile, at the Dragon King Temple, actress Wang Meiren arrived to personally thank Guo Deyou for saving her at the consulate. When Guo Deyou was not present, she told Gu Ying that she was also grateful to her. Gu Ying, feeling a bit embarrassed, downplayed their heroism. Wang Meiren expressed envy for Gu Ying's freedom and what she perceived as a loving relationship with Guo Deyou.

Gu Ying, however, denied having any man by her side, claiming Guo Deyou avoided her daily. Wang Meiren insightfully noted that while Guo Deyou looked at others with pure eyes, his gaze towards Gu Ying held "something else," an emotion she herself had never experienced.

Guo Deyou and Ding Mao later visited an injured Captain Fu, who produced a "TOP SECRET" document stating the prison riot was a military-suppressed event, the special needs prisoner was "shot dead on the spot," and the news was to be "completely withheld." Guo Deyou questioned the official story, finding it hard to believe the "little Immortal" could be so easily killed.

He and Ding Mao speculated that the special category prisoner, known to be a powerful Demonic Cult member with special abilities, was the cause of the military's heavy losses twenty years ago and that the current situation mirrored the past. Captain Fu, agitated, warned them to cease their investigations into the "Demonic Cult" and military secrets, threatening them with the wrath of the military if they caused any further trouble.

Separately, Xiao San confronted Lian Huaqing, warning him to steer clear of Xiao Lanlan and threatening to fight him to the death if he touched her. Lian Huaqing, however, declared that his plan of "evolution" for all life would not be hindered by Xiao San's "little desire." He dismissed Xiao San's claims of the Preacher's death, the Holy Child's disappearance, and the Demonic Cult's demise, asserting that the Preacher could not be killed by mere guns.

Despite Xiao San's insistence that the Demonic Cult was finished and Lian Huaqing's illness, Lian Huaqing ordered him to locate the Preacher's body if he was indeed dead. Back at the Dragon King Temple, Gu Ying diligently cleaned while Guo Deyou, nursing his injured arm, teased her. She affectionately urged him to stop risking his life and to never keep secrets from her again, to which he agreed.

After a tender moment on the bed, Godmother burst in, angrily shooing Gu Ying out. She then spoke privately with Guo Deyou, reminding him of his master's close relationship with her and Gu Ying's upbringing, suggesting Gu Ying was like his "half-sister." She revealed her intention to arrange a marriage for Gu Ying with a wealthy and kind Young Master Zhang from Yujia Pu, and urged Guo Deyou to distance himself from Gu Ying to avoid hindering her future.

Guo Deyou, however, questioned Godmother's worries, arguing that he needed to uncover the truth about the Demonic Cult, especially with his master still missing, to ensure their safety in Tianjin. He claimed that he had "found out" the Preacher of the Demonic Cult and that the military had "executed" him, but Godmother remained suspicious, pointing out that he hadn't actually seen the Preacher.

Later, Xiao Lanlan visited Ding Mao, expressing her heartfelt gratitude for his timely rescue, stating that his intervention had saved her purity. Soon after, Secretary General Xiao requested a private conversation with Ding Mao. He acknowledged Ding Mao's virtues and offered political support for the Chamber of Commerce, but then directly asked if Ding Mao had feelings for Xiao Lanlan. He stated that he knew his daughter's heart well and demanded that Ding Mao stop seeing her.

Secretary General Xiao explained his concern for Xiao Lanlan, not wanting her to be caught in the turbulent waters of the Chamber of Commerce's bloody past and unresolved grudges. He emphasized that Ding Mao's own father's fate served as a stark reminder of the dangers. Ding Mao insisted he could steer the Chamber towards a clean future, but Secretary General Xiao countered that his deeper worry was the Demonic Cult.

The next morning, Ding Mao visited Guo Deyou at the Dragon King Temple, sharing new information from Yu Si: the army deployed at Xiaoxiguan was a temporary contingent sent by Secretary General Xiao. Both men agreed that the Xiao family's unexpected military involvement to execute a prisoner secretly held for twenty years seemed deeply suspicious. Ding Mao also mentioned that both Steward Hu and Godmother exhibited fear and unease when he or Guo Deyou brought up the "little Immortal."

