Tomb raiding live stream: Starting as the mute Zhang

The next day was a sunny day, and sunlight streamed into the study through the huge glass windows, making it bright and warm.

Everyone gathered in the study, around the long table. Xie Yuchen had already compiled a brief summary of the information he had gathered the previous night, which was displayed on the central screen. He highlighted the marker that seemed to point to an island by the sea, as well as the basic information about the surrounding waters, hydrological data, and some vague local legends.

"In summary," Xie Yuchen pointed at the screen with a laser pointer, "among these archipelago, three small islands have the weakest 'presence' in terms of geology and history, and best fit the description of 'fog-shrouded, strange light, and numerous caves.' Among them, the outermost and smallest one, 'Foggy Reef Island,' is mentioned in several obscure ancient nautical notes, which describe it as 'an unsinkable ruin, glowing with a ghostly light at night.'"

"The Unsinkable Ruins..." Wu Xie murmured the phrase, "Does it refer to underwater ruins? Or does it mean the island itself won't sink?"

"Both are possible," Huo Xiuxiu said. "But combined with 'a faint glow in the night,' it's more likely to refer to some kind of periodic light phenomenon, possibly related to underwater structures."

"That's an underwater tomb?" Fatty Wang's eyes lit up. "I've never been down into an underwater tomb before! I heard the treasures inside are all coral and pearls?"

"Wang Zanghai's grave," Zhang Qiling suddenly spoke, his voice steady, "is probably underwater."

"Wang Zanghai?" Jiang Xun Gu asked curiously, "That feng shui master from the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties? He was buried at sea?"

"Rumor has it," Xie Yuchen switched the screen to show scanned pages of some ancient books, "that while it's not recorded in official history, some unofficial histories say that he went to sea in search of immortals in his later years and disappeared without a trace. Others say that he built a 'Water Palace' for himself and sank it into the deep sea. If the map marked by the Prince of Xian is correct, this place is very likely Wang Zanghai's last work."

"The tomb of a feng shui master," Black Bear stroked his chin, "there must be a lot of traps, and it's underwater, which doubles the difficulty."

"Tides, water pressure, air, visibility, and possibly...underwater life." Aning listed them one by one, her tone calm. "We need professional diving equipment, underwater communication, lighting, weapons, stress-relief medication, reliable boats, guides familiar with the area, and we also need to consider the weather and sea conditions."

"I'll take care of the equipment and boats," Xie Yuchen said. "The guide is a bit of a problem. That area is remote, and few fishing boats go there. Besides, we have a clear objective and need someone who keeps quiet. I'll have my men look for one; it might take some time."

"No rush." ​​Zhang Qiling looked at the island outlines and nautical charts on the screen. "Let's prepare first."

"Yes," Zhang Qiling nodded, "everything must be complete."

Tentative plan: Use one week to rest and prepare supplies, while searching for reliable boats and guides. Target location: Fog Reef Island and surrounding suspicious waters.

Over the next few days, Xie Yuchen's villa was bustling yet orderly. People kept bringing various items, which were then categorized and placed in several empty rooms on the first floor under Chen Sao's direction. High-pressure diving suits, oxygen cylinders, regulators, diving computers, high-intensity underwater lights, waterproof communicators, pressure-resistant first-aid kits, underwater propulsion devices, and even small sonar detection equipment... filled almost half a room.

Hei Xiazi and Jiang Xun Gu were in charge of checking and adjusting the equipment. Both had previous diving experience, and although not at a professional level, they quickly mastered the tools. A Ning was inventorying the medicines and special tools. Huo Xiuxiu assisted Xie Yuchen in organizing and analyzing the geographical and hydrological information transmitted back.

Looking at the room full of high-end equipment, Fatty Wang gasped, "Master Hua, this is on par with a national scientific expedition team. How much did this cost?"

"Problems that can be solved with money aren't really problems." Xie Yuchen was looking at a newly sent ocean current analysis chart near Wujiao Island without looking up. "Safety first."

Wu Xie was organizing his notes from this period, carefully copying down his observations of the Xianwang Tomb, information from the leather map, and various clues about Wang Zanghai and the Bronze Gate, trying to find connections between them. Occasionally, he would take his notebook to Zhang Qiling or "Zhang Qiling" to ask about some details. The two were usually concise, but they always managed to point out the key points.

That afternoon, Wu Xie once again "ambushed" Zhang Qiling at the study door as he returned from outside. "Brother, last time you said the bronze door pattern was 'older,' did you mean Wang Zanghai might know information about the bronze door earlier than you do?"

Zhang Qiling stopped and pondered for a moment: "Perhaps. Wang Zanghai is skilled in geomancy and knows all the secrets of the past and present. His tomb might be a clue."

"What about the Snake-Eyed Bronze Fish?" Wu Xie recalled something mentioned in the documents: "It's said that there's something called the Snake-Eyed Bronze Fish in Wang Zanghai's tomb, and it's related to the secret of immortality?"

Zhang Qiling walked over from the other side of the corridor. Upon hearing this, he said, "The bronze fish is both a key and a record."

"Record what?"

"His observations," "Zhang Qiling" looked at Zhang Qiling, "may include 'the door'."

Zhang Qiling nodded.

Wu Xie's heart skipped a beat. It seemed that this trip to the underwater tomb was not just for the markings on the map, but might very well be directly related to the core secrets of the Bronze Gate.

At dinner, Fatty Wang munched on his ribs while looking worried: "I'm so naive, are we really going to go to sea? With all this fat, won't I sink to the bottom right away?"

"Good that it's sunk to the bottom," Wu Xie said slowly as he sipped his soup. "I'll attach an anchor for you, to act as an underwater anchor, so we can find the artifacts."

