Adventure Behind the Bronze Door Episode 9 Recap
> Adventure Behind the Bronze Door Recap
After navigating various hazards, the group found a deep, hidden space within the Zhang Family Castle. The air was thick with humidity, causing the decaying contents of ships to meld together. Exploring further, they found more space blocked by cargo crates. They speculated that people had tried to seal the area but died before finishing. The state of the bodies inside, reduced to bones, contrasted sharply with the mummified remains found outside, suggesting something dangerous was contained within.
Wu Xie and others felt an ominous presence, but they decided to split up and search cautiously. Jiuri located the remains of a patriarch, believing the Heavenly Staff might be there. Suddenly, strange phenomena occurred; their shadows moved ahead of them. Before they could fully comprehend this, they were swarmed by bugs. Someone realized the bugs were mimicking their shadows, which were identified as "Little Devils." Recognizing the danger, someone called out, stating that Wu Xie's blood could help them.
The Heavenly Staff was spotted, and Wu Xie was instructed to retrieve it quickly, warned that there might be mechanisms or explosives beneath the body. The swarm of bugs intensified, forcing them to escape. Jiuri volunteered to stay behind to seal the passage, intending to keep the bugs from escaping the area. Wu Xie, who knew the way out, led the group to safety through a water pond which had seemingly served as a final barrier sealing the bug chamber.
Jiuri was stopped from fully sealing the passage and dragged out by the others. As the others reached safety, Zhang Qiling stayed behind at the passage entrance and used fire to destroy the bugs in the chamber. Carrying the newly retrieved Heavenly Staff, Wu Xie was asked if he was sure about taking it back. The group, having survived the ordeal together, decided to form a team, calling themselves the "Scorpion Team," vowing to share fortune and hardship.
Later, Wu Xie reflected on the events and the existence of the Heavenly Staff. He wondered why Zhang Qiling would want to be the patriarch, questioning it based on his understanding of Zhang Qiling's reserved and noble character, which seemed far from worldly ambitions. He pondered the mysteries surrounding Zhang Qiling's past and current motives.
Feeling both closer and further away from understanding Zhang Qiling, Wu Xie resolved to stay and complete whatever tasks Zhang Qiling might need him to do, hoping to eventually bring him home. Fatty joined him, discussing a scroll Wu Xie had received.
The scroll mentioned Zhang Qiling and Zhang Haike knowing each other and that Zhang Qiling's presence in the snowy mountains was related to the Night King, information that aligned with what others had told them and what was found in Feng's records. While admitting his initial skepticism, Wu Xie now felt a hint of belief that Zhang Qiling might genuinely need his help, perhaps because he couldn't find anyone else he trusted.
They decided that until they gathered more information, they would follow the lead of the other factions, treating it as an exploration, but ready to adapt if they found the others to be deceitful. Wu Xie was resolute in his decision to stay, viewing this path of being deceived and seeking opportunities within it as his destiny. The following morning, a strange bell sound echoed, causing panic among the locals.
Someone explained that it marked the start of "Luku Day," a day occurring every eighty years. It was said this day would end with golden rain and the resurrection of the Night King in the snowy mountains, who would then slaughter all living things.
Facing the impending events and the presence of two distinct groups – the foreigners led by Feng (De Na Xi) and the Zhang family descendants led by Zhang Haike – Wu Xie and Fatty decided they needed to choose a side and strategize effectively. They agreed to test each group separately. Fatty offered to engage with Feng ("Old Feng"), while Wu Xie would speak with Zhang Haike.
Fatty went to interact with Feng, who, as Fatty later revealed, was a "scientific weirdo" and a "變態狂." While with Feng, Fatty got him drunk and discovered deeply disturbing documents, including Wu Xie's blood analysis reports and detailed anatomical diagrams, leading him to conclude that Feng intended to dissect Wu Xie alive. Horrified, Fatty rushed back to warn Wu Xie, emphasizing the need to be extremely cautious around Feng.
Fatty also shared a story about Feng's past, detailing his father's abuse and sister's disappearance, suggesting Feng's twisted view on violence stemmed from his upbringing, contrasting him with Zhang Haike. Wu Xie then showed Fatty a hexagonal bell he had received from Zhang Haike, explaining that it was the item previously known to cause hallucinations. Zhang Haike had given it to Wu Xie for protection, claiming it could enhance his confidence.
Wu Xie explained that the bell's hallucination effect wasn't caused by sound alone, but by powder inside, activated "after" a psychological suggestion. Fatty, playing with the bell, accidentally triggered a vivid hallucination of being dissected, a result of having seen Feng's anatomical diagrams earlier. This experience confirmed the bell's potency and authenticity, convincing Wu Xie that Zhang Haike was likely more trustworthy than Feng, as he had given him such a powerful and potentially dangerous item.
They decided to align with Zhang Haike but still needed a plan to evade Feng, who seemed determined to use Wu Xie as a test subject. Zhang Haike visited them, stating his people were ready to act against Feng "that night", viewing their current cooperation as temporary. He believed Feng was secretly planning against them. Wu Xie proposed a different plan to Zhang Haike, one that required cooperation.
Wu Xie then executed his plan by creating fake "Personality Type Assessment" (综合评估) scores for everyone. He presented these comically low scores to Zhang Haixing, Zhang Haike, and Feng, causing a distraction as they reacted to their results. While the others were preoccupied with the assessment sheets, Wu Xie and his companions quietly made their escape. Feng quickly realized they were gone and ordered a pursuit, also noticing his sister, Zhang Haixing, attempting to flee and ordering her capture. Feng stopped his men from shooting, concerned they might hit Wu Xie who was in the car. Although they missed catching Wu Xie's group, Feng declared he had other plans.
