Wu Xie
They rested like that for around ten minutes, before they were wake up by a talking snake that had slither in their resting place and cause some chaos around their group and after that, Wu San Xing had called for them to keep moving to find the Queen Mother's Palace. Thus they keep up the pace into the tunnels until they reached what looked like a tunnel made with the discarded skin of a huge snakes.
"This should be the snake mother. We saw the relief back in a small temple before been swallow here. I thought it may be a legendary one, but seen this, I can say the snake really exited." Wu Xie said with excitement.
"I can see I had seen it all now." Xiazi commented as he looked around the huge tunnel that was the skin.
"This is no less than a monster. I wonder if is still around." Xiao Hua said in agreement.
"Wait what? You kidding right? That thing can't be alive, right?" Mop asked in panic.
"Who knows... in this place anything can happen. Be careful Mop, if it is still around, you can said you are as good as dead." Xiazi teased.
"No... no... way... I don't want to die here..." Mop almost sobbed while carrying Pangzi on his back.
"Calm down, there is no need to panic. This skin is quite old." Wu San Xing assured Mop.
"Yep and it looks clean too, so is a good place to rest and camp for a few hours. I doubt more snakes will be around this skin." Wu Xie said.
"Alright, we had been walking for a long time. Let's camp here, because this is indeed the safest place around." Wu San Xing order.
"Wa... wait... Master San... I rather camp outside this place. It's too scary in here." Mop insisted.
"Okay then, you guys can stay in the tunnel. It should be safe too." Wu San Xing said and Mop hastily retreated to the tunnel. Xiazi looked at Xiao Hua, knowing that Wu Xie probably wanted some time alone to question his uncle, as he ran away from that confrontation a while ago and been the understanding man Hua'er was, he get his hint and assented in approval, walking away behind the team, closely follow by Hei Xiazi, who also dragged Zhang Qiling, which looked a bit uncertain to leave Wu Xie behind.
"They are family, Yaba Zhang, I'm sure they have their things to discuss, come on." Xiazi dragged him, knowing that his protectiveness over Wu Xie was not necessary at that moment in which Wu Xie was completely safe from harm.
Been left alone, Wu Xie once again demanded answers out of his uncle, but as usual he only had evasive answers that were not really answers at all.
"Wu Xie, you should just get out of this place while you still can." San Xing insisted, but that only anger Wu Xie more.
"Do you think that me been here is just a coincidence? For heaven's sake, the tape was sent to me with a clear purpose. Wenjin involved me in this for a reason and I want more than just find you. I also want to know the truth that you keep from me. I had read her diary and been in all the places she had mark in the dragon's vein..."
"Wait, her diary? Where do you get it?" Wu San Xing asked.
"Golmud Sanatorium." Wu Xie answer.
"Give it to me." Wu San Xing demanded.
"You give me answers and I give you the diary. Let's play fair for once." Wu Xie said.
"Alright, ask away..." Wu San Xing conceded.
"Why did you came here? It's no coincidence that both you and Wenjin wanted to come to Tamutuo. She send the three videos according to her diary and I'm assuming you got one as well. She wanted you to come here along with me and Ah Ning, why?" Wu Xie asked.
"I don't know."
"Uncle third, we just make a deal!"
"I really don't know why she sent the tapes, only that they were sent to me, you and Xiaoge." San Xing said.
"Xiaoge? It couldn't be him. The last tape was clearly in Ah Ning's hands." Wu Xie said.
"Yes... she got the hang on it because I ask Xiaoge to give it to her." San Xing said.
"So it was you who involved her this time."
"I only provided the information, she make the decision to head into Tamutuo."
"And she lose her life in the process." Wu Xie said, clearly hurt.
"She was the kind of woman who would not regret the path she had decided to follow."
"I know... it just... she shouldn't had die like that..." Wu Xie said sadly.
"None of us can escape our own fate..." Wu San Xing added.
"Talking about that, both you and Xiaoge went into that expedition along with Wenjin... but what about me? Why I am been involved? Is it because there was someone else who looked exactly like me?" Wu Xie asked.
"You should ask that to her. I also have my own questions." Wu San Xing said.
"Then what about It? Do you know what It is? She keeps mentioning it on her notes and the fact that our teams never encounter until deep into this basin means she planned for the two groups to remain separate. She seems to truly fear that the entity she call It will intervene or act in what is supposed to happen here with so many of you heading to the Queen Palace."
"Give me her diary. I need to have a look at it." Wu San Xing insisted.
"No problem as long as you also share some things with me." Wu Xie stated back.
"Alright you can watch the content of my video."
"That will not do, the content itself is not important."
"Oh, but mine is different from the ones you got and watched." Wu San Xing insisted.
"Okay, then show me." Wu Xie said and soon, Wu San Xing was looking into his bag the computer he had brought and after turning it on, he carefully looked for the file he had received and play it for Wu Xie.
"It has no video, just audio, so pay attention." Wu San Xing said and Wu Xie scuffed, as if he will not pay attention to a crucial piece of information he was itching to have.
