Black & White never pretends that it isn’t a police procedural, with the meat of the drama around the investigation of criminal matters that surround Pi Zi and Ying Xiong. What makes B&W more than just a standard police drama is how well it’s plotted, how perfect the acting roles are cast and the chemistry the characters have with each other. The drama makes a genuine attempt to consider the human element of it’s story while never allowing the cheesy and maudlin emotions muddy up the sharp plot progression.

Where we last left off, our intrepid cops went on an undercover weapons investigation only to find themselves at the receiving end of some fists and sticks. Always in control Ying Xiong is not going to like being outwitted, and now he finds himself squarely opposing his lady crush’s family business. Which is certainly not a good place for a potential beau to be in. 

Action 7 recap:

An undercover gun investigation turns into a complete bust as the three cops are fingered as cops by the San Lian Gang. It’s nighttime by the time the cops of the South Precinct arrive at the warehouse. Captain Chen tells his subordinates to keep the news at bay. Ying Xiong and Pi Zi are hog tied and strung up while Lao Li is more comfortably tied to a chair. Captain Chen wonders where his crack investigative team went, only to find them about as mobile as a ham being cured. He immediately calls for the media to be barred from the scene.

Lan Xi Ying is on the phone discussing her review of the bullets retrieved from the scene. She takes a look at the bullet used to kill Lin Ke Le and matches it up to one of the bullets used at the bank robbery shootout. Yay, another breakthrough.

The cops are untied and Captain Chen asks where the bad guys and the illegal guns are? Pi Zi leads them over only to discover everything has been moved. Ying Xiong is hella pissed while Captain Chen sarcastically asks where the weapons are? LOL, I love how Captain Chen thinks Pi Zi and Ying Xiong’s goals in life are to royally fuck up time and again. Lao Li backs up Team Double Happiness and confirms there were guns there earlier.

Captain Chen thinks Pi ZI and Ying Xiong are there to make his life miserable and his career down the drain. The media is outside after hearing about a gun bust, but the Captain now has no guns and no bust. Pi ZI suddenly remembers there are guns elsewhere and takes the cops to his car. He opens the trunk and takes out the guns he bought from the bad guys as a paying customer. HAHAHA, brilliant.

Captain Chen goes “ehhhh”? Pi Zi takes out a wad of cash and says he got some change from the transaction, too. Ying Xiong is standing behind the Captain and making angry gestures at his totally off the grid partner. Pi Zi takes out an HK-416 which is the gun used at the robbery. The Captain is furious at Pi Zi’s tactics. He screams at Double Happiness to make a thorough report for why they bought guns from the triad.

Afterwards Ying Xiong asks his partner if he’s a moron, and concedes that the manpower needed to move so many weapons in such a short time can only be done by the likes of the San Lian Gang. Ying Xiong realizes a vehicle was needed to move the weapons and goes to get the warehouse entry log and finds out only one San Lian Gang vehicle entered. They move to pull the surveillance footage on the highways to track the car.

Ying Xiong receives a call from Xi Ying and hurries back to the lab to get confirmation that the same gun that was used to kill Lin Ke Le was used at the bank robbery. Ying Xiong can’t figure out why the killer would go rob a bank later.

The next morning, Hulk reports to Ying Xiong that the San Lian truck left the highway and drove into a street and that was the last time it was seen. Pi Zi wants Hulk to investigate how the surveillance cameras in the South Precinct were turned off the night the gun was stolen.

Lao Li takes out all the cases that Police Chief Lin at the North Precinct worked on to try and find out why someone could hate her and kill her daughter. Lao Li explains that she’s cracked hundreds of cases and is one of the most impressive cops ever to serve. Ying Xiong finds out that Police Chief Lin busted Da Yen, one of the San Lian Gang heads, way back when. Xiao Lu thinks Da Yen asked his San Lian buddy Che Jin, the sharpshooter, to kill Lin Ke Le. But then teases that it’s too far-fetched.

Chen Ling calls Ying Xiong and complains that he’s never answering his phone. She sends him a text asking him to see a movie.

Ying Xiong and Pi Zi are at the lab with Xi Ying as she looks at the guns Pi Zi bought from the San Lian Gang. She explains that the Gang is thorough and already scrubbed off all the identifying marks. Hulk calls and asks Ying Xiong to come back, he has something to say. Before leaving, Ying Xiong tells Xi Ying that he’s asked Hulk to investigate the turning off of the surveillance camera. Xi Ying is quiet, and then reveals that she suspects Hulk of doing it because of his prowess with computers. Ying Xiong doesn’t believe it since he’s known Hulk since they were in the academy together. Xi Ying says that people change and anyone can be a suspect. Ying Xiong agrees to be more vigilant.

