Tomb Raiding: My Family's Last Clan Chief is Little Brother

Chapter 451 The Ancient Lan Clan
Based on the few fragmented clues that have survived, the scene was a very steep mountain wall covered with huge patterns that looked like black rock paintings.

At the center of the rock painting is an irregular black spot, as if God had accidentally dripped ink on it while painting. The tentacles around the black spot connect to the marks on the rock wall.

Those black tentacles are alive; they are constantly devouring the surrounding rocks and climbing and spreading further and further.

Those clansmen who disappeared from the memories of the ancient Lan people had all turned into black, claw-like, shadowy, soft-bodied monsters, piling up like silt in the cracked ravines beneath the black spots.

The black spots continued to spread at an alarming rate. The chieftain of the ancient Lan people led a small group of people to search for the source of the black spots deep in the Kunlun Mountains, but they never returned, and the black spots spread even more rapidly.

At that time, the young chieftain was entrusted with a critical mission. He used himself as a guide and the blood sacrifices of tens of thousands of people to awaken the Golden Crow God worshipped by the ancient Lan people, thus sealing the passage connecting the Black Spots to the ancient Lan people's dwelling place.

Subsequently, the young elders led the remaining descendants of the tribe on a westward migration that lasted for decades, eventually settling on the shores of Suoge Riyue Mountain Lake, which is said to be the largest Jade Pool of the Queen Mother of the West.

Later, due to the flooding of the Jade Pool, the ancient Lan people were forced to migrate once again. This time, the people who migrated were divided into three groups. One group followed the Holy Maiden Jinmu to the desert and eventually disappeared into the primeval rainforest in the desert. Another group chose to return to the ancestral land of Kunlun. The last group continued westward, chasing the direction where the sun rests, and finally settled deep in the Himalayas, becoming the Khampa people of today.

The ancient Lan people who returned to their ancestral homeland of Kunlun most likely became the Zhang family in Northeast China. In the process of fighting against the Wang family, in order to divert Wang Zanghai's attention, they rebuilt a bronze door deep in the snow-capped mountains of the Himalayas that was so realistic that it could be mistaken for the real thing.

But an accident happened during this process. The Zhang family locked themselves inside the door, as if they were afraid that some terrible monster would come out. So, in order to prevent the monster from coming out, they had no choice but to seal themselves and the monster inside together.

However, their actions unknowingly triggered something, and the disaster that the Khampa people had avoided for a thousand years returned, causing more people in the community to disappear.

But this time, the disappearances did not vanish without a trace like in the ancestral era. Those who disappeared eventually reappeared in the rock crevices outside the bronze gate, like single-celled chondrocytes that had forced themselves into the stone.

Left with no other choice, the Khampa people and the Zhang family went to the Kunlun Mountains together to perform another sacrifice, which was the Tangka painting of funeral procession and Nirvana that Zhang Wuxun had seen on the red mural behind the hundred-meter-long corpse forest at the bottom of the Zhang family's ancient building.

The details of this process are unknown to later generations, and the Khampa people later became the gatekeepers of the bronze gate deep in the snow-capped mountains.

Because that door opens once every ten years, and once it opens, something terrible happens. The Khampa people have no choice but to use blood sacrifice to prevent the disaster again, which is the origin of the legend of Yama riding a corpse.

After sorting through all the clues, Zhang Wuxun did not tell Wu Xie everything, because it was not the right time for Wu Xie to know everything.

Their primary task now is to eliminate the most troublesome group among their puppets, namely the Wang family.

Zhang Wuxun looked at Wu Xie and said, "Our goal is the same as the Zhang family's: to prevent that secret from spreading. It concerns the life and death of our entire Khampa tribe."

Wu Xie tapped the blanket unconsciously with his fingertips. "I remember you said before that you and Muyu have a slight blood relationship."

“Perhaps,” Zhang Wuxun said ambiguously, “after all, the other tattoo on his body is of the same origin as mine.”

Wu Xie's eyes lit up instantly. "You have that kind of tattoo too? Does it also become visible when heated? Can I see it!"

Zhang Wuxun knew he hadn't given up yet; looking at the Crimson Flame tattoo was a pretense, his real intention was to see the Qilin tattoo.

However, now was not the time to completely make him give up, so Zhang Wuxun directly refused.

“I can pay for it!” Wu Xie blurted out. “I won’t watch your videos for nothing.”

