Tomb raiding live stream: Starting as the mute Zhang

The stone box was opened.

The lid slid open to reveal the contents.

There was no gold or silver jewelry, no divine weapons, and no elixir of immortality.

There was only one scroll of bamboo slips.

The bamboo slips were old, a dull yellow color, and bound together with black silk thread. They lay quietly at the bottom of the stone box in the dim blue light.

Xie Linyuan looked at the rolled-up bamboo slips.

The tattoo on his shoulder blade reached its peak temperature the moment the bamboo slip was exposed, scalding his muscles instantly. But the heat wasn't pain; it was more like a resonance, a call that transcended time.

The system's voice rang clearly in my mind:

[Obtain the key token: The Gatekeeper's Secret Scroll - Fragment]

[Exploring the Core Truth of Immortality]

[Character compatibility increased: 95%]

[Warning: Symptoms of amnesia are worsening, and memory anchors continue to detach]

[Playing Experience Increased: 30%]

[Rewards: Zhang Qiling's combat power 10% (cumulative 40%), Zhang Family Feng Shui Secrets (Advanced), Night Vision (Intermediate), Basic Mechanism Identification (Intermediate), Tomb Raider's Finger (Intermediate), Disguise (Intermediate), Qilin Blood (Intermediate Concentration), Zhang Family Ancient Building Mechanism Diagram (Advanced)]

A massive influx of information and a surge of power from deep within him washed over him almost simultaneously.

He closed his eyes, then opened them again.

Deep within his eyes, that ever-present indifference seemed to have deepened. Like a frozen lake, the surface was calm, but beneath lay a far deeper chill.

He reached out and picked up the scroll of bamboo slips.

The bamboo slips are very light. They feel cool to the touch.

He didn't open it; instead, he turned around and walked down from the altar.

The group remained below the altar, looking up at him. A ghostly blue light shone down from above, falling upon him. Dressed in black, black trousers, clutching ancient bamboo slips, he stood amidst mountains of white bones and the eerie altar.

The scene had an indescribable sense of desolation.

Like a statue forgotten at the end of time.

As Chen Man watched, her nose suddenly stung, and tears welled up unexpectedly. She quickly lowered her head and vigorously wiped them away with the back of her hand.

Wang Yihan's eyes also reddened. She turned her face away and took a deep breath.

Kun opened his mouth, as if to say something, but his throat felt blocked.

Lin Guoce stood ramrod straight, watching Xie Linyuan walk down step by step. This tough soldier felt as if a stone was pressing down on his heart.

Professor Zhou Xu'an stepped forward, his voice trembling slightly: "Thank you... thank you, sir, for these bamboo slips..."

Xie Linyuan handed him the bamboo slips.

"Look," he said.

The sound was very flat, without any inflection.

Professor Zhou Xu'an accepted the bamboo slips with both hands, as if they were fragile treasures. He carefully walked to a relatively flat area with fewer bones, and Jiang Shouyi immediately took out a waterproof cloth from his backpack and laid it on top.

The bamboo slips were gently placed on the cloth.

Everyone gathered around, even Sun Shuanzhu, who leaned in and stared at the bamboo slips.

Professor Zhou Xu'an put on gloves, took a deep breath, and untied the black silk thread binding the bamboo slips.

The bamboo slips slowly unfurled.

The characters above are in ancient seal script. Some are blurred, but most are still legible.

The professor read aloud word by word, his voice echoing in the silent cave:

"...The art of immortality is not tolerated by the Heavenly Way. Those who steal the secrets of Heaven will surely suffer the consequences."

"I am the third-generation gatekeeper of the Zhang family, and I have been in charge of the Bronze Gate for a hundred years. I have seen and heard that many seek immortality, but few have succeeded. However, those who do succeed merely substitute other things for it, or extend their lives with their own, or transform into non-human beings, which is ultimately not the right path."

"In the southern borderlands, there is a jade cicada, formed over a thousand years by absorbing the yin energy of the earth's veins. Consuming it can lock one's soul within a broken body, granting a mere hundred years of temporary life. However, when the moon is full and yin energy is at its peak, the cicada's poison will backfire, causing excruciating pain to the soul, making life worse than death."

