The Unbelievably Intricate Timeline of ‘Justice in the Dark’
Because I have a lot of respect for Priest and none for my sanity, I decided to chronologically map out everything that happened in ‘Justice in the Dark’. The show is a confusing masterpiece of interweaving storylines that I have attempted to meticulously unravel (With color coding and pictures - dark mode recommended)
This is drama-only so if there were any changes from the book, that won’t be acknowledged.
And Spoiler Warning for the entire show!
Code:
Red = dead (unaffiliated to a group)
Orange = The Sunshine Fund
Green = The Janitor Group
Blue = SID & Ministry of Supervision
Purple = Other Law Enforcement
Pink = Pei Su’s supporters
[[]] = No clear date for the event so I made my best estimate.
BEFORE THE SERIES
35+ Years Ago
Zhou Yahuo makes donations to Heng An Orphanage in Dongyue in order to have access to young girls.
One night, Su Fei, Zhang Zhao Jin and Zhang Zhao Lin tried to escape from the orphanage but failed. Zhang Zhao Lin will later go on to create the Sunshine Fund with Su Fei while Zhang Zhao Jin joins the police service.
33 Years Ago
In December, a 20 year old Zhang Zhao Lin commits his first crime by murdering the director of Heng An orphanage, Hao Zhen Hua, at his home near Marina Bay. He robs the house of all its valuables. As a result of the director disappearing, Heng An orphanage eventually shuts down
With the stolen money, Zhang Zhao Lin subsequently acquires 3 properties in the span of one month.
32 Years Ago
Zhang Zhao Lin gains funding from various powerful families in Xinzhou including Pei Chengyu and Wei Zhanhong creating his Zhaonan Group. The Sunshine Fund officially begins.
Meanwhile, Su Fei is adopted by Zhou Yahuo for 2 months and begins trafficking young girls, making connections with Zheng Kaifeng, an overseas trader in Dongyue, and a high ranking member at the Zhou Group.
Zheng Kaifeng helps Zhou Yahuo’s distant relative Zhou Junhuo (then Zhou Da Long) murder him to take over the company and bring it into the fold of the Sunshine Fund. Zheng Kaifeng takes over Zhou Yahuo’s villa (where he kept young girls). Su Fei begins to follow Zheng Kaifeng acting as the intermediary between him and the Fund. Zhou Yahuo’s widow, who wanted to escape from her husband, marries Zhou Junhao and has two sons; Zhou Huaijing and Zhou Huaixing. She keeps the heart medication with a secret address in Dongyue in a safe as security against Zhou Junhao.
Less than 30 Years Ago
Meanwhile, Zhang Zhao Jin forms strong friendships at Xinzhou University with Yang Zhengfeng (Lao Yang), Pan Yunheng (Lao Pan), Chief Du, and Huo Xiao. They take the graduation photo and begin serving as police officers in different regional districts.
Huo Xiao does a Masters Degree and is mentored by Fan Si Yuan.
Zhang Zhao Lin routinely props up Zhang Zhao Jin’s career by helping him find easy criminals.
More than 20 Years Ago
[[SID is created. One by one Zhang Zhao Jin, Chief Du and Huo Xiao sign up. Lao Pan returns to Univeristy and is also mentored by Fan Si Yuan. Huo Xiao would also pursue a post-graduate degree under Fan Si Yuan after joining SID.]]
[[Kong Wei Chang works under Chief Du at Xi Ling Police District before Chief Du joins SID]]
Already angered by her first husband’s 'infidelity' with Su Fei, when the Widow finds out she is now following Zheng Kai Feng, she has Su Fei sent away. Zheng Kaifeng spreads rumours that Zhou Huaijing isn’t Zhou Junhao’s child out of petty revenge.
At some point, Zhang Zhao Lin fathers two children; Zhang Donglan and Zhang Ying.
[[Zhang Zhao Lin uses car accidents to help cover up the Sunshine Fund’s other murders. To this end, The Seine is created under Zhang Zhao Lin’s name to house murderers that the Sunshine Fund deem useful for the future.]]
Pei Chengyu uses the Fund’s car accidents to murder his father-in-law (Pei Su’s maternal grandfather) for inheritance benefits while Shi Nan is pregnant with Pei Su.
Zhou Ying Chun - also from Heng An Orphanage - marries a disabled man but he dies a few days later. She then marries his cousin and has Yang Bo.
21 Years Ago
On December 1st, Yu Bin, Zou Feng’s husband, takes his students on an art field trip to Marina Bay. When his student Li Chun Sheng loses his camera, Yu Bin goes back for it.
While driving, he hits Su Fei and Zhang Zhao Lin’s car. Yu Bin draws a portrait of them to pay them back later.
20 Years Ago
In January the following year, Su Fei and Zhang Zhao Lin kill Yu Bin by manipulating a local, the mentally impaired Qian Cheng. Yu Bin’s belongings (including the portrait) are given to his student Li Chun Sheng.
Heng An Orphanage officially closes 12 years after Hao Zhen Hua’s death.
Using the Fund’s car hit squad, Zheng Kaifeng and Zhou Junhao murder the entrepreneur Yang Qing in a car accident. This is for the business interests of the Zhou Group so that they can acquire the Chuanguang Corp. through a shell company. Dong Xiaoqing’s mother/Dong Xian’s wife, Xiao Qingya, is killed in the same crash.
