The Gauche in the Machine (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
china_shop) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
sid_guardian2023-06-29 07:42 pm
china_shop) wrote in sid_guardian2023-06-29 07:42 pm
Entry tags:
GUARDIAN REWATCH – Episode 24
Beginning of episode: Zhao Yunlan being brutally polite to Shen Wei as they arrive at the hospital.
Ending of episode: Guo Changcheng being infected with personality-switching dark energy, which will make him ruder. (Nice bookends!)
Important scenes/developments:
- Zhao Yunlan continues the fight as he and Shen Wei arrive at the hospital.
- Shen Wei stops Nurse Wei Lan from being forced to kill herself by an invisible compulsion.
- A young patient, Zu Ma, is glued to his hand-held game; he and Dr Cheng are close.
- Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei interview Nurse Wei Lan.
- Guo Changcheng looks for Wang Xiangyang in the graveyard and meets crow girl Dong Nan instead.
- Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei consult Dr Cheng about the case and meet Zu Ma.
- Chu Shuzhi bumps into Changcheng in the street, and they are cute.
- Lin Jing's detector is broken; Zhao Yunlan assigns him to play Zu Ma's game.
- Da Qing and Lin Jing run into Sha Ya at the electronics shop; Da Qing unsuccessfully plays wingman.
- Zhao Yunlan hints to Dr Cheng that Zu Ma is involved in the case; Dr Cheng drugs Zhao Yunlan's coffee.
- Flashback of Ya Qing recruiting Zu Ma; Dr Cheng is eavesdropping.
- Dr Cheng confronts Wang Xiangyang in Zu Ma's hospital room.
- Zhao Yunlan is trapped inside the game.
- Round 1: Russian Roulette
- Round 2: Classic 2D fighting game
- Round 3: Poison vs Water
In the last round, Dr Jin dies in Zhao Yunlan's arms. - Shen Wei arrives and disarms Zu Ma; Zu Ma says the hospital is full of bombs.
- Shen Wei finds the bomb and picks it up; the Defusing and Making-Up Scene.
- DoS Lab: Prof Ouyang is a terrible manager, Li Qian is awesome, and a syringe of serum is missing.
- At night, a creepy guy scares a taxi driver.
- Zu Ma is dying and remorseful; Zhao Yunlan tells Shen Wei to comfort Dr Cheng; he doesn't.
- Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan arrive home together to find the cat asleep on the couch. Aw!
- Taxi driver personality switch case starts, and Changcheng is infected.
Thoughts
One of the general overall themes of this episode is people being out of character and externally controlled. We start with Zhao Yunlan being unnaturally formal, and then uncharacteristically harangue-y. Everyone in the game except Zhao Yunlan is controlled and OOC, especially Dr Cheng. And then we transition into the personality switch case, starting with the taxi driver...
presumenothing did an excellent scene post last year on Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan's fight and reconciliation, so I'm not going to get into that too much -- just my usual bitsy notes.- Zhao Yunlan's chilly polite act lasts about five seconds. Then he starts pushing:
SW: Don't be like this.
ZYL: Like what? No matter how you try to blur the lines, you are still my life's benefactor.
SW: I won't lie to you, even more so harm you.
ZYL: Yes, but you keep things from me. I've already said whatever you say, I will believe it.
ZYL: (cont., shouting and gesturing) But you still won't even tell me a word!
Shouting is really not his style. He's really worked up! Shen Wei's secrets and willingness to hide being hurt are a real problem. - He's more himself when interviewing the catatonic Nurse Wei Lan. I think his anger is on hold because of the case? But when he tells the nurse, "Some people are scarier than ghosts," Shen Wei reacts sharply, physically pulling him out of his chair. I'm not sure if Shen Wei thinks ZYL's statement is offensive, or if he's just impatient with the counterproductive interview technique. Anyway, he questions the nurse himself (more Envoy tone than Professor), and she replies, "[The doctor and I] failed to save a life." Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei look at each other for aaages.
- Dr Cheng's office: Shen Wei pretends Everything Is Fine. Zhao Yunlan tries and fails to bond with Zu Ma. Cheng Xinyan calls Zu Ma her little brother and says he's already twenty. Zu Ma is addicted to video games, and this aspect of the episode quickly becomes an after-school special about the dangers of gaming, which makes me snort.
CXY: (to ZYL) I don't know when his growth started to become stagnant. [...] Mr. Zhao, I heard that you've experienced similar cases in the past.
SW: You mean that this child is…
CXY: Yes, he is already more than 20 years old.
Was Shen Wei going to say "Dixingren"? Or just "older than he seems"? Is the case CXY refers to Zheng Yi, and if so, how did she hear about it? Once again we're brushing up against the question of how much ordinary Haixingren know about Dixingren. - Zhao Yunlan gets a call from Chu Shuzhi about the Mr Tan case. (Interestingly, ZYL is on his own now. Did Shen Wei stay behind to chat to Cheng Xinyan?) (Btw, did we ever meet Mr Tan, or was he entirely off-screen?) Chu Shuzhi has checked the police statements, which makes me wonder how he interacts with the police. They might just email the statements through, but I love the idea of grumpy Lao Chu rocking up to the police station and making everyone there uncomfortable, hee. Chu Shuzhi tells ZYL he's not going to bump into Changcheng... who immediately literally walks into him, lol. In the end, Chu Shuzhi drags Changcheng off by his collar. They're so cute.
- In the SID lab, everyone stands around watching Lin Jing's detector not work. It talks now? He laments, but is happy with the video game assignment, until Zhao Yunlan tells him the report has to be >100,000 words, which I mean, there's no way ZYL is going to read more than a page, so I figure this is just a routine they do? Idk. *noogies them*
- Lin Jing and Da Qing shop for gaming consoles at the electronics shop, and Da Qing recognises Sha Ya from Lin Jing's screensaver. I love how Da Qing is dismissive but immediately offers to help. And then Sha Ya is 100% not a cat person, lol. Also, Lin Jing hiding behind a lamppost is delightfully cartoony.
- Hospital: now ZYL is playing the hand-held game and talking to Cheng Xinyan, who apparently doesn't have any other patients. Shen Wei is absent because of a lecture and not at all because of the fight, really.
CXY: He has two jobs, so tough on him.
