Tomb raiding live stream: Starting as the mute Zhang

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, the doorbell rang at the villa.

Aunt Chen went to open the door; it was a delivery. Several large boxes were piled up at the entrance.

"The equipment has arrived." Xie Yuchen came downstairs, already dressed and holding a paper cutter.

Everyone got up one after another and gathered in the living room to unpack the boxes.

The box contained custom-made outdoor gear. There was a windproof, sand-proof hooded jacket with a crisp, uniform dark gray fabric and subtle patterns that were barely noticeable under certain lighting. The trousers were workwear style with multiple pockets and tapered cuffs. There were also high-top hiking boots that looked sturdy. A matching hat and face mask were also included.

"Wow, this outfit is pretty professional." Fatty Wang picked up a windbreaker and held it up to himself. "It's just that the color is a bit plain, not as stylish as what I usually wear."

"How flashy do you want to look?" Black Bear picked up a piece of clothing and unfolded it. "Dressed like a butterfly, are you going to a meeting or a fashion show? This color is nice, understated, inconspicuous, you won't look dirty even if you roll around in the sand."

"You're the one rolling around!" the fat man retorted, but his hands didn't stop; he had already started looking for clothes in his size.

Wu Xie picked up a set as well, felt the fabric; it seemed breathable and the weight was just right. "Very good, very thoughtful."

A Ning and Jiang Xun Gu had already begun to inventory the other items: compressed food, water purification tablets, first aid kits, signal flares, multi-tools, headlamps, spare batteries... They sorted them out and arranged them neatly.

Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" also came over. Neither of them showed much interest in the pile of equipment with various functions; they simply each picked up a set of clothes and shoes that fit them, checked them off, and then put them aside. Their attention was more focused on the two ancient black and gold swords lying quietly in the long wooden boxes.

The wooden box was new, with a faint scent of wood. The knives were old, the two they had used in the Zhang Family Ancient Building. After returning, Xie Yuchen had them professionally maintained and sharpened.

Zhang Qiling opened the wooden box and drew his sword. The dark blade gleamed with a calm luster in the morning light, its edge gleaming white and exuding a chilling aura. He gently ran his fingers over the blade, feeling its familiar weight and curve, then with a "clang," he sheathed the sword, his movements fluid and natural.

Zhang Qiling did the same. He inspected, wiped, and sheathed. For him, with this knife in hand, everything else was secondary.

"All the equipment is ready," Xie Yuchen said to Hei Xiazi after counting it. "Brother Hei, are the route and vehicles arranged?"

"It's all arranged," Hei Xiazi said, fiddling with a newly arrived pair of binoculars equipped with night vision. "Two vehicles, good off-road performance, and inconspicuous. Three routes have been planned; we'll choose based on the situation. Fuel, spare tire, and essential spare parts are all stocked. We'll set off early tomorrow morning, and if all goes well, we should reach our first stop by evening. It's a small town; we'll rest for the night, and by the morning after tomorrow, we should be near the resort mentioned in the invitation."

"Okay," Xie Yuchen nodded, "Once we get to the small town, we'll double-check the information. Also, any new developments from Wang Cen's side?"

"Not yet," Huo Xiuxiu said, holding her tablet. "He hasn't contacted us since sending out the invitation. He hasn't updated his social media either. He's very patient."

"They're waiting for us to take the bait," Wu Xie frowned. "Or perhaps, they've already made arrangements."

"Who cares what they've planned?" Fatty Wang put on his new boots and stomped them down. "We have two guys in charge, Blackie and Flower strategizing, Aning and Xiao Jiang protecting us, and me and Tianzhen filling in any gaps. What are we afraid of?"

"You're such a braggart." Wu Xie shook his head with a smile, but he felt much more at ease. Yes, what kind of situation hadn't their team seen along the way?

The levitating live-streaming sphere slowly floated around the living room, recording everyone preparing their equipment. The live chat was very active.

New skin obtained!

This equipment looks professional.

The mute Zhangs were still only concerned with their knives.

The way the fat guy tried on the shoes was hilarious.

I'm really about to leave, and I'm a little nervous.

What exactly is the background of the Wang family?

Looking forward to the scenery in Northwest China! But be careful!

After the equipment was inventoried, everyone returned to their rooms to try it on and tidy up. At lunchtime, everyone changed into their new outfits, with a unified style, making them look more like a well-trained team. Even Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" changed into their dark gray windbreakers, losing some of their usual casualness and gaining a more sharp and... unapproachable aura.

"Not bad," Xie Yuchen said after looking it over, "it seems like the right thing to do."

The afternoon was mainly for personal preparation and rest. Wu Xie checked his backpack in his room, carefully putting away his notebook, camera, and any reference materials he might need. Fatty was giving his precious tools a final oiling. Hei Xiazi and A Ning were in the yard making final adjustments to the two vehicles. Jiang Xun Gu was helping to check the electronic equipment.

Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" weren't in the room. Wu Xie found them on the second-floor balcony. The two leaned against the balcony railing, a few steps apart, neither speaking, just gazing into the distance, lost in thought. The wind ruffled their hair and clothes, their backs straight and silent.

"Brother, activate your spirit," Wu Xie walked over and leaned against the railing. "Thinking about the Wang family?"

Zhang Qiling glanced at him, said nothing, and then turned back.

Zhang Qiling hummed in agreement, and after a few seconds added, "Let me see."

It means, once you get there, see for yourself firsthand before making any decisions.