"There was a Han general named Huo Yun who happened to obtain this object and considered it a gift from heaven. I once observed his fate; he was destined to die on the battlefield, his body wrapped in a horse's hide, leaving his name in history. But because of the cicada, he changed his fate, faked his death and went into seclusion, suffering a hundred years of pain, and finally died by breaking the cicada. How tragic, how lamentable."

"The path to immortality is a dead end. The gatekeepers have guarded the bronze gate for generations, not for immortality, but for sealing. The things within the gate are not of this world. Those who seek immortality through the things within the gate will fall into the abyss, their bodies and souls destroyed."

"If future generations see this scroll, they should remember: Our clan's mission is simply to guard the gate. Do not seek immortality, and do not approach the gate. Guard your heart with iron, and you will achieve your goal to the end."

The bamboo slips end here.

There was no signature at the end, only a simple symbol—a Qilin riding on fiery clouds.

Everyone fell silent.

Only the professor's slightly trembling breathing could be heard.

The live stream chat was sparse.

[ID Gatekeeper...]

What lies behind the bronze door?

[Is the ID "Chang Sheng" entirely fake?]

[ID That guy...]

Jiang Shouyi murmured, "So General Huo Yun's pursuit of immortality... was a mistake from the very beginning. The Jade Cicada is poison, not an elixir of life."

"The gatekeeper, Zhang..." Professor Zhou Xu'an looked up at Xie Linyuan, who was standing silently to the side, his eyes filled with complex emotions. "Mr. Xie, you are..."

"Zhang Qiling," Xie Linyuan said.

The sound wasn't loud, but it was very clear.

"Call me Zhang Qiling," he said.

It's not Xie Linyuan.

It's Zhang Qiling.

The name he uttered carried a heavy weight, a weight that spanned a thousand years.

Kun Ge's heart skipped a beat. He recalled what Xie Linyuan had said before the stone tablets of the gatekeepers in the Qinling Ancient Tomb. He had guessed it then, but hearing it with his own ears now felt completely different.

Chen Man's tears finally fell. She bit her lip tightly, trying not to cry out.

Wang Yihan put her arm around her shoulder, her own eyes also reddening.

"Mr. Zhang... Mr. Zhang," Professor Zhou Xu'an changed his form of address, his voice respectful, "the bronze door mentioned on this bamboo slip, and what's inside the door..."

"Don't touch it," Zhang Qiling said.

There are only three words.

But the resolute tone in his voice sent a chill down everyone's spine.

"Then you..." Lin Guoce began, then stopped. He wanted to ask, what are you protecting? How many years have you lived? Do you... feel pain?

But he couldn't bring himself to ask.

Zhang Qiling seemed to know what he wanted to ask. He looked at the altar, at the bones, and finally his gaze fell on the Qilin symbol on the bamboo slip.

"I am the gatekeeper," he said. "It's my destiny."

Destiny.

Two words, light and airy, yet they weigh heavily on one's breath.

Sun Shuanzhu suddenly spoke up: "These bamboo slips, the altar here, these skeletons... these are all precious historical relics! They must be protected! We must report this to the state!"

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone looked at him.

Their gazes differed.

Disgust was in Kun Ge's eyes. Jiang Shouyi frowned. Wang Yihan turned her face away. Chen Man wiped away her tears and didn't say anything.

Lin Guoce said in a deep voice, "Teacher Sun, now is not the time to talk about this."

"Why isn't this the time to talk about it?" Sun Shuanzhu exclaimed excitedly. "This is a major discovery! The Gatekeeper! The secret to immortality! The Bronze Gate! These must be protected and studied by specialized institutions! Zhang Qiling, you should also cooperate with the country and hand over these secrets! This is for the sake of all mankind!"

Zhang Qiling looked at him.

The look in his eyes was indifferent, but Sun Shuanzhu instantly shut his mouth, a cold sweat breaking out on his back. He remembered the look Xie Linyuan—no, Zhang Qiling—had given him before, exactly the same one he was seeing now.

"My affairs," Zhang Qiling said, "are none of your business."

"You—" Sun Shuanzhu wanted to say more.

"Sun Shuanzhu!" Lin Guoce interrupted him sharply, "Shut up!"