ZYL: For the sake of those we want to protect, for the things we want to fight for, sometimes we can't have it easy. (He says this so lightly, though he knows Shen Wei actually has three jobs.)
ZYL hints Zu Ma was involved in the Wei Lan reluctant suicide incident. In response, Cheng Xinyan drugs Zhao Yunlan's coffee. (LOL, I keep thinking of ZYL's assertion in ep 6, "The person who can drug me hasn't been born yet." First Wang Zheng in the Hanga arc, now this. Have I forgotten any others?) - Flashback: Ya Qing tells Zu Ma, "You have received the blessing from the Merit Brush," but also says, "If you want to back out..." She's pretty gentle with him, but he's all gungho and wants to have some fun. CXY overhears.
- Zhao Yunlan wakes up alone in Cheng Xinyan's office, grabs phone and sees the game button embedded in his wrist. Tugging at it doesn't seem to hurt, but it won't budge. Wow, this is super creepy and violating.
He realises he was drugged: "Once you get used to doing things, mistakes are bound to happen. Looks like in the future I shouldn't eat everything people give me." He calls Da Qing for backup. (If he hadn't been fighting with Shen Wei, would he have called him, too? Because that would have cut the whole thing very short. Otoh, he hasn't found out how serious it is yet, so maybe he doesn't feel the need.)
Coopted Cheng Xinyan meets him in the hallway. When he sees her, he smiles guardedly(?), but he catches on fast. She mechanically tells him the rules. The wrist button is an "explosive tracker device," oh no!! /o\ - Zu Ma is revealed as the boss behind the scenes. Revenge of the gamers!
ZYL: Little troublemaker, why did you pick me?
ZM: Because I dislike you.
me: Oh dear, ZYL fumbled his charm role!
ZM: (cont.) You people always act like you know everything. But, in actual fact, you can't even manage your own life well.
me: I mean, he's not entirely wrong... *g*
(Poor Zu Ma. Maybe when someone's recently bereaved is not the time to challenge their coping mechanisms.)
Zu Ma admits the Merit Brush boosted his mind-control powers, and Zhao Yunlan baits him by calling him the Merit Brush Master's slave. Zu Ma doesn't like it but stubbornly sticks to his plan. And Zhao Yunlan has no answer to Zu Ma's accusation that the doctor and nurse were at fault.
Cheng Xinyan announces the game over the PA system. As Zhao Yunlan leaves, he tries to call Da Qing back to warn him off, but either his phone isn't working or there's no answer. - Chu Shuzhi, Da Qing, Zhu Hong and Guo Changcheng approach the hospital. Zhu Hong says, "He didn't explain, just said to come to fill in for Professor Shen." (When did he say that and why is she the one explaining, when he called Da Qing?) Chu Shuzhi thinks the hospital feels fishy, which I assume is a different expression in Chinese because Da Qing doesn't lick his lips.
- Round 1: Russian Roulette with Nurse Wei Lan (whose name will never get old *g*). The game has taken the SID team hostage so Zhao Yunlan can't back out. He makes himself pull the trigger, then realises that even worse is handing the gun to someone else to play. Ouch. This is psychological torture, perfectly targeted to Zhao Yunlan's personality (kind of like the precise insult of Dr Feng telling Shen Wei to kneel), and I love it because Zhao Yunlan is so unhesitating in trying to protect others.
Zhao Yunlan cheats by taking two turns in a row, and the game reprimands him. The nurse is terrified, but instead of the bullet Zhao Yunlan saw in the chamber, when the gun finally fires, it squirts water. Zhao Yunlan is furious at this terrorising, but for some reason it doesn't make him doubt the danger/threat. (I'm all Russian roulette isn't a video game, and there's no skill involved; it's just cruel. Why does it appeal to Zu Ma?) - Round 2: Classic 2D fighting game. This is my favourite round because it's silly and fun and visually pleasing, and no one gets scared or hurt. Zhao Yunlan's reaction to the feather duster, that wtf silent protest, makes me laugh every time. :D And he mutters re the team, "Looks like when we get back, we'll have to train your mental defense." (Alas, there isn't time before the personality switch case kicks in.) Love the little smile before he attacks, and that he turns the lights off to draw on his blindness-arc-acquired skills. ♥
- Round 3:
Iocaine powderpoison vs water with Doctor Jin. This is another one that isn't a very interesting game, just mean. I don't know how Zhao Yunlan knows it isn't a fake-out like the roulette, but I guess he can't risk it? And yeah, Dr Jin dies in Zhao Yunlan's arms. Owwww. Zhao Yunlan is so angry. And then Zu Ma shows up, shocked and horrified, and Zhao Yunlan nearly punches him. Zu Ma says he already told them to stop. "This is not what I wanted. Killing people is different from playing a game!"
Shen Wei walks in (how did he know to show up?) and seamlessly delivers the moral of the story: "That's because this isn't a virtual reality game but the gory truth."
Zu Ma whips out his game (in self-defence?), and Shen Wei destroys it with a dark energy bolt. (His expression when hurling the bolt is wide-eyed and alarmed, not stern -- I guess because Zu Ma looks like a kid?) The game falls to the ground, and Zhao Yunlan's wrist button drops off harmlessly. Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei exchange glances. Zu Ma haltingly says, "Game over." But then explains there are bombs in the building. - Shen Wei arrives in Zu Ma's ward alone. I guess Zhao Yunlan is off organising an emergency evacuation? Shen Wei finds the bomb, picks it up. Then Zhao Yunlan arrives and shouts, "Don't move." I love how Zhao Yunlan is all "Sit down first" before explaining it's a "gravity balancer bomb", but I think Shen Wei immediately figures it out anyway. When Zhao Yunlan does explain, Shen Wei tries his go-to move: smothering it in dark energy. Unfortunately, the bomb doesn't like that (or likes it too much). So Shen Wei says he'll deal with it alone by teleporting it out of the hospital. Zhao Yunlan argues and offers an alternative: trying to defuse it. Ahhhhhh, this scene is so great. Zhao Yunlan's, "Dage, we are a part of each other's lives now. If you were to die, do you think I'd be okay?" is so "you should know this" -- not a romantic declaration, just mildly exasperated fact. <3 <3 <3 And then the making up (via Shen Wei promising that Zhao Yunlan won't be kept in the dark forever), and their smirks, and the down-on-one-knee bomb-defusing competence porn. ♥ ♥ ♥
I think this is the first time we see Shen Wei try to face an immediate crisis alone, only for Zhao Yunlan to offer an unexpected solution. In the second, in YOHE, Shen Wei says, "But I must take this step on my own. I don't want my remaining brothers to sacrifice themselves." Then, as here, Zhao Yunlan's response is, "You still have me." (Kunlun's dark energy gun = ZYL's bomb-defusing skills? Both are game-changers that Shen Wei didn't know about/have access to when making his decision.) I think this ties into the finale, too: Shen Wei in Ye Zun's stomach, going, "I believe in [ZYL]. I believe that he will definitely make Ye Zun show his weak point." Shen Wei is incorporating ZYL in his plan there, even without discussing it with him beforehand, because he knows ZYL will step up. Because he did in YOHE and he did at the hospital. Because this is how they work together.
At the same time, the bomb metaphorically is the fight, so of course SW is the one to be holding it (holding out wrt his secrets) and ZYL has to be the one to defuse it. *flails about both of them* I think Shen Wei's "If I had put in effort into studying electronics…" is an apology, too. It's one of those self-criticisms like in the mutual apology scene that reaches out to take some of the responsibility, however absurd the literal statement. <3 <3 <3 And with the successful defusing, the claustrophobic video-game sequence is over, and we can finally cut away to something else... - DoS Lab: Li Qian enters to find Prof Ouyang berating a lab tech. "You can't lose even one needle. That contains the top secret of our experiment. It can harm innocent people if any accidents happen. It can even create a big uproar. [...] I only hope that the needle was gotten rid of, and not misused by others." Li Qian brings him water and critiques his temperament, lol.
- Taxi, night. A creepy guy (who seems to have powers?) scares the drives. "If you didn't do anything wrong, why are you so afraid?" Because you're super creepy!
- Hospital: Zu Ma is dying and remorseful. Cheng Xinyan is upset. Oh, hey, does Zu Ma represent Ye Zun in the game? ZM: "Now I know games are so boring." *snort* Destroying Zu Ma's abilities killed him, so Shen Wei is directly responsible for this. So when Zhao Yunlan says, "Comfort her," Shen Wei makes ZYL do it.
- Flat: aaaw, Da Qing asleep on the couch. ZYL and Shen Wei come home together (no explanation ♥!). Shen Wei calls the game an opening ceremony.
- Hospital: Cheng Xinyan, rather than going on her own revenge rampage, recommits to her role of helping people. ♥!!
- SID: Shen Wei: "Jin Hao's documents are all here." ZYL: "There's no need for all those. I already have a suspect in mind." Does he already know it's Wang Xiangyang?
- Changcheng expositions about the new taxi driver/personality switch case. Zhao Yunlan and Changcheng interview the taxi driver. LOL, Changcheng reads out the file and still makes ZYL read it. (Wow, the guy attacked a waiter with a beer bottle. /o\) The episode ends as Changcheng gets personality switch dark energy whammied, wheee! :D
Discussion starters:
- Favourite scene in this ep? (If it's the bomb scene, what's your second favourite? *g*) Favourite line of dialogue?
- Do you think Dr Cheng was acting of her own volition when she drugged Zhao Yunlan's coffee? Do you hold it against her? What was her exit strategy? Do you think Shen Wei ever finds out?
- Did Dr Cheng remember the game afterwards? Does she feel responsible for any of it?
- Do you think the show really believes video games stunt players' growth, warp their personalities/morality, etc, or is that just a pasted on moral for the censors?
- Zu Ma was very upset at the end. Do you think Team Merit Brush believed they were helping him, or were they just using him? Where does the flashback with Ya Qing fit into the timeline of the episode?
Let’s talk about episode 24!
Come and talk about this episode – anything from favourite scenes or lines of dialogue to notes/questions about continuity or translation, most gorgeous (or angsty) smile, or anything else that strikes your fancy! And share links to your own and/or others’ episode-related meta, picspams, and fanworks, new or old!
Links to episode 24 fanworks and meta go here!
- any other episode reactions or related meta
- fanworks, picspams, squee, etc, relating to episode 24 generally or to specific scenes, characters, or events in this episode
Link to your own works and/or others'. Help us build as comprehensive a collection of links as possible!Re: Links to episode 24 fanworks and meta go here!
Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei's argument (and reconciliation) by
Re: Links to episode 24 fanworks and meta go here!
Make a Gamble, Take a Gamble (7678 words) [M]
Relationship: Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan
Content Tags: Episode 23, Episode 24, Missing Scenes, First Time, Episode Related, secrets (and how to live with them)
Summary: What does Shen Wei see when he looks at him? It's not Zhao Yunlan; it can't be. It has to be someone else, something else, some secret Zhao Yunlan doesn't know. Something that makes him think Zhao Yunlan should be okay with Shen Wei being hurt.
Re: Links to episode 24 fanworks and meta go here!
Re: Links to episode 24 fanworks and meta go here!
That Inevitable Day (475 words) [Teen And Up]
Characters/Relationships: Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan
Content Tags: Angst, time loops, Episode Related, Episode 24
Summary: You'll know the truth one day, Shen Wei promises, and it's not a lie.
no subject
Zhao Yunlan wielding the dusting utensil! Very goofy and yet cinematic scene at the same time.
Do you think the show really believes video games stunt players' growth, warp their personalities/morality, etc, or is that just a pasted on moral for the censors?
I have a hard time believing anyone would seriously think that playing video games physically prevents you from growing. And the whole "message" here feels very cartoony and put-on. I don't think it's genuine.
I don't know how Zhao Yunlan knows it isn't a fake-out like the roulette, but I guess he can't risk it?
Yes I agree he doesn't want to take the risk when he doesn't know.
Speaking of, why IS one of these games a fakeout and one is not? So was Zu Ma willing to get people killed or no? He says no, but then why was there real poison? Who controls the details of the games?
