Tomb of the Sea Episode 27 Recap
> Tomb of the Sea Recap
Yang Hao rushed Su Wan to the hospital, departing only after Li Cu arrived. Li Cu found Su Wan in his hospital room, out of immediate danger, but his entire body felt numb, and his tongue was so swollen it felt as if it had been soaking in peppercorns. Feeling deeply remorseful for causing Su Wan’s injury, Li Cu apologized. Su Wan, however, reassured him, saying he was fine and that as best friends, it was no big deal.
He mused that life was like an electrocardiogram, full of ups and downs, and confidently stated that he would be back to normal after finishing a box of XinYangDao Zero Lactose Milk. Then, Su Wan shared a secret with Li Cu: he had hidden the last package, which arrived last night, in the flower bed on the left side of their backyard.
He urged Li Cu to go retrieve it while his parents were still at the hospital, explaining that the situation felt too complicated and he wasn't sure if they should continue investigating. Following Su Wan's instructions, Li Cu climbed over the back wall into Su Wan's yard. He dug up the package from the flower bed, finding a note and a memory card inside. The note was marked with "AShanDong" and "Mongolia."
To access the memory card's contents, Li Cu went to an internet cafe and found a secluded corner. The memory card contained a video of Shen Qiong and her parents being forced into the desert by Huang Yan. In the video, Shen Qiong's father questioned when they could return, to which Huang Yan calmly replied that it would be soon and not to worry.
Shen Qiong's father then confronted Huang Yan, accusing him of deceiving his logistics company and kidnapping his entire family, including his young daughter, calling his actions despicable. Huang Yan countered that without bringing his daughter, Shen Qiong's father wouldn't have cooperated. He revealed his goal was to find something, promising safe return if it was found, but threatening to let them all die with him if it wasn't.
Huang Yan also implied that Shen Qiong's father knew more about their current location than he pretended, referencing his past profession before the logistics company. The video then captured a moment of panic as something dangerous emerged from below ground. Shen Qiong then recorded a message directly to Li Cu, expressing uncertainty if he would ever see it.
She explained that Huang Yan had kidnapped her and her family, taking them to GuTongJing, a truly terrifying place where people were falling ill and snakes were burrowing into their bodies. She stated that "the special person" they were looking for was Li Cu, and warned him that his father seemed to be involved in the matter, urging him to be careful.
Huang Yan had left them, knowing they were sick, and the return passage wouldn't open for another month, a time she doubted she would survive. She concluded by saying that "they" were out and would certainly find Li Cu. Alarmed, Li Cu rushed home and called his father’s friends, including Uncle Wang, Uncle Li, and Uncle Zhu, but none of them had seen or heard from his father.
He found a business card, and with these combined clues, he concluded that his father was likely in AShanDong. Meanwhile, Yang Hao received a phone call from Manager Zeng, informing him that the warehouse lease had expired. Manager Zeng explained that Master Qiang needed the warehouse back for his own large shipment and demanded that all of Yang Hao's goods be cleared out by that afternoon.
Yang Hao's polite request for a few days' extension was flatly denied, with Manager Zeng warning that Master Qiang would have his men clear out the warehouse if Yang Hao didn't comply. Yang Hao then went to find Li Cu, only to discover him packing a suitcase, seemingly preparing to leave. Yang Hao angrily confronted Li Cu, accusing him of disloyalty and trying to abandon them after getting Su Wan and him into trouble.
Li Cu, desperate to find his father, explained that he had an urgent matter in AShanDong and asked Yang Hao to stall Master Qiang for him, which he said with a harsh tone due to his anxiety. Yang Hao reacted poorly to Li Cu's tone, asking "Is this how you talk?" and emphasizing the severe risks of the black-haired snakes and other dangerous items hidden in the warehouse.
He yelled that even if Li Cu’s father had died, Li Cu should stay and deal with the situation. Li Cu retorted with similar anger. Li Cu eventually admitted that he couldn't think of a solution either and expressed regret for involving his friends, but reiterated that he had no choice. Yang Hao pointed out that moving the foul-smelling puppets in broad daylight would be impossible without being caught.