It all seemed like some kind of backroom deal. Zhang Wuxun found it amusing, but he didn't show it on his face and flatly refused, "I don't need the money."

Wu Xie's lips curled into a reluctant smile. "Then what you said before, that Mu Yu is the third executor of the plan, so who were the first two? And how did you take over from Mu Yu?"

“I don’t know.” Zhang Wuxun shook his head. “I’ve only met one person. He came to Motuo once a year ago in July. I never met him in person, but I only received the message he left behind after the incident at Zhang Family Ancient Building.”

Wu Xie lowered his head and thought for a long time before saying, "I believe what you said, but what's wrong with your faces? Why did you become like this?"

Zhang Wuxun fabricated a story with a straight face: "I was forced to change my face when I was very young. Sometimes something will appear in your mind and it will keep pushing you to complete it. And some people who are very perceptive to this will take it as a kind of prophecy."

Wu Xie, his face expressionless, said, "So it was a prophecy by the Khampa people that I would come here twenty years from now, and that's why you made this face to show your warm welcome to me?"

“No, that’s not it.” Zhang Wuxun flicked a speck of dust off his robe. “I’ve said it from the beginning: I’m not imitating you. The person in the prophecy appeared much earlier than you, but he disappeared into its hands. I’m using this face more to fish for fish; we want to find the person in the prophecy.”

"Who is that person?" Wu Xie pressed.

Zhang Wuxun stood up from the chair, lowered his sleeves, and said in a light tone, "This has nothing to do with you, and you don't need to know."

Wu Xie thought to himself: I could probably guess even if you didn't say it.

Seeing Wu Xie repeatedly fail, Zhang Haike chuckled silently, "Your face is still quite useful in many situations."

Wu Xie chuckled, "For example?"

“The structure of your Nine Gates is too complicated. I won’t know your purpose at all if I don’t go in. So I have no choice but to replace those people who are impersonating you with your face and see why they are impersonating you,” Zhang Haike said.

"Is it because I'm handsome?" Wu Xie said with a hint of smugness. "And then what?"

“Actually, based on our judgment, you are the least valuable,” Zhang Haike said bluntly. “But Bai Ci’s words today gave me some deeper insights, but I can’t tell you unless you promise me one thing.”

Zhang Wuxun glanced at him sideways, thinking to himself, "You're really good at talking nonsense. What kind of inspiration could you possibly have? He's clearly just making things up."

Zhang Haike said confidently, "This answer is our bargaining chip; you need to exchange it for something of yours."

"Hmm, please speak." Wu Xie raised his right hand, indicating that the medicine in the bottle would be finished soon.

Zhang Wuxun stepped forward, removed the needle, applied a little Yunnan Baiyao to the injection site with a cotton swab, put a band-aid on it, and then took the medicine bottle and tubes off the shelf and placed them on a table to be disposed of along with the previous waste later.

Wu Xie's gaze followed his movements, his eyes flickering.

“We need you to bring something out of the snow mountain for us. We’ll teach you how.” Zhang Haike stood up as well. “It’s difficult and dangerous, but not the kind of danger that will kill you.” Wu Xie wanted to back out when he heard that his life was at stake, but out of politeness, he asked, “What is it? Why don’t you go get it yourselves?”

“We can’t get in,” Zhang Haike said. “This thing was left there by our clan chief, and we desperately need it. If you can get out successfully, we will tell you the secret.”

Wu Xie tugged at the corners of his mouth, giving an awkward yet polite smile. "Sorry, I'm not interested in your secrets right now."

Zhang Haike frowned slightly, looking somewhat troubled. This time, it was his turn to ask, "Why? Aren't you curious?"

"I am curious, but compared to my life, I'd rather not." Wu Xie shrugged and said frankly, "The reason I came here is just to find someone, but obviously that person is not here, and I don't want to get involved in your earth-shattering plan."

"I'm just an ordinary, unremarkable small business owner. Apart from being a bit handsome, I don't have any special skills. If so many of you, all of you who are so amazing, can't get in, then there's even less chance for me."

"You managed to come out of the Zhang Family Ancient Building alive, and you call that incompetence?" Zhang Haike sneered. "Don't worry, we've always been fair in our transactions. You can ask for whatever reward you want, and we won't leave you alone. We'll send two people to protect and take care of you."