A young Zhou Huaijing overhears this being talked about by Zhou Junhao and Zheng Kaifeng.
[[Wei Zhanhong’s competitors mysteriously suffer bad luck making him a Lucky Star in Xinzhou. He owns two properties; Long Yun City & Feng Qi City.]]
16 Years Ago
Su Fei’s trafficking business routinely exports successful girls to Dongyue and kills the ‘unsuccessful’ ones. The Pianist is one of her clients.
Su Fei coerces her daughter, Su Lingnai, to help lure in young girls for trafficking such as Xi Zi. Although initially coerced, after not having a floral dress for a dance performance, Su Lingnai becomes infatuated with the murderer Wu Guangchang - after he buys her a floral dress. Su Fei takes him as client and Su Lingnai becomes jealous of the attention other floral dressed girls get from him.
She begins targeting floral dressed girls. Meanwhile, Xu Dongyu becomes smitten with Su Lingnai. After taking sick leave one day, he sees her with Guo Feiling.
Su Lingnai leaves Guo Feiling to be assaulted and killed by Wu Guangchang. On the way to dump her body, the two argue and Su Lingnai leaves the screaming voicemail with the bells for Guo Feiling’s father - Guo Shinan.
Xu Dongyu later sees Su Lingnai with Wu Guangchang through a window.
Xu Dongyu then finds out that Su Lingnai murdered Guo Feiling. He begins helping the Su family cover up their crimes (including the 5 other Mt Lianhua victims) and taking peep show photos for them (including one of The Pianist).
The number of missing girls sparks public outcry and the police move all Child Abduction Cases to the SID. Lao Yang joins the SID to work on the case after meeting Guo Shinan.
Guo Shinan tracks down his daughter and sees Wu Guangchang and Su Lingnai. Xu Dongyu still believes that she is being manipulated and so wants to rescue her. Guo Feiling’s father walks in on what he thinks is an assault and he kills Wu Guangchang.
The girls are never found much to Lao Yang’s despair. In honour of Guo Feiling, the Feiling Alert is created in the event of missing children.
Su Fei dies shortly afterwards. Su Lingnai and Xu Dongyu are officially out of the trafficking industry.
[[To solve their cases, the SID recruits Lin Tao (under the name Lao Mei Zha) to become an informant. He works closely with Huo Xiao.]]
15ish Years ago
Huo Xiao starts caring for a young Xiao Hanyang.
More than 10 Years Ago
Zhou Ying Chun (another girl from Heng An Orphanage)’s second husband is killed in another collision orchestrated by the Sunshine Fund. He hits a van killing 7 white collar workers. The business proposal the workers had is scrapped and a company indebted to the Sunshine Fund swoops in to steal the bid.
Zhou Ying Chun emigrates away with Zheng Kaifeng’s help.
Zhang Zhao Lin and Zheng Kaifeng recruit Zhou Ying Chun to replace Su Fei and use her son Yang Bo as a hostage to ensure her compliance.
10 Years Ago
Du Guosheng murders three people (including Du Jia’s brother) on Route 327 and is recruited by the Sunshine Fund. Huo Xiao leads the investigation making a young Xiao Hanyang aware of it.
Six months later, Du Guosheng leave a fingerprint at a bar leading Huo Xiao close to the organisation.
Lin Tao’s twin brother Lin Ming grows scared that his twin’s role as an informant will bring trouble for his family. So he murders his brother and temporarily assumes his identity with the help of the Fund.
Huo Xiao goes to The Seine but is murdered and the place is torched. Lin Ming pretends to be his brother and helps frame Huo Xiao as a corrupt officer. Lao Yang investigates the corruption allegations and reluctantly concludes that they’re true.
Zhang Zhao Jin confronts Zhang Zhao Lin who persuades him to keep quiet about his wrongdoings claiming he didn’t know what his business was doing and that he had nothing to do with Huo Xiao’s death. Zhang Zhao Jin is persuaded to keep quiet due to their relationship and how Zhang Zhao Lin has boosted his career. Zhang Zhao Jin covers up that Zhang Zhao Lin owned The Seine and aids in framing Huo Xiao as a corrupt officer.
9 Years Ago
Huo Xiao’s university mentor, Fan Si Yuan, is distraught over his student’s death and begins compiling the 1st Zero Degree Project. One of the cases leads him to Zou Feng.
He begins creating the Janitor Group.
He tells Zou Feng that if she visits Qian Cheng and he dies, Qian Cheng was killed by the Sunshine Fund for his silence. In actuality, Fan Si Yuan has him killed to ensure Zou Feng’s allegiance.
Fan Si Yuan comes to the conclusion that apaths are dangerous because of their genes and announces his genetic determinism theory.
The first Genetic Testing Bill is proposed.
The backlash is extreme and a huge scandal for SID.
Fan Si Yuan finds out about The Sunshine Fund through Huo Xiao’s case and begins spying on them. The Janitor Group is created.
8 Years Ago
[[Wei Zhanhong establishes The Beehive to replace The Seine.]]
