The seventh episode of "The Manipulated" commences with Tae-joong's daring motorcycle escape from Yo-han's factory, crashing onto the shoreline like a runaway wave. He scavenges for clothes from a nearby house and sprints towards the city, though his injuries are mounting, and he stumbles on the verge of unconsciousness as he finally reaches Yong-sik's repair shop. Back at the factory, Yo-han instructs the warden to report to his superiors that the other inmates met their fate in a tragic gas leak.
As the episode unfolds, Tae-joong awakens to Yong-sik's pledge to aid him in any endeavor, even providing him with a phone. Tae-joong's first order of business is to confront the lawyer, Kim Sang-rak, and teach him a lesson. Sang-rak confesses to their sinister trade of selecting a fall guy and falsely implicating them in another's crime, a practice they call "sculpting."
But just as Yo-han's hired assassin arrives to assist Sang-rak, things take a turn. The assassin begins to falter against Tae-joong's relentless assault and resorts to an explosive device to eliminate both Tae-joong and Sang-rak. Sang-rak falls victim, but Tae-joong leaps through the window with his life. Yo-han's displeasure is palpable upon hearing this news, and he personally sets out to eliminate the assassin himself.
Tae-joong seizes Sang-rak's file on his escape, containing crucial information on Yo-han's latest target: So Hyeon-jung, a woman set to be framed for someone else's crime, much like Tae-joong himself.
Meanwhile, Detective Hwan is introduced, surprised to discover that the bribery charges against him were mysteriously cleared by Yo-han. In exchange, Yo-han requests that Hwan tracks down Tae-joong. Hwan visits the prison, perusing Tae-joong's cell with Officer Yoon, who resents not being allowed to investigate the incident.
Yo-han himself embarks on his own brand of "sculpting" with So Hyeon-jung as his canvas. Tae-joong decides to keep a watchful eye on her, using Yong-sik's expertise to install hidden cameras around Hyeon-jung's salon, setting the stage for a cat-and-mouse game between the manipulators and their prey.
On a fateful day, Eun-bi, Yong-sik's daughter, made her customary visit to collect funds from her father. Tae-joong, however, mistook her for a thief and promptly subdued her. Yong-sik swiftly intervened to clear the misconception. As Eun-bi stepped aside, she addressed Tae-joong with an urgent demand for rent, which he met with the very money Yong-sik had just given him. To even the score, she delivered a gentle punch that left no doubt of her intent. Through the cameras he had cunningly set up, Tae-joong spotted a suspicious vehicle lurking near Hyeon-jung's location. He also noticed a motorcyclist hovering close by, undoubtedly the ones who had implicated Tae-joong in possession of the victim's phone.
Determined to uncover the truth, Tae-joong made his way to Hyeon-jung's salon. By then, she had already left, but her daughter revealed that she had found someone's phone and was on her way to return it. Tae-joong followed her lead as Officer Yoon and Detective Hwan unexpectedly arrived at Yong-sik's doorstep.