And then the making up (via Shen Wei promising that Zhao Yunlan won't be kept in the dark forever), and their smirks, and the down-on-one-knee bomb-defusing competence porn. ♥ ♥ ♥
The smirking! ❤️❤️❤️
no subject
Ahh, excellent choice! I love that so much too -- and as people have pointed out in the past, there are shades of the Envoy and his dao that make it even better. :D :D :D
I have a hard time believing anyone would seriously think that playing video games physically prevents you from growing.
Hee! Maybe maybe metaphorically stunted? But I agree about the cartooniness of the message and the unlikelihood of its being genuine.
Speaking of, why IS one of these games a fakeout and one is not? So was Zu Ma willing to get people killed or no? He says no, but then why was there real poison? Who controls the details of the games?
Ooh, this gave me a thought: maybe Zu Ma thinks he's in control, and that's why the first two rounds are physically harmless (albeit psychologically cruel)? And what Zhao Yunlan is largely angry about is the cooption of people's autonomy, and the possibility of the situation being piggybacked on by Team Merit Brush. Maybe Wang Xiangyang intervened in the last round to make the poison real, and to make Dr Jin drink even though the game had technically ended, because it's Dr Jin that he has a particular grudge against? And that intervention is why Zu Ma is so shocked and upset when he realises?
The smirking! ❤️❤️❤️
YESSSSSSSSSSSS! alskdjf;alsdkfjas;kljfdas;dlfksa
no subject
He clearly did not expect things to turn out this deadly, indicating some else (Wang Xiangyang) interfered. I do believe the previous games are Zu Ma’s doing, though: The water pistol for example is a childish element that suits Zu Ma more than other characters.
I’m however not clear on why Wang Xiangyang would not take control from the start, if that is something he can do.
no subject
Yes, agreed.
I’m however not clear on why Wang Xiangyang would not take control from the start, if that is something he can do.
I think it's like with Dr Feng, who really did want to help people and was enabled to do so by the Brush -- at a cost. Here, Zu Ma really did want to play a fun game with people, and maybe torment them a little for their negligence re Mr Tan, and it was only at the end that Wang Xiangyang put a sting in the tail and got the revenge he wanted. I think, with the Merit Brush, there has to be give and take?
no subject
I don't know how he might have done that, but I could totally see his personal grudge against Dr Jin in particular making him nudge things out of control, maybe by enhancing the game even more? If that was necessary and it wasn't spinning out of control already; who knows ...
no subject
no subject
Yeah, especially since he knows the Merit Brush is in play - he knows what happened with Feng Qubing, after all.
no subject
Zhao Yunlan’s in work mode, definitely. Shen Wei always reacts annoyed with Zhao Yunlan when he is being rude. He scolded him a few times on his speculative nature, especially when it comes to people. He is probably also annoyed by the jab. Love Zhao Yunlan’s face there though. The shock when Shen Wei pulls him up, that flash of 'oh shoot hubby is angry' and then the grin when Shen Wei takes over 😂 He is happy he didn’t get into trouble.
Was Shen Wei going to say "Dixingren"?
Imagine if all Dixingren age and grow way slower and all the teens in Dixing are actually in their 40s or something 😂 Amusing thought.
there's no way ZYL is going to read more than a page, so I figure this is just a routine they do? Idk
Okay but later, after the Zhu Hong dream session, she writer her report and Zhao Yunlan says something like he only cares about thickness... *cough* so Lin Jing could just write two or three pages and copy them until it's a thick pile. 😂
Zu Ma is revealed as the boss behind the scenes. Revenge of the gamers!
ZYL: Little troublemaker, why did you pick me?
ZM: Because I dislike you.
Their conversation here is my favourite moment. Zu Ma must have seen Zhao Yunlan’s apartment from that hospital room. 😂 I think Zu Ma is like the only person who straight up tells Zhao Yunlan how it is and I have mad respect for him for that.
Nurse Wei Lan (whose name will never get old
Okay but this here is pretty much spoiler for the show 😂 Wei Lan is keep being played and it keeps trying to end her life, the poor thing. I was rewatching this episode and was like wow they told us the ending 16 episodes before.
Why does it appeal to Zu Ma?
As you saif before this, the game is perfect for Zhao Yunlan’s personality. So maybe Zu Ma doesn't have a lot of control over the game settings. He might just put in some details and the game generates itself and he gets to play with the characters instead.
His expression when hurling the bolt is wide-eyed and alarmed, not stern -- I guess because Zu Ma looks like a kid?
He might have reacted on instinct to protect himself and Zhao Yunlan while he already knew that it would kill Zu Ma but it was already done? The kid part was probably also a big part.
Do you think the show really believes video games stunt players' growth, warp their personalities/morality, etc, or is that just a pasted on moral for the censors?
Don't think so. I mean Zu Ma's roommate, the guy who died, Mr Tan? It was mentioned a few times that their age difference was big enough for them not to be able to bond over anything but they still did over video gaming so I choose to take that message away lol.
Also, side note that there is an old video game named Zuma - Coincidence? I don't know but amusing regardless.
Great post!
no subject
True, he got quite defensive of Teacher Zhang and the engineering students, didn't he? But I thought that was because Zhao Yunlan was suspecting them without evidence, so I think you're probably right that here he's annoyed by the jab. And haha, yes, Zhao Yunlan's reaction is priceless. :D :D :D (I do like that Shen Wei is prepared to draw a line in how it's okay to refer to Dixingren; I wonder if Zhao Yunlan didn't realise he'd strayed across it...)
Imagine if all Dixingren age and grow way slower and all the teens in Dixing are actually in their 40s or something
LOL, I wonder if it's part of Dixing having no time. Hmm, Zheng Yi looks younger than her reported age, but Butler Wu's son, with the water power, seems to have aged at the usual human rate. *tries to think of other examples* Mirror Girl? Now I'm wondering if An Bai and his friends are as young as they seem (early/mid 20s?), and also how old the Regent might be -- maybe hundreds of years? ;-p
Zhao Yunlan says something like he only cares about thickness... *cough*
*snerk* :D
so Lin Jing could just write two or three pages and copy them until it's a thick pile. 😂
Haha, true!
Zu Ma must have seen Zhao Yunlan’s apartment from that hospital room. 😂 I think Zu Ma is like the only person who straight up tells Zhao Yunlan how it is and I have mad respect for him for that.
LOLOLOL! ♥!
