The Lost Tomb 2 : Explore with the Note Episode 31 Recap
> The Lost Tomb 2 : Explore with the Note Recap
Wu Xie discovered a black-clad individual, who had entered before him, was dead from a trap. He then found Wang Pangzi lying unconscious in a coffin. Despite his calls, Wang Pangzi remained unresponsive. Remembering Wang Pangzi’s ever-present liquor bottle, Wu Xie took a swig and sprayed it on his face, immediately rousing him. Wu Xie asked how he ended up there.
Wang Pangzi recounted being struck from behind, and while falling, heard a familiar voice, which he believed was Pan Zi's, saying to "Master Wu" (Wu Sansheng), "should I end him?" Wu Xie, though believing Wang Pangzi, suspected it might have been a hallucination given he was knocked out. Wu Xie then revealed that he was attacked by a puppet and all their equipment was stolen.
Wang Pangzi, reflecting on the incident, recalled the "Puppeteer" in their field, an individual whose ancestors sent away the dead and who now uses unconventional methods to control corpses, even creating an army of puppets capable of stealthily stealing personal items. He speculated the Puppeteer was connected to a foreign antique dealer, which immediately brought Qiu Dekao to Wu Xie's mind, making Wu Xie lament his persistent influence.
Wang Pangzi, however, expressed unease, finding it too easy to enter a tomb they had put so much effort into finding. Observing their surroundings, Wu Xie and Wang Pangzi found the area suspiciously clean. Wang Pangzi rummaged through a bag taken from a dead person, retrieving a flashlight, energy bars, a pocketknife, and a lighter, though he expressed disdain for the previous owner's meager supplies. They then approached a tomb door.
Just as they were about to figure out how to open it, gunshots echoed. They quickly took cover. Wang Pangzi suggested they make bulletproof vests, noting the "point shots" indicated a human battle, possibly a crossfire between two treasure-hunting teams. He also questioned why Wu Xie, a "scaredy-cat," was even there. Outside the tomb, A Ning's black-clad operatives were caught in an ambush and killed. A Ning, noticing the familiar attack style, realized the attackers were not Wu Xie's allies.
Meanwhile, Wu Sansheng and Pan Zi observed the fierce battle from a distance through binoculars. Pan Zi commented on A Ning's fighting skills but disparaged her subordinates. Wu Sansheng, in turn, remarked that A Ning's death would be a significant loss for Qiu Dekao, effectively severing one of his "limbs," and that the more intense the conflict, the better for their own plans. Back inside the tomb, A Ning was carefully exploring when she suddenly heard a noise behind her.
She spun around to find a masked individual pointing a gun at her. A brutal struggle ensued, and both combatants eventually ran out of bullets. As the masked person frantically reloaded, A Ning, recognizing the immediate danger, threw a flying knife, fatally striking her assailant. Wu Xie and Wang Pangzi entered the now open tomb door, finding several dead bodies. They began to scavenge for equipment, discovering useful items, including a satellite phone. Wu Xie also found a gun.
He spotted another body hanging above, suggesting an ambush had gone wrong. Wu Xie deduced this was likely the main chamber, but it felt too empty as the coffins were empty, indicating the attackers were still alive and there must be a secret chamber. He also noticed the arrangement of the ever-burning lamps and mirrors, believing they held a secret mechanism. He found an opening to a hidden room, marked with a symbol left by Xiao Hua.
Concurrently, Xiao Hua and his men were engaged in their own struggle with black-clad figures. They realized that the puppets used by their adversaries were carrying bombs. In a critical moment, Xiao Hua heard the distinct melody of "Woodcutter and His Fox Wife" and immediately led his group in that direction. Wu Xie and Wang Pangzi, hidden in a corner, observed a puppet scouting ahead.
Wang Pangzi, eager to deal with it, prepared his shovel, but Xiao Hua and his team suddenly emerged, stopping him and explaining that the puppet was rigged with explosives. Finding a temporary sanctuary, Xiao Hua wryly commented on Wu Xie's unique choice of a signal song. Wu Xie voiced his concern that the previous explosions might have destabilized the tomb, warning that further blasts could trap them inside even if they won the fight.
Wang Pangzi then directly asked Xiao Hua if he was the one who had thrown him into the coffin. Xiao Hua playfully retorted that there were many coffins around for the choosing. Wu Xie, recalling a peculiar coffin he had seen earlier – larger and painted unlike the plain wooden ones surrounding them – suggested it might contain valuable clues. Following Wu Xie's lead, Wang Pangzi opened the unique coffin. A black-clad figure suddenly rushed forward and leaped inside.
Wang Pangzi immediately jumped in after him, prompting Wu Xie, Xiao Hua, and the others to follow. They descended into an underground passage but soon lost sight of Wang Pangzi. The lights in the tomb chamber then began to flicker erratically. Upon entering a new room, they discovered a skeleton dressed in a military uniform, seated at a desk with foreign language documents.
Xiao Hua explained that among Granduncle Er's possessions was a map of this location, indicating the tomb was found during the Republican era. He added that the site had two levels and had been transformed into an underground command center by a Division Commander named Zhang, noting that the entire tomb had been "cleaned." Wu Xie found a diary in a drawer but, pressed for time to find Wang Pangzi, he refrained from examining its contents.
In a parallel development, Xiu Xiu informed Granny Huo that Fourth Master Huo’s verdict had been pronounced. Granny Huo dismissively told Xiu Xiu not to reveal the outcome, declaring that from then on, Fourth Master Huo was "as good as dead." Xiu Xiu expressed her surprise that Fourth Master Huo, who had previously threatened to expose the entire Huo family, had ultimately confessed without implicating anyone.
Granny Huo revealed she had sent someone to speak with him, outlining what he could do and what actions would cost him his life, thus ensuring his compliant confession. Xiu Xiu then brought up her discovery of her aunt's (Huo Ling's) work archives, which had clearly been tampered with. When Granny Huo admitted to doing it, Xiu Xiu angrily confronted her, accusing her of never truly wanting to uncover her aunt's whereabouts.
