The Abyss, Zhang Qiling

Ensemble cast: Lin Chen, who gets caught up in the events, his brotherly friend Fatty, the established character Zhang Qiling, Shen Qing, whose identity is shrouded in mystery, the charlatan Chen Fan, and others.

A slow-burn story where the cast gradually emerges. The first volume isn't very good, so you can skim it.

Deep in the mountains lies a mysterious ancient tomb, rumored to be a hidden site of the Sanxingdui civilization, where the ultimate secrets of ancient rituals were buried. After accidentally discovering a fragment of an old map, archaeologist Lin Chen sets off on an adventure with companions of all kinds. But this is no mere archaeological expedition. Strange tomb curses, bizarre mechanisms, the scattered corpses of mercenaries... Every sign suggests that this land conceals more than the remains of history: it also harbors the shadow of death.

Along the way, the group encounters Cao Lingfeng, an enigmatic mercenary commander. His joint operation with a foreign mercenary unit exposes a deeper conspiracy. Zhang Qiling, a mysterious man with qilin blood, repeatedly displays extraordinary skills and a shadowy past during the tomb expedition. His ties to Lin Chen and the others gradually deepen, and the story hidden behind the ancient tomb is inextricably connected to him.