Tomb of the Sea Episode 32 Recap
> Tomb of the Sea Recap
Li Cu and his companions continued their arduous journey through the desert from dusk until dawn, enveloped by a thick fog that reduced the sun to a mere white dot. Liang Wan expressed her surprise at the heavy fog in such a dry desert, but Chegaliba explained that the desert is full of wonders where anything can happen.
Liang Wan, having missed her beauty sleep, fretted about the intense desert UV rays damaging her skin and revealing crow's feet, to which Su Wan playfully confirmed her fears, irritating her. As the fog lifted, the desert became scorching hot, prompting the group to rest. However, a sudden cool breeze was quickly followed by Chegaliba's urgent shouts for them to move, warning that a "fire wind" was approaching.
He explained that anything in the path of the fire wind would be incinerated. They hastily grabbed their water, mounted their camels, and sped away, frantically whipping the animals. Liang Wan's camel was particularly disobedient and slow. When the camels became exhausted, the group abandoned them, taking only essential equipment, and continued their escape on foot.
The exhaustion of their desperate flight began to take its toll, especially on Liang Wan, who, drained of energy, fainted and rolled down a sand dune. Chegaliba quickly assessed her condition, noting her high body temperature and lack of sweat, indicating heatstroke. He instructed Li Cu to remove her coat and then fed her a salt cake that a camel had licked. Fortunately, Liang Wan soon regained consciousness.
As she stirred, her heated skin revealed a distinct tattoo on her back. Yang Hao lightheartedly remarked on it, teasing Liang Wan about being a "gangster girl" with her drinking, perming, and tattoo. Li Cu, however, felt a deep sense of unease, recognizing the same tattoo from Surige. Liang Wan's strength remained low, and after a few more steps, she fainted again.
Despite his suspicions about her true identity, Li Cu refused to abandon her and carried her on his back. Half-conscious, Liang Wan babbled deliriously about her "matchless hero" who would arrive in golden armor, treading on colorful auspicious clouds. Li Cu wondered if she spoke of him, but she bit him, affirming her hero would come. As Li Cu struggled on, his own strength dwindled, and he began to fear they wouldn't make it out.
He worried he was overconfident due to his past desert experience and wondered if his companions blamed him. He stumbled repeatedly but held onto Liang Wan tightly, refusing to let her fall. During their escape, Su Wan continued to pester Chegaliba with his peculiar questions, irritating the guide. Su Wan, Yang Hao, and Chegaliba walked ahead, with Li Cu bringing up the rear, carrying Liang Wan. Chegaliba came back to check on Li Cu and realized he was hallucinating.
In his altered state, Li Cu saw Lan Ting's film crew approaching and confronted them, frantically asking about Wu Xie, demanding if they knew him or any other name he might have used. He accused them of being dead, having seen their photos, and questioned if they were ghosts or haunted by GuTongJing. To his companions, Li Cu appeared to be talking to thin air.
Su Wan, exasperated, splashed a face full of water on Li Cu, finally bringing him back to his senses. The precious water used to revive Li Cu further depleted their already scarce supply. Just then, Yang Hao shouted, having discovered a "sea" (oasis). The sight of water invigorated everyone, and they quickly set up camp there. Li Cu gently placed Liang Wan in a tent, wiping her forehead with a wet towel until she awoke.
Having escaped the fire wind only to find a refreshing sea, everyone was overjoyed. However, Liang Wan's discovery of camel bones by the water's edge rekindled their worries. Chegaliba explained that some desert seas contain poisonous water, which the camel likely drank before dying on the shore. He added that a kind person had then thrown its bones into the water to save its soul, as souls of those who die in the desert are said to be trapped.
This explanation brought some relief to the group. Li Cu asked Su Wan to check their progress. Su Wan, looking at his watch, revealed that despite walking all night and running for a long time, they had only covered five kilometers. While the group enjoyed splashing in the water, a subtle change in the sea went unnoticed. They also dug a ditch to allow the water to evaporate, providing a much-needed cooling effect.
As night fell again, Li Cu sat alone keeping watch. Liang Wan emerged from the tent to join him, first confirming he was the one who carried her earlier. They began to chat. Li Cu subtly probed Liang Wan, asking if she liked "dog people," explaining that netizens refer to dog lovers as "Wang Clan." He then asked if she was one of the "Wang Clan."
Liang Wan, taking his words at face value, affirmed she supposed so and asked about him. Li Cu identified as a "cat person." Li Cu then asked about her tattoo. Liang Wan revealed she had no idea about its origin, having had it since she was a child. She explained she was an orphan and hoped that finding her birth parents would provide answers.
She told Li Cu that everyone spoke of GuTongJing being eerie, and she truly felt it that day, thanking him for saving her, believing she would have died without him. Moved by his actions, Liang Wan offered to cooperate with Li Cu and presented him with an engineering design drawing of GuTongJing. Li Cu was thrilled, realizing this map would greatly assist their journey.
He noticed a route on the map he had never seen before, a path he remembered as nonexistent. Liang Wan suggested that if no legends hinted at this route, it was likely not that simple. Suddenly, Li Cu observed the sea water rising and submerging the ditch they had dug earlier. He warned Liang Wan to stay still while he rushed to wake Su Wan and Yang Hao. Chegaliba was nowhere to be found.
As they frantically packed their belongings, the sea continued to swell, glowing with an eerie blue light, flooding their camp. Liang Wan, stranded on a patch of sand in the middle of the rising water, desperately shouted not to enter, warning that something in the water would bite. Yang Hao's leg was already submerged, and he quickly pulled it out, covered in blood.
Su Wan identified the creatures as "fairy shrimps," which locals harvest for prawn farming, but admitted his books didn't explain why they bit. With Liang Wan increasingly engulfed by the water, Li Cu, in a moment of desperate inspiration, asked Su Wan for some adhesive tape. He wrapped the tape around his legs and waded through the water. Although the tape protected him, it broke upon reaching Liang Wan.
He asked Su Wan to throw him the remaining roll, but Su Wan misthrew it, landing it out of reach. Undeterred, Li Cu remembered another solution: cold fireworks. He instructed Yang Hao to throw the cold fireworks into the water. As the cold fireworks ignited and burned in the water, the fairy shrimps scattered. Using the cold fireworks to clear a path, Li Cu carried Liang Wan and waded towards the shore.
Just as they neared safety, the last cold firework fizzled out, and Li Cu was attacked by swarms of fairy shrimps. Enduring the painful bites, he pushed Liang Wan to the safety of the bank. Meanwhile, in a parallel plot, Luo Que met Xie Yuchen on a train, as instructed by Zhang Rishan. After confirming Luo Que's identity as Zhang Rishan's envoy, Xie Yuchen stepped away to make a phone call to Wu Xie.
He informed Wu Xie that Luo Que was with him, he had secured the name list, and he was currently en route to meet Wu Xie, advising Wu Xie to also be careful. Reflecting on her journey, Liang Wan, who had always envisioned Zhang Rishan as her "matchless hero," realized that in the harsh reality of the desert, it was the "little brat" Li Cu who had unexpectedly embodied that role.