[[Pei Su overhears Pei Chengyu talking about building residential accommodations for The Beehive when he goes in the Basement for the first time.]]
7 Years Ago
In January: Fan Si Yuan kills six people and flees from the law to attract the Fund’s attention. He jumps from a cliff near Marina Bay paralyzing him from the waist down and is presumed dead.
The Sunshine Fund finds him and takes him in. Fan Si Yuan pretends to work for them but plants his Janitor Group members within the Fund. He meets Pei Chengyu during this time.
Lao Yang begins mentoring Luo Weizhao and Tao Ze as they come to join the SID.
To try and gain control of their donators dirty secrets, the Sunshine Fund encourages the families to sponsor Marina Bay to hide their bodies. Pei Chengyu becomes suspicious that the organisation isn’t under his control as he has been led to believe. Fan Si Yuan visits him to gain funding for the Enlightened Reading broadcasts that will help undermine the Sunshine Fund and keep them in check.
In April: Pei Su sees the papers and overhears Fan Si Yuan meeting his father when he sneaks into the basement but loses this memory.
Pei Chengyu tortures Pei Su and Shi Nan with the Strangling-Collars in front of Fan Si Yuan who concludes Pei Su will be the perfect monster apath in the future.
In May: Pei Su’s mother, Shi Nan, kills herself after years of abuse at the hands of Pei Chengyu and to prevent her husband using her to ‘train’ their son. But the abuse on Pei Su continues after her death.
Pei Su meets Luo Weizhao and Tao Ze. He spends a lot of time with them before one day cutting off contact with Luo Weizhao. This includes moments such as: Pei Su’s 15th Birthday; getting his game console; Luo Weizhao chucking his police badge in a bin; rescuing the cat from Pei Chengyu and giving it to Tao Ze; breaking and replacing the tile in Tao Ze’s bathroom etc.
[[The Sunshine Fund expands into drug trafficking with the Hong Fu Club owned by Jin Zaihong. He forms connections with Cui Hongliang, a minister in Xiaxi District to coverup his activities.]]
[[Over the next few years, Miao Xiaowei and Nuobing are recruited into the Janitor Group. Fan Si Yuan promises them that they will get revenge for their families’ deaths caused by the Sunshine Fund.]]
5 Years Ago
Luo Weizhao catches Pei Su tracking Pei Chengyu’s work schedule and becomes suspicious of him.
4 Years Ago
A high number of trafficking cases and abductions as a result of Zhou Ying Chun’s human trafficking ring occur but aren’t linked to the Su Family or the Mt Lianhua Seven.
More than 3 Years Ago
[[Zhou Fengnian becomes Zhou Hongchuan and briefly returns to Ex-Island to murder his parents.
He starts using Chengguang Club to store various trinkets from his journey up the social ladder including trophies from his murders]]
[[Yang Bo starts working for the Zhou Family Corp. as Zheng Kai Feng’s secretary. His fast rise in the company leads many to speculate that he is Zhou Junhao’s bastard son]]
[[Wu Ning (Xiao Wu) joins SID]]
3 Years Ago
Fan Si Yuan anonymously contacts Lao Yang encouraging him to learn the truth about Huo Xiao’s case using the broadcast network. However this is a trap because Fan Si Yuan hates him for posthumously convicting Huo Xiao.
Fan Si Yuan leaks photos of Lao Yang’s investigation to Zhang Zhao Lin who arranges for Lao Yang to be murdered.
Pei Chengyu is assassinated by the Sunshine Fund and left in a vegetative state after the Pei Group stops funding the Sunshine Fund. Du Jia was approached to be the assassin in exchange for Du Guosheng but rejected the offer.
After his partner/puppet Pei Chengyu is left vegetative, Fan Si Yuan abandons the pretense of working for The Sunshine Fund and disappears underground.
Enlightened Reading broadcasts ‘Wuthering Heights’.
The Sunshine Fund ceases active crimes.
Pei Su begins investigating his own memories and to uncover truths of the Sunshine Fund and the Janitor. Su Cheng runs the Pei Group company trying to conceal all of their previous dealings with the Fund. (Unsure if Su Cheng is a member of the Fund or not)
[[Pei Su begins electroshock therapy]]
Pei Su befriends Zhang Donglan and by extension Zhang Ying and Zhou Hongchuan. (Zhang Donlan is saved as ‘Philosopher’ in his phone)
Pei Su meets and recruits Du Jia after he reveals that the Fund tried to hire him.
[[Pei Su meets and recruits Wei Lan]]
Pei Su begins acting as amoral and apathetic as possible to try and lure the Sunshine Fund into contacting him.
Less than 3 Years before the Start of the Series
[[The Widow dies and gives Zhou Huaijing the key to the lockbox with the heart medicine]]
Zhou Junhao has a health scare and begins to talk about writing a will.
[[Lan Qiao joins the SID (based on her presumed age)]]
[[Yang Xi, (Lao Yang’s daughter after they failed to recruit his wife) becomes part of the Janitor Group at some point close to the start of the series.]]
Zhou Hongchuan then starts dating Zhang Zhao Lin’s daughter Zhang Ying.
At Yufen International College (a boarding school), the online ID “Say Hello to Shatov” advises Wei Zhanhong’s son, Wei Wenxuan, on how to create the Saman clique. Wang Xiao is targeted by the Samans as the year’s bully victim.
