Tomb raiding live stream: Starting as the mute Zhang

As dawn broke, the mountains and forests were still shrouded in a thin mist.

As you emerge from the last grove of trees, you can see the blurry outline of a small town in the distance, with wisps of smoke rising from its chimneys.

Everyone stopped and, without prior arrangement, let out a long sigh of relief. It was as if they had been holding their breath all the way, from the moment they stepped through the heavy bronze door of the Zhang Family Ancient Building, and only now were they finally able to exhale.

His body was still covered in mud, cobwebs, grass clippings, and some dark stains that were difficult to wash off. His face was tired, and his eyes were bloodshot, but his tense nerves could finally relax a little.

"Finally... out." Fatty Wang plopped down on a large rock by the roadside, ignoring the cold, damp rock and feeling his calves trembling.

Wu Xie took off his glasses, wiped them with the corner of his clothes, put them back on, and looked at the silent mountains he had come from, his expression complex. The secrets and sacrifices buried there were too heavy to bear.

Black Bear lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and the smoke dissipated in the morning mist. "Let's go back to town. The mule is still waiting for us to feed it."

A Ning and Jiang Xun Gu cautiously surveyed their surroundings, confirming it was safe. Xie Yuchen and Huo Xiuxiu huddled together, whispering something. Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" stood a little further away, their gazes calmly fixed on the town, their faces expressionless, but their postures were noticeably more relaxed than when they were in the ancient building.

By the time they returned to the inn in the town, it was already broad daylight. The innkeeper was startled to see them return looking like this, but he didn't ask any questions. He simply told someone to help boil water and prepare food.

The three mules were fine, and snorted when they saw their owner return. The group loaded the remaining equipment back onto the cart, settled the bill, and without even having a proper breakfast, they just stuffed some dry rations into their stomachs and set off on their return journey.

The bus was quiet. Almost everyone was resting with their eyes closed, or staring blankly at the scenery rushing past the window. Everything in the Zhang Family Ancient Building—the reliefs, murals, the eerie "cocoon," the violent energy, the desperate final words, and the breathtaking "stitching" at the end—played on repeat in their minds like a heavy and bizarre silent film.

Wang Pangzi fell asleep quickly, his snoring growing louder. Wu Xie leaned against the car window, his eyelids drooping, but his mind was still clear; the images lingered in his mind. Hei Xiazi wore sunglasses, so it was impossible to tell if he was asleep or not. A Ning and Jiang Xun Gu took turns driving. Xie Yuchen and Huo Xiuxiu were also asleep, leaning against each other. Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" sat in the back seat, both with their eyes closed, their breathing steady, as if they were regulating their breathing or processing the massive amount of information flooding their minds.

The levitating live-streaming ball hovered quietly inside the car, its indicator light glowing a warm yellow. It seemed "tired" too, no longer flying around aimlessly. The live-streaming screen showed a still view of the car's interior, with sparse comments, mostly things like "Good to see you back safe and sound," "Everyone must be exhausted," and "Get some rest."

After driving for most of the day on the winding mountain road, we finally returned to the familiar city in the evening and drove into the villa area.

When the car stopped in front of the villa, Aunt Chen had already heard the noise and came out to greet them. Seeing everyone's travel-worn and haggard appearance, especially the dried and dark stains on Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" and the undisguised exhaustion, Aunt Chen's eyes reddened again.

"Quick, come in! The hot water's all boiled! The food's ready too, all light and simple. Eat something first, take a good bath, and get some sleep!"

Everyone got out of the car and entered the villa. The familiar lights and warm atmosphere eased their tense nerves a bit. They carelessly tossed their mud-covered backpacks and equipment into the entryway, each feeling as if they'd been skinned alive.

"I'm going to wash first!" Fatty Wang shouted, rushing upstairs first.

"Fatty, slow down!" Wu Xie shouted from behind, feeling itchy all over and eager to take a hot shower.

Xie Yuchen arranged, "The rooms are all empty, so please make yourselves at home. Let's tidy up first, have a simple meal in the restaurant in half an hour, and then get some rest. We'll talk about other things tomorrow."

Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" didn't speak, but simply nodded to Aunt Chen before returning to their respective rooms.

The hot water felt like it was washing away not only grime, but also the lingering chill and stale smell from the depths of the earth. Wu Xie stood under the showerhead, eyes closed, letting the hot water wash over him. The images in his mind gradually blurred, leaving only exhaustion.

After changing into clean, soft loungewear and drying my hair, I went downstairs. The dining room was already filled with the aroma of food. It was a simple bowl of congee and side dishes, along with soft, steamed buns, but at that moment, it tasted more comforting than any delicacy.

Fatty Wang was already sitting at the table, slurping down a bowl of porridge, then reaching for a steamed bun: "Delicious! So delicious! Aunt Chen, is there any more?"

"Yes, yes, plenty!" Aunt Chen said with a smile, bringing out another plate of steamed buns.

Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" also came down, having changed into clean black clothes, their hair still slightly damp. The two sat down quietly and ate in silence. Their movements were slow but focused, as if eating was something that needed to be taken seriously.

No one spoke during the meal; only the soft clinking of bowls and chopsticks and the sounds of chewing filled the air. The meal was eaten quickly, and after finishing, everyone said "Get some rest" to each other before returning to their rooms.

Almost as soon as his head hit the pillow, Wu Xie fell into a deep sleep. There were no dreams, only a profound darkness and tranquility.

I slept soundly until the sun was high in the sky the next day.

Sunlight streamed in through the gaps in the curtains, warm and inviting. Wu Xie opened his eyes, staring blankly at the familiar ceiling for several seconds before fully waking up. He was home. He was really home.

Faint voices and laughter drifted from downstairs. It was Fatty and Black Bear arguing.

Wu Xie finished washing up and came downstairs. Fatty was sprawled on the living room sofa, rubbing his now-round belly, and sighed contentedly, "This is what life is all about! I feel alive again!"

Black Bear sat opposite him, legs crossed, a cup of coffee in his hand: "Fatty, your belly's rebounding pretty fast. You looked a little thinner yesterday, but you've gained it all back after a night's sleep?"

"What do you know! This is called foundation! Being chubby is just from being hungry, but real fat is real strength!" the fat man retorted.

Xie Yuchen and Huo Xiuxiu sat on the open-air balcony outside the study, some documents and notebooks spread out in front of them, discussing in hushed tones, but they seemed much more relaxed than yesterday. A Ning was in the yard checking and maintaining the equipment they had brought back. Jiang Xun Gu was helping her.

Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" weren't in the living room or the yard. Wu Xie walked to the window and saw the two of them standing quietly a few steps apart under the old locust tree in the corner of the garden. One was looking at the shadow of the tree, and the other was looking down at the soil at their feet. They didn't talk much, but the atmosphere was peaceful.

A levitating live-streaming sphere hovered in the corner of the first-floor living room, its yellow light flashing slowly. It seemed to have "rested" enough; then its green light illuminated, and the camera panned, capturing the tranquil morning scene in the villa. Viewers gradually joined the live stream, and the chat became active.

Good morning! Everyone's up!

Looks like you've had a good rest!

The guys were sitting under the tree, lost in thought. It was so quiet.

Fatty and Blackie are bickering again, haha.

What are Hua'er Ye and Xiu Xiu studying?

Everyday life is so sweet!

"Oh, getting naive now?" Fatty saw Wu Xie and waved him over. "Come quick, Aunt Chen steamed some red bean buns, they're so sweet!"

Wu Xie walked over, picked up a red bean bun, took a bite, and found it indeed sweet and soft. "You guys got up pretty early."

"That's right, I feel at ease, I sleep soundly, and I wake up early!" The fat man took a big bite of his bun and mumbled, "Unlike some people, who have something on their mind and sleep until noon."

"Who are you talking about?" Wu Xie rolled his eyes at him.

"I'm talking about some patriotic and patriotic history major," Black Bear chimed in, grinning mischievously.

"Get lost." Wu Xie laughed, the gloom in his heart dissipating considerably in this lighthearted banter.

Xie Yuchen and Huo Xiuxiu then entered. Xie Yuchen said, "Xiuxiu and I have made a preliminary summary of what we brought out and could record. The records on the jade tablet, as well as some photos of murals and symbols we took in the ancient building, contain a lot of information and will take time to digest. However, the core conclusions are basically consistent with our judgments inside."

"So that means our trip wasn't in vain. Although it didn't completely fix the problem, at least we patched that lousy 'loophole'?" Fatty Wang asked.

"That's one way to understand it," Huo Xiuxiu nodded. "It bought us time and also allowed us to obtain more crucial background information. This is vital for our understanding of the whole incident and... what we might need to face in the future."

"The future?" Wu Xie frowned.

"That 'crack' is still there, the 'ulcer' hasn't disappeared. We've only temporarily plugged the leak in this world. And the Zhang family's mission, or rather, the mess they've made, is still there..." Xie Yuchen looked at Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" outside the window, not finishing his sentence, but the meaning was clear.

The atmosphere fell silent for a moment.

"Hey, why think so much!" Fatty Wang slapped his thigh. "If the sky falls, there are two tall guys to hold it up! Besides, we cooperated so well this time! If anything happens again, just keep doing it! I'm full and energetic now!"

"Keep bragging," Black Bear laughed.

At this moment, Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" also returned from the garden. Neither of them had any special expressions on their faces, but their eyes were clearer and calmer than yesterday, indicating that they had rested well and digested a lot of things.

"Hey bro, Qi Ling bro, come on over and have some red bean buns!" Fatty Wang greeted enthusiastically.

Zhang Qiling walked over, took one, and ate it quietly. "Zhang Qiling" also took one and nodded to him.

"Oh, right," Wu Xie remembered something and looked at the floating live-streaming sphere, "Won't the authorities ask us anything about this?"

"Let them ask," Hei Xiazi said nonchalantly. "We'll just say we explored an ancient ruin, encountered some traps and monsters, and ultimately escaped unharmed. As for anything deeper, we 'don't know' either. Anyway, the core energy spaces and the 'stitching' process in the live stream were too difficult to capture due to severe signal interference. Even if the authorities have doubts, they have no evidence."

"Yes," Xie Yuchen agreed, "Let's maintain this cooperation model for now. They provide information and some support, and we... proceed at our own pace."

Just then, the doorbell rang.

Aunt Chen went to open the door and quickly returned with an envelope in her hand. "Mr. Xie, there's a letter for you; it just arrived."

Xie Yuchen took it, opened it, glanced at it, raised an eyebrow slightly, and then handed it to Zhang Qiling next to him.

After reading it, Zhang Qiling didn't say anything and handed it to "Zhang Qiling".

Zhang Qiling glanced at it and uttered two words: "Invitation."

"What kind of invitation?" Wu Xie asked curiously.

"A privately organized archaeology and occult seminar," Xie Yuchen explained. "The organizer has some connections. The invitation said that some 'interesting' clues to relics have recently been discovered in a certain place in the Northwest, which may be related to... an 'ancient door.' It invited 'knowledgeable people' to discuss it together. The signature was... a person surnamed Wang."

Wang?

Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" exchanged a barely perceptible glance.