[Tomb Raiders BG] The Illusion of Time

"Wu Xie, do you want to save Ning?" Qi Tinglan tossed a huge stack of documents onto Wu Xie's counter. "If you do, then let's make another trip." One of the protagonists of this story is the original character Qi Tinglan, a descendant of Qi Tiezui from the Old Nine Gates. Determined to solve the mystery of her mother Yang (Qi) Yanfei's disappearance during an archaeological expedition, she defies her grandfather and joins the Iron Triangle on their tomb-raiding adventures. One baffling incident after another awaits her. What became of her mother in the end? Is Qi Yu really her uncle? Why did Qi Yu leave her clues? What is the tangled history between the Old Nine Gates and Zhang Qiling? What story is her grandfather hiding? What lies behind the Bronze Gate? They will have to find the answers together. Qi Tinglan is an ordinary recent college graduate, a girl who grew up in Panjiayuan, Beijing. The only unusual thing about her is that her great-uncle is Qi Tiezui, one of the lower three branches of the Old Nine Gates. Her grandfather tries to stop her from following in her mother's footsteps, yet trains her and tells her that one day she may need those skills to save her own life. When she sets off for Changsha to search for her family, the wheels of fate begin turning once more. She can drink, chat, and shoot the breeze with Pangzi like they're old pals; she can curse Zhang Qiling's ancestors in her head while serving as his human ladder; and she can gripe about Wu Xie's terrible luck while they play games. To her, Pangzi is family, as close as a real older brother. Zhang Qiling is both a mystery and the key to unraveling everything. Wu Xie is her comrade; they share similar backgrounds and experiences. Fate has once again brought the descendants of the Old Nine Gates together. Among the men, she is a rare touch of warmth. Theme: