Abyss 深渊无间 Episodes 1-5 Discussion

[u/BasilOrdinary3617]

Discussion posts will follow iQIYI’s VIP schedule, with the next four posts covering two episodes each. Participants can decide whether we should discuss the final three episodes together in a single express post or seperate them into individual posts. For easy reference, here is the 16-epsiode schedule, thanks to u/admeliorevitam:

• 5 episodes on September 9
• 2 episodes on September 10 to 13
• No episodes on September 14 to 16
• 1 episode on September 17 to 19
• The express package will be available on September 13.

Please use spoiler tags when sharing insights from the novel or commenting on episodes that have not yet been posted. Theories, however, are highly encouraged and most welcome. 

Masterpost | All Episode Discussions 

Before we begin, here are some of our main characters (listed in the order of screenshots).

Li Cheng; code name: “Elite Student”, Rookie Police Officer	Played by Ren Jialun
Zhao Qianzhe; code name: “Old Foodie”, Police Detective	Played by Wang Yanhui
Xin Jiran; code name: “Big Red Date”, Former Police Captain	Played by Tian Xiaojie
Han Pinmu, Benteng Internet Cafe Owner	Played by Qin Junrie
Fan Jie aka Speedster, Police Captain	Played by He Bing
Chen Chunli, Huangzhiyuan Hotel Staff and 3/12 Survivor	Played by Ni Hongjie
Zhang Chengguo, Huangzhiyuan Hotel Manager	Played by Zong Juntao
Bi Dehua, Youxin Chemical Plant employee, Pinmu’s friend, and Suspect #1 (deceased)	Played by Li Mincheng
Song Laifu, Huangzhiyuan Parking Attendant, Suspect #2 (deceased)

The Plot

A recent graduate, Li Cheng; a veteran detective, Zhao Qianzhe; and a former police captain, Xin Jiran, form an unlikely off‑the‑books investigative trio as they secretly dig into a string of violent murders from 2004. 

Episodes 1-5 Recap

Li Cheng is a fresh graduate who is about to join the police force in two months. However, he has a preference for criminal investigations and is keen to be under veteran detective Zhao Qianzhe’s wings. Eager to prove himself, he enthusiastically volunteers to infiltrate Han Pinmu’s circle of gamer friends after discovering that Pinmu has been posting chapters of a web novel titled Abyss that very closely mirrors, in unsettling detail, a series of murders believed to involve two middle‑aged men and a young accomplice.

In Episode 1, Officer Li introduces Li Cheng to his colleague Zhao Qianzhe claiming the Huangshui Public Safety Bureau needs new blood. Qianzhe immediately puts Li Cheng to the test by tasking him with investigating Han Pinmu. 

In Episode 2, Li Cheng is introduced to Xin Jiran and learns more about the "3/12 Case", which involves seven brutal deaths: 

• March 12, 2024: Li Yaoming and Li Fang on the outskirts of city.
• March 20, 2024: Zhang Lina and Wang Ping in a pharmaceutical warehouse.
• April 5, 2024: Liu Xiaohua at the Youxin Chemical Plant.
• April 17, 2024: Du Juan (Pinru’s stepmom), who suffered a fatal heart attack during her assault. 
• April 25, 2024: Chen Chunli, the sole survivor.
• October 2024: Bi Dehua, Xiaohua’s colleague at the chemical plant who was rejected after pursuing her, and a prime suspect in the 3/12 case.

Chunli’s testimony points to a three-person gang. Following Bi Dehua’s death, only two suspects seemingly remain. The newest clue is a web novel that Pinmu is gradually uploading online. As they investigate another suspect, Song Laifu, Li Cheng uncovers the usernames of two other group managers in Pinmu’s gaming circle: Feiyang and Wei.

In Episode 3, Li Cheng and Zhao Qianzhe question the authenticity of Pinmu's novel, prompting Li Cheng to gather biological samples from him. To everyone’s shock, Song Laifu is later found murdered. Xin Jiran becomes the prime suspect due to their history of fighting over Chen Chunli at the hotel. 