Sun Shuanzhu's face flushed red and then turned pale, but he dared not say anything more.

Zhang Qiling stopped looking at him. He walked to the edge of the pool and stared at the dark water.

The shadows underwater were still swimming around, but they seemed to sense his presence and dared not approach.

"Take a picture," he said to Professor Zhou Xu'an, "to record it. Then leave."

Professor Zhou Xu'an snapped out of his reverie and quickly nodded, "Okay, okay!"

He took out his camera—the battery was almost dead, but he could still take a few pictures. He carefully photographed the text on the bamboo slips, the entire altar, the skeletons from different eras, and the cicada-shaped reliefs on the walls.

Jiang Shouyi helped with the lighting, using the last bit of battery power to turn on the headlamp.

Kun Ge also turned on the live stream, adjusted the angle, and captured this stunning scene. The comments were still scrolling, but they lacked the usual liveliness and were filled with a sense of heaviness.

[ID: So immortality is a curse]

How long did this guy with the ID carry the burden alone?

[ID: Want to Cry]

[ID: He's so lonely]

Wang Yihan and Chen Man were helping the professor organize the notes. Chen Man's eyes were still red, but her emotions had stabilized somewhat. She occasionally stole glances at the dark figure by the pond.

He stood there, his back to everyone, looking at the dark water.

His back was straight, but there was an indescribable loneliness about him.

It felt like the weight of the entire world was pressing down on his shoulders.

He just silently endured it.

No explanations, no complaints, no backing down.

After shooting for about ten minutes, the camera battery died completely. The headlamp also went out. Only the eerie blue glow of the altar remained in the cave, barely illuminating the surroundings.

"Alright." Professor Zhou Xu'an carefully put away the camera and bamboo slips—the bamboo slips were put back into the waterproof bag and stuffed into the innermost part of his backpack.

Zhang Qiling turned around.

"Walk."

He walked back the way he came, to the narrow stone platform clinging to the rock face.

The team caught up.

This time, crossing the stone platform was even quieter than the way there. No one spoke; the only sounds were the footsteps on the slippery stones and the faint murmur of shadows moving underwater.

Zhang Qiling walked at the very end.

He waited until everyone had climbed onto the stone platform, walked a short distance, and then stepped onto it. Something was tentatively approaching from underwater; he glanced over, and the shadows immediately dispersed.

His blood and his aura have a natural suppressive effect on these evil spirits.

This suppression becomes even stronger, especially after the concentration of Qilin blood is raised to the intermediate level.

The team successfully returned to the other side.

Looking back at the altar, bathed in a ghostly blue light, it resembled a colossal tomb. It buried the ambitions of countless seekers of immortality, and also buried Huo Yun's century of torment.

And now, it has buried another truth.

Immortality is a misguided path.

Being a goalkeeper is my destiny.

Zhang Qiling led his team back the way they came. They passed through narrow passages, climbed steep steps, and returned to the main burial chamber where the jade coffin was located.

The bodies of the two special forces soldiers killed by the white-haired zombies were still covered with waterproof cloths and lay quietly in the corner.

Lin Guoce had someone pack a few things quickly, preparing to take them out.

"The exit is over there." Zhang Qiling pointed to the other end of the tomb chamber, an upward passage they hadn't taken before.

"How did you know?" Kun blurted out, then realized, "Oh right, you have night vision..."

Zhang Qiling didn't explain. He walked into the passage first.

The path went uphill, and the slope was very steep. After walking for about half an hour, light appeared ahead.

It wasn't firelight, it was natural light.

Daylight.

We've arrived at the export point.

It was a cave entrance hidden in a crevice in the mountain, surrounded by dense vines and bushes. Pushing aside the vines, the afternoon sun streamed in, stinging the eyes of those who had been in darkness for so long.

They walked out of the ancient tomb.

Standing on the hillside, looking back, one sees a continuous range of mountains behind them. The ancient tomb that buried Huo Yun and the secret of immortality is located inside one of these mountains.

The air outside is fresh, carrying the scent of grass, trees, and earth.

Everyone took a deep breath, feeling as if they had been transported to another world.

