Episode Summary
The team explores an abandoned camp, where Zhang Qiling saves Wu Xie from a giant python. Their discovery of red soil prompts a hasty retreat, but a mysterious force drags them all into a subterranean cave system. Trapped by a rockslide, they learn they are in an ancient kiln. Zhang Qiling expertly navigates an acid trap, and the team discovers a strange furnace pit before reaching their main objective. The guide, baited by a familiar sound, wanders off alone.
Spoiler Alert
Into the Ghost Camp
The episode kicks off with Wu Xie poking around the abandoned camp. He wanders through the tents with a stick. It’s creepy. Everything is just left on, like the crew vanished into thin air. He’s casually messing with stuff on a desk. Then he sees it in his peripheral vision. A massive python is right behind him, ready to strike.
Wu Xie freezes. You can see him thinking he’s a goner. He just shuts his eyes and waits for the end. But the mysterious man in black shows up out of nowhere. He grabs the snake by its tail and just flings it away. Problem solved.
Bad Omens
The guide completely loses it when he sees the dead python. He says the snakes are messengers of the mountain god. Now the god is angry, and they're all doomed. He immediately drops to his knees and starts praying. Then he insists they have to bury the snake right away. Third Uncle agrees and tells his guys to get digging.
While digging the hole, Pan Zi and Da Kui find something weird. The soil underneath is red. This clicks for Wu Xie. He remembers reading his great-grandfather's diary. The old man saw the same red soil on an expedition. It was a total disaster where he lost a lot of family. Third Uncle clearly knows this is bad news, too. He orders everyone to pack up. They have to get out of there before dark.
Down We Go
They're all packed and ready to leave. Suddenly, the guide lets out a bloodcurdling scream. Something grabs him and starts dragging him away. Wu Xie, ever the hero, grabs the guide's legs to pull him back. It doesn't work. He just gets pulled in, too.
Everyone else hears the commotion and rushes to help. It turns into a human chain. One person after another gets dragged forward by some unseen force. They all tumble into a deep hole in the ground. The man in black is the last one in line. He tries to hold on but can't. The force is too strong, and he gets pulled into the pit with everyone else.
Meet Mr. Zhang
After the fall, they take a second to get their bearings. Wu Xie finally asks about the quiet, mysterious guy. Third Uncle tells him his last name is Zhang. Someone in the business recommended him for the job. That’s all he knows. Third Uncle has no idea this is Zhang Qiling. He's a legendary figure in the tomb-raiding world.
Trapped in a Kiln
Just as they start looking for a way out, a rockslide seals the entrance. They're completely trapped. Their only option is to push forward and hope for another exit. Third Uncle figures out where they are. He sees a lot of pottery and realizes they've fallen into an old porcelain kiln.
The Acid Trap
As they move deeper, Zhang Qiling spots a loose brick in a wall. He stops everyone. He tells them the wall is filled with sulfuric acid. If they break it down, they'll be melted on the spot. Zhang carefully removes three small plugs from the wall. He uses thin tubes to drain all the acid into a nearby pit. Once it's empty, they can safely break through the wall and move on. The guy knows his stuff.
The Furnace Pit
In the next chamber, they find a large furnace. It's filled with old clothes. They wonder if it was a sacrificial pit. Pan Zi digs through the clothes but finds no bones. Third Uncle guesses they might have used the furnace to fire terracotta figures. Maybe it was a way to replace actual human sacrifices. But nobody knows for sure.
Zhang Qiling stays quiet, just watching everything. You can tell he senses more danger. He warns everyone not to touch a single thing. They must follow his exact footsteps. Third Uncle backs him up, telling the crew to do exactly as he says.
They finally reach the core location marked on their map. The guide is terrified and refuses to go inside. He waits by the entrance. But then he hears something. It sounds just like his dog barking. He can't help himself. He cautiously follows the sound, looking for his dog.