Realizing that these older individuals, who had lived through the chaos of the Demonic Cult's rise two decades prior, likely held crucial secrets, Guo Deyou and Ding Mao resolved to find someone who not only experienced those events but was also willing to speak the truth. As Guo Deyou gazed at the Dragon King statues, an idea began to form in his mind.

Episode 21 Recap

Ding Mao observed that Aunt Hu had lost hope after her brother Tianming's death, which made her susceptible to the Demonic Cult's influence. He recalled that the Demonic Cult had controlled Huang Yu of The Colored Door, intending to use his skills to execute a jailbreak at Xiao Xiguan Prison and free the Demonic Cult elder, the Little Immortal. However, Captain Fu had informed them that the Little Immortal was executed by a military unit.

Ding Mao expressed his doubts, remembering the Little Immortal's power that once caused hundreds of officers to turn on each other, questioning if he could truly be dead. Following Guo Deyou's realization that they needed to find someone who witnessed the events of two decades prior, he and Ding Mao visited Aunt Hu, bringing a special thirty-year-old wine for her.

Aunt Hu, initially wary, questioned the purpose of their "wine of asking a way," despite Guo Deyou's compliments about her past achievements. When they finally admitted they were there to inquire about the Demonic Cult's Little Immortal, Aunt Hu’s demeanor shifted, and she became agitated, demanding they leave. Guo Deyou, however, pressed on, emphasizing the value of their wine and insisting she guide them.

After a moment of thought, Aunt Hu demanded a jin of pork hock and then began to recount the past. She revealed that twenty years ago, Ding Yiqiu, Guo Chun, and Secretary General Xiao led the charge to eliminate the Demonic Cult. This was a monumental achievement at the time. The army suffered heavy casualties, barely managing to capture and imprison the Little Immortal. However, Secretary General Xiao, driven by ambition, claimed all the credit for himself.

Disgusted by this injustice, Ding Yiqiu refused to remain in government service and, with Supervisor Hu, founded the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation. Guo Chun, a simple riverman and Guo Deyou's master, returned to his ordinary life, pushed aside and forgotten. Aunt Hu questioned why Secretary General Xiao didn't eliminate the Little Immortal outright if he was so dangerous, instead secretly imprisoning him for two decades, only to order his execution now.

She implied that the official narrative concealed a deeper, shameful and embarrassing truth. Ding Mao noted that the news of the Little Immortal was tightly guarded, concluding that the Xiao family was deeply problematic. Guo Deyou suggested that Ding Mao approach Xiao Lanlan for a breakthrough in their investigation, despite Xiao Lanlan's father previously warning Ding Mao to stay away from her.

Guo Deyou speculated that Huang Yu was merely a pawn, and the Xiao family might be the true orchestrators within the Demonic Cult. Ding Mao vowed to uncover the truth. Meanwhile, Aunt Hu forbade Gu Ying from getting involved in the Demonic Cult's affairs or associating with Guo Deyou or Ding Mao. Gu Ying, defiant, refused to comply. Aunt Hu threatened to be unforgiving if provoked and ordered Gu Ying not to leave after sunset.

Gu Ying retorted that it wasn't yet sunset, prompting Aunt Hu to challenge her directly. A brief struggle ensued, Gu Ying using Tai Chi palm pushes to push Aunt Hu aside and escape from the house. Later, Ding Mao met Xiao Lanlan by the river.

Xiao Lanlan reflected on how her father used to bring her there to clear her mind, but it no longer helped her cope with the recent events at Xiao Xiguan Prison, particularly the death of the prisoner. Ding Mao reassured her that her actions against the prisoner were justifiable self-defense. When Xiao Lanlan asked what her father had discussed with him, Ding Mao was evasive.

Xiao Lanlan admitted her father often kept secrets from her and expressed her determination to investigate the Demonic Cult, despite her family’s entanglements. As Ding Mao attempted to ask about the connection between the Demonic Cult and the Xiao family, they were ambushed by a group of black-clad assailants sent by Lian Huaqing. Xiao San unexpectedly arrived, quickly apprehending the attackers and securing Ding Mao and Xiao Lanlan's safety.

He instructed his men to take one of the attackers away and dismissed Ding Mao, saying he would handle the matter. Ding Mao found Xiao San's sudden appearance suspicious. Back at the Dragon King Temple, Gu Ying surprised Guo Deyou by climbing into his room. She explained she had argued with Aunt Hu and decided not to return home that night.

