Time Raiders Episode 11 Recap
> Time Raiders Recap
The expedition vessel sailed steadily toward its destination. Pangzi maintained his regular workout routine, while Professor Zhang stood firmly on the deck, perpetually clad in a buoyancy vest, surveying the ocean view. Meanwhile, Wu Xie frequently immersed himself in Ms. Wenjin’s diaries, which chronicled her adventures with Sanxing. Wu Xie noted a stark contrast between Ms. Wenjin’s entries and Third Uncle’s accounts. According to Ms. Wenjin, Third Uncle was an exceptionally gifted explorer.
He meticulously planned routes, located valuable resources, and possessed a deep understanding of maritime navigation, which even surprised her. She recorded that his contributions were more crucial than her own role as captain, saving the team significant time. She also found his courage and decisiveness comforting during moments of panic. However, Ms. Wenjin also described Sanxing as inscrutable, like the ocean itself, always before her eyes yet unfathomably deep.
She mentioned his constant care but also his unpredictable disappearances, once asking him where he had been all morning. Sanxing responded by revealing a dry shell he had found, stating he wished to preserve the sea forever, leading Wu Xie to wonder what Sanxing was hiding. Wu Xie also observed a stark change in Ms. Wenjin's diary; while the initial entries were elegantly and meticulously written, the final pages featured a hastily scrawled, ominous black shadow drawn with a pencil.
This unsettling discovery, coupled with Third Uncle, the sole survivor, claiming ignorance, left Wu Xie deeply uncertain about the purpose and outcome of their current exploration. Wu Xie reflected on how Third Uncle had told him Ms. Wenjin initiated the deep-sea resource exploration, but her diary clearly indicated it was Sanxing who insisted they continue. Ms. Wenjin expressed concerns about the expedition's extreme distance and insufficient equipment, suggesting they turn back as they had already made sufficient discoveries.
But Sanxing firmly refused, calling it an exceptionally rare opportunity that could shake the nation if they discovered oil. Despite Ms. Wenjin’s assertion that she didn’t care about such things, Sanxing insisted she understood its immense significance and asked her to trust him. Wu Xie grew suspicious, feeling that Third Uncle had deliberately led them to the sunken ship and lied about the past events. He hoped this current trip would finally bring answers.
Later, Pangzi found Wu Xie awake on deck. Wu Xie pondered what one would do if a deeply trusted person lied to them. Pangzi, seemingly unbothered, asked if Wu Xie had lost anything due to the lie. When Wu Xie admitted he hadn't, Pangzi simply shrugged it off, adding that all lies have reasons, but sometimes truth doesn’t necessarily bring happiness. Wu Xie questioned Pangzi’s carefree attitude.
Pangzi admitted he didn't obsess over things others did, calling Wu Xie's "thirst for truth" too intense. He confessed that in his youth, he too was insatiably curious, but eventually found it useless. He remarked on how exhausting it was for people to constantly "look far ahead" and "plan for the future," always seeking the whole truth, and suggested taking it easy instead.
Pangzi shared that after losing a good friend, he realized that while their decades of life feel long and significant to themselves, to the vast universe, they are mere cosmic dust. He advised Wu Xie not to overcomplicate life, saying he now only focuses on what truly matters in the present. He also mused that everyone lies, and sometimes lies are "white lies."
Pangzi then discreetly offered Wu Xie a hamburger, which reminded Wu Xie of similar words Third Uncle had once shared about not being affected by whether someone selling flowers was genuinely deaf-mute, as long as the flowers themselves were real. Pangzi, calling himself "Doraemon" for his endless supply of junk food, urged Wu Xie to relax, find joy, and have a good night's sleep. In the dead of night, Wu Xie was jolted awake by violent turbulence.
The ship had plunged into a ferocious storm, with waves towering over ten meters high, and the vessel's systems began to fail, raising everyone's anxiety. A Ning remained composed, explaining that turning back now would certainly capsize the ship. Their only hope was to press forward, directly into the eye of the storm. Pangzi, declaring he’d gamble with her, readily agreed and engaged the engines.
After what felt like dozens of seconds of suffocating despair, the ship emerged into a miraculously calm and open sea, signaling their safety and arrival at the destination. A Ning then descended to scout the area. Upon locating the shipwreck, she signaled the team, "Found it!" Pangzi enthusiastically exclaimed, "Dear sea! I'm coming!" as everyone swiftly donned their diving suits, ready to explore. Inside the shipwreck, Wu Xie observed the surprisingly vast space, containing air due to atmospheric pressure.
He pointed out to Pangzi that the ship must have been deliberately scuttled, and its ascending, winding paths were designed to use atmospheric pressure to displace seawater, leaving residual air. A Ning, however, quickly noted the high carbon dioxide levels, estimating they had less than ten hours before reaching lethal thresholds. She urged them to accelerate their search for Third Uncle and leave. Pangzi remarked that no wonder he felt suffocated.
Wu Xie detected a distinctive fragrance, recognizing it as "Forbidden Woman's Scent," which his diary notes described as ancient incense used to confuse and ward off dangerous creatures. He warned everyone not to touch anything and to notify the Cultural Relics Bureau later. Professor Zhang, examining the ship's structure, deduced it was at least six centuries old and contained over 200 compartments, meticulously waterproofed with "watertight bulkhead" technology.
Pangzi, growing impatient with the Professor's historical details, urged him to provide information relevant to finding people, leading to a brief, sharp exchange. Suddenly, A Ning spotted something and alerted the others, but Pangzi's startled reaction earned him a reprimand from her. She pointed out a small, fresh footprint on the floor that did not appear human. Wu Xie doubted it belonged to Third Uncle, who had descended ten days prior, concluding something else must be here.
Pangzi sniffed the footprint, identifying it as belonging to a marine creature likely hiding within a nearby swaying ballast stone, explaining the stone's movement. Pangzi, quoting an ancient proverb, suggested they retreat, but the stone had already blocked their exit. A Ning presented two options: fight the unknown creature or surrender. Firmly stating her commitment to the corporate mission, she chose to fight. Pangzi, confident in their numbers and weapons, agreed, and they advanced.
As they followed the rolling ballast stone, which seemed to be guiding them by stopping when they didn't keep up, A Ning stepped on a trigger. She warned everyone to freeze, but as Pangzi cautiously approached to help her, she lifted her foot, unleashing a volley of arrows. Pangzi cried out, "I'm hit by an arrow! Wu Xie, help me!" realizing he was fatally wounded.
Wu Xie, rushing to his aid with his backpack as a shield, was abruptly grabbed by A Ning. Ignoring his pleas and using him as a human shield, A Ning ruthlessly pushed forward toward the arrow-shooting mechanism, leaving Pangzi to his fate.
