Surprisingly, the television adaptation of "The Lonely Warrior" has experienced a turnaround in its reputation, despite receiving a wave of negative reviews upon its debut. How do those who criticized it purely out of spite feel now? Of course, the most crucial point is that the TV series "The Lonely Warrior" did not entirely replicate the plot of the film version; in certain aspects, it even surpassed the adaptation.

For instance, in the film version, Qi Shu's character dies from a brain hemorrhage, while in the TV series, she only becomes paralyzed without passing away. Additionally, Cheng Bing's wife, who remains unmarried in the film version, remarries a person named Zhao Mingfu immediately after Cheng Bing is imprisoned. In the original novel, Cheng Bing, the captain of the Criminal Investigation Brigade "The Lonely Warrior" in a certain city, was sentenced to eight years in prison for the crimes of intentional homicide and dereliction of duty in August 2002.

The major difference between the film and TV series lies in Wang Da Yong and his brother Wang Er Yong, who are habitual offenders engaged in burglary and the molestation of women. After assaulting a 17-year-old girl, they plan to commit another crime two days later. The subsequent events closely resemble the movie and TV drama: Cheng Bing loses his official position for killing a suspect in the interrogation room and endures several years of hardship in prison.

Another noteworthy point is that when Cheng Bing is prosecuted, the family members and relatives of the victim girl all kneel down, pleading for leniency for Cheng Bing and others present in the courtroom. As expected, those who stood by Cheng Bing, much like in the film, will eventually leave, one by one. After all, each of them has sacrificed their family and livelihood, unable to compare with Cheng Bing, the "lone warrior" who can feed his entire family alone. Moreover, Xiao Xu's departure undoubtedly serves as a signal, indicating that "The Lonely Warrior" is about to disband.

In the end, when Cheng Bing finally apprehends Wang Er Yong, he works as a water delivery worker in a mineral water company. In order to gather clues, he meticulously prepares a notebook, recording the names, ages, phone numbers, outgoing times, economic status, hobbies, and special skills of the residents in the local community. After nine long months of delivering water, Cheng Bing successfully confirms Wang Er Yong's identity. Although Cheng Bing does not regain his former position as everyone might expect after handing Wang Er Yong over to the relevant authorities, his own fate turns out to be quite satisfactory.

His wife agrees to remarry him, and his daughter also accepts him willingly. While this ending may not be entirely satisfying for many viewers, it is the best outcome for Cheng Bing.