Tomb raiding live stream: Starting as the mute Zhang

The afternoon sun slanted into the study.

Cut bright spots of light into the mahogany floor.

Xie Yuchen laid the last rubbing on the long table.

Use a paperweight to press down the four corners.

The rubbing was brought out from the tomb in the southwest where the Gu poison was raised.

It is engraved on the back of the altar.

The situation was urgent, so only one copy was made hastily.

Now I have time to take a closer look.

"This pattern..."

Huo Xiuxiu pushed up her glasses and bent down to get closer.

"It looks like some kind of star map, but the arrangement is very strange."

Wu Xie stood at the other end of the table.

He was holding a magnifying glass.

I swept over those lines, which were already somewhat blurred, inch by inch.

"It's not a star map, it's a map."

"Look at these intersections; the symbols marked on them are very similar to those we saw on the jade tablet in the tomb of King Xian."

Fatty Wang yawned.

He slumped onto the sofa next to him.

"If you ask me, Fatty, who cares what kind of picture it is?"

"Anyway, all we need to know is that the next place is on an island in the southeast coastal region."

"As for which island it is, once we get there, let the guys check the feng shui, and we'll definitely find it."

"It's not that simple."

Xie Yuchen shook his head.

He pointed to a few lines of small characters along the edge of the rubbing.

"It says here, 'There are mountains in the sea, caves in the mountains, and eyes in the caves.'"

"Eye—this word has appeared more than once in the previous clues."

"The Whirlpool of the Eye"

Wu Xie straightened up, his expression turning serious.

"The Ghost City of Jingjue, the Tomb of King Xian, and the Tomb of the Gu-feeding in the southwest all mention the 'eye'."

"If the things on that island in the southeast are also related to 'eyes,' then that means..."

"This shows that all these places share the same secret."

Huo Xiuxiu chimed in.

The study was quiet for a few seconds.

The levitating live-streaming ball floated silently above the table.

The camera zooms in on the rubbing on the table.

And the people gathered around the table.

In the afternoon light, you can see the dust particles floating in the air.

There weren't many viewers in the live stream, but there were constant comments.

"This picture gives me a headache."

"So the next dungeon is an island?"

"An underwater tomb? That's exciting!"

"Where are the two young men? I haven't seen them."

"He's probably resting; he must be exhausted from sparring this morning."

now.

Zhang Qiling was sitting cross-legged on the windowsill of his room.

The window is open.

A breeze blew in, carrying the sweet fragrance of osmanthus blossoms from the courtyard.

He closed his eyes.

His breathing was steady and long.

It looked like he was regulating his breathing, or perhaps he was deep in thought.

【Ding. 】

The system's voice rang in my mind.

With a touch of afternoon laziness.

[Host, have you rested enough?]

[After a fight this morning, I should be recovering my strength.]

Zhang Qiling did not open his eyes.

I just hummed in agreement in my mind.

【That's good. 】

The system paused for a moment.

Speaking of which, there's something I've been curious about for a long time.

[Since I have some free time now, let me ask you something?]

"ask."

[Your brother—Zhang Qiling, what exactly is his background?]

Zhang Qiling opened his eyes.

outside the window.

The osmanthus tree branches in the yard swayed gently in the wind.

A few leaves drifted down.

It spun around and landed on the lawn.

"He said that."

He spoke, his voice flat.

"After exiting the bronze gate, you'll arrive here."

I know that.

The system's tone was unusually serious.

But host, have you considered this—

What is the bronze door?

What's behind the door?

Why did he come directly to this world after emerging from the door?

Zhang Qiling remained silent.

He had thought about it.

More than once.

Deep within the sacred tree of the Qinling Mountains.

When I saw those fragments of memories about the "gatekeeper".

At Zhangjia Ancient Building.

When he touched the last letter written by the previous generation Zhang Qiling.

Relics in the Northwest.

When I saw those experimental records about the "source species".

He had thought about all of that.

Zhang Qiling is very similar to him.

It's not about appearance.

It's something deeper—

A resonance in our blood.

Teamwork during battle.

Even some minor habits.

For example, the angle of wrist rotation when wiping a knife.

For example, when thinking, the left hand might unconsciously tap the knee.

For example, I blow on my porridge three times before drinking it in the morning.

These habits weren't learned.

It's something ingrained in your bones.

[Host, you transmigrated to this world directly in your physical body.]

The system's voice continued.

But have you ever thought about this—

Why did you awaken the "Playing Zhang Qiling" system as soon as you transmigrated here?

Zhang Qiling tapped his knee twice with his fingers.

This is his habitual action when he is thinking.

"You said that."

He spoke.

"This world needs Zhang Qiling."

Yes, this world needs Zhang Qiling.

The system repeated itself.

The tone was somewhat subtle.

But host, have you ever thought about this—

Why "Zhang Qiling"?

Why not someone else?

Zhang Qiling remained silent.

He looked out the window.

His gaze fell on the roof of a villa in the distance.

There.

"Zhang Qiling" was sitting on the roof ridge.

With their backs to this side.

He was wiping something in his hand.

