Tomb raiding live stream: Starting as the mute Zhang

Before dawn, the lights in the villa were already on.

There were rustling sounds, hushed voices, and the soft thud of luggage being dragged across the floor. Aunt Chen was preparing a simple breakfast in the kitchen, the aroma of steamed buns mingling with the crisp morning air.

At 5:30, everyone gathered in the restaurant. They quickly finished eating and checked their belongings. Backpacks, weapons, and medicines were all checked to ensure they were in order.

Xie Yuchen gave a final headcount: "Everyone's here. The cars are outside, two SUVs. Let's split them up: me, Xiuxiu, Aning, Jiang Xun Gu, and I will take one; Hei Xiazi, Wu Xie, and Fatty will take the other. Little Brother, you guys..."

He looked at Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling".

Zhang Qiling pointed to Hei Xiazi's vehicle: "This one."

Zhang Qiling nodded. He probably felt that the other car was noisier and needed them to quiet it down.

The group loaded the large pieces of equipment into the trunk. The levitating live-streaming sphere floated out of the living room, glowing green, and flew to the passenger side window of Zhang Qiling's car, hovering there with its camera pointed at the group of people about to get in.

The morning light was still soft, bathing everyone in a pale golden glow. The comments section was already buzzing with activity:

Prophet: Let's go! Let's go! It's not even dawn yet!

This is a test of expertise that will deter skeptics: the equipment looks even more professional this time.

The male lead's fan club: Husbands, get on the bus! Have a safe journey!

Is Blackie handsome today? Blackie actually got up early, what a miracle.

Is the fat guy sleepy?: The fat guy doesn't look like he's fully awake yet.

The backpack is huge: It looks like Wu Xie is carrying a lot of books.

At six o'clock sharp, the car started and drove out of the villa area, blending into the city streets that were not yet fully awake. The streetlights were still on, their orange glow sweeping across the car windows.

Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" sat in the back seat. Zhang Qiling was by the window, "Zhang Qiling" was in the middle, and Wu Xie was next to him. Hei Xiazi was in the passenger seat, and Wang Pangzi was driving—he volunteered, saying the road was easy to drive and he could have some fun.

As the car entered the highway, the sky gradually brightened. In the distance, the horizon turned a pale white, and the clouds were tinged with a light orange-red.

The car was quiet. Fatty focused on driving, occasionally muttering about the road conditions. Black Glasses, wearing sunglasses, seemed to be catching up on sleep again. Wu Xie leaned against the window, watching the scenery rushing past outside, his eyes somewhat vacant, lost in thought.

Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" both had their eyes closed, as if they were asleep, but their posture remained upright and their breathing was light and even. Only they knew that they were regulating their breathing and sensing direction—the bronze compass placed close to their bodies emitted a faint but continuous pull pointing southwest through their clothes.

The levitating live-streaming sphere lowered its height and attached itself to the car window, its camera focused on the rapidly flowing scenery outside the car, occasionally turning back to the interior to scan the quiet profiles of the passengers.

The viewers in the live stream seemed to be infected by the atmosphere of driving in the early morning, and the comments became sparse and peaceful:

Good morning: Good morning everyone, the scenery is beautiful.

Safe journey: Wishing you a smooth trip.

Silence is golden: The mute Zhangs are resting with their eyes closed again.

Wu Xie seems to be preoccupied: Wu Xie appears to be thinking about something.

After driving for more than three hours, we stopped at a rest stop. Everyone got out of the car to stretch their legs, use the restroom, and buy some water and snacks. The sun was already quite glaring, and the temperature had risen.

The fat man stretched and yawned, "My butt's gone numb from sitting so long. Hey Blackie, how about you drive the next leg of the journey?"

"Alright," Black Bear cracked his neck, "I'll show you what the Akina Mountain racing god is all about."

"Come on, safety first!" the fat man quickly waved his hand.

They were back on the road. Black Bear's driving style was definitely different; it was more stable, but his occasional lane changes and overtaking were extremely smooth. Fatty Wang, in the passenger seat, started to doze off again, his head nodding.

Wu Xie took out his notebook from his backpack and continued to scribble and draw. Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" also woke up, each looking out the window. The scenery had gradually changed from plains and hills to rolling green mountains. The air seemed fresher and more humid.

We had a quick lunch in a roadside town. We continued our journey in the afternoon. The terrain became increasingly steep, and winding mountain roads became more frequent. Outside the window were deep valleys, and opposite were mist-shrouded green mountain peaks. The temperature had dropped noticeably, so I needed to put on a jacket.

The levitating live-streaming sphere followed the vehicle closely, occasionally hovering above the roof to capture the winding mountain roads and breathtaking scenery. The live stream's popularity continued to rise, with many viewers drawn in by the stunning views.

As evening fell, the car finally arrived at the first transit point of the trip—a border town nestled in a mountain valley.

The town was small, with only one main street lined with old wooden and brick buildings, their signs faded and worn. The air was thick with the smells of firewood, cooking smoke, livestock, and some kind of mixed spices. There weren't many pedestrians on the street; those who were there wore traditional local clothing, their skin dark, and they curiously eyed the two dusty, out-of-town vehicles.

The car stopped in front of a relatively clean-looking guesthouse. Xie Yuchen had contacted the owner beforehand; the owner was a short, stout middle-aged man who spoke Mandarin with a heavy accent and enthusiastically helped unload the luggage.

"Old Hu is waiting for you," the boss said. "He's in the backyard. He says he needs to see someone and won't leave until he does."

The group followed the innkeeper through the lobby to a small backyard. The yard was cluttered with odds and ends and had a few chickens. An old man, thin but sprightly, wearing a faded indigo homespun jacket, with gray hair, was squatting under the eaves, slowly sipping a cup of local liquor with a small dish of peanuts.

Hearing the noise, the old man looked up. His face was deeply wrinkled, as if carved by a knife and axe, but his eyes were unusually clear and sharp, scanning everyone who entered like an eagle in the dim light. His gaze lingered longest on Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling," especially on the bandages wrapped around their faces and hands, a glint of something unfathomable flashing in his eyes.

"Old Man Hu," Xie Yuchen stepped forward and greeted him politely, "We are Xie Yuchen, and we made an appointment with you. These are my companions."

Old Man Hu didn't stand up; he simply pointed with the finger holding the wine cup to a few small wooden stools in the yard: "Sit."

Everyone found a place to sit or stand. The courtyard was small and felt somewhat crowded.

Old Man Hu took another sip of his drink, smacked his lips, and then slowly spoke, his voice hoarse but clear: "You're going to that place... Black Wind Ravine, a god-like place that even immortals can't enter. Why?"

"Find people," Xie Yuchen carefully chose his words, "and also some... old things. Things left behind by our ancestors."

"Ancestors?" Old Man Hu rolled his eyes, then looked at Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling," this time with a deeper scrutiny. "You two, your surname is Zhang?"

Zhang Qiling looked at him without saying anything, only nodding almost imperceptibly.

Zhang Qiling nodded slightly.

Old Hu stared at them for a long while, then suddenly sighed and downed the rest of his wine in one gulp. "Similar. Somewhat similar. But...not quite the same."

He put down his wine cup and stood up. He wasn't tall, but he stood very straight. "That place is eerie. In my grandfather's generation, some herbalists and hunters would accidentally wander into the area, and they would either come back insane or be gone. There's something in the forest, not a wild animal, but... something else. It can bewitch the eyes and steal the soul. In recent years, no one dares to go there anymore. The path is almost buried by trees and vines."

"We know it's dangerous," Xie Yuchen said, "that's why we need you to lead the way. Just take us to the general area, and we'll handle the rest ourselves. The price is negotiable."

"Money?" Old Hu scoffed. "In that place, you might have money but no life to spend it. I'm an old man, it's not that I'm afraid of death, it's that I'm afraid of taking you there to your deaths, which would be a bad omen."

He walked up to Zhang Qiling, looked up at him, and asked, "Are you really going? Is it absolutely necessary for you?"

Zhang Qiling lowered his head to meet his gaze. His eyes were calm, yet carried an undeniable determination. "I'm going."

Zhang Qiling stepped forward and stood next to Zhang Qiling, looking at Old Man Hu without saying a word, but the meaning was the same.

Old Man Hu looked at them again, then at Wu Xie, Fatty, Hei Xiazi, and the others behind him with their various expressions, and finally, he slowly nodded.

"Alright. If you're not afraid, this old man will accompany you. But let me make this clear beforehand: once we're in the mountains, you'll be on my side. I'll go when I say go, I'll stop when I say stop, and if I say we can't touch something, not even the Heavenly King himself! Otherwise, we'll go our separate ways, and our lives will be none of our concern!"

"I'll listen to you," Xie Yuchen said solemnly.

"We'll leave first thing tomorrow morning, before dawn," Old Man Hu said, sitting back down on his small stool and pouring himself another glass of wine. "I've given the innkeeper a list of what we need to take; you can prepare it tonight. I've already found three mules; they'll be able to carry heavy loads that people can't carry."

And so the matter was settled. The group settled into the inn and went off to buy the items on Old Man Hu's list—mainly special herbs, salt blocks, sturdy and durable leg wraps, thick socks to prevent leeches, and so on.

The levitating live-streaming sphere circled the inn, capturing the twilight and charm of this remote town. The live-streaming chat was buzzing with discussion:

The prophet said: "That old man who leads us doesn't seem like a simple person."

A place to quell dissent from so-called experts: Heifeng'aozi, even the name sounds intimidating.

Brother's fan club: Husbands, please be careful!

Old Hu has something special: This old man has a really sharp eye.

The mules are all ready: it seems the road is going to be really difficult.

Dinner was a local specialty prepared by the inn; some dishes were spicy, but they tasted good. Fatty Wang ate with gusto, exclaiming how satisfying it was. Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" didn't eat much, but they tried a little of everything.

After dinner, everyone went to their rooms. They needed to get up early tomorrow and conserve their energy.

Zhang Qiling stood before the small window of the room, looking at the completely dark sky outside. The outlines of the distant mountains disappeared into the night, with only a few scattered lights. The compass in his arms, pressed against his skin, transmitted a clear pulse pointing to the deep mountains in the southwest.

The door to "Zhang Qiling's" room rang, and he walked out into the corridor. The two stood side by side, looking in the same direction.

"We're getting closer," said Zhang Qiling.

"Mm," Zhang Qiling replied.

In the darkness, the mountains and forests were silent. It was as if something was quietly waiting in the depths of the darkness.