Tomb of the Sea Episode 2 Recap
> Tomb of the Sea Recap
Wu Xie instructed his men to hold Li Cu down while he ordered Liang Wan to remove the sutures on Li Cu's back. Liang Wan expressed concern that reopening the fresh wounds would lead to infection and offered to show photos of the injury instead. However, Wu Xie insisted, emphasizing that as a doctor, she was the only one capable of performing the task. Li Cu cried out in pain as Liang Wan carefully picked the stitches.
Wu Xie intensely observed a dark substance emerging from Li Cu's open wounds. Afterward, he instructed Liang Wan to re-stitch the wound and apply a special, potent medicine to his back, which he claimed was very valuable. Liang Wan, visibly distressed by her involvement in such a bizarre situation, lamented her emerging crow's feet from anxiety. Upon waking, Li Cu was told by Wu Xie that the medicine he received was exceptionally precious, and Liang Wan offered him a painkiller.
Wu Xie then informed Li Cu that he would be accompanying them on a thirteen-day journey to a foreign desert no man's land. Li Cu protested, stating he had school, but Wu Xie disregarded his concerns, asking if he wasn't curious why Huang Yan had carved symbols on his back.
Wu Xie explained that Huang Yan had led an expedition to the no man's land north of Nei Mongol, and was the sole survivor, returning in a strange state and attempting to seal himself in iron. Huang Yan, the owner of the iron box Li Cu found, had carved the pattern on Li Cu's back, making it the sole clue to GuTongJing. Wu Xie's goal was to uncover what happened to his team there.
Li Cu, remembering Shen Qiong had given him the iron box, asked if she was also involved. Wu Xie dismissed the box as useless, declaring Li Cu himself was now the vital element. Wu Xie then handed Li Cu the mission files, informing him their cover would be a photography team—with Wu Xie as the photographer and Li Cu and Wang Meng as assistants—joining an expedition. He demanded Li Cu memorize all the details before their plane landed.
Wu Xie made it clear that he was Li Cu's "only brother" now, isolating him further by throwing Li Cu's phone out the window. When Li Cu attempted to escape, Wu Xie revealed extensive knowledge of his personal life, detailing his parents' divorce in 2010, his mother Cheng Lu's departure, and his father Li Yiming's alcoholism, workaholism, and abusive tendencies toward Li Cu, implying no one would notice his absence for weeks.
Li Cu retorted that he didn't care for his father, who beat him just as he had beaten his mother away. Wu Xie then threatened to "get rid of" Li Cu's father. Defeated, Li Cu resigned himself to the journey, viewing it as a coerced "trip," a sentiment he recalled his "third uncle" once used. Before their departure, Wu Xie bade farewell to Liang Wan.
He informed her that his "brother" would remain to "help" her with chores, which Liang Wan correctly interpreted as surveillance. Wu Xie then gave her his WeChat contact, saying they should keep in touch, while a terrified Liang Wan insisted she had seen nothing and would not speak. Li Cu and Wu Xie's team crossed the border smoothly.
Wu Xie reminded Li Cu to remember his words, warning him of severe consequences if he failed to do so, and also inquired if the medicine had alleviated his pain. Upon arriving in Nei Mongol, Wu Xie, using the alias Guan Gen, met the expedition team. A team member commented on his young assistant, and Wu Xie introduced Li Cu as his photography assistant who insisted on joining.
Wu Xie then met with Mr. Ma, the stern leader of the expedition, who subtly criticized Wu Xie's delayed arrival and stressed the importance of integrity in business. Su Nan, another member of the expedition, questioned Wu Xie's confidence in finding GuTongJing, mentioning her previous attempts to gather information from locals had been met with avoidance whenever the name was uttered.
Wu Xie explained that a friend had revealed a method of entry by tracking the shifting "seas" (lakes) in the desert, and thus he required a "sea-finder" to guide them. Another person from Mr. Ma's team expressed skepticism, reminding them that no one had ever returned alive from GuTongJing, but Wu Xie countered that "nothing is absolute."
Su Nan pressed Wu Xie on his personal motive for embarking on such a perilous journey, to which he replied he was a photographer seeking unique shots and needed helpers. Mr. Ma concluded by emphasizing the need for unity and no "petty tricks." They proceeded to the home of the alleged "sea-finder," only to discover him seemingly dead by hanging.
