• Last updated: 2024-09-24 06:22

Episode 9 recap: The Murder of a Dancer Unravels Clues

In Episode 9, Lu Zhengyang manages to get Lin Shaobai two tickets, but only on the condition that Lin can no longer be late. Lin readily agrees. Meanwhile, Wang Liqun goes to Xianyuemen and flirts with a dancer, but soon he is taken upstairs by Dai Yueqing's men. Dai Yueqing, a beautiful woman, accepts the money Wang brought but doesn’t mention any collaboration, treating it merely as a gift. Wang feels frustrated; he has given the money but Dai Yueqing has no intention of cooperating, and he is held at gunpoint. After leaving empty-handed, Wang takes out his anger on the dancer, dragging her home and tormenting her. Terrified, she has no choice but to comply.

After finishing his business, Wang pays the dancer to leave, but she accidentally discovers his identity, leading him to silence her. Liu Guihang questions why there haven't been any recent assassinations or explosions. Zheng Lanting believes that undermining Shanghai's economy is more effective than mere killings and bombings. He instructs Liu Guihang to send a telegram to Mao Sen, requesting a few radios for direct reporting if needed.

Xu Wei is assigned the grim task of disposing of the dancer's body. When Xiao Yun checks in on the progress, Wang reports honestly, and then Xiao Yun asks Xu Wei for his thoughts. Xu Wei favors helping the Hook Gang deal with the Water River Gang, which would create a situation Dai Yueqing can’t refuse to collaborate with the military. Xiao Yun finds Xu Wei's suggestion quite good and agrees to pass it on to Bolao.

Before leaving, Xiao Yun warns Wang to handle the body properly and not to act without instructions. After disposing of the body, Wang threatens Xu Wei, questioning whether he has ever considered replacing him. Xu Wei, taken aback, promises not to report without permission again, and Wang spares his life. Early the next morning, Lu Zhengyang queues up and finally secures two tickets for "White Haired Girl."

Once Lin Shaobai gets the tickets, he boasts in the office, and everyone knows Lu Zhengyang has the ability to obtain them, eagerly asking for tickets. Lu tells them to focus on their case, promising two tickets each once the case is resolved. Lin is pleased with himself until he learns from Huzi that Lu Zhengyang had queued up at the theater early in the morning to buy them. With so many businesses in the Putuo district, it’s hard to locate Wang Liqun.

In a panic, Lin rushes in to inform them of a brutally murdered woman found at the garbage dump on Anyang Road. Since Anyang Road is right in Putuo, if the investigation into the corpse alerts Wang Liqun, all their efforts will be in vain. When Jin Yan reports on the autopsy, Lin analyzes the situation carefully and deduces that the murderer knows Shanghai well, choosing the dump specifically as the disposal site, and the victim is a red dancer who will likely be reported missing in a couple of days.

Captain Zhang of the criminal police team, impressed by Lin's skills, tries to recruit him. Lin coyly asks if he can become a permanent officer, and Lu Zhengyang overhears, interrupting Zhang’s recruitment attempt. Jiang Yang is unable to find Wang Liqun and returns the gold bars to Jin Maochang. Appreciating Jiang’s honesty, Jin doesn’t reclaim the bars and asks him to continue investigating, cautioning that Wang is a spy and mustn’t expose his identity.

While reviewing his first case as a police officer, Lin inadvertently discovers that one of the trafficked girls, Zhao Wangju, has a birthmark in the same spot as the deceased, leading him to conclude that the victim is Zhao Wangju. Yet, Lu Zhengyang decides to continue checking the households, while Lin remains determined to share this clue with Captain Zhang.

During a meeting that night, Cen Xiaoman timidly admits she didn’t investigate with Lin. Lu Zhengyang is furious, warning that if Wang Liqun is among the thirty-five households she checked today, the consequences could be dire. He insists that Cen join him the next day. Meanwhile, Yinghun receives a call; the dancer's case has been discovered, and he can no longer pursue the line with Dai Yueqing, as Bolao instructs him to focus solely on the White Haired Old Man case.