Original subtitles

[Under the Skin Ⅱ]

[Episode 18]

Why was this plant abandoned?

In the past, this plant

stored ammonia tanks.

Later, a fire broke out

and caused an ammonia leakage.

It contaminated the entire plant.

The fire department and police

all came at that time.

They evacuated the people in the plant

and the surrounding residents.

It was a big incident.

Do you patrol every day?

Not every day.

We make rounds every few days.

So we can't rule out

the possibility of unauthorized entry and exit.

Here it is.

Open the door.

Alright.

It's been abandoned for so long,

there should be

nothing left inside, right?

That's the smell of ammonia.

This door has been locked for years.

I guess the smell from back then

hasn't completely dissipated yet.

What's down there?

Down there...

It should be the basement.

It's where they stored small liquid

ammonia tanks and other raw materials.

I've never seen this lock before.

Can you open it?

Let me try.

It's not working.

I've never opened this lock before.

Let me do it.

Jiang Feng.

Captain Cheng.

This doesn't smell like ammonia.

These... are bodies.

Notify the forensics team and medical examiner immediately.

Yes, sir.

While investigating the attack on female college

student Guo Yuan,

we discovered the Hongda Chemical Plant.

[Beijiang Criminal Investigation]

Inside the chemical plant,

we found six bodies.

[Zhao Yuanqing] [Wang Mengxiao] [Liu Fang][Li Hong] [Zhou Guoliang] [Feng Xiaowen]

According to the

forensic comparison of biological traces,

we have confirmed

the identities of the six deceased.

[Basic information] [Name: Wang Mengxiao]

Wang Mengxiao,

28 years old,

a receptionist at a media company.

She went missing a week ago.

We found bleeding in the petrous part

of her temporal bone.

We deduce that

the cause of death was drowning.

Moreover, there were binding marks

[Basic information] [Name: Wang Mengxiao]

on her wrists and ankles,

suggesting that she was tied up

before drowning.

[Basic information] [Name: Zhao Yuanqing]

Zhao Yuanqing,

26 years old,

an employee at an electronic components factory.

He went missing five months ago.

The cause of death was also drowning.

But due to the severe decomposition

of the body,

we haven't been able to determine

[Basic information] [Name: Zhao Yuanqing]

the exact time of death.

[Basic information] [Name: Liu Fang]

Liu Fang,

33 years old,

the owner of Sleepless City KTV.

She went missing ten months ago.

She had a fatal wound

caused by a sharp object on her chest.

[Basic information] [Name: Li Hong]

Li Hong,

37 years old,

who made a living by collecting recyclables.

She went missing a year ago.

The cause of death was asphyxiation due to external force.

[Basic information] [Name: Li Hong]

It's presumed that she was strangled

from behind with a hemp rope.

Zhou Guoliang,

[Basic information] [Name: Zhou Guoliang]

42 years old,

a real estate agent.

He went missing a year and a half ago.

The cause of death was asphyxiation due to external force.

During the autopsy,

we found powder in his nasal cavity,

but the specific composition

still requires a technical

report for detailed analysis.

[Basic information] [Name: Zhou Guoliang]

[Basic information] [Name: Feng Xiaowen]

The last victim,

Feng Xiaowen,

was 50 years old when she went missing.

She was from Nansha City,

and is the only non-local

among all the victims.

Her occupation

was a Peking Opera performer

[Basic information] [Name: Feng Xiaowen]

with the Zhaohui Peking Opera Troupe.

A year and a half ago,

her daughter reported her missing to Nansha City,

claiming that she hadn't seen her

for six months.

Based on the autopsy,

Feng Xiaowen was determined to be

the first victim among these six bodies.

However, due to the long time that has passed,

the exact cause of death cannot be determined.

Nevertheless, we found

signs of violent fractures

[Basic information Name: Feng Xiaowen]

in her left lower leg bone and left forearm,

as well as

dislocation of four fingers on her right hand.

This is the

current situation.

[Beijiang Criminal Investigation]

The victims' genders,

ages,

and occupations are all different.

There's no overlap in their social circles either.

[Zhao Yuanqing] [Wang Mengxiao] [Liu Fang] [Li Hong] [Zhou Guoliang] [Feng Xiaowen]

Where do we even start investigating?