"You... have had a lot of dealings with them before?" Wu Xie asked tentatively. His memory of the Wang family was vague; he only knew they were enemies, but couldn't recall the specific details.

This time, it was Zhang Qiling who spoke, his voice very calm: "Quite a few."

"It's annoying," Zhang Qiling continued, a hint of barely perceptible disgust in his voice, "like shadows, like insects. You can't kill them all, you can't drive them away. They want... what we know, we have."

"So this time, they feel their opportunity has come?" Wu Xie asked.

Zhang Qiling didn't answer directly, but said, "Live streaming is too conspicuous."

Wu Xie understood. Because of the live stream, their existence and abilities had been exposed to a wider audience. Naturally, the Wang family, a force hidden in the shadows, had also been drawn in. Whether this was a blessing or a curse remained to be seen.

"Don't be afraid," Zhang Qiling suddenly said, addressing Wu Xie, his gaze still fixed on the distance, "We're here."

Those few simple words carried a heavy weight. Wu Xie felt a warmth in his heart and nodded: "Yes, I'm not afraid."

After dinner, everyone checked the list again to make sure nothing was missing. Then they went to bed early to recharge.

The next morning, before dawn, everyone got up and loaded their equipment and luggage into the vehicles. Two dark-colored SUVs were parked in front of the villa, like two lurking beasts.

Aunt Chen stood at the door, her eyes a little red again, and told everyone to take care of themselves and be careful. Everyone responded.

Before getting into the car, Xie Yuchen's phone rang. He took it out and glanced at it; it was an encrypted message from an unknown number. The message was brief: "Waiting for your arrival. See you at the villa. Wang Cen."

"He's punctual." Xie Yuchen showed his phone to Hei Xiazi next to him.

"A show of force, or a death warrant?" Black Bear raised an eyebrow.

"You'll see when we get there." Xie Yuchen put away his phone, opened the car door, and said, "Let's go."

The two cars, one after the other, drove out of the villa area, merged into the sparse traffic of the early morning, and headed northwest.

The levitating live-streaming sphere automatically followed and was fixed above the dashboard of the lead vehicle. The live stream showed the road ahead and occasional conversations inside the vehicles. Viewers gradually entered the live stream room, with most comments offering blessings and wishes for a safe journey.

The car sped up on the highway. The scenery outside the window gradually changed from city buildings to the countryside, and then to rolling hills and fields.

Fatty Wang sat in the back seat, initially looking out the window with great enthusiasm, but soon started yawning. "I got up too early, I need to catch up on some sleep. Tianzhen, wake me up when we get there."

"Go to sleep." Wu Xie sat by the window, watching the scenery rushing past outside, his mind in turmoil. The Wang family, the Northwest, unknown clues to ruins... the road ahead seemed full of uncertainties.

Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" sat in another car with Hei Xiazi, A Ning, and Jiang Xun Gu. After getting in the car, the two closed their eyes to rest, as if everything outside was irrelevant to them.

The journey was long. We had a quick lunch at a highway service area and continued on our way. The further northwest we went, the more desolate and open the scenery became, the horizon became low and flat, the vegetation was sparse, and occasionally we could see bare, oddly colored mountains in the distance.

In the afternoon, the car exited the highway and entered the national road, where the road conditions became somewhat bumpy. In the distance, the outline of the city could already be seen on the horizon.

"This is where we'll be staying tonight," said Ah Ning, who was driving. "It's a small town, the conditions aren't great, but it's clean and safe."

As evening approached, two cars drove into the small town. The town was small, the buildings were low, and the streets seemed somewhat deserted. The wind was much stronger than when they arrived, carrying the dry, dusty smell of the air.

As planned, they found a relatively clean-looking hotel and booked several adjoining rooms. After parking the car, they checked in and moved their necessary luggage into the rooms.

For dinner, we found a small restaurant near the hotel and had some local specialties: noodles and mutton. The flavors were rustic, but the portions were generous. Fatty Wang ate to his heart's content.

Back in the hotel room, Xie Yuchen opened his tablet again, pulled up satellite maps and the limited information he had gathered about the private villa, and discussed it in hushed tones with Hei Xiazi and Huo Xiuxiu.

Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" stayed in the room. One stood by the window watching the darkening sky and the scattered lights outside, while the other sat on the edge of the bed, slowly wiping the scabbard of the Black Gold Ancient Sword with a soft cloth.

Wu Xie and Fatty shared a room. Fatty came out after taking a shower, drying his hair: "This weather is so dry, even my nose feels uncomfortable. The South is so much better."

"It'll be soon, we'll arrive tomorrow." Wu Xie lay on the bed, looking at the ceiling. "I wonder what that villa will be like."

"Who cares what it is?" The fat man lay down on another bed. "Whether it's a dragon's den or a tiger's lair, we'll only know after we venture in! Go to sleep and get some rest!"

Night fell, and the small town quieted down. Only the occasional whistling of the wind brushed past the window.

The levitating live-streaming sphere hovered on the table in Wu Xie's room, its indicator light showing a yellow standby indicator. A few night owls were still chatting in the live-streaming room.

We've arrived. This small town looks quite desolate.

Get some rest; tomorrow is crucial.

I hope everything goes well.

The mute Zhangs will definitely be fine!

Night fell. Hundreds of kilometers away, in a private mountain villa nestled among the folds of mountains, the light in one of the rooms remained on until late into the night.