One Year before the show starts
Pei Su begins seeing his therapist, Bai Qian, to get closer to Lao Pan. (Her husband)
Roughly six months before the show starts, He Zongyi, a man from Zhou Hongchuan’s hometown, encounters him, recognises him and asks for 100,000 Yuan for his mother’s dialysis treatment.
Several months before the show starts, Chen Yuan takes a video of a girl being drugged (and possibly assaulted by Jin Zaihong) at Hongfu Nightclub during a party and sends it to her roommate, Cui Ying. Two weeks later, Chen Yuan is also drugged and killed by Jin Zaihong. This makes three bodies who died of overdose and were dumped at The Golden Triangle by the drug trade.
Cui Ying shows the video to Zhou Hongchuan while at university. Although Zhou Hongchuan briefly visits Hongfu Club to see what’s happening, he gets harassed by some drug addicts and decides to stay out of it. He tells her to not to report it to the police.
Chen Zhen, Chen Yuan’s brother, investigates Hongfu Nightclub with help from a server - Hu Xuechun. At some point, he comes into contact with The Janitor Group and becomes a member.
Two months before the show starts, Su Lingnai dies leaving her daughter, Su Ruowan, in Xu Donyu’s care. (Given Su Ruowan’s age, there’s a high possibility that Wang Guangchang is her father but I don’t think this is ever confirmed). Xu Dongyu hides Su Lingnai’s Diary and his photos in her urn.
Due to the Janitor Group’s manipulations and funding, ‘The Genetic Screening Bill’ is resubmitted for debate in parliament.
Su Cheng proposes that the Pei Group and Hongfu Real Estate go into business together to renovate The Golden Triangle.
Case 1: The Red and the Black
The Janitor Group’s first efforts to expose the Sunshine Fund lead them to target very close to the Zhang Family by manipulating Zhou Hongchuan into thinking He Zongyi is a drug addicted blackmailer.
Enlightened Reading begins broadcasting ‘The Red and The Black’. Their broadcast also implicates Pei Su by Zhou Hongchuan’s placard for him being ‘With Whom Did I Dine’ which Enlightened Reading says is the crux of the story. (Or possibly the Janitor Group planted this particular item in the collection as part of the long term plans against Pei Su)
The Ministry of Supervision become aware of The Janitor reactivating. Luo Cheng and Chief Du begin working together secretly.
The first vote on the Genetic Screening Bill fails to pass.
Roughly six months ago, He Zongyi, recognised Zhou Hongchuan and asked for 100,000 Yuan to help his sick mother.
Miao Xiaowei, He Zongyi’s drug addicted roommate, sticks at He Zongyi’s side and sells the narrative that he is also a drug addict like him. The Janitor Group also send a text about the Golden Triangle drug trade site to his phone that Zhou Hongchuan sees and takes as confirmation that He Zongyi is a drug trafficker.
He Zongyi approaches Zhang Ying to try and find a way to give to 100,000 Yuan back to her boyfriend. Zhang Donglan attacks him for approaching his sister. Zhou Hongchuan thinks he’s being extorted and gives him a new phone.
After meeting Pei Su in a coffee shop, who gives him directions to Chengguang Club, He Zongyi approaches Zhou Hongchuan who takes it as a humiliation and decides to kill him for fear that He Zongyi will keep ‘extorting’ him.
The Janitor Group arrange for the confrontation to happen at the Golden Triangle drug site that links to Jin Zaihong’s drug trade. After He Zongyi is murdered and dumped at the Golden Triangle, Miao Xiaowei steals his new phone and pawns it so the police will find it.
Cui Hongliang tries to cover for Jin Zaihong by steering the Xiaxi Police on the ‘acquaintance killer’ angle.
Pei Su investigates He Zongyi’s murder himself.
Miao Xiaowei become a key witness to bring all of the attention onto the drug aspect of the case. He gives the hint that He Zongyi’s new phone came from someone from his hometown. And that the person who attacked He Zongyi had an accent from his hometown.
Because Zhang Donglan attacked He Zongyi, suspicion is thrown on the Zhang Family. Zhang Donglan’s questioning leads Zhang Zhao Jin to step down as Chief of SID and the role goes to Chief Du.
Pei Su provides an alibi for Zhang Donglan since they were both at Chengguang Club.
Cui Hongliang arrests Miao Xiaowei as the prime suspect. He lies that he overheard a fight in the Golden Triangle while stealing the phone to bring even more attention to the drug angle.
Chief Du gives Luo Weizhao ‘anonymous’ tips about the Golden Triangle’s other murders that actually came from his father.
Under hypnosis, Pei Su sees the Marina Bay agreement proposal in the basement.
Chen Zhen gives Luo Weizhao his sister’s information file containing Cui Ying’s details.
Zhang Donglan is released due to lack of evidence. Zhou Hongchuan narcissistically approaches Luo Weizhao and gives away his hometown cigarette-wish custom. He Zongyi’s mother shows up at SID.
The Janitor Group betray and murder Chen Zhen at Hong Fu for the larger goal of exposing one of the Sunshine Fund’s key subsidiaries. He calls Luo Weizhao in a panic leading him to the nightclub.
