Chapter Text
Episode 1: We Introduce the Main Cast and Exposit a Whole Lot!
Characters
- Shen Wei
- Professor Ouyang
- Li Qian
- Guo Changcheng
- Zhao Yunlan
- Lao Li
- Zhu Hong
- Da Qing
- Lin Jing
- Wang Zheng
- Chu Shuzhi
Short and Sweet:
We’re introduced to the main characters, learn the backstory of the Haixingren, Dixingren and Yashou. Shen Wei seems to know Zhao Yunlan, though Zhao Yunlan doesn’t know him, and is pretty suspicious. Li Qian has a special pendant and is being stalked by a Dixingren who takes the form of a shadow creature.
Summary:
Backstory: Planet Haixing, colonized by an alien race arriving by spaceship more than 10,000 years ago. Some of the aliens fused their genes with Haixing plants and animals, which became the Yashou tribes. Other aliens lived underground where they mutated, developing many different kinds of powers - they were called Dixingren. All the groups lived separately until a meteor strike disrupted the environment. Resources became scarce and Dixingren came to the surface, causing a war. Haixingren used materials from the meteor to create the 4 Hallows and suppress the violent Dixingren. A treaty was established between the 3 peoples.
Present Day:
Dragon City University: Shen Wei is delivering a lecture on genetic mutations with Li Qian’s assistance on technical aspects of the presentation. Afterwards Shen Wei walks out with Professor Ouyang, followed by Li Qian. Prof Ouyang praises him and asks him to join a special project at Prof Ouyang’s research facility, but Shen Wei turns him down.
Dragon City, night: Guo Changcheng nervously walks down a street, looking for his new place of employment, the Special Investigation Department and is found by Zhao Yunlan. Zhao Yunlan take him inside, gives him a lollipop (which he immediately takes back[1]) and shows him around. Lao Li is cooking. Zhu Hong introduces herself, accidentally showing her snake tail. Da Qing slides down the banister then shifts into a cat. Lin Jing is dirty and disheveled from a failed experiment. Wang Zheng walks by, with half of her legs disappearing and Guo Changcheng faints[2].
Dragon City University, exterior: Li Qian is walking through the University at night and gets spooked by something unseen.
SID: Zhao Yunlan is trying to calm Guo Changcheng[3] who faints again. Zhao Yunlan mentions Guo Changcheng is Minister Guo’s nephew and warns his team not to offend him so they don’t lose any funding.
Dragon City University, exterior: Zhao Yunlan arrives on his motorcycle to investigate a crime scene, where it’s mentioned that SID only shows up in unusual circumstances. There is a dead woman on the grounds with marks on her neck and Zhao Yunlan has Guo Changcheng test his hand length against it. Then they go into the building up to an open window with another handprint, hanging Guo Changcheng out of it on a rope to “get a closer look”. Zhao Yunlan and Da Qing discuss the likelihood of the culprit being Dixingren.
Shen Wei walks by just as Guo Changcheng falls from his rope and sees Zhao Yunlan in the window. Zhao Yunlan and Da Qing go out to meet Guo Changcheng and Shen Wei, who acts oddly with Zhao Yunlan[4] as they introduce themselves, then part.
Dragon City University: Li Qian is walking through the University, clearly disturbed and having flashbacks of someone hanging in the air. She sees Da Qing (as a cat) and is approached by Zhao Yunlan who identifies her as a witness of Lu Ruomei’s murder.
Flashback: Li Qian sees Lu Ruomei suspended midair by nothing but a shadow.
Dragon City University: In a University office, Li Qian describes what she saw to Zhao Yunlan while Guo Changcheng takes notes and Da Qing listens outside[5]. Shen Wei introduces himself to Da Qing and goes in to retrieve Li Qian for class. Zhao Yunlan questions him, but Shen Wei deflects and asks Zhao Yunlan to find the culprit swiftly[6]. After Li Qian and Shen Wei leave, Zhao Yunlan instructs Guo Changcheng to keep an eye on them.
Dragon City: Li Qian and Shen Wei walk down the street followed[7] by Guo Changcheng who quickly loses them. He meets an older woman who asks him to take her home.
Li Qian’s apartment: Guo Changcheng gets the woman home[8], but she won’t let him leave, calling him “QianQian”. He finds a strange box in the sofa which is immediately taken by a person-shaped shadow. The woman demands her object back and Guo Changcheng throws a fruit at the figure, causing it to attack him. The attack is deflected by a puppet, manipulated by Chu Shuzhi, who appears and fights the shadow figure, mostly through the actions of the puppet. The figure escapes without the box. Chu Shuzhi tells Guo Changcheng to go back to SID and report.
