Tomb raiding live stream: Starting as the mute Zhang

The morning mist flows through the mountains and forests like a milky white river.

Zhang Qiling walked along the ridgeline. The ground was covered in soft moss and fallen leaves, making no sound underfoot. His black-gold ancient sword, wrapped in old cloth, was slung across his back, the hilt protruding from his shoulder. His black fingerless gloves bore the faint stains left from the brief conflict that had occurred in the early morning, which he didn't wipe away.

I learned from that burly poacher that Old Wolf Gully was deep in the west. He had an excellent sense of direction and didn't need a map; he could determine the location by the sun and the terrain.

After walking for about two hours, the sound of water came from ahead. It was a mountain stream, the water was very rapid, cascading down from a height and splashing white spray among the rocks. The stream was not wide, only five or six meters, but it would be difficult for an ordinary person to cross.

Zhang Qiling stopped by the stream and observed for a moment. He chose the section where the water was loudest and the splashes were most intense. There, a huge reclining ox-shaped rock was half-submerged in the water, its surface smoothed by the flowing water.

He took a few steps back, ran, and leaped. His toes touched the highest point of the reclining ox rock above the water, using the momentum to launch himself into the air again. His body stretched out in the air, like a black crane skimming the water, and he landed steadily on the opposite bank.

My knees bent slightly upon landing to cushion the impact, and I stood up straight. My shoes weren't even very wet.

He continued walking. Old Wolf Gully shouldn't be far.

City, Special Affairs Office.

A long list, categorized by subject, was displayed on the large screen.

"The original team is confirmed." Zhao Yongnian pointed at the screen with a laser pointer, "Kun Ge, Chen Man, Wang Yihan, Jiang Shouyi, Zhou Xu'an. And... Sun Shuanzhu. He volunteered to join, saying he wanted to be responsible for the cultural relics."

Li Guoliang scoffed: "Take responsibility? What else could you do besides dragging things down last time? You expert."

Wang Jizong ignored it and continued reading: "127 new applicants have passed the initial review. Their backgrounds are complicated." He clicked on several files.

"Zhou Gousheng, forty-two years old, claims to be a folk feng shui master, but has no formal apprenticeship. Ma Tiedan, thirty-eight years old, claims to be a descendant of tomb raiders, with a prior record of tomb robbing. Guo Lengzi, thirty-five years old, says he studied with an old Taoist priest in the mountains for a few years and knows a little bit." Wang Jizong shook his head, "They're all the same kind of people as that Xu Jiashu from before, utterly clueless. These people are after the funerary objects in the ancient tombs, hoping to get rich overnight."

Zhao Yongnian frowned: "Hiring this kind of person is a potential problem."

"We have to deal with potential threats," Li Guoliang said calmly. "Someone has to be the one to test the waters and be the cannon fodder. Besides, with them around, the team will appear more 'mixed' and natural. That person... will be more likely to lower their guard."

The "one" he was referring to was naturally Zhang Qiling.

"And some are after the money." Wang Jizong flipped through another batch of files. "Wang Lei, his daughter has leukemia and needs money. Liu Min, her father has uremia and needs dialysis every week. Zhou Ting, her brother was paralyzed in a car accident and is heavily in debt. Each person is paid 500,000 yuan upfront, and another 500,000 yuan after the job is done. One million yuan is a lifeline for them."

Zhao Yongnian was silent for a moment: "These people are indeed pitiful. But tomb raiding is not child's play; can they really do it?"

"Whether it works or not depends on luck," Li Guoliang said coldly. "We need enough people to fill the ranks and create momentum. As for their lives... let fate decide."

"Have the overseas teams been arranged?" Wang Jizong asked.

"All arranged." Li Guoliang opened an encrypted file. Photos and information of ten people appeared on the screen, all foreigners with cold, hard eyes. "Code name 'Vulture.' International mercenaries, skilled in mountain warfare, infiltration, and assassination. Experienced and ruthless. They are mixed in with the applicants, posing as employees of an overseas exploration company, and have passed the screening."

"Task?"

"First, if Zhang Qiling appears, find an opportunity to control or eliminate him. Second, if there are any key items related to immortality or the Bronze Gate in the tomb, obtain them at all costs. Third..." Li Guoliang paused, "If the situation gets out of control, ensure that Kun Ge, Zhou Xu'an, and Jiang Shouyi do not come out alive. Especially Zhou Xu'an, he knows too much about the contents of the bamboo slips."

A brief silence fell over the office.

"Isn't this going too far?" Zhao Yongnian hesitated.

"However," Wang Jizong said coldly, "this time we must succeed. We must obtain the secrets of Zhang Qiling and the things in the tomb. For this, we are willing to pay any price. Those ten people are both insurance and a weapon."

"When will you arrive?"

"They're already on their way. They'll arrive at the southwestern border three days before the assembly, infiltrate as hikers, and set up an ambush near Laolanggou. Once the main force enters the mountains, they'll either blend in or... wait outside."

The plan was meticulous and ruthless.

The three people looked at the names and photos on the screen with different expressions, but their goal was the same.

The Seven Star Lu Palace must become Zhang Qiling's tomb, or... prison.

Rental housing.

Fatty Wang lay sprawled on the sofa, his phone ringing incessantly. He picked it up and saw it was an official confirmation email.

"Tianzhen! We passed! We both passed! Official team members!" He sat up with a jolt, waving his phone excitedly.