Nuobing ensures that Luo Weizhao will survive whatever happens by forewarning him and giving him a room with a window to escape from (she is unaware that Fan Si Yuan has betrayed Chen Zhen). After realising Chen Zhen is dead, Jin Zaihong tries to kill Luo Weizhao escapes with Hu Xuechun thanks to Pei Su.
Zhou Hongchuan fabricates evidence to blame Zhang Donglan since he sees him as an obstacle to marry into the Zhang Family.
Miao Xiaowei is transported into SID custody by Xiao Hanyang.
Luo Weizhao and Tao Ze see He Zongyi doing the cigarette-wish custom on CCTV and realise Zhou Hongchuan is the murderer.
Meanwhile, Zhou Hongchuan tries to murder He Zongyi’s mother fearing she will be able to identity him by pushing her towards suicide but she is rescued by SID. Because Zhou Hongchuan took some railing as a trophy, SID realises he must have a trophy collection.
Cui Ying gives Chen Yuan’s video of Hongfu Nightclub to SID.
The collection is found at Chengguang Club.
Xiao Hanyang leaves Xiaxi District to join SID.
Case 2: Lolita
The Janitor Group inform Su Ruowan of the details about the Mt Lianhua 7.
Enlightened Reading begins broadcasting ‘Lolita’.
Pei Su remembers seeing the Marina Bay project in Pei Changyu’s office during a hypnosis session.
Su Ruowan begins acting like her mother and finds her way into meeting The Pianist from Xi Ling club. The Pianist helps her kidnap Qu Tong. Su Ruowan’s behaviour interests Xu Dongyu who becomes an accomplice to her crimes by posing as a creepy blind man to scare girls into Su Ruowan’s arms.
At Tao Ze’s housewarming party, the SID meet Tang Ning and her niece, Zhang Yuchen.
A school bus is attacked by a kidnapper but the culprit is shot dead. Qu Tong, a student who flees the scene, is kidnapped and later murdered by Su Ruowan.
The Pianist says that Pei Su and Zhang Donglan should help search for the missing Qu Tong.
Su Ruowan drops off the audio of Guo Feiling’s pencil case bells and screaming to Qu Tong’s father.
After asking Su Cheng to inquire about Marina Bay with the Pei Group Board members, the Sunshine Fund sends a truck to kill Pei Su but the hit fails and he survives.
Su Ruowan then targets Zhang Yuchen but she is rescued in time.
Luo Cheng and Chief Du, aware of the Janitor since the beginning, approve the backing of the 2nd Zero Degree Project to try and draw out both The Sunshine Fund and The Janitor Group.
Pei Su becomes an intern at SID through a masters program under Lao Pan.
The testimonies of Xu Dongyu and Su Ruowan uncover what Su Fei and Su Lingnai were up to. Pei Su and Luo Weizhao find the photos and diary in Su Lingnai’s urn and Xu Dongyu directs that to Marina Bay.
The case brings to light the horrors of the Su Family human trafficking ring and the Marina Bay dumping site.
Case 3: Macbeth
The Janitors pounce on rumors to manipulate Zhou Huaijing into believing he isn’t Zhou Junhao’s son with a fake paternity report. He is also given evidence of the Zhou Group’s corruption.
Zhou Huaijing decides to use the rumors surrounding Yang Bo to make him think he is actually Zhou Junhao’s bastard. He hopes to drive a wedge between Zheng Kai Feng and Zhou Junhao.
Zheng Kaifeng and Yang Bo plot to kill Zhou Junhao as a result of him talking about making a will.
The Janitor Group show Dong Xian evidence that Zhou Junhao is responsible for the death of his wife, Xiao Qingya, and that Zhou Huaijing wants to kill his father. They arrange for Zheng Kaifeng to hire Dong Xian as the assassin in this matter.
Zheng Kaifeng’s shell company is set up to pay Dong Xiaoqing if Dong Xian goes through with killing Zhou Junhao for them.
Yang Xi begins as an intern for SID and as a spy for the Janitor Group.
Zhou Junhao is killed by Dong Xian.
Enlightened Reading begins broadcasting ‘Macbeth’.
Too late to kill his father, Zhou Huaijing stages his own kidnapping with Wu Zhengyu’s help and Zhou Huaixing as a minor (but not fully in on the plan) accomplice. His goal is to expose Zhou Junhao’s shady business dealings and use the Heng Da Group to frame Yang Bo in one fell swoop. Yang Bo’s driver is also in on it.
Zheng Kaifeng attempts to have Zhou Huaijing killed by refusing to capitulate to the “captors” demands.
The Janitor Group manipulate Dong Xian’s daughter, Dong Xiaoqing into attempting to kill Zhou Huaijing. The Courier drops off a package of ‘evidence’ to her that Zhou Huaijing manipulated her father into driving the truck. They also make her believe she and her father have the Apath gene.
A Janitor hires Wang Li - a Sunshine Fund murderer - to kill Dong Xiaoqing.
[[Yang Xi bugs Tao Ze’s bag]]
The Courier sends a text to lure SID to Dong Xiaoqing’s apartment before burning it along with all the evidence.
