Episode 21 recap: Wu Xie Takes His Companions to Hidden Sand
In Episode 21, Zhang Qi Ling arrives at Hidden Sand and begins searching through the rooms. In one brightly lit room, he finds a woman in a red dress lying on a bed, her body partially exposed, covered only by a large red robe. When she hears him, she inquires about his identity and notes that his scent is unfamiliar to the place. She mentions that many years ago, an outsider similar to him also visited. She asks Zhang Qi Ling to take her away in exchange for revealing all her secrets.
This woman’s eyes are white, and as Zhang Qi Ling hesitates about rescuing her, he suddenly hears rustling footsteps behind him. He quickly hides, but gunfire erupts. Zhang Qi Ling, agile and skilled, manages to fend off several attackers. After a brief struggle, some practitioners bow to him, and their leader apologizes, explaining that the recent attack was a test arranged by Mr. Dong. Due to the disturbances caused by the Night King, the villagers have suffered greatly. They have heard that the Night King is fond of a woman whose limbs grow backward, and strange girls with similar traits have begun appearing in the village. Although they are essentially disabled, the villagers have been offering them to the Night King, calling them "Night Wives."
Wu Xie learns from a scroll that Zhang Qi Ling has ventured into the Snow Mountain, but the details are unclear. He suspects the Night King is a formidable figure. The Fatty suggests that to uncover the truth, they need to collaborate with the foreigner, Mr. Feng, who possesses advanced weaponry. To gain Wu Xie’s trust, Mr. Feng personally puts on a metal nickel bomb and hands the timer to Wu Xie, making it clear that he can end their lives at any moment.
Wu Xie agrees to the collaboration, and they prepare to set off the next day. Equipped with ample supplies, they venture into the heavy snow, moving cautiously towards Hidden Sand, a location previously reached by Zhang Qi Ling. After a long trek, Wu Xie, Fatty, Zhang Hai Ke, and Zhang Hai Xing encounter a massive ice lake. By the lake, they find the carcass of an animal, resembling an antelope. Although it has been partially devoured, its skeleton remains intact. Mr. Feng tries to identify the predator through tooth marks but finds none, suggesting it might have been a highly intelligent creature.
Suddenly, shadows move beneath the ice, catching the attention of Mr. Feng's team. They quickly use their equipment to detect any anomalies below the surface. Sensing danger, Wu Xie advises them to avoid the ice and climb the mountain instead. Although his suggestion is reasonable, Mr. Feng decides against it, fearing their equipment won’t navigate the narrow mountain path. They split into two groups: Wu Xie leads Fatty and Zhang Hai Ke to climb, while Mr. Feng and his men cross the ice.
Zhang Hai Ke and Zhang Hai Xing separate, with Zhang Hai Xing joining the foreigners on the ice. As they approach their destination, Zhang Hai Ke is about to criticize Wu Xie for being overly cautious when they suddenly witness a commotion with Mr. Feng’s group. It appears something is chasing them, causing them to stumble and frantically strip off their clothes, rolling on the ground as if they are on fire.
Seeing this, the soldiers quickly retreat. Zhang Hai Ke uses binoculars and sees his sister acting strangely. He rushes to rescue her but soon falls victim to the same affliction and collapses. Wu Xie carefully observes their behavior, recognizing that they may be experiencing hallucinations, a situation he has encountered before. Prioritizing their rescue, Wu Xie instructs Fatty to hand him a rope. He then makes his way onto the ice, ties up Zhang Hai Ke and Zhang Hai Xing, and drags them to safety on the opposite side.
Comments(Episode 21)