Character Relationship Map: The Four 3

Characters

• Cold Blooded (played by Deng Chao) — protagonist

  Central protagonist who transitions from a top agent in Department Six to an undercover operative in the Divine Constabulary. His loyalty is constantly tested as he navigates a love triangle and becom...

• Iron Hand (played by Collin Chou) — supporting

  A loyal Department Six agent who operates alongside Cold Blooded. He participates in key investigations, shares imprisonment with Cold Blooded and Life Snatcher, and later joins the mission to rescue...

• Zhuge Zhenwo (played by Anthony Wong Chau-Sang) — supporting

  Leader of the Divine Constabulary, a secret imperial service that operates like a tight-knit family. Initially suspected of multiple massacres and murder, he is arrested by Ji Yaohua but later rescued...

• Eunuch Wu (played by Lai Xi) — minor

  Palace official involved in court conspiracies, power struggles, and imperial surveillance.

• Minister Cai (played by Cao Bingkun) — antagonist

  A calculating court minister who seeks to exploit the succession crisis and capture political power for himself.

• Emperor (played by Alec Su) — minor

  Ruler of the Northern Song dynasty, oversees imperial investigations and political stability.

• Lord An (played by Yu Chenghui) — antagonist

  An ambitious nobleman who presents himself as a loyal benefactor while maneuvering through the succession crisis to claim the throne.

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Emperor → Lord An (Power Successor) — The Emperor's decision transfers the throne to Lord An.

  In the final political reversal, the Emperor announces his abdication and names Lord An as his successor.

• Zhuge Zhenwo → Emperor (Professional Imperial Servant) — Zhuge leads an imperial service operating within the Emperor's system.

  Zhuge Zhenwo leads the Divine Constabulary, described as a secret imperial service, while the Emperor remains the central political authority.

• Cold Blooded → Emperor (Professional Imperial Investigator) — Cold Blooded operates within an investigation shaped by the Emperor's order.

  The Emperor orders Department Six to solve the case within a month, placing the investigation under imperial pressure.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Minister Cai → Emperor (Conflict Power Challenger) — Minister Cai represents an internal threat to imperial stability.

  Minister Cai appears ready to exploit the succession crisis, hoping the imperial family will fight among themselves before he seizes power.

• Lord An → Minister Cai (Conflict Succession Rival) — Both are connected to competing attempts to benefit from the imperial crisis.

  Minister Cai seeks to exploit the succession crisis and seize power, while Lord An ultimately becomes the named successor.

• Emperor → Eunuch Wu (Alliance Concealment Partner) — Eunuch Wu assists the Emperor through a deliberate disguise.

  Eunuch Wu wears the imperial robes to help conceal the Emperor's escape after the Emperor disappears.

• Cold Blooded → Zhuge Zhenwo (Alliance Rescuer) — Cold Blooded participates in efforts to save Zhuge from the wider conspiracy.

  Cold Blooded's team later joins the mission to rescue Zhuge Zhenwo from enemy territory.

• Cold Blooded → Iron Hand (Alliance Teammate) — They function as cooperating agents during the political investigation.

  Iron Hand operates alongside Cold Blooded during the investigation and later joins the mission connected to Zhuge Zhenwo.

• Lord An → Minister Cai (conflict)

  Both pursue influence during the succession crisis, with competing ambitions to exploit the instability and gain political power.

Story Analysis

A prison escape and imperial disappearance evolve into a succession conspiracy that places Lord An on the throne.

Plot Progression

1. The Prison Break Crisis — A prisoner refuses to reveal the truth about his murdered family while Sheriff King's murderer escapes Ironblood Prison. The Emperor responds by imposing a strict deadline on Department Six.
2. The Face Shifting Clue — Cold Blooded and Iron Hand pursue clues linking the killer to a rare Penglai face-shifting technique. They learn that the method carries a devastating physical cost.
3. The Vanished Emperor — The Emperor disappears, and palace guards attack an escort accompanying a disguised figure. Eunuch Wu's use of the imperial robes reveals a deliberate effort to hide the Emperor's movements.
4. Seeds Of Usurpation — Martial law seals the city while Lord An offers grain and attracts suspicion through a distinctive herb. Minister Cai prepares to exploit the succession crisis, and Zhuge Zhenwo disappears.
5. The Throne Reversal — Zhuge Zhenwo's followers escort the Emperor to the palace despite the danger. The Emperor presents Zhuge as a traitor, then abdicates and names Lord An as successor.