Okay but this here is pretty much spoiler for the show 😂 Wei Lan is keep being played and it keeps trying to end her life, the poor thing. I was rewatching this episode and was like wow they told us the ending 16 episodes before.
Great point -- and she survives! She's terrorised and squirted with water, but in the end she makes it -- that's a hopeful note for the end, for their post-sacrifice reunion, right?
So maybe Zu Ma doesn't have a lot of control over the game settings. He might just put in some details and the game generates itself and he gets to play with the characters instead.
Ha, that sounds very ChatGPT. And very plausible, too. :D
He might have reacted on instinct to protect himself and Zhao Yunlan while he already knew that it would kill Zu Ma
Yeah, I think so. He's doing the only thing he can in the moment, but it's a desperate move, not a judgement. (Poor Shen Wei! That's got to suck in retrospect.)
I mean Zu Ma's roommate, the guy who died, Mr Tan? It was mentioned a few times that their age difference was big enough for them not to be able to bond over anything but they still did over video gaming so I choose to take that message away lol.
Aw, true! Fandom bringing people together. *g* Excellent point.
Also, side note that there is an old video game named Zuma - Coincidence? I don't know but amusing regardless.
Ha, that's great! Even if it's a coincidence, it's pleasing. :D
Great post!
Thanks! Great comment! :D
no subject
I don't think so, because Zhang Shi is 9900 years old according to him and while he is more energy form than body, it could be just a he thing. Maybe their lifespam or how their bodies look like depends on both their genetics (Dixingren parents or not) and where they live (Dixing or Haixing)? We don't know how long Mirror Girl was hiding in her Mirror world, and if her physical look is her own at all. Maybe she could be anyone's reflection but she stayed on that one because she was in love with the dude. An Bai could be like 50 😂 but for Dixingren it would be the same as a 20 Haixingren. Which would be funny because young Shen Wei might have been still older than Zhao Yunlan at the time. 😂
no subject
Oh, that's a good point! Living in Haixing might change their metabolism or something...
Which would be funny because young Shen Wei might have been still older than Zhao Yunlan at the time. 😂
Heeee! I would totally believe that. He's a general, after all. :D
no subject
Yeah, I think he was just being flippant and didn't even notice until Shen Wei stepped in.
Great point -- and she survives! She's terrorised and squirted with water, but in the end she makes it -- that's a hopeful note for the end, for their post-sacrifice reunion, right?
I'm definitely going to read it that way. :D
no subject
This is a great point!
Okay but this here is pretty much spoiler for the show 😂 Wei Lan is keep being played and it keeps trying to end her life, the poor thing. I was rewatching this episode and was like wow they told us the ending 16 episodes before.
Oooh, wow, I hadn't thought of it that way, but this is brilliant!
Don't think so. I mean Zu Ma's roommate, the guy who died, Mr Tan? It was mentioned a few times that their age difference was big enough for them not to be able to bond over anything but they still did over video gaming so I choose to take that message away lol.
Yeah, that is a lovely detail!
Also, side note that there is an old video game named Zuma - Coincidence? I don't know but amusing regardless.
Same Zu but different Ma; could totally be deliberate! :D
no subject
no subject
no subject
Ooh, great observation!
I also noticed this time through that there's a distinct ghost theme in this episode, and a reiterated question of whether ghosts exist, which can be taken as a metaphor for all kinds of things ...
It starts with Wei Lan thinking they're haunted by Mr Tan's ghost, and Zhao Yunlan's "good news: ghosts don't exist - bad news: people can be worse". Then there's Xiao-Guo at the cemetery, thinking he's seeing ghost of Li Qian's grandmother, but it turns out to be Dong Nan. Then when Dr Cheng encounters Wang Xiangyang and asks his name, he says it's Bai Suxia - he's essentially claiming to be the ghost of his dead wife! And finally, there's the taxi driver's encounter with Kong Jing, who is not only creepy as a ghost and seems to appear and disappear in startling ways, but is also paired with the taxi driver listening to the broadcast of a horror novel. Very cool!
ZYL: (cont., shouting and gesturing) But you still won't even tell me a word!
What a great line - and one that gives me so many questions! When did Zhao Yunlan say this to Shen Wei? Just now, on the way to the hospital? Earlier? Even before the kitchen scene? And what does he want Shen Wei to say, really - what is it he claims he'll believe?
It's fascinating, too, how very much their conflict has outwardly become all about Shen Wei keeping secrets, with the fact that Shen Wei got hurt on Zhao Yunlan's behalf and hid it from Zhao Yunlan as an unspoken undercurrent. Even when the conflict resolves, it's all about Shen Wei promising Zhao Yunlan will know the truth one day.
(I wonder if he originally really was a kid, and they aged him up to make it less awful?)
Was Shen Wei going to say "Dixingren"? Or just "older than he seems"? Is the case CXY refers to Zheng Yi, and if so, how did she hear about it?
All very good questions! And she says she's heard Zhao Yunlan has met similar people (plural). Maybe one of them is Da Qing, who after all told her he's not as young as he looks?
Yeah, I was wondering how and why Shen Wei disappeared here. Did he have class, and have to leave? Did Zhao Yunlan insist? At least, I don't think Shen Wei would have left just because of the awkwardness of the tension between them. Idk. But the tension between them makes any conversation about leaving potentially fraught, so I wonder!
(I mean, at this point they don't know there's something going on that Zhao Yunlan won't be able to handle, but still, given what happened to Wei Lan, and to Dr Jin before her, you'd think they'd want someone with Dixing powers on the scene.)
Not as far as I can remember.
This whole bit is lovely! Da Qing recognises Sha Ya, and teases, but also alerts Lin Jing to her presence and immediately nominates himself
wingmanwingcat! The two of them don't have a lot of scenes together, but this is nice. Also interesting that Lin Jing, on being asked if the cat is his, immediately says no, he's his boss (and then has to course-correct) - fascinating that he thinks of him that way! (We don't see Da Qing do much managing/leading, but he does do some, and this supports his role nicely.)Also, the face Sha Ya makes on seeing the kitty, hee!
ZYL: For the sake of those we want to protect, for the things we want to fight for, sometimes we can't have it easy. (He says this so lightly, though he knows Shen Wei actually has three jobs
This is such a fascinating exchange! It's also very similar to some of the things he'll say to young Shen Wei in YOHE, isn't it? This is really something he believes in on a very fundamental level.
