Chapter 99: You Were Supposed to Play a Suit-Clad Thug, So Why Did You Turn Into an Outlaw?

The first two episodes of "Sweeping Black Waves" have concluded, yet the discussions surrounding them have only just begun.

These two episodes are packed with an immense amount of information. First, the supervision team received a report filed under the real name of Ding Lan, alleging that the demolition of Hong Village thirteen years ago involved corruption and illicit benefits. Her husband had vanished on a stormy night, and for thirteen long years, there has been no sign of him—neither alive nor dead.

Second, through the dialogue of the supervision team, it was revealed that Jinghai is named a "Civilized City" every single year, and every task force sent there has given it high praise. Does this mean there is no criminal underworld, or are the common people simply too afraid to speak out?

Furthermore, there is the clash between the various characters. The leaders of the supervision team, played by actors such as Feng Wei and Fu Shu, clearly appear to be on the side of justice, but the characters played by Ren Yi, Song Wen, and Cao Xiang seem ambiguous, neither purely good nor evil. Specifically, Yu Feng, played by Ren Yi, and Xia Hai, the captain of the provincial criminal investigation team’s anti-organized-crime squad, played by Cao Xiang, had their first meeting after a long time, which ended in an unpleasant confrontation.

What makes it even more critical is that the audience empathizes with Yu Feng’s outburst. What kind of justice is a justice that arrives late? Fourteen years ago, Yu Feng was full of vigor. When he first joined the police force, guided by his mentor, his eyes sparkled with light; he wanted to protect Jinghai. Fourteen years later, the people closest to him are dead, the light in his eyes is gone, replaced only by endurance and repression.

Of course, the biggest surprise in these two episodes was Zhou Bo, played by Lin Xing. From the start, he displayed his insane nature. He ran a business involving "nude loans," and when he discovered that his debt-collecting lackey had gotten involved with a debtor, it was something Zhou Bo could not tolerate. Lin Xing portrayed this sense of absolute control over life and death, treating people like blades of grass, with chilling perfection. Especially when, in one moment, Lin Xing said, "You can go home," and in the next, he smiled and added, "But before you go, you need to do me a favor: work as a delivery driver for a year." After saying this, he had his lackeys drag the woman away. "Teach her how to do deliveries." Lin Xing’s expression was relaxed, almost indifferent, yet it sealed the tragic fate of the beautiful woman, Wu Ning.

By the second episode, Lin Xing had even kidnapped the daughter of the whistleblower and directly injected her with drugs. "Let me tell you, there is nothing easier to control people with than drugs." After the injection, Lin Xing smiled at the strategist for Shen Ming and asked, "Do you want a hit?"

"I'll pass on that stuff, but Mr. Shen told me to let you know the supervision team is arriving, so you’d better tone it down."

"Tell my godfather I won't cause him any trouble." The smile remained on Lin Xing's face, but as soon as the strategist left, he hissed viciously, "I'll kill you sooner or later."

***

"Is this really Lin Xing?"

In the first episode, the character of Zhou Bo left even casual viewers stunned. To them, Lin Xing seemed like a completely different person. Hadn't everyone been saying Lin Xing was playing a "domineering CEO"? More importantly, the Zhou Bo played by Lin Xing also wears a suit, glasses, and a watch, but in terms of both look and temperament, you cannot see a single trace of his previous role, Du Fei.

Once the two episodes of "Sweeping Black Waves" ended, many felt unsatisfied and wanted more. Since Penguin Video updates at 10:00 PM, there were still twenty minutes to go, but audiences on Imperial City TV and Magic City TV had already begun their discussions.

"I just finished the two episodes of 'Sweeping Black Waves.' The scale is bold, the pacing is fast, and it’s completely devoid of filler. It’s excellent, and the biggest surprise for me is Lin Xing."

"If it were any other drama, they would have dragged these first two episodes out into at least ten. Damn, the information density is huge. The supervision team, the leadership of Jinghai, the mole in the police force, the smiling tiger Shen Ming, and the madness of the villain Zhou Bo—it all feels like the classic dramas of the past."

"Many dramas from twenty years ago were like this, not dragging things out at all, just like Guan Peng's breakout show back in the day—I rewatched it the other day, and it was only twenty episodes total."

***

"The biggest surprise for me is Lin Xing. I never expected him to be so convincing as a villain."

"To be honest, I had low expectations and thought Lin Xing would be awkward as a villain, but instead of being awkward, he actually made me genuinely angry."

"Regardless of styling or acting, at least for these two episodes, I think Zhou Bo is a success."

***

As previously mentioned, the requirements of general viewers are actually quite low; as long as you don't act like a blank-faced statue or a fool, most people will be tolerant. Moreover, Lin Xing’s performance as Zhou Bo was genuinely surprising. Most of these viewers were just ordinary people sharing their thoughts after watching.

By the time the third and fourth episodes were released, the discussion had shifted. Some were amazed to see such high praise for Lin Xing’s look and acting among a cast of veteran actors. People who had initially doubted him were now recommending the show to others, admitting that he had far exceeded their low expectations.

Even veteran social media critics were weighing in, noting that if Lin Xing maintained this level of performance for the next four episodes, they would write a full-length review. As the episodes continued, the comments section became flooded with fans and critics alike, all echoing the same sentiment: Zhou Bo is terrifyingly wicked.

From his initial state as a victim to his descent into a villain who would cut off his own cousin’s tongue and kill his competitor’s dog, Lin Xing’s portrayal was chillingly realistic. The topic "#YouWereSupposedToBeASuit-CladThugButYouBecameAnOutlaw" even climbed to the top of the trending charts. Fans who had previously fallen for his "domineering CEO" persona were left in shock and disbelief, unable to reconcile the handsome, charming actor they knew with the cold-blooded monster on screen.

Lin Xing had not just played the part; he had brought the character of Zhou Bo into reality, turning him into a truly detestable, lawless villain. As the episodes mounted, the consensus became clear: Lin Xing had delivered a performance that was nothing short of extraordinary.