Tomb raiding live stream: Starting as the mute Zhang

Night falls quickly in the Gobi Desert.

The last rays of sunlight sank below the horizon.

An endless darkness then descended.

Only a sky full of stars and a cold crescent moon remained, casting a faint glow.

The wind stopped.

A vast and primal silence enveloped the surroundings.

The only sound was the soft rustling of footsteps on the gravel.

And the occasional chirping of unknown insects.

The group walked on in silence.

Use starlight and the beam of a flashlight to determine direction.

Exhaustion was written on everyone's face.

But no one suggested taking a break.

We must get away from that exit as soon as possible.

The further away from that area, the better.

Black Bear led the way.

He has an almost animalistic intuition for direction.

Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" walked in the middle of the procession.

His steps were steady, as if he never tired.

Wu Xie, Huo Xiuxiu, Xie Yuchen, and Wang Pangzi supported each other, gritting their teeth and persevering.

A Ning and Jiang Xun Gu covered the rear.

Be alert to any movement in the darkness.

Until the early hours of the morning.

A few scattered lights appeared on the distant horizon.

The building outlines are faintly visible.

"It's a town!"

Fatty Wang had sharp eyes, and his voice was hoarse with surprise.

Everyone perked up and quickened their pace.

We walked for another hour or so.

Finally, we stepped onto a dirt road that could barely be called a road.

Ahead, the outline of a small, somewhat dilapidated town in Northwest China gradually came into view.

A few dim streetlights.

A few low-rise houses with lights still on.

It's like a lonely island in the boundless, dark Gobi Desert.

The town is very small.

There is only one main street.

On both sides were low brick or adobe houses.

The streets were deserted and quiet.

Only one or two small shops with signs for "accommodation" and "restaurant" had their lights on.

"This will do for the night. We'll figure out how to contact the outside world tomorrow."

Black Bear led the way to a simple little inn with a sign that read "Peaceful Inn" on the door.

The hotel owner was a dark-skinned, thin man from Northwest China, around fifty years old.

He was dozing off on the counter.

I was awakened by a knock on the door.

I rubbed my eyes and opened the door.

Seeing the group of people outside the door, who were travel-worn, dressed in tattered clothes, and carrying strange luggage.

I was startled and all sleepiness vanished.

"How many people... are staying at the hotel?"

The boss was somewhat wary.

It's the middle of the night, and these people look like they're not ordinary.

"I'll take any available rooms, whether they're vacant or not."

Xie Yuchen stepped forward.

He took out a few banknotes and placed them on the counter.

The tone was gentle but left no room for argument.

"Could you please get us some hot water and some food? Do you have any?"

Upon seeing the money, the boss's expression softened considerably.

Nod:

"Yes, yes, yes, there are still five or six empty rooms."

"There's a stove for hot water."

"As for food... it's the middle of the night, so we only have some steamed buns and some leftover stew from the daytime. We can make do with it if we heat it up."

"Okay, please hurry up."

Xie Yuchen had no complaints.

Soon, everyone settled down.

The room was simple, but clean enough.

Having hot water to wash up is already heaven.

Wu Xie and the others practically threw themselves onto the bed.

I don't want to move at all.

Black Bear didn't rush to rest.

I said a few words to the boss and slipped him some money.

They left the hotel and disappeared into the town's streets.

He returned about half an hour later.

He was carrying several oil paper packages in his hand.

He was also carrying a large earthenware pot that was steaming hot.

"Come on, everyone, stop lying down and have something hot to eat!"

Hei Xiazi kicked open the door to Wu Xie's room.

Put the oil paper package on the table.

A rich aroma immediately filled the air.

It's roast chicken.

A roasted chicken that is glistening with oil, golden brown, and crispy.

It gleamed alluringly under the dim yellow light.

The aroma wafted straight into my nose.

The earthenware pot contained steaming hot millet porridge.

"Holy crap! Blackie, where did you come from? In the middle of the night!"

Fatty Wang sprang out of bed with a somersault.

His eyes widened, and he almost drooled.

I ate compressed dry rations for a few days in the ancient tomb.

The moment I smelled that aroma, my stomach started growling loudly.

Wu Xie, Huo Xiuxiu, and Xie Yuchen couldn't help but sit up.

Look at the roast chicken.

"There's a naan bakery in town, and the owner also roasts some chicken."

"I noticed the stove wasn't completely out yet, so I paid a little extra to have him kill and roast two of them on the spot, and also cook a pot of porridge."

Hei Xiazi chuckled.

Tear off a plump, tender chicken leg.

First, hand it to Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" who came out of the next room after hearing the noise.

"Dumb man, wake up! Try this! Authentic free-range chicken, roasted over a wood fire—it's delicious!"

Zhang Qiling glanced at the chicken leg handed to him.