After some lighthearted banter where Guo Deyou jokingly referred to himself as a "fabulous person among people and extraordinary," he realized she was genuinely upset. He offered his bed to Gu Ying, who took it, and Guo Deyou went to Ding Mao's room for the night. Guo Deyou’s unexpected entry startled Ding Mao, who was searching through government and military records. Ding Mao, still shaken, recounted the attack on him and Xiao Lanlan.

He suspected Xiao San's timely rescue was too coincidental, leading him to believe the Xiao family was closely monitoring their investigation. Guo Deyou joked about Ding Mao's romantic prospects with Xiao Lanlan before settling down for the night. The next morning, Ding Mao, who hadn't slept, was engrossed in a book on hypnosis, hoping to understand how to counter the Little Immortal's abilities. He explained to Guo Deyou that breaking hypnosis requires avoiding focus and constantly questioning the hypnotist.

He also shared his discovery that Xiao San was not originally a member of the Xiao family and had no background records prior to working for Secretary General Xiao a decade ago. Guo Deyou, tired and hungry, dismissed the details, eager for breakfast. Ding Mao planned to conduct an experiment on himself to test his new knowledge of hypnosis. Meanwhile, Xiao San confronted one of Lian Huaqing's men.

He declared that the Demonic Cult would now declare war on the entire city of Tianjin. The man, however, mocked Xiao San, stating that Lian Huaqing knew Xiao San's true target was Xiao Lanlan, which allowed Lian Huaqing to move against the Little Immortal while Xiao San was preoccupied. Shocked, Xiao San vehemently denied that Lian Huaqing could know the Little Immortal's whereabouts, but the man urged him to see for himself.

Rushing to his secret prison, Xiao San found the Little Immortal still there. However, Lian Huaqing then appeared, or was already present, and activated the parasitic bugs he had planted in Xiao San, causing Xiao San to collapse in pain. Lian Huaqing then freed the Little Immortal, calmly greeting him as "little ghost."

The Little Immortal, the Preacher of the Demonic Cult, and Lian Huaqing discussed the future of the cult and the importance of finding the Holy Child to achieve evolution. The Preacher affirmed he would find the Holy Child and deliver him to Lian Huaqing but stressed that he was not Lian Huaqing's subordinate and would not be responsible for the cult's future. Elsewhere, Secretary General Xiao summoned the military officer who handled the Xiao Xiguan prison riot.

He discovered that Xiao San had used a forged command, supposedly signed by the Secretary General himself, to take custody of the special prisoner—the Little Immortal—instead of executing him. Enraged, Secretary General Xiao ordered a city-wide search for Xiao San. Xiao Lanlan, having overheard the entire conversation, was stunned by the revelation. The next morning, Guo Deyou went to wake Gu Ying, but found her room empty, only her wooden sword left on the table with a note attached.

Simultaneously, Gu Ying was seen walking aimlessly through the streets, her eyes distant and lifeless. Meanwhile, Xiao Lanlan arrived at Ding Mao's room, finding him attempting to hypnotize himself by staring at a pendulum. She informed him that the Little Immortal was not dead and that Xiao San had secretly taken him away by faking her father's orders during the Xiao Xiguan prison riot, whose original mission was to kill the Little Immortal.

Episode 22 Recap

Guo Deyou arrived at the opera house alone, searching among the bustling crowd for the person who had invited him. On stage, a performance concluded to resounding applause from the audience. A young attendant approached Guo Deyou, seeking a tip, but suddenly, everyone present froze in place, evidently hypnotized. Guo Deyou confronted Little Immortal, immediately seeing through his "western hypnotism" and the trick he played.

Little Immortal acknowledged Guo Deyou's sharp senses, explaining that the sound of the dual clapper served as the signal for the hypnotism, with the hypnotic messages embedded in the drum performance. He then began discussing the play, "The Han Dynasty was dying, and the martial talent failed to deploy forces," musing on how Zhuge Liang, despite his extraordinary talent, could not defy his fate. Guo Deyou dismissed it as mere magic effective only on the unguarded, asserting he remained unaffected.

