Directed by Xin Shuang, the 12-episode mystery suspense series starred Fan Wei, Qin Hao, and Chen Minghao, with special appearances by Li Gengxi, Liu Yitie, and Jiang Qiming.

It tells a story spanning nearly 20 years about multiple characters involved in a dismemberment case in a small factory town in Northeast China, Hualin.

Following the finale, interest in the show increased, and the score briefly surged to 9.5 before stabilizing at 9.4, making it the highest-rated mainland Chinese series in recent years.

[9][10] Beyond its quality in script, acting, usage of music, art, lighting, and editing, the show's portrayal of the lives of ordinary people in Northeast China's rust belt during the 1990s industrial layoffs due to institutional reforms of state-owned enterprises was a significant factor in its high ratings.

The series' suspenseful narration of the main characters' interwoven fates through a decade-long criminal case, along with its heavy socio-political metaphors, is said to have distinguished it from other Chinese detective dramas, adding deeper meaning to the show.