Then he looked at Black Bear.

Black Bear raised his chin:

"What are you looking at? Here, I bought this especially for the two of you."

"You two were the most tired on this trip, so make sure you get some nourishment."

Zhang Qiling paused for a moment.

He reached out and took the chicken leg.

He didn't speak, but nodded slightly.

Zhang Qiling also took the other chicken leg that Hei Xiazi handed over.

He remained silent as well.

I just held the chicken leg and looked at it.

Then, quite naturally, I looked down and took a bite.

The movements weren't fast, but they were very steady.

I chewed it a few times and swallowed it.

I took another bite.

Although his face still didn't show much expression.

But in those eyes that were always calm and expressionless.

There seemed to be a very faint, almost imperceptible flash of light.

He took another bite.

This time, I seemed to chew a little faster.

Black Bear looked at it and grinned.

Only then did he tear the remaining roast chicken apart and distribute it to Wu Xie, Fatty Wang, and the others who were eagerly waiting.

They then served each person a bowl of hot porridge.

"Wow, it smells delicious! It smells so good!"

Fatty Wang grabbed a large piece of chicken.

He was munching away, his mouth dripping with oil, and he was making indistinct noises.

"Blackie, you're a true friend! From now on, Fatty will still follow you when we go tomb raiding!"

Wu Xie was so engrossed in eating that he didn't have time to talk.

I felt that this simple roast chicken and millet porridge were more delicious than any delicacy.

Huo Xiuxiu sipped her porridge.

I felt my frozen body warm up.

Xie Yuchen ate more politely, but he was still quite fast.

Aning and Jiang Xungu also received chicken and porridge.

They ate quietly in the next room.

For a moment, only the sounds of chewing and drinking porridge filled the small room.

The atmosphere relaxed for once.

The floating live-streaming ball hovered quietly in the corner.

Record this scene.

Dim yellow light.

A group of people sitting around sharing food.

Especially Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" quietly eating chicken legs.

The comments scrolled by rapidly:

Late-night food porn!

Roast chicken! I want some too!

Blackie is so sweet!

I bought these chicken drumsticks especially for the two guys!

Look how intently Qi Ling is eating!

The guy didn't say anything, but he accepted the chicken leg!

They seemed to be enjoying their meal!

A meal after surviving a disaster is truly wonderful.

Old man Wang must be furious when he sees this, hahaha!

As if to confirm the last comment.

In a secluded room in a remote city.

Wang Cen, his arm bandaged and his face gloomy.

He was staring intently at the screen.

A delicate late-night snack was also laid out in front of him.

But he didn't touch it.

On the screen, Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" are quietly eating chicken legs.

Against the backdrop of Hei Xiazi's attentive greetings and Wu Xie and Wang Pangzi's ravenous eating.

It looked particularly glaring.

It was an atmosphere he couldn't fit into at all, and didn't even deserve to be looked at.

Especially the calm look in Zhang Qiling's eyes when he took the chicken leg.

And Zhang Qiling's profile as he intently eats with his head down.

It caught his eye.

It made him feel more humiliated and angry than any sarcastic remark.

He thought of the Gobi Desert.

The two men looked at him as if he were nothing.

That complete disregard.

"Zhang Qiling... Zhang Qiling..."

Wang Cen squeezed out these words through gritted teeth.

The knuckles of my hand were white from gripping the water glass so tightly.

He was completely unaware of the stinging pain from the wound.

He remembered the black short staff that Zhang Qiling had carried away.

My heart felt like it was being squeezed tightly by a hand; it was both painful and suffocating.

That should have belonged to the Wang family!

It is the key to unlocking deeper secrets and gaining greater power!

But now, not only is the short staff gone.

He was also completely "rejected" and "humiliated" by those two people in that way.

His men were lost, he himself was injured, and he slunk back...

What a shame!

"Just you wait...you all just wait..."

Wang Cen's eyes were bloodshot, filled with resentment and unwillingness.

"The Staff of Source... the secret of the 'Source Seed'..."

"Our Wang family has been plotting this for so long, we will never let it go like this!"

"Zhang Qiling, Zhang Qiling... and the Wu family, the Xie family, the Huo family..."

"We'll see!"

He slammed the water glass onto the ground.

Glass shattered everywhere.

On the screen, Zhang Qiling had just finished eating the last bit of chicken.

Lay down the clean bones.

I picked up the water next to me and took a sip.

Then, seemingly unintentionally, he glanced up at the direction of the floating live-streaming ball.

His gaze was calm and profound.

It was as if I was making eye contact with Wang Cen through the screen.

Just one glance.

There was no emotion whatsoever.

But this caused Wang Cen's anger and resentment to momentarily falter.

It felt like a bucket of ice water had been poured over my head.

A chill inexplicably rose up down my back.