The sunlight shone on his back.

The black training clothes were shiny from the sun.

Let me put it this way.

The system switched to a more comfortable tone.

It was like they were having a casual chat.

The world you've traveled to is called Water Blue Star.

The history, civilization, and geography here are very similar to your original world.

But there is a key difference—

It paused.

In this world, there is no "Zhang Qiling".

Zhang Qiling's finger stopped.

To be precise, there is no "living Zhang Qiling."

The system continues.

The Zhang family once existed in this world.

The role of the gatekeeper also existed.

But it's unclear from which generation the tradition was broken.

The last Zhang Qiling died behind the door.

The bronze gate was unguarded.

The substance behind the door began to seep in.

This led to the various odds and ends found in those ancient tombs later on.

[Experiments in feeding poisonous insects, source seeds, and immortality.]

[This is all the result of the power leaking from behind the door being distorted and misused.]

The wind picked up.

The wind made the windows rattle softly.

Zhang Qiling looked at the figure on the roof.

Looked for a long time.

And 'Zhang Qiling'—

The system's voice lowered.

He emerged from the bronze gate of another world.

In that world, the Zhang family lineage continued unbroken.

The gatekeepers pass the torch from generation to generation.

The thing behind the door was being watched closely.

But something unexpected happened.

He passed through the bronze gate.

[They didn't return to where they belonged.]

Instead, they fell into this world.

"Lose?"

Yes, it fell.

The system's tone was somewhat helpless.

Like two buildings very close together.

You jump out of a building window.

[It was supposed to fall into a window of another building.]

[Then the wind blew, and you fell into the alley between the two buildings—]

That's roughly the gist of it.

Zhang Qiling was processing these words.

After a long pause, he spoke.

"So he and I..."

You share the same origin, but you are not from the same branch.

The system explained it very clearly.

Like two forks growing from the same tree.

[The root is one.]

But as they grew, they started to grow in different directions.

You awaken in this world and become Zhang Qiling.

It's because this world needs gatekeepers.

He fell into this world.

[It's because... well, maybe it's just bad luck.]

bad luck.

Zhang Qiling recalled the scene when he first met Zhang Qiling.

In Laolanggou.

The young man in black who suddenly appeared.

He also has a Qilin tattoo on his left arm.

They are equally skilled.

His eyes held the same bewilderment and searching.

He knew it back then.

This person is different.

They are neither enemies nor strangers.

They are of the same kind.

However, on the other hand...

The system's tone became relaxed again.

It's a good thing he came into this world for you.

It must be exhausting for one person to guard the gate.

Having a brother by your side means you can look out for each other.

[He can fill in for you in a crucial moment.]

[Host, you're actually quite lucky.]

Zhang Qiling did not respond.

He continued to watch the figure on the rooftop.

After a while.

He rolled off the windowsill.

He pushed open the door and went out.

yard.

Wu Xie and Fatty Wang are playing chess under the osmanthus tree.

The chessboard was placed on the small stone table.

The two fought fiercely, neither gaining the upper hand.

"Hey bro?"

Wu Xie looked up and saw him, and was stunned for a moment.

"Have you rested well?"

"Um."

Zhang Qiling nodded.

I glanced at the chessboard.

Wu Xie is playing black.

Most of it has already been eaten.

Only a few orphans remained, making their last stand.

Fatty Wang plays white.

beaming with joy.

He held a chess piece in his hand and swaggered around it.

"Fatty, you're cheating!"

Wu Xie stared wide-eyed.

"That step doesn't count, let's start over!"

"Hey, once a move is made, there's no going back, you know?"

Fatty Wang slammed the chess piece onto the chessboard.

"Checkmate! Lost piece!"

Wu Xie stared at the chessboard for three seconds.

He leaned back dejectedly.

"I'm not playing anymore, I'm not playing anymore. You must have been practicing secretly."

"That's right, I haven't had a moment's rest these past few nights."

Fatty Wang began collecting the chess pieces with a smug look on his face.

I looked up and saw "Zhang Qiling".

"Hey buddy, wanna play a round?"

Zhang Qiling shook his head.

He doesn't play chess.

It's not that I can't.

It's because I find it boring—

No matter how complex a game of chess may be, it is still governed by rules set by humans.

But the dangers in the tomb never follow the rules.

He walked around the stone table.

Walk to the side of the villa.

look up.

"Zhang Qiling" is still sitting on the roof.

With their backs to this side.

I've finished wiping what I'm holding.

Now it is right in front of me.

Zhang Qiling kicked off with his foot.

The body is airborne.

Use your left hand to brace against the wall.

People went up onto the roof.

The movements were very gentle.

The tiles didn't make a sound.

Zhang Qiling did not turn around.

But it moved to the side.

Make room.

Zhang Qiling sat down next to him.

Neither of them spoke.

They sat side by side like this.

Looking at the mountains in the distance.

The mountains are dark green in autumn.

Occasionally, there were some yellow and red mixed in.

Like an overturned palette.

The sky is very blue.

The clouds are very thin.

Birds flew over from the other side of the mountain.