Hulk has managed to track the moving van driving into San Lian Street and explains that via how many green front lights are lit, he was able confirm that the van was heavy when it entered the street but light when it exited. Ying Xiong vows to get those guns back.

Captain Chen refuses to send people to San Lian Street with Double Happiness or to get a search warrant. He explains the San Lian Gang knows all the judges and top politicians. If they go up against them without strong evidence, they will get screwed. Ying Xiong is furious that he can’t bring people in just for questioning. Captain Chen says the Gang aren’t people, they are demons. He wants to get rid of the Gang, too, but he’s seen too many cops enter and never leave. Captain Chen tells Pi Zi to calm Ying Xiong down and stop trying to take on the world singlehandedly.

Ying Xiong is furious and screams at the Captain, asking if he’s just a coward who doesn’t want to crack this case? Pi Zi keeps trying to calm Ying Xiong down, who rages that the Captain keeps trying to prevent them from investigating the San Lian Gang. Plus he was the one who called Xi Ying out of the lab that night, leading to a chance for the gun to be stolen. The Captain says that these are strong accusations and unless Ying Xiong has any proof, the Captain will discipline him for stepping out of line.

Pi Zi is left playing peacemaker and tells the Captain that Ying Xiong got beat up pretty back a few days ago and his brain is still hurty so don’t take what he says seriously. Ying Xiong is pissed that this case is taking so long to move forward. Ying Xiong asks Xiao Lu to contact the prosecutor to get a search warrant. Hulk offers to do it since he cracked the van surveillance. Ying Xiong agrees but is wary because of what Xi Ying said.

Pi Zi tries to suggest Ying Xiong reconsider going to the infamous San Lian Street to confront the Gang since they don’t have much evidence yet. Ying Xiong won’t be deterred and tells Pi Zi to stop being a wimp. Pi Zi is reluctant to get into the car, so Ying Xiong pretends to drive off, which leads Pi Zi to quickly get in.

The two cops decide to go all out, with Ying Xiong putting a police siren on the top of his vehicle and driving right into the busy pedestrian street teeming with night life. Immediately they are surrounded by the members of the San Lian Gang. Pi Si and Ying Xiong get out of the car and asks to see Da Yen. The Gang naturally dislikes Ying Xiong’s in-your-face attitude and fists start flying.

Pi Zi tries to calm the mood down when a guy walks up asking how they dare to come into the street. Pi Zi recognizes him as the guy who knocked Ying Xiong out cold at the warehouse. Ying Xiong and that guy start fighting. Da Yen and Chen Ling are dining inside and made aware of two cops on the street demanding to see Da Yen and starting a fight.

Ying Xiong singlehandedly (and insanely awesomely) fights a bevy of guys. Before the fight can get out of control, Chen Ling arrives and tells everyone to stand down. She demands to know why Pi Zi and Ying Xiong are here? Ying Xiong coldly say he’s doing police work and doesn’t need to inform her in advance. Ying Xiong informs Da Yen that they have evidence illegal weapons was moved into this street and he’s here to search.

Da Yen asks for a search warrant which Pi Zi tries to BS that he has one. But Ying Xiong confirms it’s coming and tells the Gang to let them search. One of the guys wants to take on the gun situation and offers to go to the station with them. Chen Ling asks to discuss it and find out why Ying Xiong is so desperate to find the weapons.

Ying Xiong is pissed and rails at Chen Ling for ultimately being the daughter of the Chairman of the Gang and still intimately involved in the gang’s bad deeds. Chen Ling says she thought Ying Xiong understood, but he’s the same as everyone else. She tears up and says she wants to be an ordinary girl too, but these people are her family. Getting rid of the Gang isn’t going to turn the world all perfect.

Ying Xiong says there is right and wrong, and her side is clearly wrong. Chen Ling turns the conversation even more personal and says that if it wasn’t Ying Xiong who saved her, she would have never like him!

Ying Xiong clenches his jaw and goes all out, revealing that the person who saved her was not him, it was Chen Zai Tian! O.M.G. Ying Xiong confesses that he lied to her – while he didn’t outright lie, it was still a lie by omission because he didn’t clarify her misassumption. Everyone watches this awkward and intimate spat. Until it’s broken up by more cop cars driving into the street.

It’s Captain Chen who is here to explain that the prosecutor refuses to issue a search warrant. Ying Xiong rages that they have the evidence, why won’t the prosecutor issue a search warrant. Da Yen speaks up and says the Gang won’t make a bigger deal out of tonight’s altercation any further and both sides ought to just let it go.

Chen Ling sits in her room and looks at her phone with tears in her eyes. She thinks back to being piggybacked out of the train compartment and realizes now that it was Pi Zi who did it. She takes a drink of beer and calls him (Pi Zi) an idiot.

