Original subtitles

[Dark Night and Dawn]

[Episode 23]

Considering your attitude,

I wouldn't dare to ask Zheng to come downstairs.

If you two quarrel after he comes downstairs,

it'll be very awkward.

Right?

Here.

I think it's about time.

Mr. Yang, how about this?

I'll go upstairs to check on Zheng.

Please sit here.

Mr. Zheng.

You can go downstairs now.

How are you?

I'm fine.

I just feel...

a little dizzy.

Lie down and rest.

Mr. Yang, sorry to keep you waiting.

Mr. Zheng, looks like you deliberately refused to see me.

Goodbye, Mr. Yang.

Okay, see you.

Okay.

Mr. Zheng, is there a problem?

This person is very suspicious.

Few customers would require

to see me directly as soon as they come in.

And he specially said

I should draw the publicity painting myself.

So you used the color of the fabric to test him.

He said Xiang Leaf should be used.

I don't think there's a problem with that.

The problem is even bigger.

I told him you like dark colors.

So I gave him two color options:

Xiang Leaf and Fuligo e Herbis.

Fuligo e Herbis is much darker than Xiang Leaf.

But he said

Xiang Leaf suited you better.

Obviously, this man

doesn't do fabric business.

Ask Li Xu to investigate him carefully.

Okay.

Mr. Jin.

Take him away.

Yes.

Get up!

Move!

Move! Faster!

Mr. Jin.

This...

Falcon,

you only took me out.

They will suspect me.

Don't worry.

Maybe you don't need to go back today.

Falcon,

we had a deal, right?

You won't do anything...

Look.

It's you.

Impressive, Jin.

You let me catch you

so that you could be clear of suspicion.

You seized the chance to hire an assassin to kill him.

W-What assassin did I hire?

To kill whom?

You're too stubborn.

Tell me.

Who asked you to do that?

Master Guan sent me.

You colluded with Dai Yueqing

to destroy the River Gang.

You killed our boss.

I must

take revenge on you.

I'm indebted to my boss.

Even if I die,

I will never betray him.

You are even more stubborn.

Mr. Jin,

your man

is very loyal to you.

Mr. Zheng?

Mr. Zheng of Lanting Studio.

Why do you want to kill me?

I...

I have no grudge against you.

Why would I kill you?

You must be mistaken.

Falcon,

you are mistaken. This is a misunderstanding.

It doesn't matter now.

Mr. Jin,

let's make a rule. What do you think?

Why should I make a rule with you?

I'm Shrike.

Jin, if you can

survive today,

I think we should make a rule.

From now on,

if anything happens to me,

you and your daughter

will be held accountable.

I'm just a businessman.

I can't even protect myself.

This is not fair, right?

Anyone else can talk about fairness with me,

except you,

Jin.

You only have two options now.

Buried with your man.

I'll do it.

Or...

bury him.

You do it.

Mr. Shrike,

please let me go.

I may still be of some use to you.

It is up to me

whether you're useful to me.

Currently, you're no different

from your man.

I can get rid of you anytime.

Hurry up.

It's already late into the night.

But I can promise you one thing.

If I get caught,

even if I die,

I will never implicate you.

Even if I die,

I will never expose you.

That's also a rule.

Jin, I'm counting down.

Jin.

Thank you.

Not at all.

Not at all. Not...

Pleasure working with you.

P-Pleasure working with you.

Good night.

According to the Forensics Department,

the sand found at the crime scene

has a salinity level similar to that of the sea sand

and exhibits high acidity.

It should be due to long-term chemical contamination.

Therefore,

the place where these entrepreneurs are imprisoned

should have these characteristics.

[River] [Estuary] [Chemical factory]

It's near a river

and a polluted chemical factory.

The agents must have stayed there

for quite some time.

That's why they left some sand

from their stronghold during their operation.

Based on Dr. Jin's test results,

the place should be in the northeast,

near the estuary.

In other words, it's in Hongkou or Gaoqiao.

[River] [Estuary] [Chemical factory]

This water area has a complex network,

with the potential for pollution along its entire shoreline.

To find out

where they are imprisoned,

we still have considerable work to do.

Dr. Jin,

is there a method

to identify the chemical substance

contaminating the sand?

It can help us confirm

what type of factory it is.

The current technological methods

can't identify the chemical substance.

Director,

can we apply to the bureau for more men

to conduct a large-scale investigation?

Making too much noise

could easily alert them.

Then all our efforts would be in vain.

[River] [Estuary] [Chemical factory]

We will figure something out.

That's all for today.

I'm going to the bureau.

Okay.

Captain Zhang,

you could have just come up here

without offering to help.

