Tomb raiding live stream: Starting as the mute Zhang

The live chat exploded.

Although the live broadcast ball flew out of the meeting room, leaving only the cold walls of the corridor and the backs of the people in front of it in the camera's view, Wang Cen's last whisper was not captured, but his expression turned cold instantly, and the undisguised sinister and greedy look in his eyes were clearly captured by the camera.

The live stream was instantly flooded with exclamations, speculations, and warnings.

Holy crap! That guy surnamed Wang has changed his tune!

That last look in his eyes was terrifying!

He definitely has ill intentions towards those guys!

What did he say? Does anyone know how to read lips?

I didn't see it clearly, but it definitely wasn't a nice thing to say!

The mute Zhangs completely ignored him. So cool!

This place is no good! Run!

They're after the Zhang family's secret!

However, those inside the villa's guest rooms cannot see these things for the time being.

Assistant Zhou led them to the guest room area. The style was equally cold and austere; the rooms were spacious, fully equipped, and even luxurious, but they exuded a hotel-like sense of alienation, lacking any warmth of "home." Each room was independent, yet adjacent to each other.

"Please rest first. Dinner will be delivered to your room, or you can go to the small restaurant on the third floor. If you need anything, please press the call button."

After finishing his sentence, Assistant Zhou politely but firmly took his leave, leaving two young men in identical gray uniforms with expressionless faces "standing guard" at the end of the corridor.

It's called a service, but it's more like surveillance.

The group tacitly gathered first in the living room of Xie Yuchen and Hei Xiazi's suite. A Ning and Jiang Xun Gu quickly checked every corner of the room, confirming that there were no obvious surveillance or listening devices, but no one dared to be completely at ease.

"Is this for entertaining guests or guarding prisoners?" Fatty Wang cursed in a low voice, plopping down on the sofa. "They even have people on guard? Are they trying to keep thieves away?"

"They're just trying to keep us out," Black Bear said, taking off his sunglasses and rubbing his temples. His expression was cold. "That guy surnamed Wang, all that talk and no action, all that talk about cooperation and sharing, all that academic significance, bullshit! Did you hear that last mutter?"

Wu Xie nodded, his expression grave: "Although I didn't hear clearly, it definitely wasn't something good. The way he looked at Xiao Ge and Qi Ling... was off."

"He wants to use us to get into that stone house," Zhang Qiling suddenly spoke. He stood by the window, lifting a corner of the heavy curtains to look at the desolate scenery outside and the faintly visible patrolling figures, "to get what he wants."

"What is it?" Huo Xiuxiu asked.

"I don't know," Zhang Qiling shook his head, "but it's definitely related to the 'gate' and immortality. The Wang family has always wanted these things."

Zhang Qiling leaned against the wall, arms crossed, eyes closed, seemingly sensing something. After a moment, he opened his eyes, his gaze clear: "This place is not clean."

"Not clean?" Wu Xie's heart skipped a beat. "Is there... that kind of thing?"

"No," "Zhang Qiling" explained for Zhang Qiling, pointing to his ears, then to his feet and the wall, "It's eavesdropping, a lot of it. Very discreet, but you can feel it. And... people. A lot of people with a 'smell'."

The "smell" he referred to wasn't an odor, but a feeling, like the smell of blood, or the lingering aura of malevolence and coldness that comes from years of engaging in some shady business. The six people around Wang Cen had it, the two at the end of the corridor had it, and there were probably many more in this manor.

"This is a den of thieves," Fatty Wang rubbed his arms. "So what do we do now? Agree to cooperate and go to that haunted stone house? Or find a chance to slip away?"

"Slip away?" Xie Yuchen shook his head. "Leaving now would alert them. Besides, I'm also very interested in that stone house, and the 'anchor point' and 'answer' mentioned by the Wang family. Perhaps we can find some useful clues. After all, we still know too little about the 'door' and the ultimate truth."

"Master Hua is right," Black Bear put his sunglasses back on. "We're already here, it would be a waste to leave without taking a look. That guy surnamed Wang wants to use us as a stepping stone, so why don't we play along and take advantage of the convenience they provide to go in and have a look? In the end, it's not certain who will outsmart whom."

Wu Xie looked at Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling": "Brother, Qiling, what do you think? Do you sense anything about that stone house? Is it dangerous?"

Zhang Qiling paused for a moment, as if recalling or sensing something, then said, "Far, the feeling is vague. But... it's ominous."

Zhang Qiling added: "The texture in the photo is very old. Older than the Zhang Family Ancient Building. That feeling... is uncomfortable."

The danger level of a place that even they find uncomfortable is self-evident.