“One is my younger sister, Zhang Haixing, and the other is someone you can choose from the rest.”

Wu Xie remained unmoved, threw off the covers, put on his shoes, and was about to leave when he bumped into Zhang Longban and the others who were eavesdropping at the door.

"..."

Zhang Longban coughed lightly, glancing past Wu Xie towards Zhang Haike inside. "You can tell him about Zhang Qiling."

Wu Xie jerked his head around, his gaze sharp. "Zhang Qiling? Which Zhang Qiling? Is it the Zhang Qiling I know?"

“Yes.” Zhang Haike smiled like a fox. “The young man you know has known me since we were very young.”

What?

Wu Xie was taken aback. "You and Xiao Ge are childhood sweethearts?"

“That’s a novel way of putting it, but it doesn’t really matter. Compared to childhood friends, our relationship is more special. I know a lot about him that you don’t, and it might be very worthwhile for you to record them,” Zhang Haike coaxed. “If you agree, I’ll tell you before we go into the snow mountain.”

Wu Xie rolled his eyes, then suddenly changed his mind. He pointed at Zhang Wuxun and said, "Can I choose him? To be another teammate?"

Zhang Haike glanced at Zhang Wuxun and laughed, "He was originally in the first batch of teams, with you. He had to go and solve the big problem of the Khampa tribe."

"That works," Wu Xie thought to himself, then asked, "I want to bring my own people along as my other teammate."

Zhang Haixing raised an eyebrow. "Your two useless young men? That won't do. With their abilities, they'll probably be stranded halfway through the journey."

“No, I have other people left down the mountain, in a place you don’t know.” Wu Xie raised his chin. “I’m not a lamb to the slaughter either. If you hadn’t made your sudden move and given me a few more days, you definitely wouldn’t be so arrogant.”

Seeing Zhang Haixing's surprised and doubtful expression, Wu Xie was very happy. He had finally moved back one-tenth of the way. Fatty was such a clever little devil.

"Heh!" Zhang Haixing sneered from the side, "It seems your person is quite skilled. How about this, I'll give it a try. If he can get past me, we'll agree to let you take him. Otherwise, there's no need for us to send someone to their death with you."

Wu Xie had a lot of confidence in Fatty, but considering that Zhang Haixing was a bit seductive, there were some things he needed to avoid. "You can try, but you can only use your hands, you're not allowed to seduce her."

"He thinks beautifully!"

Zhang Haixing left after saying those words.

The remaining people in the room looked at each other in bewilderment. Zhang Longban was about to say something when Dan suddenly walked in from the door and said, "Dinner is served."

These words were clearly directed at Zhang Wuxun. In Dan's eyes, it was not important whether the others ate or not, but the young clan leader could not go hungry.

"The timing is perfect." Zhang Wuxun put on leather gloves, picked up the medicine bottle and IV tubing from the table, and walked out, followed by the others.

Where Wu Xie and the others couldn't see, the medicine bottle in his hand suddenly disappeared and reappeared in the blink of an eye. Zhang Wuxun subtly winked at Dan.

Dan immediately understood and took the IV bottle from his hand. "I'll throw it away. You go eat first. It's already filled and in your room."

Zhang Wuxun didn't say anything more and left without paying any attention to Wu Xie behind him.

After everyone had left, Dan threw the medicine bottle into the designated area for disposing of household waste at the Lama Temple and then left.

A few minutes later, Wu Xie appeared at the spot, wearing gloves, picked up the medicine bottle, went back into the house, used tape to extract all the clear fingerprints on the bottle, and stored it in a box.

﹉﹉﹉

"You picked it up?"

Zhang Wuxun sat at the table, slowly eating a piece of stir-fried meat.

"Yes." Dan nodded, turned around and closed the door.

"Then there's no problem. Come and eat, it'll get cold soon," Zhang Wuxun said.

Dan sat down, ate a glutinous rice cake, and couldn't help but ask in confusion, "Why did you change the medicine bottle? Does Wu Xie still suspect you?"

Zhang Wu paused, picking up his chopsticks. "If he didn't suspect anything, he wouldn't be Wu Xie. Even if I act flawlessly, he would still find countless ways to prove his suspicions."

“He’s different now, he’s changed a lot.” Zhang Wuxun sighed softly. “Now he only believes in the answers he finds himself.”

Good evening, the schedule has been changed.