It's dirty.

You confused me.

I thought

you would feed pigeons here forever.

What can I do?

The bureau assigned me here.

I talked to Deputy Commissioner Yang.

Your assignment hasn't been decided yet.

The Criminal Police Division has reserved a seat for you.

Are you interested?

Well...

no need for that.

I am... interested.

Lu, why are you here?

I heard that Captain Zhang was looking for the Police Pigeon Squad.

So I specially came here...

to show him the way.

I came here to check on Shaobai.

No, I'm learning from Captain Zhang.

As a leader, Captain Zhang

would never recite the Tightening Spell to his subordinates.

He cares about them and offers many benefits.

I should learn from him.

Shaobai, if you join the Criminal Police Division,

I promise you can work comfortably.

Zhang,

you've always had this idea.

Lu, everyone in the bureau knows

he is capable.

But now, he's here to feed pigeons.

It's a waste of his talent, right?

I'm not poaching him from you.

He's now a member of the Police Pigeon Squad.

He's not a member of your Social Affairs Office.

If you don't want him,

I'll take him in.

You both are leaders.

Why are you so different?

Shaobai is right.

Indeed,

I should reflect on myself and learn.

The Social Affairs Office, Police Pigeon Squad, and Criminal Police Division

are all branches of the bureau.

They all serve the people, right?

No matter where Shaobai wants to work, I'll agree.

Lu, you've really agreed?

I was worried you wouldn't want him.

Stop pretending.

Zhang,

Lin Shaobai is talented.

Although he is always disobedient,

always acts on his own, and always creates chaos,

you should tolerate him, defend him,

and help him clear up the mess.

Most importantly, you should take the blame for him

in front of Deputy Commissioner Yang.

To be honest, I really can't stand

Deputy Commissioner Yang's temper anymore.

Only you, Zhang, can stand it.

No one else

can stand it.

He should change his temper, right?

After being trapped under the Five Fingers Mountain for so many years,

Sun Wukong was only slightly less reckless.

After he met Tang Sanzang,

Tang Sanzang had to recite the Tightening Spell to control him.

Are you Tang Sanzang? Can you recite the Tightening Spell?

I finally understand

your good intentions.

You want him to work on his temperament here.

Right?

What are you talking about? So mysterious.

Shaobai, just

stay here.

I'm going to eat something first.

You guys talk.

Well, Captain Zhang,

we were having a nice chat, right? You...

We'll talk later.

Lu, what do you want?

You're here to stir the pot deliberately, aren't you?

What did you tell Captain Zhang?

You really want to join the Criminal Police Division?

No matter where I want to work,

it's my freedom.

Then listen carefully.

As long as I'm here,

you can only stay here to feed pigeons.

You listen carefully.

People should have dignity.

I've never wanted to join the Criminal Police Division.

Lu, aren't you awesome?

One day,

I'll make you lead my horse and invite me back

with a grand sedan chair carried by eight people.

You're trying to get to Heaven by climbing a ladder.

What does it mean?

Don't even think about it!

You spent a few days here, but you haven't changed at all.

You haven't improved at all.

Just feed pigeons here!

Just you wait!

Now a sedan chair carried by eight people can't satisfy me!

You'll have to use a sedan chair carried by 16 people!

Officer, what medicine do you need?

The medicine is called...

Iso...

Isoproterenol Lozenges.

My friend told me it's available here.

Yes, I'll get it for you.

No hurry.

Boss,

usually,

who would buy this medicine?

Usually my regular customers.

This medicine is more expensive than Penicillin.

Only those rich bosses

can afford this medicine.

Only a few units were sold

during the past 15 days.

Did anyone buy it recently?

Yes. Two customers recently bought it.

One was Mr. Feng. He often came to buy it for his son.

Speaking of his son, he is quite pitiful.

The other one was...

The other one was a new face to me.

I can't remember.

New face?

Think harder.

How old is that person? Is that person a man or a woman?

What does that person look like? When did that person come to buy it?

I think it was... in the afternoon of the day before yesterday.

Yes, in the afternoon of the day before yesterday.

I was sleepy.

A young man came in to buy medicine.

He's in his 20s.

In his 20s. Do you still remember

what he looks like?

I really didn't see him clearly.

He was wearing a pair of goggles.

His goggles fogged up after he came in.

But he still didn't take them off.

It was his first time buying this medicine. He didn't even ask how to use it.

He just paid and left.

I guess he bought it for someone else.

He was wearing goggles? Did he ride a motorbike here?

Yes. After he went out, he kicked the pedal a few times.

But the motorbike wouldn't start.