"Get lost!" the fat man glared. "Do you think I'm that kind of person? I'm thinking about the team! What if I'm not agile enough underwater and hold them back?"

"Then you should lose weight," Black Bear interjected, his sunglasses pointed at Fatty. "Take advantage of these next few days and run twenty laps around the lake every day. I'll supervise you."

"Twenty laps?" The fat man's face fell. "Boss Hei, you're my own boss! Ten laps, ten laps at most!"

"Fifteen laps, no less."

"Twelve laps!"

"make a deal!"

Wu Xie chuckled at Fatty's bitter face: "Why are you running laps? You should practice your diving techniques and get familiar with the equipment. Fatty, are you afraid of water?"

"Who's afraid?" the fat man retorted, "I'm just... strategically taking it seriously! The visibility underwater, the water pressure, and I've heard there are 'sea monkeys' in the ocean trenches? They look like ghosts, and they're incredibly strong!"

"Sea monkeys are a type of amphibious mutant creature," Xie Yuchen put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth, and said, "They are rumored to appear near some deep-sea relics, are highly aggressive, but are afraid of bright light and certain frequencies of sound. We have countermeasures in our equipment."

"What about the Forbidden Woman?" Ah Ning suddenly asked. "The data mentions that before the Xisha archaeological team disappeared, a member went crazy and mentioned a 'long-haired female ghost,' which might refer to the Forbidden Woman. This thing is even more troublesome underwater."

"The conditions for the formation of a forbidden woman are very demanding," Zhang Qiling said calmly. "It might be in a place where yin energy accumulates underwater. It can be burned or shaken apart."

"We have underwater burners and low-frequency pulsers," Hei Xiazi interjected. "Dumb Zhang, you two will lead the charge. If you see anything suspicious, go for it. We'll provide fire support from behind."

Zhang Qiling glanced at Hei Xiazi, said nothing, and continued eating. But his eyes clearly said: Do you need to tell me?

Zhang Qiling also glanced at Hei Xiazi, his lips twitching down by a mere 0.1 millimeters.

"By the way," Jiang Xun Gu asked curiously, "what are we mainly looking for this time? Besides the possible existence of the Snake-Eyed Bronze Fish, are there any other things marked on the map?"

"First, determine the location," Xie Yuchen said. "Find the entrance. If it really is Wang Zanghai's underwater tomb, the structure inside must be complex and full of traps. The primary goal is to ensure safe entry, find the core area, and obtain information. As for what burial objects are inside..." He smiled, "You'll have to rely on your eyesight and luck, but safety first, don't be greedy or reckless."

"Understood!" the group replied.

After dinner, Hei Xiazi wandered over to Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling," who were looking at the night view from the living room window.

"Zhang the Dumb, wanna chat for five cents?" Black Bear grinned.

Zhang Qiling ignored him. "Zhang Qiling" turned his head and looked at him expressionlessly.

"Look," Black Bear said to himself, "this time going to sea is different from going up the mountain. You won't be able to exert much force in the water, so your light-footed skills might be less impressive. Why don't you practice beforehand? I'll lend you the swimming pool in the backyard, and I'll be the referee. Let's see who swims faster!"

Zhang Qiling withdrew his gaze and looked out the window. He simply closed his eyes.

"Silence means consent? Okay, see you at the pool tomorrow morning!" Black Bear clapped his hands, as if he had finalized something important.

Zhang Qiling finally turned back, stared at the black bear for two seconds, and slowly uttered two words: "Boring."

Zhang Qiling opened his eyes, glanced at Hei Xiazi, and his disdain was almost overflowing. But he said nothing and turned to walk towards the stairs. "Zhang Qiling" followed.

"Hey, don't go! Let's talk about underwater tactics!" Black Bear shouted from behind.

His answer was the sound of two people's steady footsteps going upstairs.

"Well, another attempt failed." Hei Xiazi shrugged, walked back to the sofa area, and said to Wu Xie and Wang Pangzi, who were reading a diving manual, "These two mute guys are getting less and less fun."

"Blackie, you'd better save your breath," Wu Xie said helplessly. "Be careful not to really piss off Little Brother, or I won't take you with me next time we go swimming."

"He wouldn't dare?" Black Bear glared, then laughed. "But honestly, with the two of them around, I feel at ease. No matter how eerie the water is, it can't compare to those things in the King Xian's tomb, right?"

"That's true," Fatty Wang agreed wholeheartedly.

A week passed quickly. Supplies were basically ready, and Xie Yuchen also found a medium-sized converted fishing boat and its owner through special channels. The owner was a dark-skinned, taciturn old sea wolf in his fifties, known as "Old Hai." It was said that he used to sail in this area when he was young and was quite familiar with that remote sea area. Most importantly, he was tight-lipped and didn't ask many questions.

The day before departure, all equipment was packed into boxes and loaded onto the truck, which was then transported to the dock. Everyone also packed their personal belongings, ready to depart early the next morning.

That evening, Xie Yuchen hosted a lavish "farewell feast" at the villa's restaurant. The dishes were as exquisite as ever, but the atmosphere was more somber than usual. After all, this time they were facing a completely unknown underwater environment.

"Everyone," Xie Yuchen raised his glass, "I won't say anything more. I wish us a safe journey and a safe return."

"You've returned safely!" Everyone clinked glasses.

Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" also raised their glasses, touched them lightly, and drank them down in one gulp.

Night had fallen, and the villa was quiet. Wu Xie stood on the balcony, gazing at the city lights in the distance, then at the night sky. Tomorrow, he would head to that sea shrouded in mist and legend.

I felt a little uneasy, but mostly a faint sense of anticipation. The secret of the bronze door, Wang Zanghai's scheme, the missing archaeological team, the snake-browed bronze fish... these clues intertwined, like a large net that was slowly tightening.

And they are heading towards the center of the net.