Episode 2 recap: # By the Water
In this episode, Shen Xing is thrown into the water with a heavy stone tied to his feet, leaving his fate uncertain. The victim, Mao Ba, was a trusted confidant of Cai Shu for many years. Dan Tuo, Cai Shu's deputy, had earlier transported liquor through the area of Laipi and was stopped by police for a tax payment.
Back at Sanbianpo Daban, Dan Tuo reports to Cai Shu that he was asked to pay back taxes upon entering the border. He also mentions that Ang Tun has expanded his auto repair shop to produce counterfeit liquor and is actively hiring workers. Mao Ba had previously discovered Ang Tun's counterfeit operations, and Dan Tuo had instructed him to mark the fake liquor, but this led to Mao Ba's murder.
Ang Tun, who believed his scheme was foolproof, has already been uncovered by Cai Shu and Dan Tuo. However, Cai Shu decides not to kill Ang Tun; instead, he forces him to sign a liability agreement stating that if any issues arise with the liquor sent to the mountains, Ang Tun will bear full responsibility. Cai Shu will continue to source liquor from Ang Tun, and everything seems to remain business as usual.
Dan Tuo senses something is wrong. He jumps into the river and rescues the near-death Shen Xing, demanding to know who killed Mao Ba. Shen Xing identifies Ang Tun as the culprit. Dan Tuo, however, is not fooled; if Shen Xing had killed Mao Ba, he wouldn't have come back to seek a death sentence.
Filling his gun with bullets, Dan Tuo intends to kill Ang Tun in revenge for Mao Ba's death. However, Xi Gou alerts Cai Shu, who arrives just in time to stop Dan Tuo. Ultimately, the situation arises because Dan Tuo acted without Cai Shu's permission by allowing Mao Ba to mark the counterfeit liquor, which led Ang Tun to resort to murder to cover his tracks.
Realizing that he has put his younger brother in danger, Dan Tuo contemplates suicide but is stopped by Cai Shu once again. Since the counterfeit liquor must be dealt with later, Ang Tun cannot die just yet. Cai Shu acknowledges that Ang Tun deserves punishment, but it’s not the right time. He assures Dan Tuo that he will address the situation regarding Mao Ba.
Meanwhile, a barely alive Shen Xing returns to the construction site, where Guo Li Min takes care of him. Concerned that the men from the dam might come looking for him, Guo Li Min hides Shen Xing in the second-phase building, allowing him to recover before finding a way to return home. Xi Gou, meanwhile, discovers that Shen Xing is still alive.
Shen Xing must be silenced for Ang Tun to feel at ease. Soon, Dan Tuo learns from Xi Gou that Ang Tun knows Shen Xing is still alive, and his expression turns serious. Ti Pan is captured by the dam workers and beaten severely. At that moment, Shen Xing contacts the snakehead, who is actually the dam worker leader, and Ti Pan betrays Shen Xing to save his own life.
That night, three groups gather at the second phase of Xin Hao Hotel: Ang Tun, who wants to kill Shen Xing; the dam worker trio, who want to capture him; and Dan Tuo, who seeks revenge on Ang Tun. Dan Tuo urges Shen Xing to kill Ang Tun, but Shen Xing is too scared.
Seeing the crowd, Dan Tuo decides to leave by car. Shen Xing agrees to anything, and only then does Dan Tuo allow him to get in. Hiring a hitman is an open secret, so Dan Tuo cannot openly hire someone to kill Ang Tun or do it himself. Shen Xing is currently the only option, but he cannot shoot. Instead, he persuades Dan Tuo to set up a plan where the drug dealers discover the counterfeit liquor and use them to kill Ang Tun.
Dan Tuo will only handle the delivery to the warehouse, while Shen Xing needs to hide there until Suo Wen comes to pick up the goods for the mountain drug dealers. The route from the warehouse to the drug dealer's hideout is only given to trusted individuals; it used to be Cai Shu, but now it is the mute Suo Wen. Under Dan Tuo’s cover, Shen Xing hides in the warehouse, takes the opportunity to dilute the counterfeit liquor with more water, and waits for Suo Wen to arrive.
Later, when Dan Tuo returns, he tries to take Shen Xing away, but they are discovered. Shen Xing quickly thinks on his feet and claims he is just hiking, narrowly escaping a crisis. The counterfeit liquor is discovered, and Ang Tun is beaten badly. The conspiracy between Dan Tuo and Shen Xing does not escape Cai Shu's notice.
Cai Shu fires two shots, leading Dan Tuo to believe Shen Xing has been killed. Dan Tuo has a new supplier: Si Ye, who is connected to the dam worker leader. Dan Tuo originally planned to use Shen Xing as a bargaining chip, but to his surprise, Shen Xing does not betray himself even when his life is threatened.
Later, Cai Shu helps Shen Xing repay the dam worker leader’s debt of 1.35 million by having Shen Xing run a shipment for him in the border area.
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