Little Immortal provocatively challenged his claim. Guo Deyou demanded to know Gu Ying's whereabouts. Little Immortal calmly stated she was "where she's supposed to be," adding that her staying in "this filthy place" would be a waste. He then began a story, recounting a great flood that devastated Tianjin twenty years prior, leaving countless victims. The receding waters brought a strange disease, causing veins to bulge and immense suffering. Opium offered temporary relief but no cure.

These desperate individuals, seeking a radical solution, formed the original Demonic Cult. Little Immortal claimed that faith brought them hope, as a newborn within the cult was found to be immune to the disease, and its blood possessed healing properties. This child was revered as the Holy Child. To save their many suffering members, the Demonic Cult then sought other Holy Children. Guo Deyou vehemently denounced this as "killing children to save themselves."

Little Immortal rationalized it as "small sacrifice for massive liberation," arguing that without the Demonic Cult, Tianjin would have become a "ghost town." Guo Deyou retorted that it was the Demonic Cult that "turned Tianjin into a ghost town" through their rampant abductions of children. Little Immortal insisted their methods were necessary to identify Holy Children, revealing that three children had ultimately survived the ordeal, one of whom was the true Holy Child.

He noted that Ding Yiqiu, Hu Haijiang, and Guo Chun "appeared just at the perfect time." He then directly challenged Guo Deyou, asking, "Guo Chun took one of them. Guess who he took?" Little Immortal concluded by reciting a cryptic poem: "The water floods over the metal bucket, A centipede curls its tail to form a golden hook. The beauty is sleeping soundly. Weal or woe depends on human effort." With that, he vanished.

Left stunned and dazed, Guo Deyou wandered the streets. Ding Mao and Xiao Lanlan soon found him. Ding Mao tried to relay his suspicions about Xiao San and inform Guo Deyou that Little Immortal was still alive. Guo Deyou interrupted, confirming he already knew and had just encountered Little Immortal, whom he described as extremely dangerous. He stressed the need to formulate a plan.

Guo Deyou then plunged into the Hai River to calm his turbulent thoughts, the implications of Little Immortal's words – especially the possibility that he himself might be one of the Holy Children – still echoing in his mind. Meanwhile, Lian Huaqing confronted Xiao San, reminding him that in exchange for finding the Preacher, who would then lead them to the Holy Child, he had promised to remove the parasitic worms from Xiao San's body.

Lian proceeded to extract some of the worms but then declared that for Xiao San's extensive help to the Demonic Cult, he must now be "officially recognized." Despite Xiao San's desperate protests, Lian Huaqing cut his own hand and injected Demonic Cult blood into Xiao San, forcibly inducting him into the cult.

Lian chillingly stated that he had only promised to remove "some" worms, not all, and was eager to witness the "evolution" that would occur as Demonic Cult blood mingled with the remaining parasites in a living host. Guo Deyou sought out Shen Po, who initially reacted with anger, demanding to know where he had hidden Gu Ying. Guo Deyou clarified that Little Immortal was alive and holding Gu Ying captive.

He then recited the cryptic poem Little Immortal had told him. Shen Po immediately recognized it as referring to the "Jin Gou Yin Hua Fengshui Map," a map found during the extermination of the Demonic Cult, created by their Fengshui Masters with "evil purposes" to pinpoint the "origin of Evil Water." She explained that "Jin Gou Yin Hua" was the map's name, and "A centipede curls its tail" likely described a method to decipher its mysteries.

Guo Deyou pressed her for the map's location, and Shen Po, after a moment of thought, surmised that given his character, Secretary-general Xiao was likely safeguarding it. At a deserted shipyard, Gu Ying, still under hypnosis, had locked herself within a water dungeon. She awoke disoriented, realizing her predicament as the water level steadily rose around her. She struggled, questioning her location and purpose. Little Immortal was present, explaining that such questions were typical for those newly awakened from hypnosis.

He then pondered aloud whether the person coming to rescue her would be the Holy Child, and recited the same cryptic poem as the water continued its relentless ascent. Gu Ying then realized Little Immortal was affiliated with the Demonic Cult. Little Immortal informed her that the Demonic Cult's future hinged on the Holy Child, and potentially her own as well, finding the connection "interesting."

