After Yang Cheng becomes famous as "New E-Soul" for rescuing Pomelo, his trust rating rapidly increases. The public celebrates him as an unmasked, approachable hero—a contrast to the mysterious original E-Soul of the MG conglomerate. Yang Cheng's classmate Shang Chao leverages the popularity to build his own hero brand, secures sponsorship from his father, and outfits Yang Cheng with high-tech equipment. Meanwhile, Xia Qing, Yang Cheng's secret love interest, reveals that she has long seen through his identity and urges him to confront his true self.

The crisis escalates when Pomelo's kidnappers claim that Yang Cheng staged the act to gain fame. The Hero Commission arrests him, and MG brands him a fraud. However, Enlighter, an independent investigator, presents evidence: The kidnapping was orchestrated by an anonymous client who wanted to discredit Yang Cheng. A public petition (#NewE-SoulInnocent) restores his trust rating, and Yang Cheng is celebrated as a hero.

During a media-heavy event crowning the "New E-Soul," Shang Chao disappears under mysterious circumstances. Yang Cheng and Xia Qing desperately search for him but only find his destroyed equipment and bloodstains. In a dramatic cliffhanger, it is revealed that Shang Chao was shot by a masked attacker—who mistakenly thought he was Yang Cheng because he was wearing an E-Soul helmet.