"We have to go," Xie Yuchen concluded, "but we can't let the Wang family lead us by the nose. We need more information: the exact location of that place, the surrounding environment, what exactly the Wang family did there, and what exactly happened to the person who was lost. Also, the layout of this villa, and the Wang family's influence here."

"I'll go for a walk tonight," Black Bear said.

"I'll go too," Zhang Qiling suddenly said.

Everyone looked at him. Zhang Qiling said calmly, "Two people, quickly. One checks outside, the other checks inside."

Zhang Qiling looked at him and nodded: "Be careful."

Zhang Qiling nodded as well.

They were to split up and conduct nighttime raids.

"A-Ning and I will also prepare to provide backup," Jiang Xun Gu said.

"Okay, let's do it this way," Xie Yuchen decided. "Everyone else stay in the room and stay alert. Fatty, especially you, don't wander off or touch anything."

"I know, I know," Wang Pangzi muttered, "I, Fatty, value my life very much."

With the plan set, everyone temporarily separated and returned to their rooms to rest, waiting for nightfall.

Dinner was personally delivered to the room by Assistant Zhou and his team. It was a lavish meal, but no one ate much, and everyone checked the room thoroughly. After dinner, it was completely dark.

The mountain villa is located in the wilderness, free from light pollution. The night sky is exceptionally clear, with the Milky Way hanging low, but the moonlight is dim, with only a faint crescent moon casting a weak glow.

The lights inside the villa were on, but the light was well-controlled—not glaring, but sufficient for illumination. The patrolmen seemed to have changed shifts; they remained silent and vigilant.

It was late at night, around 1 a.m.

Hei Xiazi's door opened silently a crack, and he slipped out like a shadow, disappearing into the shadows of the corridor. His eyes behind his sunglasses seemed to be able to see in the dark. He easily avoided several hidden camera angles and made his way towards the possible archives room or Wang Cen's study on the third floor.

Almost simultaneously, another, even fainter shadow quietly emerged from the window of "Zhang Qiling's" room, like a weightless fallen leaf, clinging to the cold exterior wall of the building. After a few leaps, it silently landed on the roof of a slightly lower annex next to it.

Zhang Qiling crouched low, his gaze sweeping like a hawk across the courtyard below, the passageway, and several key sentry posts, both visible and hidden. His movements were incredibly light, defying the laws of physics—a testament to his mysterious lightness skill.

He didn't act immediately, but quietly observed for a few minutes, memorizing the patrolmen's routes, the intervals between shifts, and several possible locations of hidden sentries. Then, he made his move.

Instead of walking on the ground, he used the eaves, pipes, and uneven surfaces of the exterior walls as subtle footholds to move swiftly across the building complex's facade, his target being the perimeter wall of the villa and the area further away that appeared to be garages and warehouses. He needed to check the condition of the vehicles, see if there were any other hidden exits or passages, and investigate the villa's defensive layout as thoroughly as possible.

The levitating live-streaming sphere was on standby in Wu Xie's room. Wu Xie wasn't asleep; he lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling with his eyes open. He knew there was an operation tonight, and he felt uneasy. Fatty, on the bed next to him, was already snoring softly, completely unconcerned.

Time passed second by second.

About an hour later, Hei Xiazi returned first. He slipped into the room silently, just as he had left, shook his head at Xie Yuchen and Wu Xie who were waiting, and whispered, "The study and several rooms where documents might be stored are locked with electronic locks. Forcing them open might alert them. The other areas are just ordinary functional areas. That guy surnamed Wang is very careful."

Twenty minutes later, a very faint "click" came from the window. "Zhang Qiling" climbed in, carrying the chill of the night, but his breathing was steady.

"How is it?" Xie Yuchen asked.

Zhang Qiling succinctly stated: "Six vehicles. Full tank of gas. Quite a few tools. Southwest corner, warehouse, smells of medicine and blood. East, low wall, blind spot for surveillance, exit is possible. Outside, three sentries have been avoided."

He went out for a walk and not only found out about the garage and spare vehicles, but also discovered a warehouse that might be for medical or "shopping" purposes. He also found a possible evacuation point and even discovered the sentries on the perimeter.

"Well done," Black Bear praised.

Zhang Qiling walked to the table, picked up a pen and paper, and quickly drew a simple but clear map of the villa and its surrounding terrain, marking the main buildings, patrol routes, the locations of sentries, and the exits and warehouses he had discovered.

"Here," he pointed to the back of the villa, towards the rocky mountain, "there's a road, covered up. Cart tracks, new. Leading into the mountains."

"It might be the path to that stone house," Wu Xie guessed.

