Explore With the Note Episode 17 Recap
> Explore With the Note Recap
The team found themselves surrounded by countless dried vines clinging to the cliffs, covered in captivating purplish-red, fluorescent flowers. The air shimmered with floating pollen. Wang Pangzi, intrigued by the "delicious" and "appetizing" fragrance that reminded him of "tasty pig offal," suggested they camp there, playfully wondering if the flowers were edible. However, Wu Xie noticed Zhang Qiling looking unwell and asked what was wrong.
Zhang Qiling, who possessed Qilin Blood, was less susceptible to the poison, allowing him to remain clear-headed. He warned everyone not to breathe. Wu Xie then saw the others, including Wang Pangzi, behaving erratically, clearly hallucinating from the toxic air, their faces displaying a "fanatical excitement" and "desire for wealth." Acting quickly while he was still clear-headed, Zhang Qiling cut his finger and used his blood to help everyone recover.
Once everyone regained their senses, Wang Pangzi wondered aloud about his bizarre behavior. Wu Xie clarified that the dried vines, not the flowers, emitted the hallucinogenic substance. He revealed that they had been trapped there for an entire night, falling into a dangerous cycle of night-time intoxication and daytime lethargy, almost perishing in the process. Realizing the peril, Chen Pi urged them to leave immediately, fearing more booby traps.
Following the Path of God, they soon reached a stone archway inscribed with "Heavenly Gate," the first official entrance to the imperial mausoleum. Chen Pi instructed them to exit the gate by walking backward to avoid the "dead end," explaining that traditionally, pallbearers and mourners were sacrificed at this gate after entombment ceremonies, making it a "portal to the dead" for explorers. Wang Pangzi scoffed at this, calling it superstition.
As they passed through, Wu Xie thought he saw a person flash by one of the white stone statues lining the path and wondered if A Ning's group was following them. Chen Pi, concerned, decided to go back with Zhang Qiling to investigate, while the rest of the group, including Wu Xie, Wang Pangzi, and Pan Zi, continued forward.
Wu Xie noted that while the Jurchens practiced Shamanism, the architectural designs, including the six stone gates symbolizing "the Six Realms of Han-era Buddhism," were clearly Han in origin. Wang Pangzi spotted an owl-like creature on a statue, which he called a "cute" "mascot" that could fetch a good price in Beijing and serve as a "guardian beast." Wu Xie corrected him, identifying it as a Manlike Owl, historically known as "true owls" and considered "evil birds associated with death."
He elaborated on their complex history in ancient China, from being worshipped as "auspicious symbols," "guardian spirits of the night and dreams," and "incarnations of ancestors" in the Shang dynasty, to being shunned in the Western Zhou dynasty. Suddenly, dozens of Manlike Owls appeared on withered trees, their large round eyes fixed on them. Wu Xie realized these were the Lord of Slavery's living funerary objects, which explained why Jason's team had been attacked without a visible enemy.
The group quickly fled, carefully moving past jade figures to escape the Manlike Owls. They eventually found refuge in a derelict hall, littered with bullet casings and several corpses in peculiar positions near a statue. Pan Zi noted the powerful machine guns the deceased had carried, suggesting they should have been able to handle any threat, and wondered what could have happened.
Wang Pangzi, however, was more interested in collecting the abandoned firearms and ammunition, climbing a pillar to retrieve more weapons. Wu Xie warned him against touching the bodies, fearing they might be poisoned. To their horror, one of the "dead" bodies stirred, and the dying man uttered something in Hakka about a "big bird" before succumbing. It became clear that Jason's men had been killed by the Manlike Owls.
Meanwhile, in a separate location, an associate of Qiu Dekao visited Huo Xiangu. He informed her that Qiu Dekao was hospitalized for the fourth time and expressed his principal's "surprise" at her handling of an operation, as Xie Yuchen had intercepted a batch of relics from Macao, preventing their shipment. Qiu Dekao demanded she resolve the situation promptly, adding that Xie Yuchen would soon be sent to "the Empyrean Palace."
Huo Xiangu, angered, retorted that her alliance with Qiu Dekao had already made her an "enemy of her family" and violated the rules of The Mystic Nine. She lamented that Xie Yuchen had become "rebellious" and even her granddaughter Xiuxiu was increasingly disobedient. She told the associate to convey to Qiu Dekao that he should "call off the whole thing," warning that if he insisted on opposing the Xie family, their cooperation would cease.
The associate, however, suggested that Xie Yuchen's presence in the dangerous Empyrean Palace would be an "asset" and subtly reminded Huo Xiangu about "her daughter's whereabouts," implying leverage related to Huo Ling. Though visibly troubled, Huo Xiangu declared that this move would inevitably turn the Xie family against the Huo family, but the associate remained firm, stating, "you win some, you lose some." Afterwards, Huo Xiangu instructed someone to "take action" on "that matter."
Back in the tomb, A Ning's team was in a different hall, with A Ning communicating with Qiu Dekao when they were suddenly attacked by Manlike Owls. Her men suffered heavy casualties, and A Ning herself was severely wounded, losing consciousness as her team fled. Later, Wu Sanxing found and rescued the injured A Ning, who then joined him and his team. With Wu Xie's group, they too were fending off Manlike Owls.
Pan Zi and other armed members stayed to fight, while Shun Zi urged the unarmed ones to run, claiming it was Wu Sanxing's instruction. During the skirmish, Wang Pangzi, jubilant after successfully repelling some creatures with a machine gun, accidentally dropped his communicator. Wu Xie noticed it and, filled with rage, confronted Wang Pangzi, accusing him of being a traitor.
Wang Pangzi initially denied it, but when Wu Xie activated the device, Qiu Dekao's voice emanated from it, asking, "Mr. Wang, anything new?" Unable to conceal his actions any longer, Wang Pangzi confessed. He explained that he had been swindled by Qiu Dekao, who took his parents' store, forcing him to act as an informant to get it back. He adamantly insisted he had never disclosed any critical information and had always protected Wu Xie.
Wu Xie, feeling deeply betrayed, dismissed Wang Pangzi's explanation, accusing him of using his care as a facade for espionage. He branded Wang Pangzi a "traitor," prioritizing personal gain over the safety of the entire team, and rejected his apologies. Wu Xie expressed his disappointment, saying he had always seen Wang Pangzi as a wise man but now felt tricked, questioning if he cared about his brothers' lives.
Wang Pangzi, hurt and frustrated, retorted that he had always helped Wu Xie with his "lousy family issues" and sacrificed his home and store to care for him at the hospital, never once selling any treasures they found. Yet, he felt Wu Xie consistently viewed him as a "money-grubbing scoundrel." The heated argument culminated in Wu Xie telling Wang Pangzi to leave and never return.
Wang Pangzi, equally angry, declared he would never see Wu Xie again, or he would "take Wu as his last name," and walked away. Left alone with Pan Zi and Shun Zi, Wu Xie was disoriented. Shun Zi then revealed that Wu Sanxing had instructed him to relay the phrase "Xuanwu Jushi Zhi Di", or "Black Tortoise Rejects Corpses Zone," to Wu Xie, assuring him that this would reveal the entrance to the Underground Palace. Wu Xie was stunned by the cryptic message, disbelieving such a place could exist. At that moment, another wave of Manlike Owls attacked, forcing them to quickly find cover.