It started after he shook the fuel tank.

So it was running out of fuel.

Yes, around 3 p.m.

[Gasoline]

He refilled his motorbike with... 11 liters of fuel.

He has a local accent.

That motorbike looked very nice.

But the taillights were broken.

The driver was wearing a pair of goggles. I couldn't see his face clearly.

He headed southeast.

He headed southeast?

Do you remember his license plate number?

A motorbike like that is rare.

So I took a few more looks at it.

The license plate number ends with...

0229.

[Office 2 of the Social Affairs Office]

Where is everyone?

How come you're the only one here?

Why are you here?

[Source of the photos] [Yaohua Photography Studio] [Mr. Qi hung himself]

[Source of the photos] [Yaohua Photography Studio] [Mr. Qi hung himself]

Fine. A special investigation team has been established.

You have many capable members. You don't need me anymore.

Shaobai,

Director Lu said

you can't enter Office 2.

Xiaoman,

is it necessary to treat me like a thief?

Why did you come here?

I really have something urgent. I want to see Lu.

He went out to handle a case.

When will he come back?

I guess he's going to live there.

Live there?

Where did he go?

I only know he went to Hongkou and Gaoqiao

to investigate.

[River sand The test result shows the ingredients are the same]

Where are you going?

Check if the tubes on the pigeons' legs are securely fastened.

Send them to the branches as soon as possible.

Okay.

Come.

Come.

It's okay.

This one is good.

Okay.

Go!

Captain Guan.

We are quite familiar with the surrounding area's situation.

These are the only chemical factories.

Only those, right?

Where are the abandoned ones?

The factories with a red mark

are basically abandoned.

In that direction and that direction, right?

Yes.

We need to focus on investigating the surrounding area

of this abandoned factory.

Director Lu, don't worry.

We will do our best to cooperate.

Okay.

Captain.

What is it?

The municipal bureau delivered a letter. They want Director Lu to go back immediately.

[Zhang Hui of the Criminal Police Division]

[Important clues have been found in the kidnapping case. Lu Zhengyang of the Social Affairs Office, come back to the bureau immediately.]

[Office 2]

Director Lu.

Where is Captain Zhang?

He went out to investigate.

What important clues did he find?

He didn't find anything.

Never heard of it.

[Office 2]

Lin Shaobai!

The police pigeon

was sent to Hongkou by you secretly, right?

Lu Zhengyang, it's typical of you.

After hearing there is a clue,

you came back sooner than I expected.

Lin Shaobai,

do you know what you are doing?

You asked me to come back without permission.

I can fire you!

Calm down, okay?

This concerns my Uncle Jin's safety.

I wouldn't have asked you to come back if I don't have an important clue.

What clue?

I can tell you, but I have one condition.

You have to invite me back to the department in style.

Is this your first day working in the bureau?

Don't you know the procedure?

Then let me join your special investigation team.

Don't think I don't know.

Even those traffic policemen joined the team.

Why can't I?

You know clearly why you were assigned

to the Police Pigeon Squad.

Fine. I'll go to Captain Zhang.

I'll join the Criminal Police Division.

Then I can still join the special investigation team.

I'm the leader of the special investigation team.

If I don't agree,

no one can join it.

Fine, you win.

You want to join the special investigation team desperately.

Do you still want to find Xu Wei?

No, I just want to solve the case and save those people

as soon as possible! What's wrong with that?

I've said it clearly anyway.

Believe it or not.

I'm done arguing with you.

Stop!

Tell me in detail

what on earth the clue is.

Gao Huaipu has severe asthma.

He can't do without medicine.

Those agents must have an ulterior motive for capturing the entrepreneurs.

They won't let them die

before they achieve their goal.

So they definitely will buy medicine for Gao Huaipu.

According to the pharmacy,

I found out the agent who went to buy medicine

rode a motorbike there.

The license plate number is 0229.

But the license plate number is fake.

So?

Can I join the special investigation team?

Why should I believe what you said is true?

Go ask around.

Go ask Gao Shaochun, Gao Huaipu's son.

Or ask those pharmacies and gas stations.

See if I lied to you.

I'll go now.

Let me tell you.

The longer you delay,

the more likely those entrepreneurs

will die in the hands of those agents.

I meant I'll go apply

for the branches' assistance to investigate

the whereabouts of the motorbike that agent rode.

You just said you've investigated it.

The license plate number is fake, right?

Yes.

So... you've agreed?

Come with me.

Where are we going?

We're going back to the bureau for a meeting.

Wait.

Do you mean I'm a member of the special investigation team now?

Well, since it's a meeting...

since it's a meeting, you should introduce me

to them, right?