Ying Xiong sits in the lab brooding. Xi Ying brings him some coffee and asks how the attempted raid went? Ying Xiong sighs that he wasn’t hurt, but he hurt someone, and hurt that person badly. Oh yes you did, Ying Xiong. He knows that he shouldn’t have said those things, but he couldn’t control himself and said it. He thinks he’s still angry at the San Lian Gang and took it out on her. Xi Ying suggests he apologize. Ying Xiong sighs and just drinks his coffee. I love this quiet scene between them.

Ying Xiong notices that the coffee he’s drinking is from the mug that Pi Zi gave to Xi Ying. She thinks he already gave it to her, she ought to use it. Ying Xiong rather admires Pi Zi’s ability to just barge into another person’s world and make himself comfortable. Xi Ying encourages him to apologize directly to the person and not just say his regrets to her.

Pi Zi sits Ying Xiong down and asks why he’s got such a rash and explosive temper. Why did he go so far as to completely destroy his tenuous relationship with Chen Ling? And why did Ying Xiong reveal who piggybacked her out that day. Hulk barges in to bring the San Lian Building floor map. Ying Xiong confirms that Hulk hasn’t told this to anyone. Hulk pulls up the map to show that there is a storage room in the building where the weapons are likely stashed. But the lock for the room is a custom made system that can only be opened by a microchip embedded in certain people’s cell phones or other devices. They discover Chen Ling has access to that room.

Pi Zi watches Ying Xiong uncomfortable with calling Chen Ling to lure her out. Pi Zi tells him to be the best cop in the South Precinct and just go for it. Plus he can apologize to her and let their fight become a thing of the past. Pi Zi reminds him to pick a very long movie and he promises that everything will be fine.

Ying Xiong worries that Chen Ling will be upset if she found out that she was lied to. Pi Zi doesn’t think they are lying, since Ying Xiong is in truth apologizing to her and taking her to see a movie. Ying Xiong is still waffling but ultimately calls her. He’s so adorably awkward and walks around until he can say what he wants to say to her. He apologizes for what he said the other day, and asks if her offer to watch a movie with him still stands.

Ying Xiong happily takes Chen Ling to see a movie. He thanks her for coming. She says she only came because he said he wouldn’t be able to sleep if he didn’t see her. She accepts his apology and they go inside. Before they go inside, someone bumps into Chen Ling. It’s Hulk, who distracts Chen Ling so that Ying Xiong can swipe her cell phone. He drops it into the trash bin for Pi Zi to pick up.

Pi ZI takes Chen Ling’s cellphone and his knowledge of the San Lian Building’s floor plan and heads to investigate. He manages to walk right on in while pretending he’s talking on the phone. He heads to the storage room and successfully enters. Chen Ling is enjoying the movie while it’s clear Ying Xiong is uncomfortable with what’s happening.

Pi Zi swipes Chen Ling’s cellphone and enters the storage room, which is packed with row after row of files. Pi Zi is searching the files when suddenly Chen Ling’s phone rings and it’s her dad calling. Pi Zi freaks out and put the phone on the book shelf.

Da Yen is dining with his subordinates when he gets a call from the Chairman that the GPS on his daughter’s cellphone indicates she’s in the building but there is no sign of her. Da Yen hangs up and heads back to the building to look for Chen Ling. Oh shit. Da Yen and his guys walk into the building and take the elevator upstairs. Pi ZI is still searching through the fiiles.

Thoughts of Mine:

I love how the drama takes it’s time to introduce characters and build the tension. We still haven’t met Chen Ling’s dad, the Chairman of the San Lian Group. But his presence is felt throughout the drama, as the theoretical antagonist who doesn’t feel evil because how could a bad guy raise such an awesome daughter as Chen Ling. While the San Lian Gang has been excoriated like they are the scourge of Harbor City, we haven’t really seem them do anything truly reprehensible, other than knocking a couple of cops out and hog tying them. Whereas we already know there is one shady cop as the head of the North Precinct. Thing are not so black and white in B&W land, that’s for sure.

The relationship threads are getting more and more complicated, with Chen Ling and Ying Xiong kinda sorta dating, but with the whole piggybacking truth out in the open. Chen Ling is going to be hella pissed once she finds out Ying Xiong betrayed her during their movie date, and coupled with their intractable positions on the side of the law and not the law, their relationship is pretty much doomed before it even begins. I enjoy watching hot blooded Ying Xiong lose his temper, and discover that Pi Zi is more and more his foil in both work and personal life. The bromance is already here, and now we’ve just got to see where the mystery of the recent spate of crimes and Pi Zi’s background leads us to.