The Tomb Gate Chronicles 08: The Final Revelation

**Chapter One**

I stood in the bathroom of a small hotel, staring at the face in the mirror.

For a long, long time, my mind was blank. I simply gazed at the reflection before me.

The person in the mirror was familiar, but it wasn’t me.

The sensation was bizarre—a strange mix of *escape* and *fear*.

It was as though, by wearing this face, I had escaped the fate of being Wu Xie, only to plunge into a life even more uncontrollable. And this lack of control was absolute, encompassing countless possibilities. I could hardly predict what my future would look like now.

In the beginning, I would tremble slightly even when I wasn’t facing a mirror. But now, I’d gotten used to it. Many things seem unbearable at first, but once you accept them, they just become part of your reality.

Before this, I had never imagined that so-called "masks" could be crafted with such godlike precision. Even when I pressed my face close to the mirror, the pores on the mask were nearly indistinguishable from my real skin—just slightly rougher to the touch. Back when I first saw the Silent Monk’s disguise, I thought it was just some esoteric trick. But now, I was genuinely impressed. This kind of craftsmanship couldn’t have been developed overnight.

My hair had been dyed salt-and-pepper, just like Third Uncle’s. His streaks were the result of years of hardship, while mine had taken only a few hours to replicate. The contrast made Third Uncle’s suffering seem almost pointless.

The girl who gave me the mask said it would last four weeks without any maintenance, and during that time, even if I wanted to tear it off, I couldn’t. Chinese disguise techniques were actually a highly refined form of makeup artistry, similar to modern prosthetics. But because their purpose was different, the cost of these masks was far higher, making them impractical for widespread use—only those who truly mastered the craft, or those with extremely important objectives, would employ them.

The hardest part wasn’t becoming a stranger—it was becoming someone who already existed. That required the wearer to perfectly mimic the person’s mannerisms.

*"I’m only giving you a face. But this mask isn’t just for your skin—you have to wear it in your heart too."*

That was what she said to me before leaving, her gaze calm and detached.

*Wear it in my heart?*

I stared at the reflection of "Third Uncle," pressed a hand to my chest, and wondered if Xie Lianhuan had been given the same advice when he first put on Third Uncle’s mask. But over the years, he had truly worn it—not just on his face, but in his heart. What did that do to a person?

I checked my watch. It was time. I splashed water on my face and dried it with a towel. The mask didn’t dissolve—looked like the final step had succeeded. I sighed.

Back in the bedroom, I lay down on the narrow single bed and began planning my next steps. Everything from now on—even the way I spoke—was a blank slate. I had to think through every detail.

The first thought that crossed my mind was to strip naked and run outside. After all, this wasn’t my real face—I could do all the ridiculous things I’d never dared to before, like barging into the women’s restroom or balancing a spittoon on my head. But I quickly dismissed the idea.

The reason I wore this mask was to reunite all of Third Uncle’s scattered operations, to gather every available resource to rescue the Silent Monk and the others. That was my only goal. But first, I couldn’t afford to be exposed.

My voice couldn’t be disguised—that required specialized training. There was no way I could just waltz into their midst, laughing and cursing like Third Uncle, and expect to fool them. I wasn’t some award-winning actor. With my presence, I’d be exposed in minutes.

This wasn’t a battle of force—it was a battle of wits. The best-case scenario was avoiding direct confrontation altogether. I just needed them to catch a glimpse of me from afar, then use a proxy to handle the rest.

Taking a deep breath, I knew I needed Panzi’s help. Only he understood Third Uncle’s temperament and the personalities of those under him. But I really didn’t want to drag Panzi back into this.

He should be moving forward—or at least hovering near the exit. He shouldn’t have to turn back.

But who else could help me? I racked my brain but came up empty. It was only then that I realized, without Third Uncle, I had nothing in this world. I scrolled through my phone, name by name, and saw how much had changed in just a few short years.

In the end, my thumb still landed on Panzi’s contact. I closed my eyes, muttered *"Sorry,"* and dialed his number.

Panzi probably hadn’t returned yet—otherwise, he would’ve called me. It was evening outside. I wondered what kind of ridicule he’d endured today, or what expression he’d make when he saw me. For some reason, I found the thought amusing, but at the same time, an overwhelming gloom settled over me.

I didn’t explain the details over the phone, only saying I had an idea. His voice was steady but laced with exhaustion. We agreed to meet at a designated spot.

