The Lost Tomb 2 : Explore with the Note Episode 17 Recap
> The Lost Tomb 2 : Explore with the Note Recap
Wu Xie and Wang Pangzi entered a dark cave where numerous terracotta sacrifice figures were scattered. Wang Pangzi expressed his unease, asking Wu Xie about the creepy figures with human faces. Wu Xie explained that these were war trophies from ancient times; successful warriors would cut off enemy heads, which were then stuck onto terracotta figures and buried as sacrifices. Wang Pangzi found this practice unsettling, comparing it to Qin Shi Huang's Terracotta Army.
As they ventured deeper, Wu Xie noticed the increasing number of figures. Wang Pangzi then spotted some markings, wondering if "Lao Pao and his gang" had been there, and Wu Xie agreed, advising caution. With no dry path forward, they were forced to wade into deep water. The stone walls on both sides of the waterway were covered with strange carvings.
Wang Pangzi demonstrated to Wu Xie how to waterproof a phone with a plastic bag, citing survival shows, but Wu Xie told him to save his energy. Wang Pangzi quickly grew frustrated, complaining about the cold and the poorly constructed path, fearing they would find nothing. Wu Xie reassured him, explaining that this area was merely the outer perimeter of the mausoleum.
He pointed out the unfinished terracotta figures, indicating it was likely a quarry and carving site for the artisans, possibly the main burial chamber used for the altar that Mr. Ma had mentioned. As they swam, a large, fish-like monster suddenly emerged from the water and dragged Wang Pangzi away. Wu Xie immediately dove in, helping Wang Pangzi fight off the creature with their knives. After they managed to fend it off, they urged each other to escape.
However, the monster quickly returned, almost drowning Wu Xie. Wang Pangzi yelled at Wu Xie not to be reckless, insisting they still had a way out. They attempted to retreat, but the stone door they had entered through began to slowly close. In a desperate act, Wu Xie pushed Wang Pangzi through the narrowing gap, trapping himself inside. Wang Pangzi, in shock, tried in vain to open the heavy door.
Believing his death was imminent, Wu Xie urged Wang Pangzi to flee and survive, telling him not to visit such dangerous places again without him. He also instructed Wang Pangzi to tell Wu Sansheng to find a partner and live a peaceful life, but Wang Pangzi, distraught, demanded that Wu Xie tell his uncle himself.
With a final declaration that "of all human bonds, nothing beats a brotherly bond," Wu Xie dove back into the water to face the monster alone. He was quickly overpowered and knocked unconscious. As he slowly sank, he fleetingly saw Zhang Qiling swimming rapidly towards him, a vision that made him feel he had once again escaped death. When Wu Xie awoke, he was still calling out for "Little Master," convinced that Zhang Qiling had saved him.
However, it was Lao Yang who was by his side. Wu Xie, surprised to see his old childhood friend, asked if it was he who had rescued him. His immediate concern then turned to Wang Pangzi, asking if Lao Yang had seen him. Lao Yang assured Wu Xie that if Wang Pangzi were dead, his body would have floated to the surface, and since there was no body, he must be alive, likely swept away by the current.
Lao Yang identified the attacking creature as a Siberian Taimen, the "king of freshwater regions," describing it as very vicious and noting that the one they fought was "considered small." Wu Xie gave Lao Yang a knife, telling him to shave his beard. He expressed his disappointment that Lao Yang had been hiding in the mountains for three years without contacting him, despite their long friendship.
Wu Xie recalled Lao Yang having gone with Mr. Ma three years ago and asked if this was their destination. Lao Yang confirmed it, explaining that after Mr. Ma was caught, he panicked and hid in the mountains for three years.
Wu Xie expressed deep concern for Lao Yang's mother, who must be worried sick, suggesting it would have been better for Lao Yang to have gone to jail with Mr. Ma so his mother would at least know his whereabouts. Lao Yang appeared stunned by Wu Xie's words. Wu Xie then noticed a bell earring on Lao Yang's ear.
