Octopus with Broken Arms

During a Vesak celebration, Zheng Bingrui hosts a party for his eight-year-old daughter Tingting on the estate grounds. He invites Li Huiping, Tingting's teacher, along with the parents and classmates. Tingting unexpectedly vanishes, triggering panic and an urgent police response.

Officer Zhang Jingxian heads the investigation, coordinating patrols around the estate and reviewing security footage. The police interview guests and staff while canvassing nearby streets for clues. Time is of the essence as investigators race to locate Tingting and ensure her safety.

A ransom demand arrives with precise instructions that must be followed. Zheng decides to follow the kidnappers’ steps in hopes of locating Tingting, while Li Huiping, feeling responsible, joins him in the search. The pair plunge into a dangerous sequence of tasks under live scrutiny.

To prevent endangering the child, the abductors insist on eliminating official intervention. Zheng and Li evade the police and continue the prescribed tasks, turning the abduction into a dangerous game. Live updates stream as the pursuit threads between the duo and the hidden conspirators.

As the chase unfolds, Zheng and Li move between locations to drop off packages and answer coded questions, all broadcast live to an online audience. The duo races through the city, following each instruction to keep Tingting safe while the clock ticks.

Zhang's team uncovers evidence pointing to a prior event known as the 619 incident, when refugee children disappeared on 19 June 2017. Investigators suspect trafficking links and possible connections to the current abduction. The discovery reframes the case as part of a larger network of abuse and corruption.

Flashbacks reveal Zheng's past as an orphan who benefited from dubious networks to build his business. The scenes show how his ascent was enabled by illicit support and compromised ethics. This backstory adds a moral dimension to his present choices.

Initial suspicions gravitate toward Shi Fu'an, a former employee who had ties to Zheng and had once received financial help from him. As investigators re-examine Zheng's relationships, Fu'an's potential motives and access to trafficking networks come into sharper focus. The case widens beyond a simple kidnapping.

Fu'an and Ya Yin coordinate the kidnapping as part of a broader plan, revealing a more complex conspiracy behind Tingting's disappearance. The scheme shows that the crime is driven by a trafficking ring seeking to expose powerful links to the 619 incident. The revelation shifts the narrative from ransom to systemic corruption.

Public pressure intensifies as live-streamed snippets and media coverage highlight corrupt officials and police complicity. News reports and social media amplify calls for accountability, forcing institutions to respond. The exposure creates a political environment ripe for reform.

Zheng is confronted with the moral fallout of his silence and past abuses. He realizes wealth came at a cost to justice and to the vulnerable. The moment marks a turning point in his conscience and willingness to face consequences.

Facing mounting evidence, Zheng decides to confess. He makes a public admission about his knowledge of trafficking and corruption, acknowledging he chose wealth over justice. Tingting is released unharmed as a consequence of the disclosure.

Police intervene and arrest Ya Yin, Fu'an, and their collaborators. Zhang's team also begins scrutinizing higher-level corruption within the police in response to public outcry. The investigation widens to challenge entrenched power structures.

In the aftermath, Zheng publicly surrenders himself. The act marks a turning point and invites discussion about accountability and institutional reform. The case becomes a public symbol of the demand for justice.

The film closes with scenes implying societal demands for institutional reform, suggesting that change extends beyond one case. On-screen data underscores the global toll of missing children, grounding the story in a wider context.