If I don't have a title

and you don't tell them anything,

it won't be proper, right?

Fine.

A liaison from the Police Pigeon Squad.

Come on.

A liaison from the Police Pigeon Squad?

It sounds like an errand boy.

It's not prominent at all. Think of another name.

Whatever.

How about this?

A special liaison.

A special liaison from the Police Pigeon Squad. What do you think?

Well.

I called you here urgently

because an important clue has been found.

[Source of the photos]

Let me introduce someone to you.

This is Lin Shaobai, a special liaison from the Police Pigeon Squad.

[Source of the photos]

Hello, everyone, I'm Lin Shaobai,

[Gao Huaipu]

a special liaison from the Police Pigeon Squad.

Next,

Lin Shaobai is going

to introduce the progress of the case.

According to the information from the branches,

the motorbike the agent rode

was last seen

at Lu's Grocery in Gaoqiao Town.

So Hongkou District is excluded.

The area Director Lu predicted based on the sand

is the coastal area in the northeast.

With the two clues combined,

it's very likely that

the entrepreneurs are imprisoned by the agents

in the area from Lu's Grocery

to the coast in the northeast.

I'm a traffic policeman.

I'm quite familiar with this area.

The agents could hide

anywhere in this area.

But the investigation area has narrowed.

Lu,

should we gather our men

to search this area?

We don't have enough time.

We don't have time to search the area now.

What do you think we should do?

-The Hook Sword Gang. -The Hook Sword Gang.

The Hook Sword Gang.

The Hook Sword Gang?

The Hook Sword Gang's initial territory

significantly overlaps with this area.

Director is right.

According to the information Dai Yueqing told us,

in the beginning,

the Hook Sword Gang

consisted of the dockers in this area.

Yes, the Hook Sword Gang expanded from here,

taking control of the docks one after another.

This place is their lair.

If there's something fishy there,

no one else can know better than they do.

The problem is how we can mobilize the Hook Sword Gang.

Catch the leader first.

We caught their leader long ago.

That's right.

Their chief, Dai Yueqing,

is still in custody.

If she can help us,

it will be very helpful in solving the case.

Director Lu, I suggest

we should interrogate Dai Yueqing immediately.

Indeed,

the Hook Sword Gang was established in Gaoqiao.

Many gang members' old houses

are still there.

I will cooperate with your investigation.

Would this count as a contribution?

What other members of the Hook Sword Gang are still there?

Tell me their names

and addresses.

Even if I tell you,

I'm afraid you can't

find out anything if you go.

The new government's policies include both strict punishments

and lenient measures.

As long as they cooperate actively,

we won't give them a hard time.

They are not afraid of you.

They're afraid of agents.

They're afraid of agents' persecution and retaliation.

Dai Yueqing,

you can tell us directly

what you want.

I can be your informant.

I'll go myself.

They will only

listen and believe

if I go personally.

You want us to let you out?

I'll be frank with you.

I've been thinking

about a lot of things here lately.

Life,

as they say in plays,

is a splendid dream

that ultimately amounts to nothing.

I don't have much to look forward to in this life.

It's just like this.

But my only hope

is to make contributions to reduce my sentence,

so that maybe

I can still have a chance

to see him in this life.

All these years,

I have never talked to him.

If I escape,

I won't even have the last chance.

I'm their chief.

I'm also a mother.

As a mother,

I owe my son too much.

I'm a woman of my word.

I'll keep my promise.

If you really are worried,

you can ask someone to follow me.

But it has to be a new face.

I think she can do it.

Me?

Dai Yueqing promised to collaborate with us last time.

But what happened in the end?

She escaped from the secret passage that night.

If we let her out this time,

maybe she'll cause other trouble.

It's different this time.

She treated us as her enemies last time.

But this time,

she wants to make contributions to reduce her sentence.

Maybe she's pretending in front of us.

If we let her out,

she'll become our future problem.

I trust her.

She's in a very different state this time.

Besides, Xu,

Dai Yueqing is a gang member.

The most important thing for gang members is integrity.

Otherwise, she couldn't have become the boss of the Hook Sword Gang.

And I think she knows clearly

what will happen to her men

if she lies again.

Has it ever occurred to you that she's in jail now?

She can't even ensure her own freedom.

How can she take care of others?

Think about it, Huzi.

To ensure the safety of her child,

namely Tong Susu,

Dai Yueqing chose not to reunite with him.

But she has protected him for nearly ten years.

Why would such a mother

leave her own child

behind?

Shaobai, have you thought about this?

Maybe Dai Yueqing compromised on purpose.

She wants to take advantage of your sympathy.

