Ultimate Note Episode 3 Recap
> Ultimate Note Recap
Wu Xie slowly regained consciousness, finding himself on Zhang Qiling's back. Zhang Qiling, who stated he was late, gently put him down at Wu Xie's request. Xie Yuchen, also found, had a concerningly low temperature of 35 degrees. The group had already regrouped at A Ning's current location. Wu Xie expressed concern for their missing team members: Lao Gao, Ah K, King, and Century Egg, noting the significant losses so early in their journey.
A disagreement arose when someone implied Madam Dolma had intentionally led them into the desert during a sandstorm. Tashi, Madam Dolma's grandson, vehemently defended his grandmother, explaining that their route was essential and the terrain, with ancient riverbeds shifting into desert, was unpredictable. Wu Lao Si apologized to Tashi at Wu Xie's insistence. Wu Xie intervened, confirming the path was indeed an old river course, suggesting it might lead them to ancient city ruins.
Tashi then introduced them to Devil City, located about 20 kilometers away. He described it as a place cursed by a deity who, enraged by the city dwellers' corruption, burned it down. Tashi claimed that the agonizing cries of the damned could still be heard at night. They decided to rest there for the night and depart for Devil City the next morning. As night fell, they set up camp near Devil City, opting not to enter it.
A Ning, concerned about the weak handheld radio signals, decided to find a vehicle with a stronger car radio to contact Lao Gao and the others. Wu Xie chose to accompany her, noting A Ning's surprising willingness to seek out comrades, a departure from her past pragmatic approach. Wu Xie continued to try contacting the missing team members over the radio, even playfully teasing the sick Xie Yuchen.
A Ning eventually told him to stop, asserting that maintaining composure was more crucial for team morale than finding the others immediately. The following morning, they gathered all available vehicles, packed their gear, and set off towards Devil City. This area was characterized by unique Yadan landforms, shaped over millennia by strong winds, and the constant sandstorms and strange winds added to its mysterious aura. They found a sheltered spot to establish their main camp.
Wu Xie jokingly offered a tent-setup service to Xie Yuchen for a fee. Suddenly, they discovered one of the missing, Lao Gao, partially buried in the sand. He was alive but injured. Lao Gao explained he had stumbled there while evading the sandstorm and had seen the other missing team members (Ah K, King, and Century Egg) venture deeper into Devil City.
A Ning decided to lead a search party—consisting of Tashi, Lao Jia, Ah Hu, and Dao Zai—into Devil City to find the remaining missing members. She assigned Zhang Qiling, Hei Yan Jing, and Wu Lao Si to search the immediate outer area. Tashi, however, adamantly refused to enter Devil City, warning that no one had ever returned alive.
He recounted a chilling story of a geological expedition in 1997 where the entire team vanished, with only two air-dried corpses found two years later. A Ning, leveraging logical arguments about their satellite compasses and appealing to his filial duty to his grandmother, eventually convinced Tashi to guide them. Tashi agreed on the condition that he would place piles of stones at every junction; if they encountered a pile, it meant they were going in circles and had to retreat.
Wu Xie found this unusual, but A Ning accepted. As they ventured deeper into the labyrinthine Devil City, eerie, non-human sounds carried by the wind increased Tashi's fear, and he repeatedly begged to turn back. A Ning insisted they press on. They soon encountered multiple stone piles Tashi had laid, confirming they were indeed moving in circles within the vast terrain. Suddenly, Tashi screamed "Devil's Child!"
upon seeing an ancient ship, half-buried on a cliff with the other half suspended over the edge. Terrified, he claimed the "Devil's Child" resided within and would claim their lives if they proceeded. A Ning, displeased by his panic, left Tashi with Lao Jia at the cliff base and, accompanied by Wu Xie and Ah Hu, boarded the ship.
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to A Ning, Wu Sansheng, who had been secretly trailing them, had also orchestrated Zhang Qiling and Hei Yan Jing's participation in A Ning's team. Wang Pangzi and Pan Zi, hired by Wu Sansheng, arrived at Devil City in one of the team's vehicles. Pan Zi expressed his concern for Wu Xie, knowing he wouldn't want Wu Xie in such danger.
Pan Zi and Wang Pangzi discussed their mission: Wu Sansheng had changed routes but left markers for them. Their priority was to retrieve Zhang Qiling and Wu Xie before rejoining Master San. Wang Pangzi joked about Wu Xie's potential fury if he discovered Wang Pangzi's involvement. Separately, Xie Yuchen confronted Hei Yan Jing, calling Wu Sansheng a "sly old fox" who had undoubtedly manipulated many. Xie Yuchen suspected Wu Sansheng was nearby and intended to confront him.
Hei Yan Jing offered to facilitate contact with Wu Sansheng, for a price. Inside the damaged ancient ship, A Ning, Wu Xie, and Ah Hu used their flashlights to navigate its dark interior. Wu Xie, following the walkie-talkie signals, identified a hole leading to a lower deck. Descending deeper, they located Lao Gao, still alive, and Ah Hu, who was pinned beneath a heavy clay coffin.
As they worked to free Ah Hu, Wu Xie identified the "clay box" as a coffin, concluding the ship was not a mere shipwreck but a "ship burial." He explained that unlike Han Dynasty mortar tombs, this coffin utilized a unique "mixture of three different components" and appeared far older. Wu Xie then found a way to open the coffin by pouring water. They successfully removed the lid, freeing Ah Hu, who gasped for air.
Inside the coffin, they discovered intricate Sanqing Bird patterns carved on the inner wall, along with inscriptions detailing the tomb owner's life and mentioning a "pill." The rest of the inscriptions were unreadable due to severe oxidation. Wu Xie explained that the Sanqing Bird was a divine, auspicious symbol and messenger of the Queen Mother of West, used exclusively by royalty, suggesting the tomb owner's extraordinary status.
A Ning then observed that the garments in the coffin were significantly oversized for the skeleton, which appeared to be that of a child. Wu Xie concurred that something was very wrong with the corpse. Back at the camp, Zhang Qiling, growing impatient, decided to search for Wu Xie himself. Wu Lao Si attempted to stop him, reminding him of A Ning's strict instructions that Zhang Qiling was not to leave.
Just then, Pan Zi and Wang Pangzi drove into the camp, immediately clashing with Wu Lao Si and his men. Pan Zi and Wang Pangzi quickly overpowered them. Pan Zi informed Zhang Qiling that Wu Sansheng had found a new path and sent them to retrieve him and Wu Xie. Zhang Qiling took some useful gear, including a carabiner and a flashlight, which he gave to Pan Zi.
Realizing Wu Xie was in Devil City, Pan Zi and Wang Pangzi prepared to leave to find him. Wu Lao Si's men tried to prevent their departure, but Wang Pangzi threw a lantern, setting their tent ablaze, forcing Wu Lao Si and his men to extinguish the fire as Pan Zi and Wang Pangzi drove off.