He declared it would become "even more interesting" upon the Holy Child's arrival before abandoning her in the rising water. That night, Guo Deyou and Shen Po visited Secretary-general Xiao. Guo Deyou introduced himself, acknowledging his connection to Guo Chun. Shen Po, impatient, immediately demanded the map. Secretary-general Xiao asserted he would readily provide the map if it could save his daughter, but questioned what "the Junior Tientsin Mystic can do for it."

Guo Deyou stated he had no interest in Xiao's past dealings with the Demonic Cult, but warned that if the Demonic Cult achieved its goals, Secretary-general Xiao's position would be "endangered." He explained that Gu Ying's abduction was clearly a move targeting him. He appealed to Xiao's self-interest, noting that even if Xiao disliked him, he surely disliked the Demonic Cult more, invoking the proverb, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Guo Deyou offered himself as "bait" since no one else could gather intelligence on the Demonic Cult. Shen Po, in a panic, protested Guo Deyou's offer, reminding Xiao that Gu Ying's life now depended entirely on him. Ultimately, Secretary-general Xiao retrieved the map he had meticulously preserved for two decades, confident it would one day be useful.

Guo Deyou then gave strict instructions: Xiao's men were to follow discreetly, but "no action is allowed until Gu Ying escapes unscathed," threatening to make Xiao "pay the price" if Gu Ying suffered any harm. He argued that the eradication of the Demonic Cult would benefit everyone, including himself, his master, Xiao, and all of Tianjin. Using the Jin Gou Yin Hua Fengshui Map and the cryptic poem, Shen Po began to decipher Gu Ying's location.

She recited: "There're two elements of the nature, Yin and Yang. When they flow, they become wind; when they rise to the sky, they become clouds. And when they fall down, they become rain. Tigers always keep themselves away from water, snakes would escape from the spring thunder, toads have been staying on the moon, and a centipede curls its tail."

She explained that "worms with hundreds of feet die without showing any rigor mortis," and "a centipede curls its tail" described the specific shape of a road. Combining these clues, she pinpointed Gu Ying's precise location at a spot that resembled a "centipede with hundreds of feet curling its tail." Guo Deyou proceeded to the deserted shipyard alone. Secretary-general Xiao's army, despite Guo Deyou's explicit orders not to act without his command, aggressively stormed the vast factory, searching indiscriminately.

Suddenly, a strange knocking sound resonated, and the soldiers became instantly hypnotized, forming ranks and tragically turning their weapons on each other. Guo Deyou found Gu Ying in the water dungeon, the water now dangerously high, reaching her shoulders. He desperately tried to open the impenetrable iron door. Little Immortal materialized behind him. Guo Deyou, already under hypnotism upon arrival, raised what he perceived to be his gun; the weapon in his hand had transformed into a mere tree branch.

Gu Ying frantically called out his name, but Guo Deyou remained unresponsive. Little Immortal began to speak, explaining that for the Demonic Cult, the Holy Child was a key to "a brand new world." However, the immediate priority was not to use this key to save the Demonic Cult, but to "open the door of the Holy Child's heart" and compel him to embrace this new world.

He demanded the "key" from Guo Deyou, stating that if his "judgment is right," his mission would be complete, and he would "leave the rest to Lian Huaqing." He sought to confirm if Guo Deyou was indeed the Holy Child. Little Immortal gazed at him, and with clear, terrifying eyes, hypnotized Guo Deyou again. Still unresponsive, Guo Deyou then jumped into the rising waters of the dungeon with Gu Ying, submerging his head. Gu Ying screamed his name in terror, but he remained utterly oblivious as the water enveloped them both.

Episode 23 Recap

Junior Tientsin Mystic, Guo Deyou, remained in a trance after being hypnotized by Xiao Shen Xian, sinking into a water dungeon with Gu Ying. Gu Ying's desperate cries echoed, "Deyou, what are you doing? Wake up quickly! Deyou, what happened to you? Can you hear me?" but Guo Deyou remained completely oblivious. During this ordeal, Guo Deyou entered a vivid hallucination alongside Xiao Shen Xian. He heard Xiao Shen Xian ponder his unique hypnotic state, noting, "I hypnotized you twice.

You don't go deep enough, but you don't have self-control. Why expect the unexpected? It is the most interesting thing. You really don't know who you are?" In the vision, Guo Deyou saw himself in various roles: first, dressed as Ding Mao, sitting atop the Black Tortoise statue, with Ding Yiqiu, the head of the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation, smiling foolishly. Then he transformed into Auntie Zhang, holding a wooden sword, while Xiao Shen Xian vanished.

