Ling Ke (played by Wang Peigen), a young man from a small town who returns home upon learning that his father was assaulted. When he confronts the attackers, he is unexpectedly drawn into a dangerous "black-on-black" crime. Through this encounter, Ling Ke uncovers clues tied to a murder case from twenty years ago, propelling him onto an uncertain path in pursuit of justice.

In the fourth year of Jiayou in the Northern Song Dynasty, a shocking private salt case was exposed, uncovering a sinister plot involving Zhang Kejiu, the Huainan Transport Commissioner, who colluded with the Liao people in treason. Kaifeng Prefecture's Zhan Zhao was ordered to arrest him. Upon hearing the news, Zhang Kejiu, aided by Liao scouts, fled in haste. A larger confrontation, hidden behind the private salt case, was about to unfold.