SID: Zhao Yunlan hypothesizes that the figure was actually after Li Qian and mistook Lu Ruomei for her. He reassures Guo Changcheng that he didn’t mess up that badly[9].
Shen Wei’s office: Shen Wei is looking at Zhao Yunlan’s department profile.
Flashback: Shen Wei and Kun Lun are talking on a cliffside. Kun Lun telling Shen Wei not to regret his decision.
Shen Wei’s office: Shen Wei wonders if Zhao Yunlan remembers their promise to meet again after 10,000 years.
Li Qian’s apartment, night: Li Qian tucks her grandmother into bed then takes a bottle of pills from a drawer.
SID: Lin Jing is analyzing a sample but having no luck. Zhu Hong comforts him, but feeds him Da Qing’s snack and teases him.
Li Qian’s apartment, exterior: Li Qian leaves with her bike as her grandmother waves good-bye and Zhao Yunlan discreetly watches.
Dragon City University, exterior: Li Qian hands out flyers while Zhao Yunlan watches from a distance.
Flashback: Li Qian in her apartment, coughing while her grandmother listens. Li Qian’s grandmother, encouraging her to eat.
Dragon City University, exterior: Shen Wei finds Li Qian and sits with her to talk. She wants to know if he thinks SID will catch the culprit and if they’re monsters. Shen Wei responds that real monsters only exist in people’s hearts.
Flashback: Li Qian dumps a handful of pills from the bottle.
Dragon City University, exterior: Shen Wei tells Li Qian not to worry and that he heard she’s doing a lot to care for her grandmother. He glances over to where Zhao Yunlan is watching them as Li Qian touches a pendant around her neck. Shen Wei sends Li Qian off to class then approaches Zhao Yunlan as he follows her. Zhao Yunlan says he came to ask Shen Wei about certain types of mutations and powers. Shen Wei asks Zhao Yunlan if he thinks Dixingren are really so different from Haixingren and Zhao Yunlan deflects by saying he’s impressed that Shen Wei knows about Dixingren. Shen Wei then deflects by saying he’s just a teacher and SID are the special ones[10]. Zhao Yunlan gets a call that a lead was found.
Abandoned warehouse, interior: Zhao Yunlan, Lin Jing, Chu Shuzhi and Guo Changcheng search the building with flashlights. Lin Jing takes some samples while Guo Changcheng frightens himself and clings to Chu Shuzhi.
Dragon City University: Li Qian and Shen Wei bump into each other and he sees the pendant that was under her shirt and asks to look at it. She hides it initially, but then shows it to him. As he reaches out to touch it the shadow figure shows up and chases Li Qian and Shen Wei around the halls while the lights flicker. Shen Wei hides them in a room and asks Li Qian to call Zhao Yunlan.
Abandoned warehouse, exterior: Chu Shuzhi wonders where the culprit is while Zhao Yunlan, Lin Jing and Guo Changcheng hang around Zhao Yunlan’s car[11]. Zhao Yunlan answers the call from Shen Wei via Li Qian.
Dragon City University: The shadow figure runs elongated claws along the wall as the lights continue to flicker and Li Qian gets frightened. Shen Wei reassures her just before the figure breaks through the door[12]. He dodges attacks from the shadow while protecting Li Qian, and knocks it out a window, allowing them to run out the door.
Dragon City University, exterior: They end up cornered on the roof of the building, Shen Wei keeping Li Qian behind him. The shadow figure attacks and knocks Shen Wei off the building. The shadow grabs at Li Qian, snagging the pendant off her neck, but is pulled away by Chu Shuzhi’s puppet strings. Zhao Yunlan, Da Ding, Lin Jing and Guo Changcheng all show up. Zhao Yunlan returns the pendant to Li Qian.
Suddenly the sky turns black and the Black-Cloaked Envoy appears from the sky, wielding a dao on the end of a long staff. Chu Shuzhi makes Guo Changcheng bow his head while Lin Jing and Da Qing look uncomfortable. Black-Cloaked Envoy encases the shadow figure in ice. Zhao Yunlan addresses Black-Cloaked Envoy, saying it’s the first time he visited since Zhao Yunlan became Chief of SID[13]. Black-Cloaked Envoy apologizes for letting a Dixingren get loose and cause problems and asks to take him away.
Guo Changcheng makes a little noise, attracting Black-Cloaked Envoy’s attention. Zhao Yunlan apologizes for Guo Changcheng’s inexperience. Black-Cloaked Envoy takes the Dixingren away through a portal. Guo Changcheng asks why he got to take him and Da Qing explains that due to the treaty, though SID can capture rogue Dixingren, they can’t be tried in Haixing.Zhao Yunlan ask Li Qian where Shen Wei is and she panics and looks over the side of the building, as does Zhao Yunlan[14].