It flew over again.

After a while.

Zhang Qiling handed over what he was holding.

It is a short knife.

The blade is very narrow.

It is longer than a dagger but shorter than a regular knife.

It is completely black.

There was only a thin line of silver on the blade edge.

The handle of the knife was wrapped with black anti-slip rope.

It's already showing some wear and tear.

Zhang Qiling accepted it.

I weighed it in my hand.

The weight is moderate.

The center of gravity is in the middle of the blade.

It's suitable for both stabbing and slicing.

The black color on the blade is not paint.

It is a special metal processing technique.

It does not reflect light.

It works very well in the dark.

"A fine knife," he said.

"Originated in the Northwest."

"Zhang Qiling" said.

"It's easy to use."

Zhang Qiling returned the knife to him.

Zhang Qiling accepted it.

He put the sword back into the scabbard at his waist.

The scabbard was also black.

It's very simple.

There is no decoration whatsoever.

The two remained silent for a while.

"I was thinking about something just now."

"Zhang Qiling" spoke.

"Um."

"Thinking about you."

Zhang Qiling turned his head to the side.

I glanced at him.

His eyes were very dark.

Very deep.

Like two ancient wells.

You can't tell their emotions.

"Have you figured it out yet?" he asked.

"A little."

"Zhang Qiling" said.

"But not all."

"Then don't even think about it."

Zhang Qiling turned around.

Let's continue looking at the mountains.

"You will know when the time is right."

That's very "Zhang Qiling" style.

Or rather, very "them".

Don't dwell on it, don't ask too many questions.

What's meant to come will come.

What needs to be known will eventually be known.

That's how it is in the tomb.

The same applies outside the tomb.

Zhang Qiling nodded.

The two sat on the roof for a while longer.

Until the sun begins to set in the west.

The shadows of the mountains stretched long.

The ground in the yard was dyed golden.

Xie Yuchen's voice came from the study.

"Everyone come here for a second, we've found something."

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

They stood up at the same time.

Jump off the roof.

It landed silently.

When I entered the study.

Everyone else was already gathered around the table.

Xie Yuchen held a newly printed satellite map in his hand.

Lay it next to the rubbing.

"Look."

He pointed to a sea area on the southeastern coast of the map.

"Based on the star map—or rather, the map—on the rubbings."

"There's also cross-referencing the clues from the jade tablet and bone fragments."

"The next location should be in this area."

He circled an area with his finger.

That is an archipelago at the junction of the East China Sea and the South China Sea.

There are dozens of islands, large and small.

It's like sprinkling a handful of sesame seeds.

"Which island specifically?" Wu Xie asked.

"It's not certain yet."

Xie Yuchen shook his head.

"But there's a clue—"

"On the night of the full moon, when the tide recedes, the stone gate will appear by itself."

"If that statement is true."

"Then the island we're looking for should have some kind of periodic tidal phenomenon."

"And the entrance is only visible at specific times."

"Full moon..."

Huo Xiuxiu flipped through the old almanac on the table.

"There are still 23 days left until the 15th of next month."

"There's enough time."

Jiang Xun Gu said.

"Prepare equipment, plan the route, twenty-three days is just right."

Zhang Qiling walked to the table.

Looking at that satellite map.

His gaze swept across the islands.

Finally, it stopped on an inconspicuous little island.

The island is not big.

The shape is very strange.

It is neither round nor rectangular.

Instead, it looks like a distorted eye.

The middle is concave.

It bulges out all around.

If you look closely, there's a small dot in the dent.

It resembles a lake or a pool.

"this."

Zhang Qiling pointed his finger at the island.

Everyone crowded around to look.

"Eye-shaped island..."

Xie Yuchen narrowed his eyes.

"It really does look like it."

"And look at the island's location—"

"It's right at the confluence of several ocean currents."

"The tidal phenomenon should be very obvious."

"That's it."

Hei Xiazi made the decision.

"Get ready, we'll depart in twenty-three days."

"I'll prepare the equipment."

Xie Yuchen said.

"The things used at sea and on islands are different from those on land; they need to be specially prepared."

"I'll take care of the food and medicine."

Aning said.

"Then I'll be in charge of transportation."

Huo Xiuxiu chimed in.

"You need to find a reliable boat; ordinary fishing boats can't go to those kinds of places."

Tasks have been assigned.

Everyone went their separate ways to get busy.

"Zhang Qiling" and "Zhang Qiling" did not change.

He was still standing by the table, looking at the map.

To be precise, it's about looking at that eye-shaped island.

"Is there a problem?"

"Zhang Qiling" asked.

Zhang Qiling stared at the island for a long time.

He had just opened his mouth.

Something doesn't feel right.

"where?"

"I can't say."

Zhang Qiling shook his head.

"But be careful when you go to the island."

Zhang Qiling nodded.

He always trusted Zhang Qiling's intuition—

Just like trusting your intuition.

In the tomb, intuition is often more reliable than sight and hearing.

outside the window.

The sky gradually darkened.

One by one, the lights in the villa came on.

The courtyard was brightly lit.