ChopstickChatter

I am on Ep 15 after the "😏" scene. I am royally confused. So are they working together and playing along to make the two big drug bosses think they're working together and that he is going switch to the bad side for her?

😂😂😂😂 This poor actress.

TFL = The Female Lead? Zhao? Or the FML with GJ's?

There's no hair left to pull. I've pulled all of mine Ep 1-9 with this unrequited love. 😑

Same.

All the romances besides the FML and ML feel unnecessary. A lot of shows try to juggle multiple couples, but this isn’t the kind of story that needs that. If I had to sit through a second dynamic, I’d rather it be between the ML’s childhood friend and his roommate, but only if it’s unavoidable (which it is, since I’m not the writer). The little, subtle scenes hinting at unrequited love just aren’t working for me.

Just finished episode 12. I feel that while the plot is moving forward at an appropriate pace and maintains a sense of realism, the non–case-related scenes are bland. The editing choices for these slice-of-life moments make them feel unnecessary and not worth the screen time. That said, this may be intentional, to emphasize the mundanity of life when the characters aren’t working cases. I can appreciate the intention, but in execution, these scenes end up dragging the show down.

I keep going back and forth on whether this should have remained a strictly crime-focused drama. Even if the goal was to explore the officers’ personal lives outside of work, I think it could have been handled in a far more engaging way. The scenes like the diner owner and his wife’s personal lives feel completely unnecessary. The master’s father having Alzheimer’s works and makes sense, but beyond that, additional subplots don’t feel needed.

I don’t mind the secrecy surrounding the FML and ML; the choice to keep the audience in the dark about what’s really happening between them for a while is fine. Still, aside from the cases and their overarching storyline, nothing else truly pulls me in. That said, I am excited to see what happens between them. ML and FML are good here.

The cases themselves are strong. They’re not shocking or overly sensational, but that realism works in the show’s favor. Each case has had a strange or unexpected twist so far, which keeps them interesting.

I’m currently on episode 12, and I might wait until episode 18 to binge the next 6 episodes.

Blade of Vengeance later this year and the next drama after that in 2027 (tentatively) have great potential. Especially the second one which with a second ML really intrigues me. Legend of something...

You didn't like Blood River?

I also prefer him in costume or modern.

Already pumped. I can't wait to see the costumes for the actors and actresses.

So I finished 12. Ep 10-12 picks up between the ML and FML. ML discovers that FML is part of a huge drug trafficking boss ring and is the mistress of one of the bosses. He knows her drug trafficking identity by the end of Ep 11. He is tasked to go under cover as part of the homicide team. The narcotics and the homicide team are teaming up to bring down two big drug bosses and the FML is associated with one of them. BUT...the show is hinting it or may be hinting that she is under cover or at least that's what everyone in the comments here are suspecting.

The FML drugged the ML but he ended up fine. The show is being hushed hushed and nothing is truly revealed yet. No one truly knows whether she is an undercover informant or not by end of Ep 12.

You should wait. Wait until end of Ep 16.

Yeah. So, at least up to Ep 10, he knows about her being a CI but she doesn't know he is also now a CI (and they're technically on the same side but she doesn't know that but he knows that) but eventually she will know.

😂🤣😂🤣 This is great.

I'm on Ep 10. I think he knows about her.

Is Gong Jun in this...?

I am excited to watch this tonight but I am a lot more curious about Ep 12.

I still go back to Ep 14: Three Heavenly Officials paintbrush fight & Ep 16: Wanjuan Tower fight. My eyeballs appreciate this episode a lot. lol.

I thought of the same thing, but by episode 8, I understand why they’re there. The drama deliberately shows what these officers sacrifice: time with family, personal happiness, even financial comfort to do their jobs. We see how much they earn (money-wise), what they give up, and how their personal lives suffer. The Truth isn’t just about solving crimes; it’s about the people behind the badges.

From Episodes 1–9, there are slower segments that focus on the characters’ lives outside of work: family members, illness, domestic moments. A prime example is the ML's mentor who's father has Alzheimer’s. I’ll be honest: these are the scenes where I sometimes fast-forward.

If you go into the drama with this mindset, many scenes that might initially feel “unnecessary” start to make thematic sense.

I saw a still somewhere where he calls out her out on her crap and the line he says is: I am the only one who can help you out of this mess right now. He says it with a smirk! So he'll have the upper hand soon enough.

He ain't gonna fall for it. We both know that.

"...she's a square that popped out of nowhere." 🤣😂🤣