He seemed to see the Gobi Desert again.

The two men looked at him as if he were a dead object.

A smart person will understand at a glance.

There wasn't anything profound written in those eyes.

It's just two simple and straightforward words—idiot.

Wang Cen's chest heaved violently.

His face turned from red to white, and then from white to green.

Finally, it turned into a suppressed growl squeezed out from the depths of his throat.

It was filled with impotent rage.

He suddenly raised his hand, trying to turn off the screen.

Yet, I couldn't bear to part with it.

All I could do was stare intently at the two calm faces in the picture.

And that short staff, wrapped in strips of cloth, whose outline was still discernible.

His teeth were grinding together.

In the small town inn, everyone was completely unaware of the gnashing of teeth by someone far away.

After eating and drinking my fill, a wave of fatigue washed over me.

"Alright, everyone hurry up and wash up and go to bed. We'll be busy tomorrow."

Black Bear clapped his hands and tidied up the trash.

Everyone was indeed exhausted and went back to their rooms.

Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" share a room.

After the two entered the house.

Zhang Qiling took off the short cane wrapped in cloth from his back.

I checked it carefully.

There were no unusual changes.

Only then did I place it within easy reach by the bedside.

Zhang Qiling then walked to the window.

Looking out the window at the quiet streets of the town and the endless dark Gobi Desert in the distance.

After a moment of silence, he said:

"The Wang family will not give up."

"Um."

Zhang Qiling responded.

Sit down on the edge of the bed and close your eyes to rest.

"Hide the short staff well."

"Zhang Qiling" walked back.

He was also sitting on another bed.

"Know."

Zhang Qiling opened his eyes.

He looked at the short staff with a deep gaze.

The two said nothing more.

The room fell silent.

Only the occasional sound of wind coming from outside the window.

And the barking of a dog from somewhere in the distance.

That night, for the exhausted group, was a rare and peaceful sleep.

For some, however, it was destined to be a night of burning anger and sleepless nights.

The next day, just as dawn was breaking.

The sound of a rooster crowing.

The sound of footsteps of people heading to the early market.

The vendors' shouts.

It brought life to this small town on the edge of the Gobi Desert.

Everyone slept until the sun was high in the sky before gradually getting up.

My spirits have recovered considerably.

I've finished washing up.

I had a hot bowl of mutton noodles at a small restaurant downstairs from the hotel.

Only then did I feel truly alive again.

Xie Yuchen went out for a while.

They contacted the outside world using the hotel's landline.

He returned shortly afterward.

Inform everyone that a car has been arranged.

It should arrive this afternoon.

Pick them up and take them to the nearest city.

Then I transferred in the city to get back to Hangzhou.

"Finally, I can go back."

Wu Xie breathed a sigh of relief.

This experience was incredibly exciting.

He needs to go back and calm down, and sort out his thoughts.

"Once we get back, we need to study the information on the short staff and those bone plates as soon as possible."

Huo Xiuxiu said.

She has begun to think about how to leverage the resources of her family and the Nine Gates.

To decipher the secrets of those ancient symbols and the "source species".

"We need to keep an eye on the Wang family."

Xie Yuchen offered a reminder.

"They suffered a great loss this time, losing what was almost within their grasp, and they will certainly not let this go."

"Come on then."

Fatty Wang picked his teeth nonchalantly.

"When soldiers come, generals will block them; when water comes, earth will dam it."

"With two guys around, there's nothing to be afraid of."

Zhang Qiling and "Zhang Qiling" sat next to each other.

I quietly sipped the brick tea provided by the owner, which had a rather strange taste.

He neither agreed nor disagreed with the discussion.

As if it were none of their business.

Only when our eyes meet occasionally.

A tacit, unspoken tension could be discerned.

In the afternoon, two SUVs that looked somewhat old and worn arrived in the town on time.

The driver was someone arranged by Xie Yuchen.

Clean and efficient, without asking many questions.

They picked up the person and their simple luggage.

They then turned around and drove away from the town.

They rushed into the vast Gobi Desert.

The floating live-streaming ball kept following.

Filming the desolate scenery rushing past the car window.

In the live chat, viewers were also saying goodbye:

Goodbye, Jingjue Ancient City.

This live stream was so exciting!

Looking forward to the next adventure!

Get some rest, guys!

The secret of the short staff awaits to be revealed!

The car bumped and jolted, kicking up dust.

The small town that gave them a night of peace.

And beneath it lie countless secrets and dangers.

They were left far behind.

But everyone knows that some things can't be thrown away.

For example, the silent short staff in Zhang Qiling's backpack.

For example, the unsolved mystery of the "origin species".

For example, the Wang family's insatiable greedy gaze.

A new storm may be gathering in the distance.

After a brief rest, they will continue their journey.