He became tense, urgently asking if the bell had ever rung, and was visibly relieved when Lao Yang said it had not. Lao Yang then suggested they eat the large fish, noting it could last them for days. Wu Xie refused, declaring he would rather starve, prompting Lao Yang to call him "picky." As Lao Yang cut open the fish's belly, a human head rolled out.
Wu Xie deduced that this indicated other people must have been in the vicinity recently. He also found a "small mud gun" and observed bullet shots on the fish's body, concluding that the person was an illegal hunter who had been injured before the fish attacked them.
Wu Xie theorized that the fish had entered the tomb through a natural waterway connected to the Jialing River, which was likely formed by an accidental breach in a dike, rather than being an intentional part of the tomb's construction. Wu Xie suggested he would re-enter the waterway alone to search for Wang Pangzi and an exit, instructing Lao Yang to wait. However, Lao Yang insisted on accompanying him, claiming he could protect Wu Xie.
Meanwhile, A Ning and her team were tracking footprints outside the cave. They identified traces left by Wu Xie and Wang Pangzi, along with a third, unknown male, whom they determined was a tall and heavy individual who had been stalking them from a distance. A Ning commented on Wu Xie's strong curiosity leading him away from their primary objective, the Bronze Tree, and decided to pursue them.
Her team later entered the tomb through the river, where they immediately sensed strange movements in the water. Alone, Wang Pangzi called out for Wu Xie, determined to find his friend. He eventually found a way back into the tomb and discovered the Siberian Taimen's corpse, but Wu Xie was nowhere in sight. Realizing that Wu Xie might still be alive, Wang Pangzi was greatly encouraged and continued his search through the winding passages.
As he navigated a channel, he passed a stone wall adorned with a human face carving. The eye of the carving suddenly moved, and a strange insect flew out, biting him. The bitten area quickly developed dense red spots, filling him with panic. Wu Xie and Lao Yang continued their search for an exit in the river. At a junction, Lao Yang suggested a path, but Wu Xie pointed out it would lead them back to where they started.
They decided their route with a game of "scissors, paper, stone," which Wu Xie lost, and they proceed in the direction chosen by Lao Yang. As they proceeded, Wu Xie noticed more stone figures. Suddenly, Lao Yang shouted that something was ahead and ran off, with Wu Xie following him into a hidden stone door.
Inside, Wu Xie confronted Lao Yang, recalling information from a villager about Mr. Ma and another young man who entered Jiazi Falls three years ago and were never heard from again, a story that contradicted Wu Xie having recently seen one of them alive. Wu Xie accused Lao Yang of hiding something and demanded to know his true intentions in leading him there.
He declared their brotherhood over, stating that despite always treating Lao Yang with absolute trust, he could not forgive the deception. Distraught, Lao Yang insisted he never meant to harm Wu Xie and considered him his best friend, a claim Wu Xie questioned given the lies. Lao Yang then confessed: Three years prior, he and Mr. Ma had discovered an entrance to a deep cave. Lao Yang, adventurous by nature, entered alone while Mr. Ma hesitated.
Inside, he joined a group of twenty men from Liaodong. The journey was perilous, resulting in many deaths. Eventually, a massive rockfall buried almost everyone, including Lao Yang. He survived when the ground beneath him gave way, dropping him into their current location. He managed to escape, only to discover that Mr. Ma had taken everything they had found, and was subsequently jailed.
After recovering from his injuries in a mountain village, Lao Yang found himself haunted by a persistent voice compelling him to return to the tomb. Unable to find the way back on his own, this became an obsession. He admitted that he had followed Wu Xie and Wang Pangzi, realizing they had discovered another entrance. Wu Xie questioned his sanity for returning to such a dangerous place, but Lao Yang insisted he was "crazy" with obsession.
He appealed to their shared goal of exploring the tomb and their long-standing friendship, promising he would never harm Wu Xie, and asked if Wu Xie would continue with him to uncover what lay deeper within. Wu Xie eventually agreed, and Lao Yang, relieved, stated he knew Wu Xie wouldn't abandon him, promising to send him home after they found the tomb.