The murder attempt fails when Zhou Huaixing takes the knife for his brother. Wang Li murders Dong Xiaoqing in another road collision.
The Janitors set it up to look as though Zheng Kaifeng personally kills Wang Li while giving payment for Dong Xiaoqing’s death on the same day. In actuality, a Janitor murdered Wang Li and planted the gold and photos in his apartment.
Luo Weizhao finds out about Pei Su’s electroshock treatment.
The series of car accidents lead the SID to uncover how the Sunshine Fund uses car accidents to commit homicide.
The Janitor Group, through the bug on Tao Ze, leak that Zheng Kaifeng is being exposed to the SID for multiple homicide and money laundering.
Zheng Kaifeng tries to flee with his hostage Yang Bo using the Fund’s resources. But to protect their interests, the Sunshine Fund instead have the pair blown up in the van explosion that puts Pei Su in a coma.
Wealthy investors claim conspiracy against foreign business owners and try to blame the SID after Zhou Group ceases business activity. (Unclear if this is the Sunshine Fund directly trying to obstruct the SID or just a ripple effect)
Luo Weizhao begins to suspect that Pei Su might be The Janitor.
Months later, the dismembered body of Wang Li is found with gold and photos of Dong Xiaoqing.
Pei Su moves in with Luo Weizhao.
Case 4: Demons
The Janitor Group uses their online handle “Say Hello to Shatov” to manipulate both Wei Wenxuan and Feng Bin.
At Yufen International College, the students have formed a clique of ‘Samans’. They use a game to pick students to either join the clique or become the target of the year’s bullying.
After Xia Xinnan is picked as the potential target by a jealous Liang Yujin, Feng Bin - with guidance from “Shatov” breaks out of the school with her and three other students ready to expose the Samans (Wang Xiao, Zhang Yifan & Liu Yanwen). Meanwhile, “Shatov” leaks the plan to Wei Wenxuan and encourages him to have someone beat Feng Bin up.
A13, a Janitor Group asset hidden at the heart of the Sunshine Fund, arranges for specifically Du Guosheng to kill Feng Bin while lying to Wei Wenxuan that he will just be beaten up. Du Guosheng’s reappearance will then bring attention to Huo Xiao’s case.
October 16th: During Wei Wenxuan’s birthday dinner at his father’s property - Long Yun City restaurant, Duo Guosheng comes to get photo ID of Feng Bin.
[[A member of the Janitor Group deletes and restores the CCTV footage to keep the Wei Family off the trail but then later guide the SID in the right direction.]]
A conversation between Liang Yujin and her friends about the meeting is recorded by a Janitor. Zou Feng plays it so Wang Xiao will overhear it.
Before the students flee the school, Wei Wenxuan gives a tracker to Xia Xinnan to ensure that everything goes to plan. A13 tells Du Guoshang to spare Xia Xinnan by claiming she is a member of the Fund.
Pei Su is made aware of Huo Xiao through Du Jia.
Yang Xi takes a leave of absence from SID to care for her sick mother.
Feng Bin is murdered by Du Guoshang. The confusing point of the case (why they fled a safe hiding spot and hung up the emergency call) is due to the tracking device on Xia Xinnan’s phone. After ditching it, they try to escape but Duo Guoshang has already caught up to them. Xia Xinan is so traumatized and guilt ridden by her part in Feng Bin’s death that she clams up.
Luo Weizhao is given Lao Yang’s notes from The Janitor through Tao Ze and Lao Yang’s widow. He finds out about the Route 327 murders and Huo Xiao.
Enlightened Reading begins broadcasting ‘Demons’.
Luo Weizhao suspects Xiao Hanyang because of his knowledge of the Route 327 case.
Zhang Yifan tells Luo Weizhao and Pei Su about the Samans, how they bullied Wang Xiao, and how Xia Xinan was chosen.
[[Luo Weizhao works out Xiao Hanyang and Huo Xiao’s connection]]
Pei Su hears from his secretary about a mysterious new assistant under Su Cheng rapidly rising in the Pei Group. It’s implied this is a member of The Sunshine Fund preparing to infiltrate and make contact with him.
Wanting to investigate what happened to Huo Xiao through Duo Guosheng, Xiao Hanyang briefly considers leaking evidence to the press but changes his mind. He reveals everything he knows to Pei Su and Luo Weizhao.
Xiao Hanyang is temporarily suspended from SID.
Xia Xinan’s testimony reveals Wei Wenxuan is connected to Feng Bin’s death. She also tells them about “Shatov”.
Pei Su decides to move out of Luo Weizhao’s house because of the trust issues. Luo Weizhao brings him back and meets Du Jia. They both reveal to each other all the information they each currently have about the Sunshine Fund and The Janitor.
Luo Weizhao officially stops suspecting Pei Su of having any involvement with either group.
Xiao Hanyang returns and he and Pei Su go to Wang Xiao. Wang Xiao’s testimony helps leads them to Long Yun City.
Xiao Hanyang, Pei Su, Tao Ze & Luo Weizhao find the bug in Tao Ze’s bag.
Wei Lan steals and sends the CCTV of Wei Wenxuan’s meeting with Du Guosheng at Long Yun City to Pei Su.