Also, Zhao Yunlan adds that surely Dr Cheng must know, and Dr Cheng, who is just about to drug him in order to protect Zu Ma, gives him a very awkward smile. So fraught! And made more fraught when he then starts poking at her about Zu Ma - even without saying the name, asking her to guess who else was there when Wei Lan tried to commit suicide, and then calling her on not wanting to know ... Very cool.
Haha, yeah, I thought of that too! It's just those two instances, I think, but that's plenty!
Yeah, I find it very noticeable just how respectful she is - she gives him choices, doesn't pressure him, seems genuinely willing to let him back out ... Zhu Jiu wouldn't have been caught dead saying anything like this! I wonder if this (like Dong Nan, next episode) is her having a soft spot for (apparent) kids, but either way, despite everything, this shows her more decent side.
(Incidentally, this is one of the few instances - where Zu Ma's name doesn't seem to be dubbed in.
Yeah, I don't think he would have, at this point, and on top of that Shen Wei might be teaching right now. Zhao Yunlan probably would have tried to call Shen Wei later, after he tries to warn the SID team away and doesn't seem to get through. But at this point he doesn't think he needs it yet.
Also, regarding the phone call, we only hear him tell Da Qing to get everyone to the hospital; we don't see him hang up. So when Zhu Hong later says he told them to fill in for Professor Shen, I guess that could have fit in after the camera cuts away. *g* At any rate, it's an interesting way to put it!
The actress does a great job of moving and talking like an artificial construct. Very creepy!
Yeah, I found myself really annoyed by how everyone keeps harping on him playing when he's just lost a friend. Let him distract himself from his grief! Especially since the video games were something he and Mr Tan bonded over.
On the other hand, Zu Ma asks "Is playing games a crime?" while literally terrorising people and threatening to murder them, so, definitely not healthy. *g*
LOL! Yeah, it's literally "not ordinary". So Lao-Chu is just saying something smells weird. Actually, it reminds me of Shen Wei smelling something off when Bao Laosan was lurking in the background while Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan went to Dixing with the Regent ...
Yeah, he only cooperates after the system threatens his team, and you can see how hard it is for him, and how shaken he is after pulling the trigger. And then he has to watch her! Really, at least Zhao Yunlan is doing it to protect his team (and Wei Lan, when he cheats) - poor Wei Lan is just being repeatedly forced to try and kill herself, first with the injection and now this, with nothing else to hold on to. Zu Ma really is astonishingly cruel, even if he stops short of actual murder.
Yeah, at this point ZYL has already seen the thing with Wei Lan turn out to be not lethal, and his fight with the SID also wasn't. But he's clearly expecting something lethal anyway, maybe because of the sheer cruelty of it all? It almost has to escalate. (And of course it does, even if not by Zu Ma's design.)
Yeah, he's practically vibrating with anger, and just barely holds himself back from punching Zu Ma! This really gets under his skin in the worst way.
I think either he went to the SID after class and found everyone missing, or else Wang Zheng called him when she couldn't reach anyone who went to the hospital any more.
And also going to look for some pliers, since I doubt he carries them around on the regular. *g*
Yeah, people often treat this as Shen Wei being needlessly self-sacrificial when he suggests portalling out with the bomb, but IMO he's being entirely rational - he doesn't know Zhao Yunlan has bomb-defusing skills, so making sure the hospital doesn't blow up has to be the priority. Same as Zhao Yunlan protecting his team and Wei Lan and Dr Jin by shooting himself in the head and drinking potentially-poisoned water! I think they do understand each other on that level. But when they're together, they can offer each other alternative options. ♥ ♥ ♥
So much ♥ ♥ ♥ !!!!!
At the same time, the bomb metaphorically is the fight, so of course SW is the one to be holding it (holding out wrt his secrets) and ZYL has to be the one to defuse it.
Yes, this!!!!!! :D
And the actual bomb defusing is SO MUCH. Nothing but intense facial expressions and dramatic music and close-ups, and it's SO MUCH. ♥
Ooooh, yes!!!!!! :D :D :D
To be continued …
no subject
Solo's subs have this as "If civilians get harmed there'll be a huge uproar", which is a very different tone, making the uproar the thing that matters to Professor Ouyang rather than people being hurt. I checked the original, and I can't entirely parse it (一旦外流会伤及无辜甚至会引起轩然大波), but it looks to me like Solo's is closer.
(Also, Professor Ouyang says the needle was used to administer the test serum - administer it to whom?)
She remarks that his temper has grown worse since she met him, which is interesting! He really is progressively getting worse ...
Haha, right???
I think it's filmed in a deliberately ambiguous way so it's impossible to tell whether he's actually using powers to appear/disappear/move, or not. And it's all underscored with the horror novel broadcast the taxi driver listens to, playing with the same tropes. Great stuff! :D
Yeah, Zhao Yunlan has reason to nudge Shen Wei to comfort Dr Cheng (she's Shen Wei's friend, after all), but Shen Wei has reason not to do it. I do love that he just shoves Zhao Yunlan at her without saying a word! :D
Yes! She's excellent! (This is also one of the few lines where she does appear to be actually saying "Zu Ma", but I wouldn't swear to it.)
And she's figuring out who's behind it all - after the creepy guy she found in Zu Ma's room claimed to be Bai Suxia, she's now checking Bai Suxia's records, and we see the missing Wang Xiangyang's name listed as her next of kin.
And if so, how? Because I'm really not following his thoughts here.
Oh, it's absolutely the bomb scene, yeah. And the "We're part of each other's life now" line is my favourite.
Second favourite scene ... damn, this is hard, but probably the passive-aggressive politeness/confrontation at the beginning of the episode.
I think she was still acting on her own volition there, yeah, trying to protect Zu Ma. She rushed off to his room afterwards and found Wang Xiangyang there - presumably she was going to warn him away, so the SID couldn't get him. I think it was ill-advised but understandable, and she doesn't know Zhao Yunlan enough yet to really trust him.
