Episode 25 recap: Project Skylark - Burning Supplies
In this episode, Jin Maochang declares his intention to expand supply efforts, leading cotton spinning factories to lower cotton yarn prices. Other entrepreneurs quickly join in, pledging their unconditional support for the new government in Shanghai. During a summary meeting at the bureau, Deputy Yang specifically praises Lin Shaobai. Their next task is to make Shanghai the main battleground, mobilizing large quantities of cotton yarn, food, and coal from across the country to be transported to Shanghai, where they will be concentrated to crush speculators with sheer economic power.
The Shanghai police's mission is to ensure the safety of these supplies, providing strong backing for this battle over rice and cotton. Lin Shaobai takes Tong Susu and her foster mother to pick flowers near the prison. While working, Dai Yueqing sees her son, and her eyes well up with tears. Lin Shaobai intentionally allows her to meet Tong Susu, fulfilling her wish.
Jin Lao returns home safely, where Jin Yan cooks noodles for him, which he enjoys immensely. Lao Lu goes to the pigeon division to see Lin Shaobai, who assigns him the task of managing pigeon droppings, and surprisingly, he complies without hesitation. Lin Shaobai brings up recent false news articles that targeted Lao Lu. Lao Lu brushes it off, but Lin Shaobai can't stand it. He proposes a media campaign against the Skylark organization, planning to publish articles exposing their past misdeeds, including how they betrayed their own to secure positions and sacrificed Yang Hui, who had followed them for seven to eight years. This would give Skylark's operatives a clearer picture of their leader's true nature.
Deputy Yang adds that this media campaign could also divide and weaken the spy group. After receiving Yang's approval, Lin Shaobai invites reporters to interview Lao Lu to clear his name. Lao Lu is reluctant to appear on camera, but Cen Xiaoman devises a plan to take photos of a police cap for publication. Soon, news articles appear in the paper and are broadcasted, making the infamous spy Skylark widely known among the public, who despise him.
Although Skylark pretends not to care, he is seething with anger and for the first time lashes out at a female teacher who often takes advantage of him. Ah Kui seeks out Jin Maochang, but Jin is too scared to admit that he was forced to bury Jiang Yang alive. Fueled by rage, Ah Kui plans to seek revenge on Zheng Lanting, but Jin advises him to let it go, offering him two yellow croakers to help him find a way forward, promising to cover all expenses for Jiang Yang's two children.
Lao Lu urges Lin Shaobai to return to the community office, but Lin firmly refuses. Six people on the undercover list are missing, but Skylark dismisses this, believing he can use the turncoats to deceive Lu Zhengyang and pave the way for his upcoming plans. Skylark arrives uninvited and orders Jin Lao to procure a batch of high-purity white phosphorus, intending to make gasoline bombs and blow up Jin's three warehouses in the city, destroying all supplies.
Jin Lao is terrified and repeatedly claims he can't obtain 300 pounds of white phosphorus. Skylark is well aware of Jin Lao's status as a major shareholder in the Changhua Match Factory and believes that getting the white phosphorus will be no problem. Mao Sen conveys orders from above, asking Skylark to return to the rear as office director, but Skylark politely declines. After hearing Skylark's plan, Mao Sen praises it, arranging for Liu Guihang's people to work under Skylark's command.
Jin Maochang leads the charge, with other entrepreneurs like Gao Huai also donating warehouses for the new government to store supplies. The bureau assigns two personnel to the second room, one of whom is old Chen from the archives.
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