He questioned his identity: "Young master. . . Auntie Zhang. . . A corpse retrieval hunter. . . River god or river demon." Lian Huaqing then appeared in this illusion, plunging a dagger into Guo Deyou’s abdomen. Bleeding, Guo Deyou found himself in a wooden barrel, the water rising, forcing him to hold his breath and submerge himself in the blood-tinged liquid.

As the water rose, the spiritual essence of Senior Tientsin Mystic, Guo Chun, reached out to Guo Deyou with cryptic messages. He reminded Guo Deyou that he was "born to be in the water, eat by water and live by water. The water completed your soul. Your essence is in the water. As long as you are in the water, no one can defeat you." This inner guidance caused Guo Deyou to jolt awake, his eyes snapping open.

With a sudden surge, he lunged, dragging Xiao Shen Xian into the depths. Submerged, Guo Deyou was in his element. Xiao Shen Xian, astonished, exclaimed, "You! You are awake!" to which Guo Deyou retorted, "I am the boss in the water. No one can take me there." In the watery confines, Guo Deyou and Xiao Shen Xian struggled fiercely. Guo Deyou managed to seize the keys from Xiao Shen Xian's wrist and bind him to the submerged ladder.

He then pulled Gu Ying out of the water dungeon and onto the floor, where he collapsed, gasping for air. Xiao Shen Xian thrashed helplessly in the water, proving that on land he might possess great power, but in Guo Deyou's domain, the water, he was utterly vulnerable. That night, Xiao Lanlan was accosted on the streets of Tianjin. Her captor was Xiao San, whose face was gruesomely disfigured, a clear sign of Lian Huaqing's torment.

Recognizing her, Xiao San said, "Lan Lan, it is me." Xiao Lanlan, shocked by his appearance, questioned, "Xiao. . . Xiao San? What happened to you?" He confessed, "Retribution, it is retribution. I've done many terrible things. I deserved this end." He further warned her, stating, "We all underestimated Lian Huaqing. Lian Huaqing's purpose is not just to find the Holy Child; he has an even bigger and more terrifying plot." He urged her to "go and find Ding Mao.

Let him stop. . . stop Lian Huaqing and Guo Deyou. He can't be trusted. River God will become River Devil." Before Xiao Lanlan could react further, Xiao San vanished into the night. Guo Deyou brought Gu Ying back to the Dragon King Temple and left her a farewell letter. In the letter, he expressed his apprehension about leaving the "Clay doll named big brother" with her, noting her inability for self-protection.

He pondered his destiny, asking whether he was meant to be the River God or the Holy Child, stating that after twenty years of pursuing the path of the River God only to be stopped by his master, he now intended to "give it a try" on the path of the Holy Child as suggested by the Demonic Cult.

He thanked her for the troubles that helped him understand things, then urged her, "Don't make any more trouble for me," acknowledging they might never meet again. He then went to a noodle shop for what he considered his last bowl. A short while later, a distraught Gu Ying, having woken and read the letter, found him there. She questioned why he saved her, to which he dismissively replied, "It is convenient."

Gu Ying expressed her wish to simply die if he was to be so cold, and he retorted that she would probably still haunt him. When Gu Ying asked if he no longer intended to live a good life, Guo Deyou retorted dismissively, telling her that her "witchcraft doesn't work anymore" and that he was tired of her and their life at the Dragon King Temple. He cruelly asked her to "disappear right away, never show up again."

In desperation, Gu Ying pulled out a black-capped bottle of poison, reminiscent of a mercy drug Senior Tientsin Mystic used, declaring, "If you have to go today, I will empty this." Guo Deyou callously challenged her to drink it, which she did, stating, "I always curious, does it taste any good." She immediately collapsed, screaming "Guo Deyou!" as blood streamed from her eyes, but Guo Deyou turned his back and walked away, not looking back.

The following morning, Tianjin was plastered with wanted posters for Guo Deyou, now labelled "the River Devil." Captain Fu, relaying Secretary Xiao's orders, informed his men that Guo Deyou had "defected Demonic Cult" and they had three days to solve the case. He warned them that if they failed, all the unresolved cases, including the Embassy and Xiao Xiguan incidents, would be held against them, threatening that "our heads will roll."

