Ultimate Note Episode 2 Recap
> Ultimate Note Recap
Unfazed by their third uncle's warnings, Wu Xie's unwavering determination to uncover the truth about the past led him down a path that would astonish the cunning old man. As Wu Xie delved deeper into Huo Ling's journal, he discovered intricate patterns and notes detailing the arduous journey of Chen Wen Jin's archaeological team.
He read about their entry into Changbai Mountain in May 1993 amidst unforgiving weather, the loss of contact with their team by June 15, and their arrival at the base of the Heavenly Palace on June 17, facing dire circumstances. The journal recounted their decision to brave the Bronze Gate on June 17, concluding chillingly on June 18, 1993, with the phrase, "I think, I'm seeing the Ultimate."
Frustrated by the abrupt end of the crucial entry, Wu Xie continued reading, finding that by February 1995, the team was already planning to find Tamutuo. He questioned why every mention pointed to Tamutuo, a place described as having "the mire full of ravenous snakes." Suddenly, the disheveled figure of Huo Ling, her mind clearly broken, lunged at Wu Xie. Before she could grab him, Zhang swiftly intervened, pulling Wu Xie to safety.
Together, they managed to secure Huo Ling in a nearby casket. As Wu Xie recovered from the shock, a figure emerged from another coffin. It was Hei Yan Jing, the man Wu Xie had seen following Zhang in Hangzhou. Ah Ning then revealed that she was also present in Golmud and that both Hei Yan Jing and Zhang were consultants for their current expedition.
Soon after, Wu Xie found himself in a vehicle with Ah Ning, questioning her earlier deception in Hangzhou. Ah Ning, in turn, remarked that Wu Xie was no longer the "innocent and naive" person she once knew, acknowledging his growing cunning. She confirmed that Zhang and Hei Yan Jing were indeed their consultants. Their current objective was Tamutuo, a fact Wu Xie learned from Hei Yan Jing.
Lao Gao, another team member, later explained that Tamutuo was believed to be the capital of the Land of the Heavenly Queen Mother and the location of the fabled Palace of the Heavenly Queen Mother. Ah Ning's team had also located Madam Dolma (Dingzhu Zhuoma), the elderly guide from Chen Wen Jin's original archaeological team. Later, Wu Xie was roused from his sleep by Madam Dolma's grandson, Tashi, and found Zhang already in Madam Dolma's tent.
Madam Dolma delivered an urgent message from Chen Wen Jin: she would be waiting for them at the Palace of the Heavenly Queen Mother, but if they failed to arrive within ten days, she would enter alone. She also relayed Chen Wen Jin's cryptic warning: "The object is in your midst. Be wary." Wu Xie, still perplexed by Zhang's sudden reappearance and his silence about the Bronze Gate, pressed him for answers.
Zhang, however, remained tight-lipped, asserting it was his personal affair and that Wu Xie should not get involved. Wu Xie expressed his profound frustration at being kept in the dark, the "pain of not knowing." Zhang admitted he understood that pain even better. When Wu Xie finally asked what Zhang saw beyond the Bronze Gate, Zhang simply replied, "The Ultimate. The end of everything." Despite his evasiveness, Zhang concluded by saying, "I'm on your side.
Actually, your problem is already my problem. If the Palace of the Heavenly Queen Mother has all the answers, then I must continue the journey with you." Meanwhile, Xie Yuchen and Huo Xiuxiu had traveled to a small shop, attempting to purchase a painting that the shop owner's father had left behind. Their efforts were thwarted when Hei Yan Jing appeared, having already acquired the painting.
Xie Yuchen was astonished to discover that Hei Yan Jing possessed a crucial piece of the porcelain plate, an artifact he had been searching for that served as a map to Tamutuo. The two parties, each seeking something the other held, eventually sat down to negotiate. Wu Xie's timely arrival, as a childhood acquaintance of Xie Yuchen, helped facilitate discussions.
Ah Ning explained that the porcelain pieces Xie Yuchen possessed, when combined with her existing plate, would form the complete map to Tamutuo. Wu Xie asserted that he and his companions also intended to go to Tamutuo. Ah Ning, recognizing their shared lineage within the Mystic Nine and their possession of the essential map pieces, agreed to allow them to join the expedition on the condition that they would follow her lead once inside Tamutuo and pay their own expenses.
Huo Xiuxiu, however, decided to split from the group. She revealed that the videotape Wu Xie had received was merely a distraction, and the real clues lay within its case. She believed there were more important clues in the videotape she had seen at her grandmother's and decided to investigate those separately for a better chance of success. She also warned Wu Xie to be wary of Hei Yan Jing. The group embarked on their desert journey in off-road vehicles.
As they ventured deeper into the desert, a severe sandstorm erupted, drastically reducing visibility and severing communication between their vehicles. Forced to stop and don their protective gear, they exited their cars. Ah Ning's signal flare caught the attention of Wu Xie and Xie Yuchen. As they struggled to reach her location, they encountered a treacherous patch of quicksand.
Thinking quickly, Wu Xie and Xie Yuchen discarded their heavy gear, narrowly escaping the mire, but the ordeal left them utterly exhausted and they collapsed in the vast desert. Back at a makeshift shelter, Zhang expressed his determination to find Wu Xie. Ah Ning, concerned for Madam Dolma, entrusted Hei Yan Jing with the task of locating her while she stayed behind, tying a signal gun to the car for the others to find if they returned.
Wu Xie and Xie Yuchen, meanwhile, were on the verge of hypothermia from the biting desert cold and their grueling trek. Xie Yuchen noticed a large, sheltered area, realizing it was the edge of a quicksand pit, but a potential refuge. He tried to rouse Wu Xie, who was struggling against sleep and despair, desperate for water and longing to go home. Xie Yuchen urged him to stay awake, providing what little water he had left as Wu Xie drifted into unconsciousness.