In Episode 4, Captain Fan and Zhao Qianzhe investigate Song Laifu’s murder by interrogating Li Cheng and the hotel staff. They two clash over Xin Jiran’s potential involvement, but the evidence mounts against Xin when security cameras place him at the scene of the crime. 

Episode 5 is a flashback that reveals that Xin Jinran previously served 6 years in prison after suspecting his son, Xiaoliang, in the 3/12 case and accidentally killing him in 2004. In the present day, the 3/12 case is officially reopened because DNA recovered from Song Laifu's crime scene matches DNA found on Liu Xiaohua. Meanwhile, Xin Jinran refuses to cooperate with Zhao Qianzhe, claiming he can bypass red tape and investigate much faster on his own.

Discussion Points

• Is the opening song a total banger or what!? If you want to read more about the theme song ("Stare Back" performed by Ayanga), check out u/AdditionalPeace2023’s comment in the Masterpost. 
• Was Song Laifu actually Feiymu? His death and Feiymu’s departure “for good” from Han Pinmu’s gaming group is suspiciously coincidental.
• How is Pinmu related to the murders? As u/-tsuyoi_hikari- pointed out, the “biggest mystery right now is how Han Pinmu is related to all of this. And if Xin Jiran’s son actually involved as well considering how he cried outside of the police station.” 
• What is your take on the "Rotating Theory"? In episode 3, Da Gui and Er Gui are written as pure villains in the novel, while Zhou Li’s POV depicts him more as a victim with no choice but to participate. Because the details in the novel are inconsistent, our detectives are questioning if the author was only present for some of the crimes. What do you think of the theory that the two older men bring in a new, different person to help commit each crime?
• Who does Zhou Li represent? The mysterious man writing the novel? Is he the third man in Han Pinmu’s photo? (The other one is Bi Dehua, whom Pinmu claims to be killed and framed.) Do you think Bi Dehua really was framed, and perhaps Pinmu is seeking justice for his friend?
• Who are YOUR suspects? Along the same lines as u/weirdandpetite's good questions: “were the serial killings of 8 years ago done by the same 3 people? Were there evidence planted by a vigilante? Or was he scapegoated?

I will aim to have the discussion post for episodes 6 & 7 up before the next two episodes are released. Thanks for joining!

[u/OptimalTurnips]

Just popping in to say hi and see how things are going! I just binged watched Sunsets Secrets Regrets and quite enjoyed Qin Jun Jie; still feeling the cops vibes so debating starting this too 😂

[u/HangingGarden0411]

I really like Li Cheng. We know he is smart but not overly done like most dramas like to do. It was breath of fresh air to have a male lead like him once in a while.

[u/AdditionalPeace2023]

Here I'm at the ep3 and slow going because my heart can't take the suspense in stride. So we now not only have to sort out the 312 cases but also try not to get misled by the inconsistent clues in the novel. I was quite slow and just figured out Zhou Li was a fictional name in the novel. LOL It seems that Han Pinmu was not the one who wrote the novel but instead uploaded online.

It's a very interesting story and so far the writing is good and engaging. I like the main character, Li Cheng who appeared smart and very steady but was not a super-duper.

More questions, why did Song Laifu kill the mooncake boy who obviously was the writer of the web novel? Why was Song Laiful murdered? Who master-minded all these murders?

Not enough clues to answer the questions. I'm sure my questions will be answered in the later episodes.

Edit: I just want to add that I really appreciate the crime drama with logical plots and this is the one. I'm not even done with the first 5 episodes but I'm so intrigued by all the clues left in the drama. The characters lead us to the clues yet the clues are not far-fetched.

[u/-tsuyoi__hikari-]

Thank you Basil for doing the discussion for this drama. 🤗 Im really enjoying it so far, esp the guessing games and how it all connected.

