Episode 2 recap: Gu Yi Ran Officially Joins the Task Force
In Episode 2, when Zheng Bei arrives at the Huazhou Police Academy Research Institute, he is struck by Gu Yi Ran's youthful face and finds himself momentarily speechless. After inquiring, he learns that Gu Yi Ran is actually two years younger than him, which fills Zheng Bei with admiration, considering him a model of youthful success. However, Gu Yi Ran remains polite yet distant; when he hears about being asked to join the ice meth case, he shakes his head vigorously and quickly gets back to work.
Initially, Zheng Bei had no intention of bringing in an expert, planning to report to Gao Lin Sheng and then return to Halan. Unexpectedly, Director Zhao arranged for a full set of chemical equipment from the province for the case, and Gao Lin Sheng issued a firm order: Gu Yi Ran, the drug chemistry expert, must be brought on board, or Zheng Bei could forget about going back to Halan.
Years ago, Gu Yi Ran had unraveled the mysteries of ice meth, while Zheng Bei had personally seized a bag of ice meth crystals. Their connection was forged back then. Now, seeing Gu Yi Ran, who has matured into a capable individual with a much softer demeanor, Zheng Bei still feels the frustration of Gu Yi Ran's emotional distance.
Determined, Zheng Bei exhausts all his efforts to persuade Gu Yi Ran to join the task force, circling around him from morning till night. Yet, Gu Yi Ran remains like a polite but unyielding wall. Finally, Zheng Bei hands over the case files to Gu Yi Ran, saying he's heading back to Halan and urging him to think it over. As Gu Yi Ran flips through the documents, old memories surface, and he resolutely decides to accompany Zheng Bei to the Northeast.
Upon arriving in the Northeast, Gu Yi Ran, a Southerner, struggles with the cold and sneezes several times. Without hesitation, Zheng Bei drives him straight to the police station. Curious, Zheng Bei asks Gu Yi Ran about his change of heart, to which Gu Yi Ran vaguely attributes it to the school's leadership.
At the police station, Zheng Bei is embarrassed to see the task force's "home base"—the rundown first cafeteria. Just then, Brother Xiong leads everyone to meet Gao Lin Sheng, who mistakenly believes Gu Yi Ran hasn't shown up and cancels his accommodation, prompting Zheng Bei to scramble to find him a place to stay.
In a twist of fate, the drug dealer finally makes a move and plans a transaction today. Coincidentally, this Boss Xie has connections to the infamous Xiaobailou case from years ago, both hailing from Guangdong. Zheng Bei assigns everyone to disguise themselves for surveillance, but Gu Yi Ran insists on going along.
In the car, Zheng Bei briefs the informant, Mouse, to perform well. He even learns a few local phrases from Gu Yi Ran to negotiate with Boss Xie. When Boss Xie suggests inviting a couple of women to celebrate, Zheng Bei waves his hand, saying that with such serious business at hand, women should take a back seat.
Listening from outside in the car, Gu Yi Ran nearly bursts out laughing at Zheng Bei's "out-of-body" comments. Meanwhile, Zheng Bei discovers a grenade in Boss Xie's room and quickly warns his teammates to be cautious. Pretending to be interested in the grenade and wanting to buy it, Zheng Bei finds that Boss Xie is unwilling to sell such a life-saving item.
The transaction proceeds smoothly, and Zheng Bei prepares to take Boss Xie to experience the local bathing culture. Laughter from Gu Yi Ran comes through the listening device, marking a promising start to this battle of wits.
Comments(Episode 2)