The Lost Tomb 2 : Explore with the Note Episode 40 (Ending) Recap
> The Lost Tomb 2 : Explore with the Note Recap
As Chen Sishu arrived, he instructed everyone to clear the snow from a large stone carving to allow for better examination. Wu Xie, noticing the damage, speculated it was a "Two Dragons Playing a Pearl" carving that had fallen from above due to an avalanche or earthquake. Chen Sishu dismissed his theory, calling it "rubbish" and stating that it was, in fact, the seal of an underground palace.
Just then, someone pulled a chain from the dragon's mouth, which Wu Xie quickly recognized as a mechanism to open the seal. He admitted his mistake but questioned why such a seal would be located there. After observing the scene for a moment, Zhang Qiling asked if anyone detected a particular scent. When everyone noticed a strong sulfur smell, Zhang Qiling concluded that someone had been to this place before.
Hua Laoge soon discovered tracks left by an archaeology team nearby. They also found texts from King Lu's silk book of the Warring States period on the stone walls, along with traces of daily life, which Wu Xie meticulously tried to decipher. Chen Sishu, however, showed little interest in these old findings, urging everyone instead to quickly find a way out.
Wang Pangzi found a notebook with the name "Zhao Yu Zheng" on it, but Zhang Qiling told him not to bother with it, explaining it was simply the archaeology team's record of their exploration. Zhang Qiling then suggested they needed to re-examine the stone dragon. Wang Pangzi briefly looked into the notebook, confirming it was empty. Returning to the stone dragon, the sulfur smell had intensified significantly.
Zhang Qiling sensed a hollow space beneath his feet, inferring the presence of a hot spring. Wang Pangzi lay down to feel the warmth and spotted some writings on a stone tablet below. Chen Sishu then instructed everyone to descend. They followed a narrow passage, where Hua Laoge excitedly identified Jurchen characters on the stone walls, taking photos for later study. As they ventured deeper, the temperature rose, and the sulfur smell grew stronger.
In a more open area, Wu Xie identified it as a volcanic vent, explaining that Changbai Mountain is a dormant volcano, with its last eruption occurring in the early 18th century. He also theorized that the loose stones outside were a quarry used for the underground palace and that the workers might have discovered and then sealed this crack.
Concerned about the narrow cracks ahead, Wu Xie suggested that Chen Sishu and the others rest there while he, Zhang Qiling, and Wang Pangzi scouted ahead. Despite his suspicions, Chen Sishu, acknowledging his age and physical limitations, agreed to wait. Shedding their heavy outer layers and armed with flashlights, the trio squeezed through the increasingly narrow and hot crack. Wang Pangzi struggled to breathe and worried about the air quality, suggesting they turn back.
Wu Xie insisted they had come too far to retreat. He then briefly lost sight of Zhang Qiling, calling out in alarm, only for Zhang Qiling's voice to respond, urging him to continue. Wu Xie, turning to Wang Pangzi, playfully asked if he could still see him, to which Wang Pangzi sarcastically replied that he couldn't. They continued until they found a hot spring with three distinct holes and a mural depicting fairies soaring into the sky.
Wu Xie wondered about the nature of this mysterious place, noting that the coiled dragon stone sealed the entrance and there seemed to be more murals inside. He then asked Zhang Qiling if he felt anything unusual during their crawl, mentioning his own experience of hallucinations, possibly due to lack of oxygen. Zhang Qiling expressed concern for Wu Xie, who then reassured him it was likely just fatigue.
Wang Pangzi also suggested Wu Xie get checked at a hospital once they were out. Meanwhile, A Ning asked Jin Yang when they could catch up to Wu Xie's team. Jin Yang replied that they were not far from their destination. The group rested and ate to replenish their energy. Wang Pangzi, intrigued by the mural in the hot spring, started scratching at it. His actions revealed that the mural had two layers.
