The protagonist Gu Chuan transforms step by step from a pure idealist, forced by troubled times, to a pragmatic survivor, to a scheming avenger, and finally becomes a murderer and fugitive due to the plan getting out of control. The core conflict of the story lies in the fierce collision between the ideals of intellectuals and the rules of survival in troubled times, and the double-edged sword effect of coexisting creativity and destructive power when knowledge is used as a weapon. Every transformation of the protagonist is clearly driven by events, and the struggle and depravity in his inner world are vividly depicted, ultimately pushing him into a situation beyond redemption.
