海市蜃楼 The Mirage

Synopsis

The first historical suspense drama by Li Hongchou, the creator of "Moral Peanuts," starring Fei Qiming and Lü Xiaoyu. A fantastical mystery and battle of wits behind the mysterious mirages in Dengzhou City, rated 8.3 on Douban.

Overview

The Mirage (English: The Mirage, also known as: Sky Mirage) is a 2025 Chinese mainland historical fantasy suspense web series, co-directed by Li Hongchou, Che Zhigang, and Xing Dongdong. The series stars Fei Qiming, Lü Xiaoyu, Shao Zhuang, An Ning, Yang Yu, and Jin Zixuan.

This series is the first historical drama production by the Moral Peanuts team's Youying Culture. It premiered exclusively on iQiyi on December 19, 2025, with a total of 24 episodes, each approximately 44 minutes long. It received a rating of 8.3 on Douban.

Set in the ancient city of Dengzhou, the story follows female bounty hunter Zeng Qian as she teams up with the brilliant but physically weak Cao Sheng, the enigmatic vigilante Yexiao, and others to uncover the truth behind the mysterious mirage.

Plot

Mysterious mirages frequently appear in the sky above Dengzhou City. The townspeople often disappear due to these mirages, and those who return claim to have mistakenly entered a fairyland, but their behavior becomes abnormal.

Female bounty hunter Zeng Qian (played by Lü Xiaoyu), traveling with her brother Zeng Xin while escorting a prisoner, passes through Dengzhou City. After taking down a wanted poster for the vigilante Yexiao, she unexpectedly becomes entangled in a series of bizarre events.

To investigate the truth, Zeng Qian forms a detective team with the brilliant but frail scholar Cao Sheng (played by Fei Qiming), the highly skilled bodyguard Yunniang (played by An Ning), the mysterious vigilante Yexiao (played by Shao Zhuang), and the arrogant yet exceptionally talented scion Xie Jingtang (played by Yang Yu).

They discover that the mirage is not merely a natural phenomenon but conceals a massive conspiracy. Each case reflects the greed and desires of human nature.

As the investigation deepens, the detective team gradually realizes that the true enemy is not the illusions within the mirage, but the desires and power struggles within the human heart.

Cast

Production & Reception

The Moral Peanuts series is considered legendary among domestic suspense dramas, with a Douban rating as high as 9.7. The Mirage, as this team's first historical drama, carried high expectations from many fans.

Co-directed by Li Hongchou, Che Zhigang, and Xing Dongdong, the series continues the mind-bending, plot-twisting narrative style of the Moral Peanuts series, while setting the story in a historical period infused with fantasy elements.

The series was scheduled for an exclusive premiere on iQiyi at 12:00 noon on December 19, 2025. Its Douban rating opened at 8.1 and later rose to 8.3.

Audience reviews praised it for having first-rate plot but third-rate costumes, makeup, and set design. The plot is described as mind-bending with constant twists, but the production of historical scenes is relatively simplistic.

Cultural Impact

The Mirage continues the suspenseful and mind-bending tradition of the Moral Peanuts team, proving that low-budget teams can also produce high-quality suspense masterpieces.

References

1. Douban Movie: https://movie.douban.com/subject/36382628/
2. Baidu Baike: https://baike.baidu.com/item/海市蜃楼/64520699
3. TVmao: https://www.tvmao.com/kanju/XmlvKFxn
4. iQiyi: https://www.iqiyi.com/v_wrzrjad2qo.html