Time Raiders Episode 18 (Ending) Recap
> Time Raiders Recap
The explosion had breached the room in the Heavenly Palace on the Clouds, and water began pouring in. Zhang Qiling urgently told Wu Xie and Pangzi that there was no time and to head for the passage. They managed to reach an adjacent room and exert all their strength to close a stone door, but water immediately began to cascade in from another direction. Wu Xie and Pangzi scrambled away, realizing they were trapped as the water levels quickly rose.
Pangzi commented grimly that perhaps all three of them would meet their end together. Zhang Qiling, however, remained calm, reassuring them that Wang Zanghai must have left a way out. As the water continued to rise, Zhang Qiling instructed them to hold their breath and swim upwards when the water completely covered them. They counted down and plunged into the water, swimming strenuously. Unexpectedly, A Ning appeared, also struggling to swim up, her foot caught by underwater weeds.
Despite his own exhaustion, Wu Xie couldn't bear to leave her and swam down to free her. After rescuing A Ning, Wu Xie's strength gave out, and he began to sink, seeing a bright light that blurred the line between reality and hallucination. Zhang Qiling swam to him, zipping up his jacket and pulling the hood over his head, using the air trapped inside to help Wu Xie float to the surface.
Wu Xie eventually regained consciousness in a bright hospital room, with Pangzi excitedly calling for a doctor. He felt as if their harrowing adventure might have been a dream. He asked Pangzi who had saved him, and Pangzi confirmed it was Zhang Qiling. Pangzi, who had stayed by Wu Xie's side for three days and nights, expressed his exasperation that Wu Xie's first words upon waking were about Zhang Qiling.
He informed Wu Xie that Zhang Qiling had left about half an hour earlier and was likely already at the pier, but had left a red notebook for him. Wu Xie immediately sprang from his bed and raced to the pier, but he was too late and missed Zhang Qiling's departure. In the notebook, Zhang Qiling had inserted pages detailing his personal speculations about the shipwreck and Wu Sansheng's disappearance.
Reading them, Wu Xie reflected on the past events, feeling as though they were a dream, and struggled to distinguish reality from hallucination. He recalled previous conversations with his Third Uncle, wondering if they contained hidden clues. He read Zhang Qiling's theories from the notebook, which suggested that Wang Zanghai had also pursued immortality. Wang Zanghai had visited King Lu's tomb, observed the failed experiment of King Lu using the meteorite jade directly, and realized that path was futile.
Instead, Wang Zanghai used the meteorite jade to refine pills and experimented on animals, leading to mutations like the sea monkeys and the white-haired monster they encountered. The Jin Po (Forbidden Woman), Zhang Qiling deduced, was merely a mutated nematode capable of releasing a fragrant, hallucinogenic gas that tricked people into perceiving it as a woman's hair. Wu Xie's back, which had been bothering him, was healing well from what doctors identified as a fungal infection.
Sometime later, Pangzi invited Wu Xie for a meal, urging him to let go of the need to find every truth or reason behind events, particularly concerning his Third Uncle's whereabouts. He reminded Wu Xie that his Third Uncle was a seasoned veteran, capable of taking care of himself.
Pangzi suggested that Wu Sansheng might be pursuing Wen Jin or Wang Zanghai's secrets, both of which related to the Heavenly Palace on the Clouds and thus provided Wu Xie with a lead. Wu Xie mentioned that he had given the two real Snake-Eyebrow Copper Fish to the authorities and only possessed replicas.
Pangzi confidently stated that the replicas were sufficient, advising Wu Xie to simply "wait with the fake fish," as anyone seeking the Heavenly Palace's secrets would eventually have to approach him for the remaining fish. As their paths were about to diverge, Pangzi thanked Wu Xie for repeatedly saving him during their adventures.
He offered one last piece of advice: despite his name, Wu Xie should not be too naive, as not everyone in the world was as decent and loyal as Pangzi himself. They raised their glasses, wishing each other "Till we meet again."
Wu Xie, in his internal monologue, mused on the bizarre nature of their journey, admitting that many details were already foggy and he was recording it in the way that seemed most coherent and beautiful to him, feeling a connection to his grandfather's own journaling. Meanwhile, A Ning made a phone call, confirming that her team had retrieved an item from the shipwreck.
She reported that Wu Sansheng had deceived them, setting a trap in the shipwreck because he knew they would send people down again. She realized he was never in the boat and had already obtained what he wanted and left. However, she also discovered a critical flaw in his plan: he hadn't anticipated that his nephew, Wu Xie, would save her. She vowed to depart immediately with the new information.
Back in a secret location, Wu Sansheng (the real one) was confronted by his double, who had just returned from the seabed expedition. The double sarcastically asked if Wu Sansheng had missed him. Wu Sansheng criticized the double for not properly cleaning wounds and risking scars. The double retorted that he knew Wu Sansheng would mess things up, and that he cared more about his own face than the consequences.
He reminded Wu Sansheng that Wu Xie had nearly died because of him. Wu Sansheng fired back, asserting he had warned the double to keep Wu Xie out of the mission. The double, exhausted and frustrated, expressed his weariness with their situation, attributing it to Wu Sansheng's problematic methods. He longed for them to return to their separate lives, but Wu Sansheng coldly stated that he could no longer have a life of his own.
Resigned, Wu Sansheng asserted that the time hadn't come for them to quit, and they had no choice but to continue. The double conceded, stating he now knew how to reach the Heavenly Palace on the Clouds and would find Wen Jin, leaving the rest for Wu Sansheng to "clean up." Some time later, Wu Xie visited his shop and asked Wang Meng if Wu Sansheng had returned.
Wang Meng said no, but mentioned a "strange person" who claimed to be Wu Xie's brother, asking for his whereabouts. Wang Meng described him as slippery, cunning, and more mature than Wu Xie, with a noticeable stutter. Wu Xie immediately recognized him as Lao Yang and requested his number. Wu Xie called Lao Yang, who, upon recognizing his voice, eagerly asked to meet. Lao Yang revealed he had discovered an extremely bizarre place containing a tree "bigger than any tree you've ever seen," one that was "beyond your imagination."