Tomb raiding live stream: Starting as the mute Zhang

The birds were chirping quite cheerfully in the early morning.

Zhang Qiling woke up at the first bird call. He didn't get up immediately, but lay in the darkness, listening to the birdsong gradually intensifying outside, and the faint sound of cars coming from the distant street.

There were very light footsteps in the next room, moving, stopping, then moving again. It was "Zhang Qiling," probably awake too.

After lying down for a few more minutes, Zhang Qiling got up, washed up, and changed his clothes. He was still wearing that black tracksuit. Just as he opened his door, the door next door also opened.

Zhang Qiling stood at the door, also dressed in black. The two exchanged a glance, said nothing, and went downstairs one after the other.

In the courtyard, the sky was just beginning to lighten. The air was cooler than yesterday, carrying the dampness of dew. The two walked to a corner of the courtyard and began to stretch. This time, they didn't practice together; each performed slow, graceful movements, occasionally synchronizing, like some kind of silent dance.

He heard the sound of a window opening upstairs. It was Wu Xie's room. He peeked out, then quickly withdrew; the window wasn't closed.

A while later, the sound of Wang Pangzi shuffling down the stairs in his slippers pattered on the floor. He yawned as he walked into the living room and saw Wu Xie already sitting on the sofa watching a tablet.

"Hey, you're up even earlier today, Tianzhen," the fat man said, rubbing his eyes. "Insomnia? Missing me?"

"Why haven't you lost weight yet?" Wu Xie said without looking up.

"Hey!" The fat man plopped down next to him, the sofa sank in, "I'm working hard, aren't I? Thirty push-ups yesterday! I broke the record!"

"Yes, and then I ate three bowls of rice to make up for it."

"That's called replenishing energy! Don't you understand science?"

Black Bear also came downstairs, wearing sunglasses and with his hair neatly combed. He walked to the dining room, poured himself a glass of water, and drank it slowly.

"Sister Chen, what's for breakfast this morning?" the fat man called out to the kitchen.

"Steamed buns, soy milk, tea eggs," came Aunt Chen's voice.

"Soup dumplings!" The fat man's eyes lit up. "These are great! Juicy!"

At breakfast, Xie Yuchen and Huo Xiuxiu came downstairs. They looked better than yesterday, so they must have gone to bed early last night.

"Is there any progress in the research?" Wu Xie asked.

"There are some," Xie Yuchen said, picking up a xiaolongbao (soup dumpling), "Wang Zanghai's star map algorithm, combined with the map we obtained from the tomb of the Prince of Xian, can basically determine the precise latitude and longitude of several key 'nodes.' But there's a problem."

"What's the problem?" Jiang Xun Gu asked.

"The 'activation' or 'stabilization' of these nodes may require specific 'mediums' or 'tokens'," Huo Xiuxiu said. "Just like the underwater tomb in Xisha requires a bronze fish with snake eyebrows and a jade eye. We have a jade eye and half of a bronze fish, but other nodes may require something else."

"For example?" Aning asked.

"I'm not sure," Xie Yuchen shook his head. "It could be some specific mineral, some rare biological material, or... something more mysterious, like a specific celestial event, or bloodline."

Bloodline. The word caused a moment of silence at the table. Several gazes unconsciously drifted towards Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling".

The two were quietly eating xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), their movements synchronized, even the amount of vinegar they dipped in was almost identical. Upon hearing the word "bloodline," they both paused for a moment, then continued eating.

"Anyway," Xie Yuchen changed the subject, "we need more clues. I've contacted a few old friends who study ancient astrology and feng shui, and some information may need to be checked in person. I might have to make a trip out of town in a while."

"Where to?" the fat man asked.

"Several university libraries, and private collectors," Xie Yuchen said. "No rush, let's finish what we already have first."

After dinner, Xie Yuchen and Huo Xiuxiu returned to the study. A Ning said that a batch of new underwater crossbows she had ordered had arrived and she needed to go to the garage to test them. Jiang Xun Gu went along to help.

Fatty Wang tried a plank exercise called "alternating leg raises" on the living room carpet. He did it five times before collapsing.

"No... I can't take it anymore... This thing... is even more tiring than push-ups..."

"That's not called lifting your leg," Black Bear said, sitting on the sofa peeling an apple. "That's called a worm rooting in the ground."

"Hey Blackie! Can't you give me some encouragement?!" the fat man wailed.

Wu Xie was looking up when he heard this: "Fatty, I think you should start with the basics, like... high knees in place?"

"High knees?" The fat man thought for a moment, stood up, and tried lifting his legs a couple of times. His muscles jiggled. "That works! It's not tiring!"

He started lifting his legs with a "heave-ho" sound, counting as he went. After twenty lifts, he was panting.

"No... I can't take it... My heart is beating too fast..."

"Your cardiovascular system," Hei Xiazi said, cutting a peeled apple in half, handing one half to Wu Xie, and taking a bite of the other himself, "you need to work on it. How about starting tomorrow, you come jogging with me in the mornings?"

"Running?" The fat man's face fell. "Could...could we try something gentler?"

"What about swimming?"

"I'm afraid of water!"

"Bike a bicycle?"

"It's tough on your legs!"

"Then you should just lie down," Wu Xie said helplessly.

"Fine, I'll lie down!" The fat man readily complied, immediately slumping back onto the sofa and pulling out his phone to start scrolling.

Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" were in the courtyard. There was no sparring today. The two sat at the stone table, with the leather map obtained from the tomb of the King of Xian and a replica of the silk structure diagram from the underwater tomb in the Xisha Islands spread out in front of them.

The two looked at the picture very carefully, occasionally pointing to a spot on the picture with their fingers and exchanging glances, but rarely speaking.

