Episode 1 recap: The fishing boat murder case is full of twists and turns.
The story begins at the Intermediate People's Court in Qizhou City, where the deputy chief of the court, Qi Heng (played by Wang Qianyuan), is blindfolded and solving a Rubik's Cube. He is also thinking about the accident that happened on the Lu Gang 18th ship, where the captain and the passengers went missing, and another tourist named Liu Kai died. This incident has caused quite a sensation in Qizhou.
A university student named Lin Yu, who was on the ship, is accused and taken into custody as the defendant, along with another tourist named Zheng Duo. On the other side, Liu Kai's wife, Qi Wenjing, is also taken away by the police as a suspect. Today, the Intermediate People's Court is going to deliver the verdict on their cases, and Qi Heng, as the presiding judge, is present for the trial.
Zheng Duo is the first to appear in court, and the presiding judge asks why they didn't arrive at Dengxian Island on time. Zheng Duo explains that there was an accident that night, and shortly after they set sail, a strong wind started blowing. The captain immediately used the satellite phone to call for help and reassured everyone not to worry. However, they were unaware that the satellite phone was already broken. As the strong wind intensified, everyone took shelter under the rain canopy, while the captain was still in communication with another search boat. The other boat informed them that the weather conditions ahead were even worse, and they needed to return. The captain quickly instructed the tourists to take shelter inside and assured them that he had been sailing for many years and there wouldn't be any problems.
At this moment, Qi Wenjing is still a little frightened, while Liu Kai is comforting her. Unfortunately, due to a sudden wave, Qi Wenjing accidentally hits her head and gets injured. Upon seeing this, Zheng Duo decides to go to the captain and get the first aid kit. Initially, Liu Kai refuses, but Zheng Duo insists on going and eventually convinces him. When Zheng Duo goes out, he witnesses a man in a hat threatening the captain to hand over the satellite phone. At first, the captain dismisses the threat, thinking it's a joke. However, the man in the hat reveals a hidden dagger inside his cane, and to the captain's surprise, he is fatally stabbed and thrown into the sea by the man in the hat.
Zheng Duo quickly informs everyone hiding inside about what happened. Now everyone is aware of the captain's death, and Liu Kai is still very scared, saying he doesn't want to die. The man in the hat instructs everyone to find life jackets, but there is only one available. A person named Qiu Ren takes advantage of the chaos and snatches the life jacket, but the man in the hat follows him. In the struggle, the life jacket falls to the ground, and in anger, the man in the hat throws Qiu Ren into the sea.
This man in the hat is named Wang Gui. According to Qi Wenjing's recollection, the life jacket was taken by Hu Bai, and Wang Gui went after him. Hu Bai hides, and Wang Gui appears very arrogant. He spots Hu Bai's feet, and Hu Bai pleads for mercy in fear. Wang Gui then declares to everyone that he is the boss on this ship, and disobedience will result in the same fate as Hu Bai.
Qi Wenjing and the others clean up the bloodstains as instructed by Wang Gui, who warns them that if they don't obey, he will kill them now. Zheng Duo and Lin Yu take advantage of the situation to subdue Wang Gui, and they even persuade Qi Wenjing, who is nearby, to stab Wang Gui with a dagger. Qi Wenjing is also very afraid and in a state of panic, but she manages to strike Wang Gui in a critical area. Fearing for their safety, they dispose of Wang Gui's body, luggage, and the murder weapon by throwing them into the sea.
And the reason why Liu Kai, Qi Wenjing's husband, died, according to Qi Wenjing, is that he deserved it. Soon, the storm passed, but it seems they got lost at sea. Qi Wenjing woke up and found her husband missing. When she reached the deck, she saw Liu Kai sitting by the edge of the boat wearing a life jacket. Liu Kai said he saw Dengxian Island, but no one else could see it.
Liu Kai also said he could swim there, and everyone called for him to come down, but Liu Kai said everyone else had gone crazy and jumped into the sea. After hearing the testimony, Judge Niu Geng, the presiding judge, started presenting relevant evidence. It could be proven that Lu Gang 18th did encounter Dengxian Island No. 5, and the satellite phone was not intentionally damaged but rather a machine malfunction, according to the on-site investigation.
There were also a large amount of Hu Bai's bloodstains on the ground and the captain's bloodstains on the deck. The bloodstain matches for the rest of the people were successful, but there is no information available for Wang Gui, indicating that he might have used a fake name. Liu Kai's body was found on the deserted island, but the murder weapon used to kill Wang Gui was missing. The defense also argued that Zheng Duo acted in self-defense and hoped for a retrial.
After the trial, Judge Niu Geng led everyone to reanalyze the case, and Marathon (played by Lan Yingying) raised her doubts. The most important evidence is the missing spring knife. Judge Niu Geng asked Marathon where her speculations and motives came from, but now the testimonies of the three suspects are consistent. Qi Heng said it would not be easy to overturn the case.
However, Qi Heng is concerned about the satellite phone. The captain was holding it in his hand, so why did it end up in Wang Gui's possession? If the testimonies of the three individuals are seamlessly aligned, it is likely that they colluded. Qi Heng also said that if the case is judged with loopholes, it would be irresponsible to the people. As Marathon was about to leave, a colleague happened to bring Qi Heng's letter, and Marathon kindly offered to deliver it for him.
In the underground parking lot, Qi Heng encountered Zhang Yanjun, whose car had broken down. Qi Heng offered to help, but Zhang Yanjun refused. Luo Huaigong also sent someone to deliver money to Zheng Duo's father. Zhang Yanjun was actually very resentful that Qi Heng came and immediately overshadowed him.
They intentionally killed someone in the first episode. At that time, they were already under coercion and their freedom was restricted. It was inevitable for a group of impoverished, hungry, and desperate individuals to collaborate.
In order to prevent further harm and acting out of desperation, it is normal for ordinary people to inflict harm on others to render them unable to resist.