"Very likely," Xie Yuchen said, looking at the sketch. "Wang Cen said the stone house is deep in the canyon, and the car probably can't reach it, but it can get nearby. This was probably used by them when they were scouting the area."

Zhang Qiling put down his pen and added, "There are quite a few members of the Wang family. There are more lurking in the shadows. They have weapons."

The atmosphere grew even more tense. The manpower and military force that the Wang family had deployed here exceeded the scope of an ordinary "academic patron".

"We'll see how things go tomorrow," Xie Yuchen said in a deep voice. "First, agree to cooperate and go check out that stone house. Be vigilant on the way and once we arrive. Especially," he looked at Zhang Qiling and Zhang Qiling (Zhang Qiling had also arrived at the door of the room at some point).

"The Wang family's target is likely you. Safety is the top priority. If things don't look good, evacuate immediately. We've brought weapons and have backup plans."

Zhang Qiling nodded.

Zhang Qiling also responded with an "Mmm".

"Alright, go back and rest, get plenty of rest." Black Bear waved his hand.

Everyone returned to their rooms. That night, apart from Fatty Wang, probably no one slept soundly.

The floating live-streaming sphere glowed faintly in the darkness. In night vision mode, only the blurry outline of the room and the human figure raised on the bed could be seen. A few night owls remained in the live-streaming room, whispering about the brief moment of calm and the approaching daylight.

The next morning, Assistant Zhou knocked on the door on time and invited everyone to the restaurant for breakfast.

Wang Cen was already in the restaurant, dressed in clothes more suitable for outdoor activities. He still had that refined and gentle demeanor, as if the momentary gloom of last night was just an illusion.

He was accompanied by only two people, a man and a woman, both of whom he had seen in the reception room yesterday; they both exuded a sharp and capable aura.

"How did you all rest?" Wang Cen greeted with a smile. "It was just simple food and drink; I apologize for the poor hospitality."

Breakfast consisted of simple porridge, noodles, and a few side dishes, which tasted quite good. During the meal, Wang Cen didn't mention the stone house again, but only chatted casually about the local customs and culture of Northwest China, his attitude relaxed.

Only after the meal did he get to the point.

"I've already had the materials delivered to your rooms. They're more detailed terrain scans and photos of the surrounding environment of the stone house. If there are no objections, we'll set off in an hour, shall we? The car is ready, and the hike will take about two to three hours."

"Okay." Xie Yuchen nodded on behalf of everyone.

Back in the room, I saw a thick file folder on the table. Inside were clearer, multi-angle photos, as well as a topographic map with routes marked in red pen.

The black stone house in the photos looks even more eerie, with more strange skeletons scattered around it. Several other photos seem to capture a corner of the stone house's interior; it's dark and subtly reflective, resembling some kind of metal or frozen rock.

"This place..." Wu Xie looked at the photo, his unease growing stronger.

"Even if it's a dragon's den or a tiger's lair, we have to venture in," Wang Pangzi muttered.

Everyone quickly checked their equipment and packed the necessary items into their backpacks. Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" still only carried their swords.

An hour later, everyone gathered in the parking lot.

On Wang Cen's side, besides him and his assistant Zhou, there were six other people—the same group from the meeting room yesterday. Each was fully armed, carrying bulging tactical backpacks, with sharp eyes and taciturn demeanor. Including Wang Cen and his assistant Zhou, there were eight people in total.

Xie Yuchen's side also had eight people. The numbers on both sides were roughly equal.

Wang Cen's gaze lingered for a moment on the long bundles carried by Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling," and he smiled, "You two should bring your own weapons; that place is not peaceful."

Zhang Qiling ignored him. Zhang Qiling only glanced at him indifferently.

The group traveled in four modified SUVs. Wang Cen, Assistant Zhou, and two subordinates rode in the lead car.

Xie Yuchen, Hei Xiazi, Wu Xie, and Fatty rode in the second car. Zhang Qiling, "Zhang Qiling," Huo Xiuxiu, and A Ning rode in the third car. Jiang Xun Gu and four other members of the Wang family rode in the last car.

The car started and drove out of the villa, heading towards the hidden road leading into the mountains that "Zhang Qiling" had discovered the night before.

The levitating live-streaming ball automatically followed and fixed itself on the roof of Xie Yuchen's car. The viewers in the live-streaming room had been eagerly anticipating its arrival.

Let's go!

This lineup looks like they're about to fight.

Those people from the Wang family look quite fierce.

The guys remained as calm as ever.

What does that stone house look like? I'm so nervous.

The car drove along the rugged, bumpy dirt road, kicking up clouds of dust, heading towards the desolate, dark red mountains in the distance, which resembled a giant, crouching beast.