And Zhao Yunlan himself doesn't seem to follow up on the drugging at all, forgiving Dr Cheng immediately in the aftermath - maybe he thinks she was controlled already, or maybe he understands why she wanted to protect Zu Ma and thinks with Zu Ma dead there's no point of dwelling on it. I do wonder if he ever tells Shen Wei, though ...
I don't think so, no. It's not even a very strong moral - I mean, Lin Jing plays plenty and isn't censored for it; it really only matters in conjunction with Zu Ma's powers.
I think the flashback with Ya Qing happened prior to the episode, before the scene from the previous episode where Dr Jin is forced to inject himself. Ya Qing may have thought she was helping him; I think Wang Xiangyang thought of it more as Zu Ma and he having the same grievance against the hospital, not as doing something for Zu Ma.
I would assume that, just like the negative side effects of Feng Qubing's powers, if nothing else they very much did expect something like it to happen. The Merit Brush's enhancements seem to come with distinct drawbacks ...
no subject
Excellent question! Whoever used to sit at Li Qian's desk, before she started? ;-p
Yeah, Zhao Yunlan has reason to nudge Shen Wei to comfort Dr Cheng (she's Shen Wei's friend, after all), but Shen Wei has reason not to do it. I do love that he just shoves Zhao Yunlan at her without saying a word! :D
Ha, yes. They're both being quite reasonable. And the byplay helps to stop Dr Cheng's grief from being too depressing. ;-p
And if so, how? Because I'm really not following his thoughts here.
Maybe Dr Cheng called him with the info she had, and he drew his own conclusion? It would be a nice way for her to atone.
Second favourite scene ... damn, this is hard, but probably the passive-aggressive politeness/confrontation at the beginning of the episode.
Yesss! Their relationship is so solid and complicated at the same time, by this point in the show. <3 <3 <3
She rushed off to his room afterwards and found Wang Xiangyang there - presumably she was going to warn him away, so the SID couldn't get him.
Oh, that makes sense! I couldn't figure out her plan. Having her rush to his room right after the Ya Qing flashback confused me a bit.
I think the flashback with Ya Qing happened prior to the episode, before the scene from the previous episode where Dr Jin is forced to inject himself.
*nodnod* And yeah, agree that Wang Xiangyang probably thought he and Zu Ma were on the same page.
was that the game escalating beyond his control all on its own, in a similar way to how Feng Qubing's healing caused harm to others because it stole their energy without him consciously doing so? Or did Wang Xiangyang et al. nudge that along/personally cause the escalation in some way?
I think it's both: that Wang Xiangyang set up the game in such a way that it would automatically escalate. In fact, maybe it was only Zu Ma's innocence that stopped the first round from also being lethal, since WXY also had a grudge against the nurse, iirc. (But I'm totally willing to be persuaded otherwise!)
no subject
Heh! But seriously, I do wonder, given what the stolen serum actually does to Kong Jing, how many people their "unsuccessful testing" may have left with potential powers that just might not have responded the way they expected ...
Maybe Dr Cheng called him with the info she had, and he drew his own conclusion? It would be a nice way for her to atone.
Oh, yes, I like that. :D
I think it's both: that Wang Xiangyang set up the game in such a way that it would automatically escalate. In fact, maybe it was only Zu Ma's innocence that stopped the first round from also being lethal, since WXY also had a grudge against the nurse, iirc. (But I'm totally willing to be persuaded otherwise!)
I could see that! I'm not sure how much influence Wang Xiangyang actually has over what the Merit Brush does to people when it enhances their power - if we knew more about that, it would be easier to make a call on this. *g* I wonder if there's something in the coming eps that will give us some more hints ...
no subject
Srsly. Somehow I don't think they got ethics committee approval for this! /o\ (Maybe they've been testing on animals? Ohh, there might be a fic in that... ;-)
Re Dr Cheng, in ep 26, Zhao Yunlan has Bai Suxia's file which he got from her, which supports that theory (though he could have approached her...). Fwiw.
I'm not sure how much influence Wang Xiangyang actually has over what the Merit Brush does to people when it enhances their power - if we knew more about that, it would be easier to make a call on this. *g* I wonder if there's something in the coming eps that will give us some more hints ...
I'll keep an eye out, too. But I feel like, even if he's not controlling it consciously, it probably responds to his will, the same way the Dial and Awl react to people's sincere intention?
no subject
Ooh, excellent, things are coming together! :D
But I feel like, even if he's not controlling it consciously, it probably responds to his will, the same way the Dial and Awl react to people's sincere intention?
Yes, but they also clearly do things no one asked them for, so ... *g*
no subject
Ha, true. I wonder if Ma Gui made them that way on purpose...
no subject
Excellent catch! (I note they side-step the question of Wang Zheng and Sang Zan's ghost status. *g*)
I always love how immediately and without hesitation Zhao Yunlan agrees that of course Shen Wei won't lie to him (or cheat/deceive him, more literally) or harm him.
Ooh, yes! It's not "I don't trust you" at all, is it? It's a disagreement about the rules of engagement, the foundation of their relationship, and how much Zhao Yunlan feels disempowered by being kept in the dark.
When did Zhao Yunlan say this to Shen Wei?
I feel like it would fit best on the way in to the SID that morning. Like, maybe ZYL woke up hoping they could resolve it now they'd slept on it, and Shen Wei's refusal to bend is why they both ended up sitting, stewing in silence?
It's fascinating, too, how very much their conflict has outwardly become all about Shen Wei keeping secrets
Ahh, great point! And it makes me wonder how much it was that all along. Like, the being hurt is bad, but being hurt and hiding it, trying to deal with it on his own, is so much worse?
but Zhao Yunlan can't help relate absolutely everything to the conflict between them
Haha, he's such a troll (but not in a fun way, this time).
And she says she's heard Zhao Yunlan has met similar people (plural). Maybe one of them is Da Qing, who after all told her he's not as young as he looks?
Oh, true! That might be who she meant in the first place, since she definitely knows about him. Or maybe meeting Da Qing sent her off on a research spree, since it's relevant to Zu Ma's condition, and that's how she found out about Zheng Yi...
But the tension between them makes any conversation about leaving potentially fraught, so I wonder!