That's right.

No matter how reasonable your analysis is,

you're making a bet, right?

I'm not making a bet.

I'm analyzing based on my understanding of Dai Yueqing.

Even if your analysis...

Stop arguing.

Let's trust Dai Yueqing one more time.

Well, Director,

that's just his random idea, and you really agree to it?

Let's do as Shaobai said.

Lu, don't you think it's too risky?

It is.

But this is our only feasible solution

for the moment.

We can't delay the rescue of the entrepreneurs any longer.

Dai Yueqing is our only way.

I don't believe in Dai Yueqing's moral quality either.

But I believe

she will make the choice

that can maximize her own interests.

She escaped from the secret passage before

because once she succeeded,

she would still be their chief.

She could still trade

the copperplate with Shrike.

She could even leave Shanghai with her child.

Now we have almost destroyed the Hook Sword Gang.

We also know the existence of Tong Susu.

Even if she escapes,

what can she do?

So now, seeking leniency for an early release

is the choice that can maximize her own interests.

The only one I'm worried about is Xiaoman.

Report.

Director, don't worry about me.

I've been practicing marksmanship with Huzi.

I think I can handle her.

Right, Huzi?

Although you've been practicing marksmanship lately

and your marksmanship has improved,

think about what kind of person Dai Yueqing is.

You can't handle her no matter how good your marksmanship is.

But now that things have come to this,

you can only let me try.

Xiaoman is right.

How about this?

We'll follow them all the way.

First, we can protect Xiaoman.

Second, we can prevent Dai Yueqing

from getting out of our control.

It's decided then.

It's risky to ask Dai Yueqing to help with the case.

But it might also be a clever plan.

I'll report to Deputy Commissioner Yang.

If anything goes wrong,

I'll take responsibility.

Also, this must

be kept strictly confidential.

Now, both the Hook Sword Gang and Shrike

have their eyes on Dai Yueqing.

-Got it. -Got it.

The fascination of fate lies in the fact

that those caught in it often find it difficult

to grasp the complete picture.

Yes.

It will be the same in Shanghai.

Hello?

Hello,

is this Lanting Studio?

I want to order a painting.

Okay, wait a moment.

Mr. Zheng.

It's Secretary Liu.

I prepared a painting for Mr. Mao.

He will like it.

Director just sent a telegram.

He said you did a good job.

According to the information you provided,

three merchant ships involved in smuggling rice and cotton

from Shanghai's business industry have been intercepted

by our warships.

They are currently being rerouted to the island.

Our plan is far more than that.

Tell Mr. Mao

to wait for the good news.

Wait a minute.

You provided information on many routes.

How come there were only three ships out at sea?

You swore

in front of the boss

to provide supplies of 20 ships.

You're not even close now.

The boss asked me to ask you

when the remaining ships will set sail.

The generalissimo personally

wrote an instruction to you.

If you can't complete the mission,

do you think

you deserve the honor?

What's wrong?

Tell Falcon

to load all the ships and make them set sail

within a week.

If anyone refuses to cooperate again,

kill him.

Yes.

We just got the news.

Someone's ships still haven't set sail.

Who's playing tricks with me?

Do you need me to name you?

Jin, Qian.

Come out.

I arranged it long ago.

Maybe something happened to the ships at sea.

I'll continue to contact them.

No.

I've received the supplies from your ships.

You'll be rewarded with wine and meat for today's lunch.

Come, sit down.

You don't want to show me respect?

You don't like them?

That's more like it.

You deserve a reward for doing good deeds.

Those three bosses must be hungry.

Come on, invite them over.

We'll treat them to lunch too. Come.

Serve the dishes for them.

What are these?

They are moldy and have maggots.

Looks like they don't have a good appetite.

Come on. Feed them.

No! No!

Eat!

Mr. Gao! Mr. Gao!

Eat!

Sir,

they'll die if this continues.

It takes time to load the ships and arrange transportation.

If anything happens to them,

you'll gain nothing in the end.

Jin,

don't try to scare me with that.

We still have you even if they die.

If you die,

there are so many bosses in Shanghai, right?

Gao,

ask your men to set sail within five days.

If you can do it, nod.

Fine, I'll do you another favor.

After you die,

I'll make you and your family members

reunite as soon as possible, okay?

That's more like it.

Come on, let me feed you.

Girl.

Drive slowly.

I'm not a girl. I'm a police officer.

This is great.

You're pretty and smart.

And no one dares to bully you because of your job.

I grew up on a boat on Taihu Lake.

I lived off boats.

Later I followed the flood to Shanghai.

I still made a living on boats year after year.