Unfazed, Wu Xie casually ordered Wang Meng to collect all the liquor in the house, despite Li Cu's horrified protests about taking a dead man's possessions. Suddenly, the "dead" man revived, revealing himself to be a cunning drunkard who had faked his own death.
He initially refused to guide them to the "haunted" GuTongJing, but Wu Xie produced a rare bottle of Song Dynasty "old spirit," promising it as a down payment and the remaining five jars upon successful completion of the task. Although the liquor was highly valued, the man still hesitated, fearing the journey.
Wu Xie then threatened to pour the precious liquor onto the ground, which prompted the drunkard to hastily agree to guide them, claiming it would be a "curse from God" to waste such a spirit. With a guide secured, Wu Xie's team and Mr. Ma's expedition set off. Along the way, they encountered a film crew whose RV was stuck in the sand. Wu Xie's team assisted them.
The film crew's director introduced his team, including Sis Dan (producer), Guozi (director assistant), Caitou (cameraman/lighting), Fu Mei (log keeper), Uncle Zeng (historian), and Chen Chao (geologist). He explained their documentary aimed to uncover the secrets of the foreign desert. Wu Xie warned them about the dangerous, forbidden, and haunted nature of the no man's land, advising them to turn back. The director attempted to record Wu Xie's ominous warning for his film, but Wu Xie refused to repeat it.
Despite the warning, the film crew decided to follow Wu Xie's convoy. Wang Meng relayed Wu Xie's condition: they could follow, but must obey all orders; otherwise, Wu Xie's team would not be responsible for any incidents that might occur. Meanwhile, Su Wan became increasingly concerned when he couldn't reach Li Cu, especially given Li Cu's recent injuries. He went with Shen Qiong to Li Cu's house, but no one answered the door.
A neighbor informed them that Li Yiming and Li Cu had been absent for days, possibly on a trip. Skeptical, Su Wan visited the hospital, where the nurse informed him that Li Cu had been discharged and left with his attending physician, Dr. Liang Wan, who was now on leave. Su Wan obtained Liang Wan's address. Su Wan and Shen Qiong tracked down Liang Wan, who was behaving suspiciously by being heavily covered.
Su Wan cleverly tricked her by claiming Li Cu was dead and that she was the last person to have seen him alive. Frightened, Liang Wan confessed that Wu Xie and Wang Meng had taken Li Cu. She provided their names and, under duress, showed Su Wan and Shen Qiong photos from Wang Meng's WeChat Moments (which she had "liked" out of fear). Su Wan then enlisted the help of Yang Hao, who was preoccupied with online shopping.
Su Wan urgently explained the situation, showing him the photos, and Yang Hao, after some prodding, realized the photos from Wang Meng's Moments were taken at the Crescent Hotel. Su Wan and Yang Hao immediately went to the luxurious Crescent Hotel, but their inquiries about Wu Xie and Wang Meng were met with unhelpful waiters. Yang Hao's attempt to bribe a waiter failed, and the hotel manager began to observe them suspiciously.
Later, as Wu Xie's team and the accompanying film crew shared drinks, Li Cu remained sullen and refused to participate, reiterating that he had been forcibly brought along. Wang Meng, noticing Li Cu's mood, confided that he, too, was initially "dragged around" by Wu Xie but eventually became a trusted companion, promising Li Cu that surviving this journey would dramatically change his life. Li Cu, curious, asked about Wu Xie's true nature.
Wang Meng proudly described Wu Xie as a legendary and famous antique dealer who, alongside his two close friends—one stout and the other taciturn—had embarked on numerous fantastical adventures. Wang Meng humbly positioned himself as Wu Xie's most trusted follower. He then recounted a past incident at the very Crescent Hotel where Wu Xie and his men had caused a deliberate disturbance, intending to "spice things up" for an owner who had grown "too comfortable."
This revelation by Wang Meng underscored the dangerous and unpredictable character of Wu Xie, a foreshadowing of the perilous journey that lay ahead for Li Cu, while simultaneously confirming the lead that Su Wan and Yang Hao were following.