They both agreed that under no circumstances could they allow anyone to enter the warehouse. Later that afternoon, Master Qiang arrived with his men, demanding immediate eviction. Yang Hao pleaded for more time, first offering double rent, then a hefty 100,000 yuan in cash, hoping to persuade Master Qiang to grant an extension and prevent him from entering the warehouse. However, his offer only intensified Master Qiang's curiosity about the contents.
In a desperate attempt to scare them off, Yang Hao grabbed a brick and smashed it against his own head. Unfazed, Master Qiang stated he was a businessman, not a barbarian, and announced that he had already called the police to handle the eviction through proper channels. When the police arrived, they ordered Yang Hao to open the warehouse door. Yang Hao hesitated, knowing the dangers inside, but had no choice but to unlock it.
As he pulled the door open, bracing himself for the worst, both he and the police were surprised to find the warehouse almost empty, containing only a few plastic mannequins. Finding no illegal items, the police instructed Yang Hao to clear out the remaining mannequins as per his contract and advised him to get his head wound checked at the hospital.
Unbeknownst to Yang Hao, Xie Yuchen had previously arranged for Wang Pang to move the actual contents of the warehouse. Wang Pang was later heard on the phone confirming to Xie Yuchen that he had "covered his ass." Meanwhile, Liang Wan continued her investigation, searching the archives for information on the 1945 genius class. After much fruitless searching, as the archives were nearing closing time, a stack of documents fell, revealing a hidden door behind a curtain.
She used a bank card to pry open the door, discovering a secret room filled with files on "Project 056." She finally found records for the 1945 genius class and confirmed that the architectural drawings were indeed made by those students. However, she noticed that records for the fifth and sixth semesters were missing, and all completion dates and responsible individuals for the Project 056 blueprints ceased after July 1945, making her question what profound event occurred in 1945.
She also saw the name "GuTongJing 1945" in the archives, confirming a connection. Going through personnel files, Liang Wan recognized the name Huo Zhongshu, recalling it from the business card on the mummified corpse Li Cu had brought her. She discovered that Huo Zhongshu, along with other classmates like Qi Kaifeng and Huo Qiling, were all recorded as "missing" in August 1945, indicating that the entire class had vanished simultaneously.
Before the archives closed completely, Liang Wan quickly jotted down Huo Zhongshu's address: Xing'er Hutong 043, Quanfu Road, Shunjing. Liang Wan then traveled to Huo Zhongshu's address, inquiring with several locals, but none had heard of him. Fortunately, she found a small eatery named "Zhongshu Snack" at the location, offering a potential lead. Inside, the shop was rather chaotic, run by an elderly woman who seemed a bit confused, repeatedly forgetting the items Liang Wan tried to order.
Liang Wan explained that she wasn't there for food, but to ask about Huo Zhongshu, claiming to be a distant relative who had received a parcel of his old books to deliver. The old woman was visibly moved by the name. She sadly informed Liang Wan that Huo Zhongshu hadn't lived there for a long time and that her journey was in vain. She also expressed her own long-standing desire to know what had happened to him.
Liang Wan asked if he had gone missing. The old woman confirmed that they were childhood neighbors, and one day Huo Zhongshu simply vanished. His parents refused to speak of it, and her attempts to find him were fruitless; he had seemingly vanished into thin air. Later, Huo Zhongshu's mother fell gravely ill, constantly muttering terrifying phrases like "Don't go, don't go! He was possessed!"
Even more frightening, neighbors who visited her would suddenly die horribly upon returning home, leading everyone to shun the family. Eventually, Huo Zhongshu's father took his mother away, and the old woman never heard from them again. She had named her shop "Zhongshu Snack" as a way to hold onto hope.
She revealed that she knew Liang Wan wasn't a distant relative but believed she was a good person because she was the first to seek out Huo Zhongshu in years. She earnestly requested Liang Wan to uncover the truth about what happened to the Huo family and to inform her of any news, dead or alive. Liang Wan then asked if Huo Zhongshu's old house was still standing; the old woman confirmed it was, and currently vacant.
Liang Wan proceeded to the old house, which was dusty and covered in cobwebs but largely untouched. After a thorough search, she discovered an old notebook hidden in a secret compartment within a drawer. It became clear that the disappearance of Huo Zhongshu and the entire genius class in 1945 was directly linked to the events that transpired in GuTongJing that same year.
