Explore With the Note Episode 11 Recap
> Explore With the Note Recap
The group rested at Xiaosheng Mountain, observing the approaching sunset. With less than an hour of daylight left, they debated how to proceed. Given the potential for the treasure cave to be directly beneath them, their immediate task was to drill into the glacier. Worried about triggering an avalanche by blasting the perpetually snow-covered glacier, Wu Xie expressed concern, fearing an avalanche would bury them all and suggesting they use shovels instead.
Wang Pangzi, however, proposed using explosives, citing his friends' methods for clearing snow in Daxing'anling, which involved a single blast to clear large areas, now even using mortars. Lang Feng, who had been setting explosives since he was fourteen and had earned the nickname "Canon God" for his skill in blasting no less than a hundred mountains, stepped forward. He assured everyone that his expertise allowed him to precisely control the explosive's power, minimizing sound and impact.
Hua Heshang vouched for Lang Feng, comparing his task to making a hole in tofu without visible damage on the surface. Wu Xie was impressed by Lang Feng's reputation. As Lang Feng began preparing the explosives, calculating a reconfigured, less powerful dosage, Jin Shunzi rushed forward, pleading with the bosses not to detonate, fearing a catastrophic avalanche. Hua Heshang promptly knocked Jin Shunzi unconscious, dragging him to a nearby rock.
One of the group members clarified that Jin Shunzi was merely knocked out, not seriously harmed, and would be needed later. Everyone retreated behind a bare rock. Lang Feng detonated the explosives. Initially, only a stream of snow fell, like a small waterfall. However, a deeper rumble from behind indicated a larger, small-scale avalanche. Chen Pi instructed everyone to remain calm, assuring them that the snow layer above was thin, and it would likely be a minor collapse.
Wang Pangzi quickly identified a protective corner formed by a rock. Pan Zi and Zhang Qiling secured themselves with ropes, followed by Chen Pi and Lang Feng. As Wu Xie tried to join them, he slipped, plummeting down the cliff. The others frantically pulled on the ropes, eventually hauling him back to safety. After the narrow escape, the group, exhausted but relieved, watched the sunset paint the snow-covered mountains in fiery hues.
Wu Xie realized this scene mirrored a mural he and Zhang Qiling had seen in the Underwater Tomb. He had previously wondered about the red "flames" depicted in the mural and now understood they represented the sunset's afterglow. This confirmed his belief that the Cloud Top Palace (Yun Ding Tian Gong) was located precisely where the sun's remnants shone. Despite the earlier scare, the group decided to blast the ice again.
Chen Pi sternly warned Lang Feng to be absolutely precise with his calculations this time, or he wouldn't be returning with them. Lang Feng confirmed he had halved the dosage but increased the number of charges to six, each about a meter deep, aiming to create an opening less than four meters wide. The second blast successfully opened a large cavity in the ice.
Hua Heshang shone flashlights into the depths, revealing a massive, indistinct shadow resembling a curled-up infant, occupying half of the ice cliff. Chen Pi identified this as a Kunlun Fetus, a natural and peculiar phenomenon found at the source of a dragon vein, signifying a place of immense spiritual energy and, often, a significant tomb like the Eastern Xia royal tomb.
However, Wu Xie speculated that this Kunlun Fetus might be an artificial construction, a symbolic representation of a fetus for burial, questioning why a mere satellite tomb would possess such an auspicious natural formation, and wondering if the course of the "three rivers" had been intentionally altered. The immediate challenge was the descent.
The opening revealed a vast abyss, a hundred meters deep to the Kunlun Fetus, with an additional twenty meters horizontally to the Ling Palace's "tai dong" (fetus cave). Though their ropes were long enough, swinging across the horizontal gap was impossible. Wu Xie noted that the enormous wooden pillars, each over a hundred meters long and constructed from wedged logs, supported the ice dome above.
He expressed concern that while the structure could withstand vertical pressure, it might not handle the tension of a descent, risking a catastrophic chain collapse. Wang Pangzi, dismissing Wu Xie’s worries, urged them to proceed, citing good omens. As they deliberated, Chen Pi outlined a plan: one person would descend to the wooden pillars, climb along them, and then use ropes to reach the roof tiles of the submerged buildings. Zhang Qiling, without a word, volunteered to go first.
He secured a rope around his waist and bravely jumped into the chasm, swiftly finding a foothold on the pillars. Following Zhang Qiling, the group eventually reached the Ling Palace, standing on the eaves of an elevated hall. Hua Heshang observed that the bronze tripods and the palace's architectural style were distinctly Han.
Chen Pi explained that despite being an Eastern Xia satellite tomb, the Han architectural influence was a clear sign of Wang Zanghai's work, as he could never escape the stylistic limitations of his own culture and era, regardless of where he took contracts. Wang Pangzi, eager to explore, tried to open a stone door. Wu Xie, startled by a small noise, shouted. Zhang Qiling reassured them that it was merely frozen moisture-proof paint flaking off the door.
He then inspected the door's carvings, cautioning everyone to stay close and silent before effortlessly pushing it open. The interior of the tomb was even colder than the snow mountain above, with temperatures potentially dropping to minus forty degrees Celsius, which would force their retreat. Meanwhile, Ding Ning learned that a shipment following Jason's route had been hijacked. She already harbored doubts about Jason and now suspected him of foul play, though Jason remained oblivious to the accusation.
Elsewhere, Jia Sha located Huo Xiuxiu at the Color of Night Bar on the west side. Xie Yuchen immediately dispatched men, rescuing Huo Xiuxiu just as she was being cornered by two men she had been covertly following, who were discussing suspicious "goods" and tried to grab her bag. Xie Yuchen then reprimanded Huo Xiuxiu for her reckless and impulsive actions.
One of Xie Yuchen's men informed Huo Xiuxiu that his comrade had been captured, implying that her previous attempt to swap the cargo had indeed alerted someone, and she needed to be careful because "someone is behind this."