The group track him to The Beehive. Du Jia gets information while undercover and Pei Su remembers Pei Chengyu talking about the residences. Xiao Hanyang stalls Wei Zhanhong while Du Jia, Pei Su and Luo Weizhao infiltrate the murderers’ residences.
[[A13 previously 'recruited' One Eyed (another murderer of the Sunshine Fund) to ensure that Du Guosheng isn’t murdered by the Fund for his silence.]]
The Sheepdog spots Pei Su’s drone. A13 is positioned to kill The Sheepdog if SID are too slow. The Ministry of Supervision arrest the murderers’ but The Sheepdog still blows up the residences. This is a huge blow to the Sunshine Fund by removing their hit squad and arresting a Key Member - Wei Zhanhong.
Du Guosheng’s confession posthumously exonerates Huo Xiao.
Case 5: Huo Xiao
Du Guosheng’s confession leads to an internal investigation of SID by the Ministry of Supervision. The SID team reopens several old cases including The Seine.
Pei Su begins forming a plan with Chief Du and Luo Cheng to expose both groups at once by using himself as bait. Du Jia investigates the Dongyue address on the heart medication that was given to Zhou Huaijing.
One-Eyed’s confession reveals that The Janitor Group have infiltrated the Sunshine Fund.
Pei Su realises that a discrepancy in Liang Yujin’s testimony means that Wang Xiao could never have heard her conversation. Luo Weizhao sees Zou Feng with a tape recorder on the school CCTV playing the conversation recording for Wang Xiao.
[[Yang Xi plants a bug on Xiao Wu after he visits her mother in the hospital]]
Luo Weizhao reads the confidential 1st Zero Degree Project containing Zou Feng’s case and tells Xiao Hanyang to investigate Yu Bin. He also sees that Fan Si Yuan was the original author - not Lao Pan as previously believed.
Lin Ming is exposed as having fraudulently taken his brother’s identity to frame Huo Xiao. Xiao Wu, Tao Ze and local policeman Kong Wei Chang - who formerly worked under Chief Du at Xi Ling Police District - pursue him. The bug on Xiao Wu tips off the Janitor Group.
The Janitor Group try to take out Lin Ming to make it seem like he has high connections in the Sunshine Fund.
The ensuing crash kills Kong Wei Chang and seriously injures Tao Ze.
Xiao Hanyang suspects Chief Du because of a phone call between him and Kong Wei Chang before the pursuit of Lin Ming.
Pei Su and Luo Weizhao retrace from CASE 1: THE RED AND THE BLACK to present to identify all the Sunshine Fund and Janitor members they’ve encountered.
Under hypnosis, Pei Su remembers that he and Pei Chengyu met Fan Si Yuan in person and Fan Si Yuan manipulated Pei Chengyu to turn against the Sunshine Fund and invest in Enlightened Reading claiming it was a way to bring the Fund entirely under his control.
With the hidden address on the heart medicine box, Du Jia tracks down one of the Zhou Family’s old housekeepers who gives the evidence that Zheng Kaifeng and Zhou Junhao murdered Zhou Yahuo to Zhou Huaijing. (The evidence is a pen from the crime scene - with an audio recording of Zhou Yahuo’s death - and photos of Zhou Ying Chun and Su Fei)
When Lin Ming survives the crash, Yang Xi spreads rumors that he is close to waking to motivate the Sunshine Fund to try and murder him. She then alerts Xiao Hanyang to the rumor so he and Lan Qiao can save Lin Ming in time and catch an important member of the Fund.
The Janitor Group manipulate Zhang Zhao Jin into a situation to make him seem culpable for bribing Lin Ming’s assassin.
Chief Du lies to Zhang Zhao Jin to make him think neither of them approved the naming of the ‘2nd Zero Degree Project’. Yang Xi is exposed as planting bugs on the SID team and flees with Zou Feng.
While fleeing, Yang Xi kills Xiao Wu.
In order to get the SID to focus on Zou Feng’s husband Yu Bin’s case and hone in on Zhang Zhao Lin, the Janitor Group allow the pair to be captured as Nuobing swaps the getaway car keys.
Pei Su meets with A13 to seem like a dangerous apath to them. With Luo Weizhao’s help, he fully unlocks his memory of Pei Chengyu torturing him and his mother, and that Fan Si Yuan was alive after his supposed death.
Pei Su manages to recruit Su Cheng into his plan to hand over all of the Pei Group finances to the SID to prove his loyalty and the connections to Zhang Zhao Lin.
Meanwhile, the Sunshine Fund set up Pei Su to take the fall for the Sunshine Fund by pretending that Pei Chengyu was the owner of The Seine not Zhang Zhao Lin. The Janitor Group kidnap the vegetative Pei Chengyu to frame him as well and in preparation for their final plan.
Zhang Zhao Lin sends Zhang Donglan to Dongyue ahead of his own escape. Zhang Donglan calls Pei Su telling him about this.
Pei Su is “arrested” by SID and The Ministry of Supervision as part of his plan to destroy both groups at once.
Zou Feng’s testimony lead the SID to uncover Zhang Zhao Lin and Su Fei’s origins at the orphanage and how they killed Yu Bin when he saw the two together.
The Grand Finale:
Du Jia, Wei Lan & Su Cheng go to Dongyue for the final stages of Pei Su’s plan.