Wu Xie was organizing the notes left by his grandfather when he heard this. He looked up and adjusted his glasses: "So soon? Isn't there supposed to be a review?"

"Review my ass! Our conditions are more than enough!" the fat man said smugly, then lowered his voice, "I've heard that the lineup is amazing this time. Most of the original team are here, including Brother Kun and his group, Master Jiang, Professor Zhou, and that expert Sun."

Wu Xie frowned: "Expert Sun? He's going again?"

"Go ahead, he says it's to protect cultural relics." The fat man scoffed. "Protect my ass. I think he just wants to gain some credit and save face. But it's okay, with me here, if he dares to spout nonsense, I'll shut him up."

"Who else?"

"There are plenty more." The fat man flipped through the list of attachments in the email. "Look at these names—Zhou Gousheng, Ma Tiedan, Guo Lengzi… They all sound like con artists, just like that Xu Jiashu from last time. And a few ordinary people who look like they desperately need money, Wang Lei, Liu Min, Zhou Ting… Sigh, they're all unfortunate people, risking their lives for that million."

Wu Xie remained silent. One million was a lifeline for some, but just a number for others. He recalled Chen Man's red, swollen eyes from crying during the live stream, Kun Ge's lingering fear, and those who never recovered.

"Fatty, this time...it's dangerous, isn't it?"

"Nonsense, what kind of tomb raiding wouldn't be dangerous?" The fat man patted him on the shoulder. "But this time is different. It's an official organization, well-equipped, and has a lot of people. Besides, Xiao Ge will probably be going too. With him there, I feel much more at ease."

"Do you think this guy... will be joining us?"

"No," the fat man shook his head. "He's the kind of person who's used to working alone. I reckon he'll either sneak in first or follow behind. But as long as he's nearby, we'll be a bit safer. Oh, and there are a few other people you need to keep an eye on."

"Who?"

"Xie Yuchen, Hei Xiazi, and Huo Xiuxiu," the fat man said, his expression turning more serious. "These three are true masters. Xie Yuchen, the head of the Xie family, young but shrewd and resourceful. Hei Xiazi, a retired special forces soldier, a firearms and hand-to-hand combat expert, looks carefree but is actually very reliable. Huo Xiuxiu, the eldest daughter of the Huo family, a top student in history and archaeology, and very intelligent. These three, plus the two of us, and counting the young man we might encounter... hehe, with this lineup, taking over the Lu Palace will be a piece of cake, won't it?"

Wu Xie was amused by him, but the unease in his heart remained.

Seven Star Lu Palace.

Ancient tomb from the Warring States period.

The Mysterious Tomb of Immortality.

And there is that lonely yet powerful gatekeeper.

This journey is destined to be anything but peaceful.

Mountainous area, dusk.

Zhang Qiling stood on a high slope, looking down.

There, nestled between two mountains, lay a deep ravine, its vegetation exceptionally dense, vines tangled, and the light dim. At the ravine's mouth stood several heavily weathered boulders, their jagged shapes resembling crouching wild beasts. This was Old Wolf Ravine.

The gully was quiet. There were no birdsong, no insect chirping, and even the wind seemed to weaken at the mouth of the gully.

A strange sense of oppression permeated the air.

Zhang Qiling's gaze swept across the mouth of the gully, lingering briefly in the shadows of vines and rocks. There were subtle traces there—deliberately restored but unnatural footprints, and a faint, unusual scent not belonging to the forest. Metal, sweat, and… the smell of gunpowder.

There are people. More than one. They are lying in ambush near the mouth of the ditch.

Without making a sound, he turned around and moved laterally along the high slope, finding a cliff face with particularly dense vegetation and a tricky angle. The cliff face was steep, almost vertical, and covered with slippery moss.

He untied the cloth strip wrapped around the knife and slung it over his shoulder. He flexed his fingers, then reached out and gripped a narrow crevice in the rock face. He braced his feet on a slightly protruding rock ridge and began to climb.

Without ropes or tools, relying solely on the strength of his fingers and toes, his movements are precise and steady, like a gecko gliding swiftly along a near-vertical cliff face. The slippery moss poses no obstacle; his fingers grip the crevices, he exerts force, and his body pulls upward, each step as steady as a rock.

He climbed over the 20-meter-high cliff in less than a minute.

The view from the top of the cliff was expansive. He crouched down and looked down into the ravine.

Sure enough, figures could be vaguely seen behind several concealed rocks and in the bushes. There were ten of them. They wore gray-green mountain camouflage, their faces painted with camouflage paint, almost blending into the background. They were well-equipped, with automatic rifles, tactical vests, and headsets. They were scattered on the high points on both sides of the gully entrance, forming a crossfire network that blocked the only passage into Laolang Gully.

They weren't ordinary tomb raiders, nor were they government officials. They were professionals. Mercenaries.

Zhang Qiling watched for a while and memorized everyone's location and approximate firing range.

Then, he quietly retreated and left from the other side of the cliff top.

He doesn't need to deal with them now.

His target was the Lu Palace in the ditch.

If these people know what's good for them and don't provoke him, he can pretend he doesn't see them.

If you absolutely must block the way...

He clenched his fist, and the knuckles beneath his black gloves cracked slightly.

His eyes remained indifferent.

But deep in his eyes, a chilling killing intent flashed.