Thus he did put all his senses into the black video his uncle show to him and hear the conversation Wenjin was having with her team. At first there was nothing shocking or revealing to make the black video worthy of the exchange, but as the final minute of the video played, he clearly heard the sound of horns been playing in whatever place Wenjin was at that moment.
"Sound of horns?" Wu Xie asked himself as he replayed just that few second it was heard, just to be completely sure he had hear it right and sure enough, it was definitely there.
"Back when I was close to the Bronze Gate... I remember hearing horns before the gate close and Xiaoge disappeared inside... I'm sure this is the exact sound..." Wu Xie said as he recollected losing Xiaoge again inside the gate without knowing whatever he will see him again or not, so that sound was pretty much imprinted on his mind, but then...
"Wait, was Wenjin at the Top Cloud Palace when she recorded this video? Did they enter the Bronze Gate too?" Wu Xie asked in excitement.
"I don't know." San Xing reply.
"That's the only thing you said every time! But you know enough to be a step ahead of most tomb raiders!" Wu Xie accused him.
"Wu Xie, I really don't know more of what happen there, I wasn't even close!"
"You are such a liar."
"If this video wasn't a mystery, why would I be here trying to seek answers myself?"
"You know far more than what you say! Always did and you went to each dragon vein location as well."
"Wu Xie! I had told you all I know! This is perhaps my last time to find Wenjin and ask her the answers you want. Give me her diary, we have a deal." San Xing demanded, while extending his hand.
"About that... you can read it, but not now." Wu Xie said.
"Why not?" San Xing asked and Wu Xie smiled slightly.
"Because I left it in the temple where we were studying the reliefs. We chased someone who try to steal our food and then we were swallow here, so no diary until we go back."
"You fool me!" San Xing accuse him again.
"Come on uncle... it's not exactly fooling, but delaying things for your own good!" Wu Xie exclaimed dramatically in triumph and San Xing smiled.
"You are indeed my nephew. You have learn so much from me... alright, it quite late now, go have some rest with Xiaoge." San Xing said casually and Wu Xie looked at his uncle with surprise. Did he notice they were together already? Was their relationship really that obvious?
"Ah, don't look at me like that. I am an old fox after all... your relationship with Zhang Qiling is no ideal for the Wu family, I'm not going to lie about that, but I know how obsess you were and are with him... so I guess is kind of expected, especially now that Ning is gone, she was actually my only hope for you to..."
"Forget it, I'm leaving..." Wu Xie said ignoring his uncle's remarks and standing up, ready to leave him alone.
"Wait Wu Xie, be sure to give the Wu family an heir with the Zhang's blood if possible!!" San Xing teased and Wu Xie turned while blushing.
"I'm not a woman!" Wu Xie shouted. His uncle was even worse than Pangzi.
"Well, he can always donate his sperm and we will make sure to..."
"Forget it!" Wu Xie yelled as he headed back to the tunnel while fuming. San Xing laughed the last with mixed feelings. They were so alike and yet...
Wu Xie meet with Xiaoge shortly after enter the tunnel where he was patiently waiting for him. Close to Qiling was Hei Xiazi who was smiling mischievously to Qiling and Xiao Hua, which obviously had heard at least part of what his uncle had shouted at him, which make him blush harder.
"Wu Xie... if you truly want to have Yaba Zhang's son..." Xiazi begin, but Xiao Hua, who was standing by his side, elbow him on his ribs, making him moan in pain while he rubbed his side.
"Master Hua... that's so mean..."
"Shut up, you deserve it... come, let's leave them alone. You had overhear more than enough." Xiao Hua said, walking away into further in the tunnel. Xiazi followed him soon after and Xiaoge then finally was alone with Wu Xie, who was still blushing.
"Ignore both my uncle and Shades." Wu Xie whisper, as he came closer to Xiaoge.
"I will not mind giving you..."
"Please not you too." Wu Xie interrupted in resignation and Xiaoge smirked. He was honestly enjoying seen Wu Xie so flustered.
"Come, you need to rest." Qiling said as he took Wu Xie's hand and pull him into a solitary corner, in which he could calm down and truly rest. He was once again been wounded a short while ago after all and he was going to make sure he will heal well.
Thus they lay on the floor side by side, with Qiling wrapping Wu Xie on his arms. He was not really going to sleep, as that was still a very dangerous place infested by deadly snakes, but at least, he could keep Wu Xie comfortable, warm and most of all, he could watch him sleep peacefully. That alone was priceless to him and worth any hardship to keep that young man alive.
In the distance, further inside the tunnels, Wenjin was waiting for the group to go down and get closer to the Queen's Mother Palace where she was. She needed to have a talk with Wu Xie about the man he called uncle and she knew it was not going to be something easy to take. So she planned to get Wu Xie and Zhang Qiling alone... and she was sure the opportunity will come, one way or another.
Fate was hard to change if not impossible, thus what was meant to happen, will happen... and the young man's future was one who carry the weight not only of his generation, but also the full weight of the Mystic Nine.
AN: Thanks for reading.