Lan Qiao gets Yu Bin’s portrait of Su Fei and Zhang Zhao Lin from his former student Li Chun Sheng.
Xiao Hanyang tracks Zhou Ying Chun’s origins. She used to be nicknamed ‘Xiao Hua Ao’.
Luo Weizhao confronts Zhang Zhao Jin about his complicity in covering up Zhang Zhao Lin's crimes and betraying fellow SID members as a result. Zhang Zhao Jin confesses their origins at Heng An Orphanage and his role in covering up Huo Xiao's murder.
The Trio ‘kidnap’ Zhang Donglan to prevent Zhang Zhao Lin from fleeing the country. Su Cheng’s ‘disappearance’ handily gives Pei Su an excuse to both groups as to why he’s been set free.
His plan is to have both groups clash since the Janitors will vanish once the Sunshine Fund is destroyed, but A13 unexpectedly abducts him before Zhang Zhao Lin and removes the tracking device.
Luo Weizhao realises that the Ministry of Supervision and SID let Zhang Zhao Lin go to catch both groups at once and that Pei Su is using himself as bait.
Pei Su is brought to Hao Zhen Hua’s ancestral house at Marina Bay. The Janitor Group have been using it as a base of operations for some time.
Fan Si Yuan plans to have Pei Su murder a vegetative Pei Chengyu with the Strangling-Collars to be the final Apath Murderer that will push the Genetic Testing Bill to finally be passed.
Meanwhile, the SID work out where Pei Su is as The Janitor told Zhang Zhao Lin to meet ‘at the beginning’ and Hao Zhen Hua’s murder was his first crime.
However, Pei Su points out that the Janitor Group are just as murderous as the Sunshine Fund’s Apaths. He is able to resist killing his father in time for Zhang Zhao Lin to arrive with reinforcements from the Sunshine Fund. Fan Si Yuan and Zhang Zhao Lin confront one another via intercom about their various crimes.
Both the Janitor Group and the Sunshine Fund wipe out most of their remaining members in the ensuing battle. Fan Si Yuan tries to have Zhang Zhao Lin burned to death replicating the manner of Huo Xiao's death but he manages to escape and burst into the main room. He kills A13 and demands that Pei Su free his son.
A standoff soon ensues; Zhang Zhao Lin kills Nuobing and is shot by Fan Si Yuan. Miao Xiaowei realises how Fan Si Yuan betrayed members of their group and hits him. Fan Si Yuan kills Miao Xiaowei.
Pei Su is shot twice by Fan Si Yuan, first when he challenges the Janitor Group for being as murderous as the Sunshine Fund and second, when he refuses to comply with the Strangulation-Collars. Zhang Zhao Lin dies believing that Zhang Donglan has been killed.
SID arrive and Luo Weizhao non-fatally shoots Fan Si Yuan to rescue a critically injured Pei Su. Fan Si Yuan and the remainder of the Janitor Group are arrested by SID and the Ministry of Supervision.
After the Chaos
Pei Su survives his injuries but his friendship with Zhang Donglan is shattered. He leaves the Pei Manor behind.
Luo Weizhao tells Yang Xi the truth about how Fan Si Yuan orchestrated her father's murder much to her disbelief and dismay.
Tang Ning and Tao Ze start dating officially (as do Lan Qiao and Xiao Hanyang - possibly) and the four spend New Year's Eve together at Tao Ze's apartment.
The Genetic Testing Bill fails to pass.
Luo Weizhao and Pei Su watch the fireworks of the New Year celebrations.
[Note: The show makes one error that throws its timeline out of whack and I had to find a PDF version of the novel’s final chapters to work out what happened. I therefore went by the book timeline to resolve the issue, but here it is.
Essentially, the show is doing great until it tries to be a bit too clever in Episode 30 by linking two unrelated events into one moment.
Up until Episode 30, Yu Bin’s death is said to have happened 20 Years Ago - given Zou Feng is in her forties, this makes sense. However, while searching for Zhang Zhao Lin’s first crime (33 Years Ago) , and finding the three property acquisitions in December, Lan Qiao suddenly shows that Yu Bin’s portrait of Su Fei and Zhang Zhao Lin was dated December 1st.
Implying that Yu Bin witnessed Su Fei and Zhang Zhao Lin fleeing from the crime so, in her own words, they killed him the following January.
This would date Yu Bin’s death as 32 Years Ago. (Zou Feng would also be only 14 at the time)
So this obviously doesn’t make sense. And the show uses the 20 year counter in every other circumstance.
On reading the chapters in the book, here’s what the show missed out:
The Sunshine Fund’s original HQ was in Marina Bay in an old lumber mill. The area was originally very busy so they could conceal both crimes and body dumping. - on Zhang Zhao Lin’s profile in Episode 30, it even says he worked in a lumber mill so the showrunners were aware of this detail.
So Zhang Zhao Lin and Su Fei would have come into contact more often. However the area started to fall into decline. What Yu Bin actually saw was the two together near their HQ. So they silenced him.
When Marina Bay completely fell into decline, it couldn’t conceal the active crimes anymore, so the Sunshine Fund moved elsewhere and only used it for body dumping.]
