Tomb raiding live stream: Starting as the mute Zhang

The car bumped and jolted along the dusty dirt road.

The further into the mountains you drive, the worse the road conditions become. At first, it could barely be considered a road, but later it was practically a matter of navigating through dried-up riverbeds and piles of bare rocks.

The scenery outside the car window grew increasingly desolate. The jagged red rock mountains looked as if they had been haphazardly cleaved by a giant axe, their forms menacing. Vegetation was almost nonexistent, with only some grayish lichen clinging to the ground.

The air was so dry it scorched the lungs, carrying a strange smell of rust and dust.

The lead car drove very steadily, clearly indicating that the Wang family was very familiar with the road. Occasionally, brief updates on road conditions could be heard from the car in front via the walkie-talkie.

Sitting in the second car, Wu Xie watched the monotonous, repetitive desolate scenery rushing past the window, and his unease grew stronger. This place was lifeless, not like a place where any living thing could survive for long.

"What the hell is this place?" Fatty Wang was also shaken up badly, gripping the handrail tightly. "We don't even need to build a set for Journey to the West anymore, we can just use the Flaming Mountains."

"Say less, save your energy." The driver, Blackie, stared ahead, his expression serious behind his sunglasses. He was also observing the terrain and memorizing the route.

In the third car, Huo Xiuxiu and A Ning sat together, whispering to each other. Jiang Xun Gu was in the passenger seat, constantly watching the distance to the car behind them through the window.

Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" sat side by side in the back seat. Both had their eyes closed, as if they were resting, but their bodies rose and fell slightly with the bumps of the vehicle, maintaining a strange stability. Their hands were resting on long, cloth-wrapped objects they carried with them.

After an unknown amount of time, the lead vehicle slowly came to a stop. Wang Cen's voice came through the walkie-talkie: "Everyone, the road ahead is blocked. Vehicles can't pass; we'll have to walk."

Everyone got out of the car. In front of them was a narrow pass, with steep, dark red rock walls on both sides and a crevice filled with piled-up rocks in the middle, which at its widest point could only accommodate two or three people walking side by side.

Judging from the traces, this place may have originally been more open, but whether it was a natural collapse or man-made, a large amount of rubble blocked the way, making it impossible for vehicles to pass.

A live-streaming sphere rises from the roof of the vehicle, and the camera pans across the treacherous terrain.

The comments started scrolling:

This place looks eerie.

Are you getting off the bus?

The road is so narrow, it's a bit scary.

Watch out, you mute Zhangs!

Wang Cen and his assistant Zhou also got out of the car, and the six men quickly began unloading equipment from the trunk. In addition to personal backpacks, there were several sealed metal boxes that looked quite heavy.

"Go in from here, walk along the canyon for about an hour and a half, and you'll see the ruins." Wang Cen pointed into the pass, his tone as usual, "The road is not easy to walk, so please be careful."

Xie Yuchen looked at the pile of equipment boxes: "Mr. Wang, what are these?"

"Some necessary detection equipment and... safety measures." Wang Cen smiled, not going into details. "Don't worry, our own people will handle the transport."

No one asked any further questions. They each put on their backpacks and checked their belongings and weapons. Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" also untied the long package, revealing the knife handles wrapped in cloth strips inside. They didn't completely unpack them, but simply held them in their hands for easy access.

Wang Cen's gaze swept over the two knives, his eyes behind his glasses flickered, and then he smiled again: "Let's go."

He led the way with two of his men, heading straight into the pass. Assistant Zhou and four others followed behind, carrying boxes. Xie Yuchen and his group walked in the middle. Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" naturally lagged behind the group, seemingly casually, but perfectly positioned to have a comprehensive view of the entire group.

As we entered the pass, the light immediately dimmed. The towering rock walls on both sides almost completely blocked out the sky, leaving only a narrow sliver of grayish-white light. Underfoot were loose stones of varying sizes, making them slippery. The air was stagnant, filled with a damp, earthy smell and a faint, indescribable stench of decay.

The group moved forward in silence, with only the sounds of footsteps, rolling gravel, and heavy breathing echoing in the narrow space. The members of the Wang family were clearly well-trained, carrying heavy loads, but their steps were steady, and they cautiously observed their surroundings.

Wu Xie walked very carefully, occasionally shining his flashlight on the rock walls on either side. The rock walls were rough, with many holes and cracks formed by wind erosion, dark and gloomy, and he had no idea what was hidden inside. He always felt that something was watching him from behind those holes.

After walking for about half an hour, Wang Cen, who was leading the way, suddenly raised his hand, signaling the group to stop.

"What's wrong?" Xie Yuchen asked.

Wang Cen didn't speak, but shone his flashlight on the ground not far ahead. There, some things were scattered.

Upon closer inspection, there were several pieces of tattered equipment—a shattered helmet, a broken trekking pole, and a backpack covered in stains, its original color almost unrecognizable. Next to it was a large patch of dark brown grime that had seeped into the gravel ground.

It's blood. Blood that's been dried up for a long time.

"This was left behind by our previous exploration team," Wang Cen's voice sounded somewhat low in the narrow canyon. "They were attacked here."

"An attack? What is it?" Black Bear squinted, his flashlight beam sweeping across the surrounding rock walls.

"I don't know," Wang Cen shook his head, his expression grave. "The last images transmitted back were very blurry; we only saw many dark figures moving very fast. By the time the rescue team arrived, only these were left. The people...we didn't find them."

A chill ran down everyone's spine. Even the expressions of Wang's subordinates became more serious.

"Should we continue, or...?" Xie Yuchen asked Wang Cen.

"We've come this far, there's no reason to back down." Wang Cen adjusted his glasses. "Everyone, move closer and stay alert."

The group continued forward, but the atmosphere was noticeably more tense. Everyone gripped their weapons or tools tightly, their flashlight beams constantly sweeping across the shadows above and on the rock walls to the sides.

Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" walked at the back, their steps still steady. But their gazes were mostly fixed on the holes in the rock walls and the cracks in the ceiling, as if they could see through to the darkness behind them.

After walking for a while, the canyon widened slightly, but the terrain became more complex, with many forks in the road and natural caves appearing. Wang Cen seemed to be very familiar with the route and, without hesitation, chose a fork in the road that sloped downwards.

The further down you go, the more damp and cold the air becomes, and the stronger the putrid smell grows, mixed with a faint, sweet, fishy odor that smells like rust or something rotting.

"We're almost there." There was a hint of barely perceptible excitement in Wang Cen's voice.

Sure enough, after turning a corner, the view ahead suddenly opened up.

A vast underground space, as if cleaved by a giant axe, appeared before them. The space was about half the size of a basketball court, with jagged rock ceilings above. Many thick, black, columnar structures, whether stalagmites or tree roots, hung from the ceilings, some almost touching the ground. The ground was uneven, covered with gravel and puddles.

At the deepest part of the space, against a steep rock wall, stands the black stone house.

It looks the same as in the photo, yet it's different.

Seeing it with my own eyes was even more shocking and even more eerie.

The stone house is entirely built of a kind of dark, shiny boulder. The stones are cut irregularly, and the surface is covered with pits and strange patterns, as if they were formed naturally, or as if they had been corroded by something.

The stone house is not tall, but it is wide, neither square nor round, exuding a rough, primitive, and wild feel. Its surface is covered with a thick layer of dark red moss or sediment, which gleams with a wet and ominous sheen under the flashlight beam.

In front of the stone house, more white, strangely shaped skeletons were scattered. Some looked like insects magnified several times, while others were completely unrecognizable. The sweet, fishy smell in the air reached its peak here, making one feel slightly dizzy.

Most strikingly, the main entrance to the stone house is an irregular, pitch-black hole. Along the edge of the hole, one can vaguely discern more intricate and twisted carvings. The interior is completely swallowed by deep darkness; even a flashlight beam shining inside seems to be absorbed, illuminating very little.

"This is it." Wang Cen's voice trembled slightly, whether from excitement or fear, it was hard to tell. He waved for his men to put down the boxes and begin assembling the equipment.

The levitating live-streaming sphere captured the entire underground space and the eerie stone house. The live chat exploded with comments:

My God! Is this the stone house?

That looks terrifying!

What the hell are those bones?!

The entrance to the cave is so dark, even a flashlight can't shine in!

It feels so uncomfortable; it gives me the creeps even through the screen.

Are they really going to go in?

Wu Xie felt a chill run down his spine and his stomach churn. This place felt even worse to him than the depths of the Zhang Family Ancient Building. It wasn't a trap or a calculated danger, but rather a more primal atmosphere, filled with malice and chaos.

Xie Yuchen, Hei Xiazi, and the others also looked very serious. A Ning and Jiang Xun Gu had subconsciously raised their guns, even though they knew they probably wouldn't be of much use.

Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" took a few steps forward, past the crowd, and stood about ten meters away from the entrance of the stone house, quietly looking at the dark entrance.

Almost simultaneously, the two of them frowned almost imperceptibly.

"It's very strong," Zhang Qiling said in a low voice.

"Inside," Zhang Qiling continued, his gaze fixed on the entrance to the stone house, "there are many, living or...dead."

Wang Cen's men had quickly set up several high-powered searchlights, the bright beams illuminating the area in front of the stone house in a stark white light, further highlighting the deep darkness of the entrance. They also brought out several instruments, their screens displaying chaotic data and waveforms.

"The electromagnetic interference is extremely strong, the biofield readings are chaotic and exceed the threshold..." A subordinate looked at the instrument and reported in a deep voice.

Wang Cen walked to Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling," looked at the entrance, took a deep breath, and turned to Xie Yuchen: "Mr. Xie, Mr. Zhang, we've arrived. Now, it's up to you two. We need to explore the inside of the stone house. Based on our previous analysis, the key item should be at the very back."

He paused, then said, "The situation inside is unclear and could be dangerous. Some of my men will go in with equipment to provide lighting and support. Of course, if you two feel this is inappropriate, we can reconsider..."

"No need," Zhang Qiling interrupted him, his voice calm and even.

Zhang Qiling had already taken a step and was walking towards the dark entrance.

Zhang Qiling followed.

The two walked one after the other, their figures quickly disappearing into the darkness at the entrance of the stone house, a darkness that seemed to devour everything.