Wang Pangzi explained that someone must have painted a new layer over the original mural, and the top layer began to peel after exposure to air, revealing the bottom layer, which was also fading. Hua Laoge suggested the mural might be unfinished and pre-Tang Dynasty, as later paintings would have had a clear protective coating. Wu Xie noticed a subtle shift in Shun Zi's demeanor.
Shun Zi then admitted that this was not the hot spring he had spoken of; the real one near the black stone carving was not this small. Upon hearing this, Chen Sishu immediately rose, insisting they leave to find the correct hot spring, convinced that what they were looking for was there. They exited the crack and followed Shun Zi through the snow until they reached the true hot spring pit.
There, Wang Pangzi once again scratched at a mural, confirming it also had two layers. Wu Xie observed that the floating clouds and attire in the mural were identical to those they had seen in the underwater tomb, prompting him to wonder if it was connected to the Sky Palace. Chen Sishu then asked Hua Laoge to elaborate.
Hua Laoge excitedly explained that the mural depicted the war between King Wan Nu of Dongxia and the Mongols, and he detailed the characteristics of Dongxia, including their young-looking soldiers and the short-lived nature of their country. Wu Xie expressed doubt that a country with low productivity could construct an underground palace in such a brief period, and pointed out the time gap between Dongxia's demise and Wang Zang Hai's creation of the Sky Palace.
Hua Laoge clarified that historical records indicated the Mongols did not entirely destroy Dongxia, and some survivors retreated to the mountains, with sightings even recorded during the Ming dynasty. Chen Sishu then produced a Snake Eye Copper Fish. Hua Laoge explained that the copper fish was a "mutation from dragons," that Chen Sishu had obtained it by chance, and that an ancient individual had ingeniously concealed "highly confidential information" within it.
Hua Laoge used a flashlight to project Jurchen characters from the fish's scales onto the stone wall, revealing 47 characters. He stated that, with incomplete data, he hadn't fully deciphered the message yet, which aimed to record Dongxia's secrets. He reiterated that records indicated Dongxia survivors retreated to the border of Jilin and Korea after the war, living in obscurity, and that the full truth would only be uncovered once all the data was found.
Wu Xie instinctively reached for his own copper fish in his pocket, but Wang Pangzi subtly stopped him. Chen Sishu then revealed he had recently obtained a copper fish from Xie Yuchen but had entrusted it to Wu San Xing, who promised two clues and deciphered data in return but had never delivered. Chen Sishu probed Wu Xie, suggesting that his uncle must have already cracked the message and sent him to find the Sky Palace.
Wu Xie, however, claimed he had lost his memory before coming there, couldn't contact his uncle, and was unaware of any connection between Dongxia and the Sky Palace. Chen Sishu seemed partially convinced but did not press further. As the group began to search the surroundings, Hua Laoge considered blasting open a crack. Wu Xie intervened, explaining that there was no passage behind it, merely a natural rock formation filled with thick snow.
Chen Sishu, still holding the Snake Eye Copper Fish, then asked if they weren't curious about its message. He revealed that the last sentence of the Jurchen inscription stated, "King Wan Nu is not human." Wang Pangzi, with his characteristic flippancy, suggested it was either a sign of a grudge or a metaphorical reference to the king being a dragon.
Chen Sishu clarified that it literally meant King Wan Nu was a "monster from the underground," emphasizing the need for more complete data to fully comprehend its meaning. Wang Pangzi retorted that they would find out the truth once they opened the casket and encountered the King. As they prepared to find a place to rest, Zhang Qiling suddenly alerted everyone to a loud noise and urged silence.
The group then heard a series of thunderous roars, realizing it was an avalanche. They immediately ran for their lives. Hua Laoge stumbled and fell, prompting Wu Xie to turn back and help him. Unfortunately, both were struck by falling rocks and collapsed to the ground. Seeing Wu Xie in peril, Wang Pangzi and Zhang Qiling quickly turned back to rescue him.
