Detective Chinatown 2016

In a twist of fate, Qin Feng (Liu Haoran) finds himself in Bangkok after being rejected from a prestigious police academy. Seeking solace and guidance, he turns to his supposed “uncle” Tang Ren (Wang Baoqiang), touted as the preeminent detective in Chinatown’s underworld. However, Tang proves to be a crafty con artist working under the incompetent police sergeant Kon Tai (Xiao Yang). Meanwhile, the murder of Sompat, a key suspect in a high-stakes gold robbery, sets off a chain reaction that embroils Qin and Tang in a web of intrigue.

As Tang becomes the prime suspect in Sompat’s demise, he seeks the expertise of Qin, who surprisingly reveals himself to be a prodigious crime solver. As they navigate the treacherous landscape of Bangkok, they find themselves pursued by the police and Sompat’s cohorts, all vying for control of the stolen gold. Their escapades culminate in a series of misadventures that land them in the midst of a high-stakes game of cat and mouse.

As Qin and Tang attempt to lay low with Tang’s beautiful landlady Xiang (Tong Liya), they are unwittingly followed by the robbers, who converge on the scene just as Kon Tai and his rival Huang Landeng (Chen He) arrive. The ensuing confrontation is a masterclass in awkwardness.

As Qin delves deeper into the mystery, he uncovers the truth behind Tang’s involvement: on the fateful night of the murder, Tang received a mysterious call to deliver a boxed Buddha statue from Sompat’s workshop at midnight. With their cover blown and their reputations tarnished, Qin and Tang decide to stay in Thailand, opting for a more unconventional approach to unraveling the tangled threads of deception.

Their investigation takes them on a wild goose chase through Bangkok’s underbelly, leading them to a seafood market, a junk yard, and finally, to Sompat’s workshop. That night, they narrowly avoid a confrontation with the robbers, only to discover that Huang Landeng’s trusted assistant, Tony, is secretly working against him.

As the stakes continue to rise, Qin finds himself at the forefront of an elaborate scheme that threatens to engulf them all in its wake.

As Qin and Tang delve into the enigmatic case of Sompat’s murder, they must first decipher the cryptic clues hidden within the surveillance footage of the workshop. Under the guise of retrieving evidence, Tang cleverly diverts the police’s attention while Qin and Kon infiltrate Huang’s computer to extract the crucial information. Their sleuthing skills are put to the test as they unravel the mysteries buried within the documents, leading them on a thrilling chase through Sompat’s personal life. A pivotal discovery reveals that Sompat’s son had gone missing a year prior, and his frequent visits to a local café yielded a vital lead: Snow (Zhang Zifeng), a former classmate of the missing boy.

The investigation takes a dramatic turn as Qin and Tang find themselves captured and brought before Mr. Yan, who sets them a daunting 3-day deadline to recover the stolen gold. The duo splits apart, with Qin reuniting with Snow for a second time, while Tang is once again pursued by Huang’s relentless minions. As Qin digs deeper into Snow’s past, he uncovers a crucial connection: Snow’s stepfather is employed at the junkyard adjacent to the parking lot, placing him squarely on their suspect list.

The two detectives reunite at the workshop, where they hypothesize that the killer had hidden in plain sight for an entire week (as the surveillance footage auto-erases itself after seven days), committed the heinous crime before Tang’s delivery, and escaped via the very box he was carrying. Their theories are suddenly disrupted by a surprise ambush from the masked murderer, who sets the workshop ablaze, forcing Qin and Tang to make a narrow escape.

As the case unfolds, Qin and Tang learn that Xiang has been kidnapped by Tony, prompting them to launch a daring rescue mission. With their quarry defeated, they rush Xiang to the hospital, where they unwittingly stumble into a chaotic shootout between the police and the remaining robbers. The pair then returns to Snow’s residence for what they assume will be the final time, only to find her on the brink of death after an overdose. A desperate Qin rushes Snow to the hospital, where he uncovers the shocking truth behind Sompat’s murder in her cryptic journal entries.

Snow’s tragic backstory reveals that she was brutally raped by Sompat, a secret her stepfather discovered, ultimately leading him to take justice into his own hands and eliminate Sompat. The seemingly unrelated gold robbery and murder are finally tied together, exposing the intricate web of deceit and betrayal.

In the thrilling climax, Qin and Tang lead the police on a high-speed chase through Bangkok, finally revealing the hidden location of the stolen treasure: a statue within the workshop. As Snow recovers in the hospital, Qin and Tang share their findings with the authorities, surrounded by the very people they had been investigating - including her stepfather, who meets a fatal end when Kon’s car intervenes, preventing his escape from the hospital window. In a surprising twist, Kon is promoted to deputy chief for his bravery, much to the dismay of Huang, still reeling from his injuries.

As the truth begins to unravel, Qin’s understanding of Sompat’s motivations is transformed by a profound revelation: the man was not driven by a desire for sexual assault, but rather by a misguided pursuit of justice. The catalyst for his actions lay in the disappearance of his son, and Sompat had mistakenly pinned his suspicions on Snow. This twisted logic led him to stalk her, unaware that she was actually planning to eliminate him alongside her detested stepfather, who shared her revulsion. With this newfound insight, Qin is left grappling with the moral implications of Snow’s actions, ultimately deciding against intervening or offering judgment.

Meanwhile, Qin and Tang receive an unexpected invitation to visit an Intel centre, where they are tasked with tackling a fresh case in New York - a new challenge that will put their skills to the test.