The Dark Alley spans the years 2009 to 2015. It tells the story of Tao Fei, a left-behind child who becomes a local thug in a small town. When he protects Li Chunxia, the owner of a restaurant, he incurs the wrath of Zhou Bing, who runs entertainment venues, and is drawn into a struggle for power. Tao Fei and Shen Lu fall for each other, while Liu Xiaoyu secretly pines for him and Wang Xue enters the picture. Meanwhile, behind incidents such as Sun Kun, the town grocery owner, selling counterfeit cigarettes and Zhu Yong, the innkeeper, allowing gambling on his premises, lurks a complex web of crime. In this dog-eat-dog town, everyone faces choices that test their humanity. Some sink into darkness, while others stand firm for justice, as a tale of love, hate, and competing interests unfolds in the martial world.