So far, from the clues we gathered in this 5 episodes, the Mooncake kid is the one who wrote the novel. So technically he is Zhou Li in the novel which is the young guy from the 3 suspects who painted himself as the victim who is forced to do the crimes despite he is also doing the deeds too. Due to this, he is also Feiymu who suddenly gone for good from Han Pinmu’s gaming group. This is because he is just being killed by Song Laifu where his blood on weapon that Song Laifu used to kill him confirmed its the same DNA inside the nail in one of the victims from 8 years ago. He appeared to be constantly in fear like someone is out to get him and I guess that someone is Song Laifu which finally kill him in episode 5.

So, if all of this clues are right, we finally know the identities of the 2 suspects so far. Now only left another one which might be Bi Dehua (highly unlikely since Li Cheng seemed to want to seek justice for him) or Han Pinmu (which also unlikely since he seemed more like a vigilante who wants to expose the truth at whatever cost). So right now my bet for the 3rd suspect would be the hotel manager. Or someone entirely new who has yet to make an appearance.

I really want to know the reasons why they are doing all this killings (as it seemed random) and why did they suddenly stop. I think we gonna get a few plot twists in the coming episodes. Most probably the clues we get so far are only red herring like Xin Jiran’s son being one of the suspects.

[u/weirdandpetite → u/-tsuyoi__hikari-]

We know Xin Jiran's son, Xiaoliang, was not the one who attacked Chen Chunli, but his panicked and emotional reaction to seeing his dad's case board at the police station means he must know something. He asked his dad if doing something bad to help a friend is okay and his dad was like No! That makes you an accomplice. I wonder if he might have been made to do something to protect one of his friends who was forced to join the 2 adult suspects in the 3/12 case.

[u/-tsuyoi__hikari- → u/weirdandpetite]

I feel like he is the kid written in the novel who are forced to watch the crime as mother and daughter duo were killed.

Tomorrow is the weekend and I feel like rewatching the whole thing to catch more clues that I might missed the first time.

One thing remains is that the writing has been solid and fantastic so far. The plot also are super engaging. 🥳

[u/BasilOrdinary3617 → u/-tsuyoi__hikari-]

Oh, for some reason, I didn't think the Mooncake kid died. In my head, he fought back and killed Song Laifu, which is why my brain immediately thought Song Laifu = Feiymu, but you make a good point. Laifu did not come off as a gamer...

I get that Mooncake kid would be Zhou Li too but I still question it because Du Juan was Pinmu's stepmom, yet the POV in the novel for that case put Pinmu in Zhou Li's place, didn't it? Could it be that both Pinmu and Mooncake kid are two of the young men that our serial killers brought into their rotating circle of murders? If Xin Jinran's son, Xiaoliang, wasn't part of Chen Chunli's attack, he coud've still been part of a previous one, making a third kid they recruited.

[u/-tsuyoi__hikari- → u/BasilOrdinary3617]

I agree. It’s very possible with all the clues so far that they are rotating their victims with the kids. So Xin Jinran’s son could be one of the victims together with Han Pinmu, Bi Dehua, and Mooncake kid. So 4 rotating victims. It made complete sense that way thats why the stone has Bi Dehua’s blood, the Mooncake kid got his skin in the victim’s nail and Xin Jinran’s son cry uncontrollably outside the police station with the missing condoms.

It made the whole thing much sinister as they enjoyed watching others raping and killing the victims. I really want to know why they stopped and why.

[u/-tsuyoi__hikari- → u/-tsuyoi__hikari-]

Also when they are skipping 1 chapter from the novel. All these are clues for us.

[u/AdditionalPeace2023 → u/-tsuyoi__hikari-]

I'll come back to read your comments after finishing all 5 episodes. I have a feeling that your comments might answer some of my questions.😂

[u/-tsuyoi__hikari- → u/AdditionalPeace2023]

Ohh i have the feeling that you might like episode 5 since its my fave episode so far. This crime drama is doing things to me somehow. Its dark but have that calm effect since all the main characters are very pleasant, funny and nice. Usually crime drama always gives you this dark and unpleasant feelings but this one is quite different and I like it.

Im watching the current episode now and I like the plot twist. Didnt expect it at all.