Captain Cheng.

Let’s start from the beginning.

[Beijiang Criminal Investigation]

Jiang Feng,

I want you to investigate

the first victim

Feng Xiaowen's social connections before her death,

as well as her final movements.

The physical evidence from the Guo Yuan case

is linked to the chemical plant.

We can't rule out the possibility

that this is a continuation of the serial killings.

[Zhao Yuanqing] [Wang Mengxiao] [Liu Fang] [Li Hong] [Zhou Guoliang] [Feng Xiaowen]

We need to investigate this lead simultaneously.

Everyone,

this case is extremely complex.

[Beijiang Criminal Investigation]

It's a malicious,

major serial murder case.

Although the investigative pressure is immense,

it's precisely this kind of case

that demonstrates our

role as the spearhead in overcoming difficulties.

Let's get to work.

[Beijiang Criminal Investigation]

[Zhao Yuanqing] [Wang Mengxiao] [Liu Fang] [Li Hong] [Zhou Guoliang] [Feng Xiaowen]

[Beijiang Criminal Investigation]

[Zhao Yuanqing] [Wang Mengxiao] [Liu Fang] [Li Hong] [Zhou Guoliang] [Feng Xiaowen]

[Beijiang Criminal Investigation]

[Zhao Yuanqing] [Wang Mengxiao] [Liu Fang] [Li Hong] [Zhou Guoliang] [Feng Xiaowen]

[Beijiang Criminal Investigation]

[Zhao Yuanqing] [Wang Mengxiao] [Liu Fang] [Li Hong] [Zhou Guoliang] [Feng Xiaowen]

Back then,

Nansha City sent someone

to ask for our assistance in the investigation.

We

also found the hotel

Feng Xiaowen last stayed in.

The hotel owner

gave us a phone.

He said that two years ago,

when Feng Xiaowen left,

she left her phone

charging in the room.

Her luggage and other belongings were also there,

but she was gone

and never came back.

Did you find

any useful clues

in the phone?

We recovered some photos

and discovered that Feng Xiaowen

had performed in Beijiang

at the Hongda Chemical Plant.

Captain Cheng.

Feng Xiaowen's daughter, Wu Nianjun,

has rushed here from Nansha.

How did my mother die?

The specific cause of death

is still under investigation.

Was she murdered?

Please calm down.

She must have been murdered!

She must have been murdered.

Regarding the cause of your mother's death,

do you have any leads?

My mother came to Beijiang

just to find Ge Yutian.

It was Ge Yutian who killed my mother.

Ge Yutian.

What do you want?

[Police]

We're from the Beijiang Criminal Investigation Team.

We need your

cooperation for the investigation of a case.

Thanks.

You used to work at

Hongda Chemical Plant, right?

Yes.

Before the incident at the plant,

I was a supervisor there.

After the incident,

have you been back there?

No.

After the fire,

that area was all contaminated.

The plant was shut down

and the surrounding area became deserted.

So I never went back.

Do you know this person?

Yes, I do.

But she's missing.

She hasn't been found yet.

When did you find out

about her disappearance?

It was about a year and a half ago.

Her daughter and the police came to see me.

That's when I heard about it.

But by that time, we had already

been out of touch for half a year.

Why did you lose contact?

How should I put it?

Her daughter

was quite resentful

of our relationship.

She thought I was a con man

trying to deceive her mother.

To avoid causing trouble for her mother,

I took the initiative to cut off contact.

So,

what exactly was your relationship

with Feng Xiaowen?

She was my...

Godmother.

We found out

that you once recommended Feng Xiaowen

to buy insurance.

[Insurance Policy of Beijiang Life And Property Insurance Co., Ltd.]

Yes.

At that time,

I was working part-time selling insurance.

To help with my

performance,

she put down my name.

But in the end,

she bought it from my colleague.

It had nothing to do with me.

On this insurance policy,

in the beneficiary column,

[The beneficiary's name: Ge Yutian]

your name is written.

Were you aware of this?

Yes, I knew.

She mentioned it to me

at the time.

She said

she had a bad relationship with her daughter.