I rolled off the bed and pulled a set of clothes from the wardrobe—the kind of slightly antiquated jacket Third Uncle used to wear, given to me by that girl. I stripped off my T-shirt and changed into it, thinking to myself that Xiaohua’s service was impeccable. The fit was perfect.

I sent him a text: *"Thanks."* No reply.

The moment I stepped out the door, I deliberately straightened my posture, reminding myself that from now on, I was someone else. But soon, I realized I didn’t need to force it—my gait had already changed on its own. Passing the lobby mirror, I caught a glimpse of my reflection and saw an unfamiliar coldness in my eyes.

**Chapter 2**

I met Pan Zi at a café by the Xiang River. The moment he saw me, he froze. I watched as his entire body trembled, his eyes locked onto me, speechless.

But almost immediately, he seemed to realize something and slowly regained his composure.

“Little Third Master?” he called out cautiously, studying me.

“Guess I couldn’t fool you after all,” I replied with a bitter smile.

He kept staring at me for a long moment before finally exhaling deeply and sitting down. “What are you trying to pull? Where the hell did you get this thing?”

I explained my plan to him, including how Xiao Hua had given me the mask. I told him I believed this was the only feasible course of action.

He stared at my face for a long time without speaking, as if deep in thought—or perhaps assessing how convincing the disguise was. After a while, he covered his face with his hands, took a deep breath, and finally nodded. “You’re really set on doing this?”

I nodded.

“Little Third Master, Third Master’s life… it’s not one meant for ordinary men. And I mean that in every sense. With your temperament, you won’t last.” Pan Zi’s voice was grave. “You know the kind of people we deal with. But what you’ve seen? That’s just the mildest side of things. The true face of this business is beyond anything you can imagine.”

I sighed. I knew Pan Zi wasn’t exaggerating to scare me—he was saying this for my own good.

“I want to save them,” I said. “I *need* to save them. I can’t let this end like this. So even if I can’t handle it, I’ll force myself to.”

Pan Zi kept his eyes on me. “How long does the mask last?”

“Four weeks.”

He nodded. “Then time’s tight. We’ll have to move fast.”

Seeing that he was on board, I relaxed a little. Pan Zi was the easiest hurdle to clear. I asked, “What do you think we should do first? Go settle the score with Wang Ba Qiu?”

Pan Zi shook his head. “You know how I recognized you just now?”

I shook my head.

“You hesitated,” he said. “When you saw me, your face was full of hesitation. That’s your tell. You’d never see that kind of expression on Third Master’s face.” He paused. “So our first step is to make sure you’re flawless. Otherwise, you’re just an empty shell. Those people are all sharp as knives—you won’t fool a single one of them.”

I touched my face, wondering—had I really hesitated?

Pan Zi pointed at me. “*That* expression right there. You have to get rid of your hesitation completely.”

I sighed. This was practically instinct—how was I supposed to change it?

Pan Zi glanced around for no-smoking signs and, finding none, lit a cigarette. “When Third Master faces a situation, he always has his own judgment first. He never looks like he’s asking for opinions. And when he looks at people, it’s always from above. You don’t have any of that.”

“Then what do we do? That’s way too hard. What if I just make a few appearances and you handle the rest?” I asked.

Pan Zi shook his head with a wry smile. “Maybe a few months ago, that could’ve worked. But you’ve seen it yourself—they won’t listen to me now. If you want your plan to work, you’ll have to stand in front of everyone yourself and make it clear: *You* are Third Master. *You’re* back. And anyone who disobeys is as good as dead.”

The thought sent a chill down my spine, and I immediately shook my head. “There’s no way I can pull that off. It’s too much. Even if I practiced every day, I’d never reach that level.”

“Weren’t you just saying you’d force yourself to handle it, Little Third Master?” Pan Zi’s gaze was steady. “This is just the first obstacle. If you say you can’t do it before even trying, then everything after this will be impossible too. This isn’t some movie—it’s real life. It’s not that simple.”

I met his eyes and realized he was trying to make me back down. But I knew I was already at my limit—there was no retreating. Finally, I said, “Fine. I’ll do it.”

Pan Zi kept watching me, his eyes locked onto mine. I tried my best to project unwavering determination rather than hesitation. At last, he stubbed out his cigarette. “Let’s go. We’ll find somewhere private to continue. I’ll think of something. And you—remember at all times that you *are* Third Master now. This place is full of his old comrades. Too many eyes. You can’t slip up.”

I nodded. He stood up, then suddenly said, “Third Master, let’s go.”

I froze for a second before understanding. A wave of disc