Ding Mao, clutching a wanted poster, confronted Secretary Xiao, demanding to know the meaning behind the military warrant for Guo Deyou's arrest. Secretary Xiao revealed that twenty years ago he had hesitated, allowing the Demonic Cult to resurface, but now, with Xiao Shen Xian dead, he intended to "End Demonic Cult and once for all."

He accused Guo Deyou of reaching an agreement with Lian Huaqing and stealing the powerful feng shui map that had been seized from the Demonic Cult years ago, stating that "Guo Deyou is the key person that Mogudao has been looking for." Secretary Xiao warned Ding Mao to "not meddle in our affairs," threatening that if he interfered, the "Chamber of Commerce will disappear, along with Mogudao." Ding Mao, however, remained resolute.

He sorrowfully stated that the Demonic Cult had taken "all my loved ones," including his father, but declared, "I still have a brother. If I don't trust him, who else can I trust?" He vowed that while the Demonic Cult "must be destroyed," anyone who tried to harm Guo Deyou would become his enemy. After offering a solemn prayer to his deceased father, Ding Mao prepared to lead the Chamber of Commerce's forces to the Demonic Cult's secret base.

Xiao Lanlan, having overheard the heated exchange, chose to betray her father's wishes and joined Ding Mao, reflecting on her unspoken words to her father and the uncertainty of their future. As Ding Mao and Xiao Lanlan pursued Guo Deyou towards the Demonic Cult's secret base, Lian Huaqing had already dispatched his followers to ambush them. Yu Si bravely led the Chamber of Commerce men to intercept the attackers, allowing Ding Mao and Xiao Lanlan to press forward.

Near the secret base, a tall chimney suddenly erupted, sending debris raining down. In a desperate act, Ding Mao shielded Xiao Lanlan with his body, leaving their fate uncertain as Lian Huaqing coldly declared, "Unevolved creatures should all be cleaned."

Episode 24 (Ending) Recap

As the factory chimney exploded with a great bang during the battle, debris rained down, leaving Ding Mao and Xiao Lanlan unconscious and covered in dust. Ding Mao awoke in the chaos, desperately calling out for Xiao Lanlan, who lay unresponsive beside him. He was startled to see Yu Si nearby, realizing Yu Si had protected them from the falling rocks. Steel rebar had pierced Yu Si’s abdomen, and blood streamed from his mouth.

Yu Si, gravely injured, told Ding Mao that he was dying and felt uneasy about leaving, remarking that their brothers were all dead. He urged Ding Mao and Xiao Lanlan to go, saying there was no need to waste time on him, as his life was already indebted to the Old Master and Ding Mao, and he considered his death a worthy repayment.

Ding Mao cried out Yu Si’s name as Yu Si succumbed to his injuries, with Xiao Lanlan stirring and helping to push away the heavy rock that Yu Si had used his body to block. Meanwhile, Guo De-you followed Lian Huaqing deep into the exposed underground cave towards the origin of Evil Water.

Reflecting on a belief that "a river must flow to the sea, and the world cannot stop it," Guo De-you felt he had lived a meaningful life, believing that even if it didn't cause a big stir, it was better than merely "washing leaves and stones in the mountains." Lian Huaqing, however, expressed a cynical view, stating that while the Demonic Cult could be eradicated, the human heart could not be cleansed.

He listed numerous atrocities and betrayals committed by various individuals, concluding that the Demonic Cult members were merely victims suffering from pain, and their desire to alleviate it was not wrong. Lian Huaqing declared that the root of this pain and the origin of the Demonic Cult lay within the cave they were exploring. Guo De-you pressed Lian Huaqing on how the Demonic Cult had regained followers after being driven to the fringes twenty years ago.

Lian Huaqing explained that their value lay in "knowing and using pain" for evolution, not eradicating it, offering people a choice to embrace the cult for a "second chance at life." When Guo De-you questioned if unconscious bodies truly represented a new life, Lian Huaqing asserted that they possessed the consciousness of the Demonic Cult itself. As they advanced, Guo De-you noticed signs that others had sought the origin of Evil Water before, only to perish.