They were always in conflict.

I'm not sure about the specifics.

But I guess

it might have been out of spite

that she put down my name.

But I refused it at the time.

Later, she disappeared

and it hasn't been changed until now.

Officer,

what exactly happened?

Is there any news about my godmother?

We found Feng Xiaowen's body

in the basement

of Hongda Chemical Plant.

You must be mistaken.

Her daughter says

you killed her

to fraudulently claim the insurance.

Feng Xiaowen

bought a participating policy.

The longer she lived, the more money she'd get.

What could I possibly defraud her of?

What could I possibly defraud her of?

[Inquiry Room]

How was it?

Did you find out anything?

Nothing yet.

I observed carefully

the arrangement of those bodies.

Each had its own position.

It was as if

there was some kind of ritualistic feel to it.

So I think Feng Xiaowen's death

is very special.

Why don't I talk to him?

Alright.

We've restored Feng Xiaowen's

photos from her phone.

I must say,

just by looking at these photos,

I can truly

appreciate her charisma on stage.

This performance of "The Drunken Concubine"

shows elegance

with a touch of drunken charm.

This "Xie Yaohuan" is even more extraordinary.

The young lady role

and the young man role.

She switched between them effortlessly.

But my favorite

is still this one.

Yu Ji from "Farewell My Concubine."

It's truly exquisite.

She is your...

Godmother.

Then this photo

must be of your godmother

performing at your plant

for the first time, right?

Yes.

She played Sun Shangxiang.

Truly captivating and full of spirit.

So you two got to know each other

after this performance?

Could you help me recall

the scene at that time?

Feng Xiaowen's passing

saddens me as well.

I never had the chance

to experience in person

the charm of her performance.

Help me make up for this regret,

as a way for me to commemorate her.

Would that be alright?

At that time,

she was coming to perform at our plant.

My colleagues all protested,

saying the boss was too stingy.

He could have invited

even a D-list celebrity.

But he got a Peking opera singer instead.

No one wanted to watch that.

During the performance,

there weren't many people watching.

Of course,

no one understood the play either.

♫In days of old, Liang Hong wed Meng Guang♫

To be honest, I couldn't understand it either.

♫Today, Shang Xiang meets Liu Wang♫

I wanted to leave,

but I felt it would be disrespectful.

I was really torn.

Just as I

finally decided to leave,

one gaze from her

made me stay.

With just one person in the audience,

she actually persevered

and finished the entire play.

I was deeply moved.

After the show ended,

I wanted to

express my gratitude.

So I looked her up online.

I found out she was

a famous Peking Opera performer.

The difference between the two of us

and our status

was too great.

I thought

she wouldn't even bother with me.

But

to my surprise,

she was quite approachable.

Ms. Feng.

Thanks for your hard work.

Your singing just now was beautiful.

Oh, it's you.

Thank you, thank you.

You haven't eaten, have you?

I bought you a bowl of wonton.

Is this for me?

Yes.

Thank you, thank you.

Let me put something underneath.

I can do it myself.

Let me, let me.

Careful.

It's quite hot.

Thank you.

Here.

Please try it.

Okay.

It smells so good.

I'm really hungry.

Does this taste familiar?

I got it from the

provincial court cafeteria.

No wonder.

I searched online.

Didn't you mention this

in an interview before?

That was a long time ago.

You're so thoughtful.

I'm sorry, Ms. Feng.

We're just rough workers

who don't understand opera.

Please don't mind us.

The workers might not understand,

but you think the bosses can?

I'm sorry.

I mean, even if no one watches,

we still have to keep performing.

Maybe someday,

we'll meet someone who appreciates it.

Here, wipe it with this.

It's fine.

Are you on duty today?

I'm the supervisor here.

I see.

[Beijiang Life Insurance Ge Yutian]

Your name is Ge Yutian?

This is just my

[Insurance]

part-time job.

It's okay.

[Insurance]

Life and property.

Thank you.

Indeed.

From her social media photos,

I can see that

her performance venues

became increasingly modest.

Yes.

It was increasingly harder

for traditional opera to gain an audience.

Not only that,

I've noticed another change.

The previous photos she shared

on her social media,

whether in terms of composition

or lighting,

were clearly professional stage photos.

