Tomb of the Sea Episode 16 Recap
> Tomb of the Sea Recap
As Li Cu confronted the mysterious man, he questioned how the man could claim Chui had asked him to encircle the trucks when Chui was already dead. Li Cu pressed further, highlighting that all the trucks were buried under the sand before their arrival and challenging the man's story about living down there. He called out the man's poorly faked Sichuan accent, demanding to know his true identity.
The man then dropped his pretense, remarking that "kids nowadays are no fun." The mysterious man revealed his true nature, his voice and appearance returning to normal. He explained that his previous stories were deductions based on the environment and clues found on bodies. Introducing himself as Black Blind, also known as Black Glasses, he admitted he had been following Li Cu and his group all along.
He confessed he was hired to protect Wu Xie, who had kidnapped Li Cu. Black Blind explained that after a difficult situation where the group ended up in the water, Wu Xie disappeared, leaving Li Cu as a burden. He also mentioned that he had contacted people to rescue the rest of Li Cu's group, including a "cripple" with a terrible temper who was cursing even as he was being saved.
Black Blind added that those rescued would be reported to the police, implying they would face consequences for their actions. Black Blind then offered Li Cu a custom-made, ten-year-shelf-life "Fired rice with pork and green pepper" from a Sichuan lunch box factory, noting that he had learned Sichuan dialect there.
He explained that he was in an awkward situation because of Li Cu's presence; his mission was to protect Wu Xie, but after a night in the water, he was exhausted and failed to keep track of Wu Xie and Wang Meng when they suddenly vanished. Black Blind proposed that if Wu Xie was confirmed dead, Li Cu could take his equipment and food to exit the desert.
He also revealed that Li Cu would have to undertake a very dangerous task the next day, and if he survived, he would surely trust Black Blind's words. After their discussion, Black Blind rendered Li Cu unconscious. Li Cu awoke to find himself suspended from a crane, realizing Black Blind was using him as bait to lure a desert plant known as the nine-head snake cypress.
The monstrous plant soon appeared, wrapping its tendrils around Li Cu's leg and dragging him downwards. Black Blind, attempting to save Li Cu, was also pulled into the depths below the sand. They found themselves in an underground factory, a strange structure where some walls were made of cement and others of iron sheets, indicating they were inside a protective iron box. Black Blind explained this structure was designed to protect against the nine-head snake cypress.
They discovered old documents written in Russian, marked "056." Black Blind confirmed it was the "Project 056" in GuTongJing, a secret operation that involved foreign excavation teams, hundreds of people, digging for something mysterious in the sand until 1945. After hearing sounds, Li Cu, fearing it was unsafe, urged Black Blind to move deeper into the complex. Inside one of the many rooms, a data room, Li Cu used a copper wire to pick a locked cabinet.
He found numerous archives, all bearing the name "Zhang Qishan." Black Blind immediately recognized the name as "Uncle Buddha" and speculated that Uncle Buddha had taken over the foreigners' project. Li Cu also discovered a snake skin with fur and a loaded gun in a drawer. Black Blind instructed Li Cu to return the documents and the snake skin but took the gun for himself.
As they continued, Li Cu, curious about Black Blind's sunglasses in the dark, tried to challenge him. Black Blind, annoyed by Li Cu's taunts about his fighting skills, demonstrated a technique he called "counter strike." Li Cu, seemingly impressed, then attempted a sneak attack, but Black Blind swiftly pulled out the gun and held it to Li Cu's head, prompting Li Cu to sarcastically declare he wouldn't fight with a blind person.
Meanwhile, Su Wan and Yang Hao were trying to understand the strange tape Li Cu had received. Su Wan took the tape to an antique shop, where the owner quickly identified it as being at least half a century old, declaring it unrepairable and worthless. However, he then offered to buy it, claiming his "father" enjoyed collecting old items. Su Wan refused and left with the tape.
Immediately after Su Wan's departure, the owner made a phone call to Pang Wang, excitedly telling him about a "good thing" he had just seen. Su Wan later met Yang Hao, who was frustrated that Li Cu was still missing. Su Wan explained he hadn't found Li Cu either but hoped the strange parcels would provide clues.
Yang Hao took Su Wan to another repair shop, where Master Li also examined the tape, deemed it valueless, but subtly inquired if Li Cu was willing to sell it. It was then that Master Kim, known as "the Gold Teeth in Antique City," and Pang Wang, arrived at the shop. Master Kim, after a thorough inspection and even sniffing the tape, authoritatively declared it was a specially encrypted scientific research tape produced in the 1940s by Western countries.
He emphasized that only ten specific recording machines in the world could decipher its contents, implying it contained information of immense importance. Master Kim then tried to pressure Su Wan into giving up the tape, threatening to use his influence in the Antique City to prevent anyone from repairing it. Su Wan, prioritizing any information about Li Cu, discussed with Yang Hao and agreed to surrender the tape, willing to pay Master Kim's undoubtedly high fee for decryption.
However, Pang Wang, moved by Su Wan and Yang Hao's deep loyalty to Li Cu, reminiscent of his own past friendships, intervened. He agreed that the physical tape would go to Master Kim but promised to decrypt its contents for them for free, telling them to return the next afternoon. Pang Wang later met with Xie Yuchen, whom he affectionately called "Hua."
Pang Wang complained about the current state of the Nine Clans, lamenting the absence of the good old days with Wu Xie and "Xiao Ge." Xie Yuchen concurred, stating the Nine Clans were "beyond saving." Pang Wang explained the situation with the tape, and Xie Yuchen revealed that one of the rare decoding machines was indeed located at the Crescent Hotel, having been left there by Uncle Buddha after his use.
However, Xie Yuchen clarified that only Zhang Rishan could now access it. Pang Wang then approached Zhang Rishan, who agreed to help decrypt the tape's contents on the condition that they shared the information, to which Pang Wang readily agreed, expressing his trust in anyone with the surname Zhang.
The ancient origins of the tape and its peculiar delivery to Li Cu, combined with the discovery of the Project 056 factory, strongly suggested a deep connection between the tape's contents and the secrets of the GuTongJing Project 056, foreshadowing a major revelation.