He questioned why Lian Huaqing would repeat the mistakes of "predecessors," but Lian Huaqing dismissed them as "fools," proclaiming that no one understood evolution better than he did. Following Guo De-you and Lian Huaqing, Ding Mao and Xiao Lanlan navigated the treacherous, dark, and damp underground passages. Xiao Lanlan, observing the hollow rock walls and the smell of kerosene, quickly identified a hidden mechanism.

Shortly after, she slipped and nearly fell into a chasm, but Ding Mao swiftly grabbed her hand, pulling her back to safety. Their perilous journey was interrupted by Xiao San, who had been completely infected by Lian Huaqing. Lian Huaqing had planted insects in Xiao San to control living deads and infused Demonic Cult blood into him, transforming him into a monstrous, half-human, half-beast figure.

Xiao San struggled with the parasitic control, his eyes showing tears as he fought Ding Mao and choked Xiao Lanlan, a fleeting sign of his former self. Despite his internal battle, Xiao San launched an attack. During the struggle, a giant statue collapsed, pinning Xiao San underneath. Ding Mao, quickly pulling Xiao Lanlan away, urged her to keep moving to find Guo De-you at the origin of Evil Water.

Lian Huaqing then revealed his grand plan to Guo De-you, explaining that the origin of Evil Water, existing independently underground, was not connected to any other water system. He recalled how a past earthquake caused its poisonous waters to infect Qiming Village, and now he intended to detonate bombs to release the entire reservoir into the Hai River. This act, he declared, would infect all of Tianjin, strengthening the Demonic Cult.

Lian Huaqing painted a picture where he and Guo De-you, possessing the cure (the holy child's blood), would emerge as "Tientsin Mystics" to save the populace, thus becoming revered as River Gods. Guo De-you, however, scoffed at the idea of others claiming such a title, asserting his Master would never allow it and that he himself found it undeserving, refusing to cooperate with Lian Huaqing's destructive scheme.

Unexpectedly, Senior Tientsin Mystic, Guo Chun, appeared with Gu Ying, who was temporarily blind from the poison she had consumed. Gu Ying, addressing Guo Chun as Uncle Guo, questioned how he was so certain Guo De-you was not the holy child. Guo Chun revealed that after the Demonic Cult's defeat years ago, he took in an orphaned boy, Guo De-you, only to discover he was infected. Through his efforts, Guo Chun accidentally developed a bathing medicine that suppressed the infection.

He also revealed that he had saved another girl, Gu Ying, at the same time, but had entrusted her to Witch Zhang due to the impracticality of raising a girl himself. Guo Chun clarified that his intention in bringing Gu Ying was not solely to save Guo De-you, but to save all of Tianjin. As the final confrontation unfolded, Ding Mao, Xiao Lanlan, and Gu Ying arrived at the origin of Evil Water.

Guo De-you tasked Ding Mao and Xiao Lanlan with blocking the outlet mechanism, warning that if the water ran out, the bomb would fall and explode, poisoning the Hai River. He told Ding Mao to leave Lian Huaqing to him, to which Ding Mao agreed, but demanded an explanation for his actions. Witch Zhang also appeared, invoking her witchery to aid the Tientsin Mystic against the "River Demon."

Just then, Xiao San, having broken free from beneath the statue, reappeared, now fighting on Lian Huaqing's side. In the ensuing struggle, Gu Ying, despite her blindness, bravely intercepted Xiao San's attack, taking his iron claws through her shoulder to protect Guo De-you. Guo De-you, filled with grief, took a forensic knife from Ding Mao and plunged it into Xiao San's throat, ending his suffering.

With Lian Huaqing pinned by Ding Mao, Guo De-you, his thoughts on the people of Tianjin, entrusted Gu Ying to Ding Mao's care, playfully teasing both Ding Mao about Xiao Lanlan and reassuring Gu Ying about her temporary blindness in their final moments. With a somber farewell, Guo De-you turned and jumped into the treacherous waters of the origin of Evil Water, with Gu Ying, expressing her love, immediately following him.

They embraced and shared a final kiss in the water before Guo De-you, pushing Gu Ying away, swam deeper into the abyss. In a heroic act, he found the bomb and, with his eyes closed, severed a crucial wire, sacrificing himself to prevent the catastrophe. The ultimate fate of the Demonic Cult, whether the evil water escaped, and the whereabouts of Senior Tientsin Mystic, remained an enduring mystery.

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