Episode 34 recap: Duan Xinyi sacrifices himself.
Fang Li captures a communist and the captive confesses that he always gets sabotaged by an invisible hand at crucial moments, without knowing who is behind it. Fang Li finds Lao Duan and deliberately conceals a dagger in his hat. He confesses to Lao Duan about a mistake he made, revealing that his family has been threatened by someone called "Number 76." In order to protect his family, Fang Li discloses the list of underground party members in Shanghai. When he tries to assassinate Lao Duan, an unexpected turn of events leads to a struggle, and they both fall down to the lower floor.
Chen Ke Hai is stabbed by a traitor and receives intelligence about Lao Duan's family matters. The Special Operations Headquarters is renamed the Political Security Bureau, with Fang Li serving as the Deputy Director. Chen Ke Hai wonders how Liu Yuan Dong managed to enter Number 76. Fang Li becomes angry upon hearing this, as Liu Yuan Dong was originally just a spy working for Xing Han Zhu. He had requested to enter Number 76, but now he has lucked out and gained the support of Gang Cun.
Six months later, Fang Li visits Chen Ke Hai's home with gifts to celebrate the Lunar New Year. They chat about family matters and watch their child, Xiao Bao, growing up and becoming more and more like Qiao San Min. The latest news from Chongqing reveals that the Japanese are planning a strategic shift, moving from the southwest to the central plains. After the Chinese New Year, they manage to obtain military intelligence and ask for Chen Ke Hai's help in analyzing it.
At this moment, Xiao Bao calls for his mother, and Chen Ke Hai tricks him into playing hide-and-seek. Fang Li leaves, and Luo Bing, hidden in the distance, watches Chen Ke Hai and Xiao Bao happily setting off fireworks, tears of joy streaming down her face. Fang Li drinks alone at the Bailemen, feeling frustrated, when Old Jin approaches and tells him that Wu Gang is coming back.
Lao Duan meets Chen Ke Hai at a teahouse and gives him a red envelope, mentioning that a comrade from Yan'an will return in a while and he will be taking over Lao Duan's position. However, Lao Duan states that Chen Ke Hai's meeting with the comrade will be arranged after the comrade's information has been reviewed. Chen Ke Hai jokingly suggests that Lao Duan should settle down with a companion in a peaceful rear area.
Wu Gang returns to the hotel where Fang Li has been waiting for him. Although Wu Gang has been in Yan'an for the past few years, he knows that Fang Li has become the leader of Number 76. Wu Gang's return is to take over the position of the veteran comrade, which is being an undercover agent within the communist party of Number 76. They will meet in a few days, but they need to wait for the official assignment.
Wu Gang suggests exposing the communists before the official assignment, but Fang Li wants to be cautious and not alert the enemy prematurely. Wu Gang became a spy for the Military Statistics Bureau because Fang Li had his family and girlfriend under his control. Fang Li brings a toy pistol for Xiao Bao and also brings some documents for Chen Ke Hai to analyze.
Wu Gang goes to Changying Pharmacy to buy a prescription for Si Jun Zi Tang. Lao Duan immediately recognizes him as the comrade sent from above and invites him inside to fetch the medicine. Wu Gang reveals that he has been applying to come to the front line and now his wish has finally been granted. He requests information about his next assignment, but Lao Duan advises him to be patient and wait for the meeting to make a decision.
Upon learning that Wu Gang is staying at the Waldorf Hotel, Lao Duan is initially surprised but then calmly suggests that he should rent a house instead of attracting attention.
Wu Gang pretended to show concern and asked about the comrade from Number 76, as he had gathered a significant amount of information. Lao Duan didn't answer, and Wu Gang realized he had crossed a boundary and quickly claimed that he was anxious due to the pressure from the Japanese army.
During this meeting, Lao Duan also started to suspect Wu Gang. After seeing him off, Lao Duan immediately dispatched someone to investigate Wu Gang's file. Lao Duan wrote a note stating that he had urgent matters to attend to and would meet again next time. He placed the note in a newspaper, which was delivered to Chen Ke Hai's home by a newspaper boy. At that moment, Chen Ke Hai had taken his feverish child to the hospital.
Lao Duan brought a gun and went to a teahouse, while Chen Ke Hai entrusted his child to Wu Ma and hurried to the teahouse. Seeing that Chen Ke Hai hadn't appeared for a long time, Lao Duan intended to leave, but Wu Gang barged in, claiming that he had a serious mistake to report to Lao Duan. In secret, he concealed a dagger with his hat and mentioned that his family had been kidnapped by Number 76 and forced to reveal the list of underground party members in Shanghai. Before he could finish speaking, he drew out the knife and attempted to assassinate Lao Duan. Wu Gang knew that Lao Duan had sent someone to investigate him, and Lao Duan discovered Wu Gang's suspicious behavior through Zhao Jing's sacrifice. At that time, Wu Gang didn't report the details of her death, so how did he know she was skinned?
Wu Gang managed to escape after Lao Duan hit him, but Fang Li was waiting for him at the door. Wu Gang stabbed Lao Duan in the back, and at that moment, Chen Ke Hai arrived at the teahouse. The waiter heard the noise and rushed to the private room, but Fang Li sent him away under the pretense of hanging clothes. Chen Ke Hai passed by the waiter in the stairwell, catching a whiff of the medicinal odor from the plaster on his clothes. It was the same plaster he had given to Fang Li a few days ago.
Just as he was about to knock on the door, he realized it was an ambush. He quickly hid in another private room and witnessed the waiter being dragged inside by Fang Li. Fang Li waited in the room, hoping to catch Chen Ke Hai off guard. At that moment, Lao Duan regained consciousness. To prevent Chen Ke Hai from being exposed, Lao Duan jumped off the building and died. Chen Ke Hai tried to go and help but saw the jewelry that Lao Duan had stopped to prevent him from noticing.
Chen Ke Hai took refuge in the dressing room and saw the bloodstains on Wu Gang's body, realizing that he had killed Lao Duan. He deliberately fired a gunshot to create chaos and shouted the name of Duan Xinyi at the door. Wu Gang turned around to verify Chen Ke Hai's suspicion, and Chen Ke Hai killed him. However, he was also stabbed by Wu Gang.
Fang Li looked at Wu Gang's body and swiftly ordered the capture of the killer at the scene. Meanwhile, Chen Ke Hai disguised himself and fled from the clothing store. Fang Li showed Chen Ke Hai the bodies of Wu Gang and Duan Xinyi and asked him to investigate Duan Xinyi's background. Before leaving, Fang Li lightly tapped Chen Ke Hai, who concealed his abdominal injury and pretended to have stomach pain.
Old Jin discovered bloodstained clothes in the clothing store. Chen Ke Hai, at home, saw the red envelope on the coat and burst into tears of sorrow, recalling the many years they had fought together, their relationship having surpassed mere comradeship.
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