But ever since she performed

at your plant,

she seemingly became less particular

about the photos.

Look at this one.

It was obviously taken with a phone

from the audience seat.

Due to the stage lighting,

the photo is overexposed.

Then I checked

the information of these photos

and found that

the phone used to take this photo

matches the model of the phone

you're currently using.

Although they were not professionally shot,

I have to say that

only you

managed to capture Feng Xiaowen's

true beauty.

Yes.

I took all these photos.

So after that,

you became her...

Die-hard fan.

Since then,

I became

more and more obsessed with opera.

I never missed any

of her performances.

It was like

chasing after an idol.

Just like that.

I see.

But it seems like you've seen

her non-idol side as well.

In this photo,

she's without makeup,

smiling like a young girl.

Village opera performances

are so lively.

All those stalls at the entrance

were selling delicious food.

My apprentices were drooling over them.

Are you singing again tomorrow?

Are you coming again?

Of course.

I'll come if you're singing.

Baoding Village is quite far away.

It's no problem.

I borrowed a car from the plant and drove here.

That's great.

I really want to perform a good show for you.

The stage in this village is too small.

If it were bigger,

my entrance for my second act today

should have been like this.

Are you crazy?

Acting like a ghost in the middle of the night.

Are you alright?

Lunatic!

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

Let's go, let's go.

Tilt it more to me.

Thank you.

Ms. Feng.

Weren't you on duty today?

Here, this is for you.

This is called a Chinese rose.

It's also called the Monthly Bloom.

Water it once every three or four days.

If you take good care of it,

it will bloom every month.

Here.

I'll take it.

I'm leaving now.

Alright, go ahead.

Thank you.

The Monthly Bloom you gave her.

Is it the one in this photo?

Yes.

After every performance,

I would gift her a bouquet.

The flower language of Monthly Bloom is

"Waiting for hope."

So what were you waiting for?

I don't understand what you're saying.

You don't understand?

Then let me tell you.

What were you waiting for?

You were waiting for her to take the bait.

To think you have the nerve

to make yourself sound so sincere.

But the truth is, you're no different from those

who deceive the elderly

into buying substandard products

by visiting them with fake concern.

You're just like those scammers.

You were simply treating Feng Xiaowen

as a cash cow.

You were swindling her money.

That's not true.

It's not like that.

How is it not?

When you met her,

she wasn't even fifty.

There were so many insurance policies she could buy.

And the premiums were high.

What gives you the right to say this about me?

I'm not a scammer.

Such a big business deal,

of course it was worth your full dedication.

You even went as far as calling her "Godmother."

Shut your mouth!

You

are just like them.

It's people like you who killed her.

It's your prejudice

that drove her to death.

It's you who drove us to death!

Us?

Since when

did you become inseparable from her?

This was the location of the first victim,

Feng Xiaowen.

I remember you said in the meeting

that her cause of death hasn't been confirmed yet,

right?

Yes.

We only found

fractures in her left lower leg bone

and left forearm,

and dislocation of four fingers on her right hand.

Look,

there's a large amount of Feng Xiaowen's

old bloodstains here.

I believe this was

her original position at the time of death.

Hold this for me.

Fractures in the left lower leg and left forearm.

Dislocation of four fingers on the right hand.

Here.

There are obvious old bloodstains and scratch marks.

Feng Xiaowen might have

crawled over from here.

Do me a favor.

Suppose you were trapped here.

And then you discovered

this escape ladder.

You wanted to use this ladder

to climb to the window and escape.

It's too slippery.

Are you okay?

I'm fine.

I understand now.

Feng Xiaowen's build

was similar to mine.

Her fractures on the left side

were likely caused by

what happened to me just now.

She was trying to grab that handle

to climb up,

and then accidentally fell, causing the injuries.

So the real situation back then

should be that Feng Xiaowen

was trapped here for some reason,

failed in her attempt to escape,

and ultimately died here.

So she's different from the other victims.

She might not have been murdered.

Instead...

She starved to death.

How painful that must have been.

Even if Feng Xiaowen

wasn't murdered,

we still need to investigate

what exactly caused

her to be trapped and die here.