"Here," Zhang Qiling pointed to a line on the leather map pointing to a mountain-shaped symbol, and then to a note next to a tower-shaped structure on the silk map, "corresponds."

"Hmm." Zhang Qiling nodded, moving his finger to another marker. "Here, the water ripples... it might be an underground river."

"The passage," said Zhang Qiling.

"Danger."

"Um."

Simple words, pieced together to convey information. It means a certain node might be connected via an underground river, but there is danger within.

After looking at it for a while, Zhang Qiling put away the map. "Zhang Qiling" also folded the silk map neatly.

The two didn't go back inside, but sat at the stone table, looking at the big tree in the yard. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting shimmering spots of light on the ground.

It's very quiet.

Until Wang Pangzi's booming voice came from the living room: "Holy crap! This video! This guy can do a one-handed push-up and clap his hands! Is he even human?"

Wu Xie's voice: "Then you should learn from him."

"I can't learn it, it's talent!"

The laughter of the black bear.

Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" both shook their heads almost imperceptibly. But the corners of their mouths seemed to relax slightly.

At noon, Aunt Chen made braised noodles. The braising sauce had two varieties: tomato and egg, and minced meat and green beans. The noodles were handmade and chewy. There were also several refreshing cold dishes.

The fat man ate two large bowls, sweating profusely. "That was satisfying! Aunt Chen, with your skills, your noodle shop would be a huge success!"

"You flatter me," Aunt Chen said with a smile.

After dinner, Aning and Jiang Xungu returned from the garage, saying that the crossbow was ready and had good power and high underwater accuracy. They also took out several specially made arrows with spiral-shaped arrowheads and barbs.

"This thing is hard to pull out once it hits you," Jiang Xun Gu said, weighing the arrow in his hand.

"It's good for dealing with big guys," Ah Ning said.

In the afternoon, Xie Yuchen and Huo Xiuxiu, unusually, weren't in their study. Instead, they made tea in the living room and chatted with everyone. They weren't talking about anything serious, just casual conversation—where the scenery was beautiful, what books were interesting, and what the latest news was.

Fatty Wang has started his "fitness project" again. This time, he somehow found out about the "one-legged stance," saying it can improve balance. He stands on one leg, the other leg bent, arms outstretched, eyes closed, muttering to himself.

After standing for less than a minute, I started swaying. After two minutes, I was swaying like a willow branch in the wind. After three and a half minutes, I plopped down on the ground.

"No... I can't take it anymore... I'm seeing stars..."

Wu Xie and Hei Xiazi were laughing uncontrollably.

"Fatty, your one-legged stance looks like a drunken old hen," Black Bear commented.

"You're the old hen!" The fat man got up, patted his butt, and said, "I'm... accumulating experience! Yes, accumulating! Tomorrow I'll be able to stand for five minutes!"

"I believe you," Wu Xie said, suppressing a laugh.

Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" were on the terrace. The wind was a bit strong today, making their clothes flutter. The two leaned against the railing, looking at the clouds piling up on the distant horizon.

"It's going to rain," said Zhang Qiling.

"Hmm." Zhang Qiling glanced at the sky. "Tonight."

"Going again tomorrow?"

Zhang Qiling knew he was being asked about shopping. He paused for a moment. He hadn't thought much about it when he agreed yesterday. Now, he felt that those crowded, lively places... didn't quite suit him.

Zhang Qiling glanced at him, seemingly understanding what he was thinking. "There are too many people."

"It's noisy," Zhang Qiling said.

Zhang Qiling nodded. He also didn't like noisy places.

But I've already agreed.

"Let's see," Zhang Qiling said finally. Meaning, they'd go and see, and if it didn't work out, they'd find a chance to retreat.

Zhang Qiling expressed his agreement.

As evening approached, it started to rain. At first, it was a light drizzle, but it gradually grew heavier, pattering against the windowpane.

Dinner was a steaming hot pot. It was a half-and-half pot, one side spicy and the other not. A table was laden with various sliced ​​meats, vegetables, and meatballs. Eating hot pot on a rainy day had a particularly nice atmosphere.

The fat man ate until he was sweating profusely, exclaiming how delicious it was. Wu Xie hissed and gasped for breath from the spiciness, but still couldn't stop eating. Hei Xiazi was skilled at making dipping sauces, preparing a bowl for everyone. Xie Yuchen and Huo Xiuxiu ate politely, but still ate quite a bit. A Ning quietly cooked her vegetables. Jiang Xun Gu was fighting with the fat man for the last slice of fatty beef.

Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" sat a little further away, eating hot pot in clear broth. Their movements were slow but steady. Occasionally, someone would put some cooked meat on their plates, and they would nod and whisper thank you.

Steam rose, and a layer of white mist covered the glass windows. The sounds of rain outside, laughter and chatter inside, and the clatter of dishes mingled together.

very warm.

After dinner, the rain still hadn't stopped. Everyone moved to the small living room, drinking tea and watching the rainy night outside the window. The TV was on, but the volume was turned down low; it was a boring variety show, and no one was really watching it—it was just background noise.

Wang Pangzi was dozing off, his head nodding. Wu Xie was replying to messages on his phone. Hei Xiazi was polishing his precious dagger. Xie Yuchen and Huo Xiuxiu were talking in hushed tones. A Ning was reading a foreign magazine. Jiang Xun Gu was playing a mobile game.

Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" sat on the sofa by the window, looking out at the courtyard, wet with rain and lit by dim streetlights.

The rain was pattering softly.

Zhang Qiling suddenly said very softly, "Quiet."

Zhang Qiling hummed in response.

This quiet is different from the deathly silence of a tomb. It's a quiet that's human-filled, warm, and allows you to relax.

pretty good.