Maybe Zhao Yunlan just stepped out on the pretext of having to make a call... And so far, the events at the hospital have been mind-controlly, which Shen Wei says next episode wouldn't affect Zhao Yunlan. (I wonder if the Guardian Treaty actually gives ZYL some protection, hm. It would make sense practically -- you don't want the representative of humanity to be suborned, right?)
and immediately nominates himself
wingmanwingcat!HEE!
It's also very similar to some of the things he'll say to young Shen Wei in YOHE, isn't it? This is really something he believes in on a very fundamental level.
Yes, absolutely. I think here he's being pretty offhand about it, though. Maybe he doesn't like thinking about the cost to Shen Wei of having all these roles? And is his poking Dr Cheng, saying she must know, a reference to her twin roles as doctor and Zu Ma's jiejie? It seems pointed.
So when Zhu Hong later says he told them to fill in for Professor Shen, I guess that could have fit in after the camera cuts away. *g* At any rate, it's an interesting way to put it!
True. And yeah, an interesting framing. Is he forcing the SID to take his side in this argument? ;-p
On the other hand, Zu Ma asks "Is playing games a crime?" while literally terrorising people and threatening to murder them, so, definitely not healthy. *g*
LOL! Yes.
poor Wei Lan is just being repeatedly forced to try and kill herself, first with the injection and now this, with nothing else to hold on to. Zu Ma really is astonishingly cruel, even if he stops short of actual murder.
I think it's a very childlike lack of empathy. He really doesn't get how awful it is.
But he's clearly expecting something lethal anyway, maybe because of the sheer cruelty of it all?
Or because he knows the Merit Brush is involved?
Zhao Yunlan's self-sacrificial side is really on display here. He's ready to flip the table with the water glasses, but the game baits him by telling him that if he drinks, the game will end no matter what. So risking his life is worth it to get everyone else out of danger.
Yes! I mean, he doesn't have much choice, but he's still so heroic. That thing he tells Zhao Xinci on the rooftop about not living with regrets really is key for him.
or else Wang Zheng called him when she couldn't reach anyone who went to the hospital any more.
Ooh, yes. I like that.
And also going to look for some pliers, since I doubt he carries them around on the regular. *g*
Ha! Yes.
I also still love how Shen Wei says Zhao Yunlan will know the truth one day, but doesn't actually promise to tell him, even if his words can be interpreted that way. :D
Yessssss! That's so great. <3 <3 <3
no subject
Yes! It's never a matter of trust at all, which is amazing. :D
I feel like it would fit best on the way in to the SID that morning. Like, maybe ZYL woke up hoping they could resolve it now they'd slept on it, and Shen Wei's refusal to bend is why they both ended up sitting, stewing in silence?
Hmmm. What do you think Zhao Yunlan wanted Shen Wei to say, then? That line makes it sound like Zhao Yunlan is angling for something specific, and I'm not sure what that would be. (And also, I'm pretty sure from Shen Wei's side it doesn't look like he's refusing to bend. *g*)
Ahh, great point! And it makes me wonder how much it was that all along. Like, the being hurt is bad, but being hurt and hiding it, trying to deal with it on his own, is so much worse?
That's definitely a part of it, yeah! And part of it is also that the (unavoidable, time-loopy) secrets make Shen Wei's side impossible to understand for Zhao Yunlan. For someone who's used to figuring people out, that has to be extra difficult.
And so far, the events at the hospital have been mind-controlly, which Shen Wei says next episode wouldn't affect Zhao Yunlan. (I wonder if the Guardian Treaty actually gives ZYL some protection, hm. It would make sense practically -- you don't want the representative of humanity to be suborned, right?)
Oooh, that's a good point, that could/should easily be related! Will ponder that when I get to that bit of next episode. :)
The Lord Guardian having some kind of power or protection would make some sense in the abstract, but in practice the drama just doesn't give me the impression at all that Zhao Yunlan's position comes with any special benefits.
I think here he's being pretty offhand about it, though. Maybe he doesn't like thinking about the cost to Shen Wei of having all these roles? And is his poking Dr Cheng, saying she must know, a reference to her twin roles as doctor and Zu Ma's jiejie? It seems pointed.
Yeah, and I think that's why he says it so offhand - his focus isn't really on Shen Wei (for once :p), he's in the middle of poking and prodding Dr Cheng so he can figure her and Zu Ma out. *g*
Is he forcing the SID to take his side in this argument? ;-p
LOL! :D
Yes! I mean, he doesn't have much choice, but he's still so heroic. That thing he tells Zhao Xinci on the rooftop about not living with regrets really is key for him.
Agreed. What choice he does have is all put into putting himself between others and danger. Even to the point of cheating at Russian Roulette, I will never get over this!!!!! (How did people somehow get the impression that between them, Shen Wei is the self-sacrificial one?! They're two of a kind, they are.)
no subject
I think it's "What did you mean when you said you were returning a life to me? Explain that." Like ep 14's, "what do you mean, always?" You know? I think that mystery probably overwrites everything else because it's so fundamental to how Shen Wei behaves.
And also, I'm pretty sure from Shen Wei's side it doesn't look like he's refusing to bend. *g*
Ha, true.
And part of it is also that the (unavoidable, time-loopy) secrets make Shen Wei's side impossible to understand for Zhao Yunlan. For someone who's used to figuring people out, that has to be extra difficult.
Yes, this.
The Lord Guardian having some kind of power or protection would make some sense in the abstract, but in practice the drama just doesn't give me the impression at all that Zhao Yunlan's position comes with any special benefits.
Idk, there are a few times Zhao Yunlan says, "Of course I [could do a particular thing, or managed something well] -- I'm the Lord of the Guardians." Maybe that's what he means...
How did people somehow get the impression that between them, Shen Wei is the self-sacrificial one?! They're two of a kind, they are.
RIGHT? Just with slightly different focuses (world vs individuals).
no subject
Yeah, I can see that. And it's absolutely not something Shen Wei can answer, so they're stuck. *pets them both*
Idk, there are a few times Zhao Yunlan says, "Of course I [could do a particular thing, or managed something well] -- I'm the Lord of the Guardians." Maybe that's what he means...
Huh, really? That doesn't come across as genuine to me at all. It's more like - I was just at that scene in epsidoe 25 where Kong Jin has ZYL captive and says he admires him, and ZYL comes back with, "Yeah, lots of people admire me!" That sort of talk.
no subject
no subject