Kun Ge turned on the live stream, held it up to the sunlight, and said in a hoarse voice, "Family members...we...are out."

The number of comments surged instantly:

[The ID has been revealed!]

[This ID is so great!]

Where's the ID guy?

[His ID is behind him]

Zhang Qiling was the last to come out.

He stood at the cave entrance, sunlight falling on him. His black clothes were still stained with the marks of the previous battle, and his face was expressionless. Sunlight shone into his eyes, which remained pale, like ink that could not be dissolved.

He looked into the distance, where mountains rose and fell, and the sky was a deep blue.

The world is big.

But he was all alone.

Looking at his profile, Chen Man's tears welled up again. She desperately held them back, her nails digging into her palms.

Wang Yihan hugged her and whispered, "Don't cry. He... doesn't need tears."

Lin Guoce walked up to Zhang Qiling and saluted: "Mr. Zhang, thank you for your help this time."

Zhang Qiling glanced at him and nodded.

"Afterwards..." Lin Guoce hesitated for a moment, "the authorities may still contact you. I will report today's events truthfully. But I understand your attitude."

"Let them be," Zhang Qiling said.

Three words to express my stance.

He will not compromise, will not submit, and will not hand over the secret.

If the authorities want to use force, then they will.

Lin Guoce gave a bitter smile. He knew this wasn't over. The orders from above and Zhang Qiling's attitude were irreconcilably conflicting. The next time they met, they might be enemies.

But in his heart, he felt only respect for this person.

"Take care," Lin Guoce said.

Zhang Qiling didn't say anything more. He turned around and looked at another path leading down the mountain.

He is leaving.

"Wait!" Kun suddenly shouted.

Zhang Qiling stopped in his tracks without turning around.

Kun ran over, took out the last half-bottle of water and two compressed biscuits from his backpack, and handed them to Zhang Qiling: "Take these... on the way. Eat them on the way."

Zhang Qiling looked at the item in his hand, remained silent for two seconds, and then accepted it.

"Thank you," he said.

Kun's eyes welled up with tears, and he quickly lowered his head.

Chen Man also ran over, holding a small first-aid kit: "Mr. Zhang, your hand... the wound has healed, but... but please keep this with you, just in case..."

Zhang Qiling took it and nodded.

Wang Yihan, Jiang Shouyi, and Professor Zhou Xu'an all came over. No one spoke; they just looked at him.

His eyes held gratitude, reluctance, worry, and respect.

Zhang Qiling looked at them, examining each one of them.

Then he said, "Goodbye."

He turned and walked down the path.

The figure in black quickly disappeared into the woods.

Like a drop of ink, falling into a green ocean and disappearing without a trace.

Chen Man finally couldn't hold back anymore, squatted down on the ground, and burst into tears.

Wang Yihan also shed tears.

With red eyes, Kun Ge spoke into the live stream, his voice choked with emotion: "Family members... he's gone."

The live chat was filled with crying emojis.

Take care, ID guy!

[Make sure your ID is safe and secure]

[ID cried]

[ID: He's too lonely]

Lin Guoce stood there for a long time, until the figure completely disappeared, before he looked away.

"Go down the mountain," he said. "Report on the mission."

The group composed themselves and headed down the mountain in another direction.

Everyone carries a heavy burden in their heart.

That person's figure, those indifferent eyes, those words "My name is Zhang Qiling," and that heavy, unbearable loneliness.

They will never forget it for the rest of their lives.

In the mountains and forests.

Zhang Qiling walked along the mountain path.

His steps were very steady.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on him.

The tattoo on his shoulder blade had cooled down and returned to normal.

The system's voice sounded in my mind:

[Task Completed]

[Performance Ratio: 30%]

[Character compatibility: 95%]

[Aphasia Status: Intermediate (Continuous Memory Loss)]

[Note: The host can view the updated ability list at any time]

He didn't check.

Those abilities were already a part of him. Like breathing, like a heartbeat, they didn't need to be memorized.

He walked.

Ahead lay a continuous range of mountains, stretching as far as the eye could see.

Just like his path.

No companions, no destination, only ahead.

He clenched his fist, feeling the power surging through his body.

Then keep walking.

Lonely, but resolute.