01x02 - A Set of Lies Agreed Upon

[bunniefuu]

[dramatic music playing]

- [gentle music playing]
- [man humming]

[Lara] The tracking signal
I was following,

it went dark somewhere around here.

Hmm. Don't know why.

Nothing out this far
but the fishing villages,

some old ruins, and pig farms.

Did you say old ruins?

Oh. Hei.

The shrine
to the great emperor Tianxi Xing

is said to be out here.

Somewhere.

Tianxi Xing? Shang dynasty.

Hei. They say the gods gave him
the power to make China great

by gifting him a magical ruby.

But a fox spirit named Daji seduced him,

took his power,

and nearly destroyed China with it.

A ruby.

He's after the Ruby Box.

Where can I find the shrine?

Lady, it's a myth.

But there is an old village up ahead.

If it's out there, they will know.

[dramatic music playing]

[sighs]

[woman sobbing]

[speaks Mandarin]

- [speaks Mandarin]
- [gasps] Ugh.

[woman gasps]

[woman, in Mandarin] He's gone.

[in English] The other treasure hunter
already hired Hongru

to guide him into the jungle.

He left you behind.

No, I'm not with him.
My name is Lara Croft.

I'm not here for treasure.

[gasps]

I'm sorry. I don't mean any offense.

I just need a guide into the jungle
as soon as possible.

That treasure hunter, he took
something that doesn't belong to him.

I'm just trying to get it back. Please!

Forgive my friend here.
The English are picky about their manners.

Hmm.

- Jonah, what are you...
- Saving your a*s.

What's troubling you?

Jonah!

[Jonah] If I can help,
my friend and I will.

[traditional music playing]

[growls]

[yells]

- [inhaling deeply]
- [Lara gasps]

[exhaling slowly]

[sighs]

[inhales deeply]

[exhales slowly]

[purposeful music playing]

- [Reyes] It's Lara's fault Roth's dead!
- [g*nf*re]

[Jonah] Lara?

Come on. I think they're ready to listen.

[Lara gasps]

[suspenseful music playing]

I told Yining a little about you.

She said she's willing to give you a guide
to the sacred shrine.

But only if you help her first.

I don't have time for this.

Their children have all disappeared.

- What?
- Six of them.

All gone missing in the last two days.

Yining believes it's because of...

Actually, I'm not entirely sure.

A... a fox infestation?

Huli jing.

Huli jing?

Hmm.

Show me.

[birds and insects chirping]

[Jonah] You wanna tell me
what this is about? What's a huli jing?

[Lara] A fox spirit.

Fox spirit?

We've seen stranger things.

That is actually fair.

- [heavy rumbling]
- [yelps]

[dramatic music playing]

Nature is unhappy.

[crashing]

[guide gasps]

How close are we to the shrine?

Not far. Not far. Uh, this way.

[mysterious music playing]

[gasps]

[Yining speaking Mandarin]

[Lara, in English] An avalanche from the
mountain wiped through here two days ago...

[Yining continues speaking Mandarin]

[Lara]...and that's when
this hole appeared.

[speaking Mandarin]

[speaks Mandarin]

[in English] She believes
a fox spirit named Daji

took the children and brought them here.

Jonah, Daji is connected to the Ruby Box.

The same legend the thief is chasing.

I don't know how,
but this is not a coincidence.

Let's just focus on finding these kids.

- [heavy rumbling]
- [yelps]

[Yining gasps]

[in English] Huli jing like to take
what you value most.

We have tried to send people down.

They cannot get far.

She will try to stop you.

[dramatic music playing]

[gasps]

[Jonah] Lara?

[grunting]

Lara?

[rope creaking]

[Lara groans]

- [Jonah] Lara!
- [sighs]

[echoing] I'm fine!

[Jonah grunting]

[yells]

[groans]

[sighs] I'm fine too.

Good.

I hope this is about the missing kids.

Of course it's about the missing kids.

- [dripping sound echoes]
- Hmm.

This way.

[tense music playing]

[sighs]

[zapping]

[soft breath of wind]

- [woman sighs]
- [Jonah gasps]

[Jonah gasps]

[breathing shakily]

Thank you for your help
back in the village.

But, you know, I don't need a babysitter.

How about a friend?

My father believed
the Jade Box I found in Chile

wasn't the only one.

That it had a sister.

A ruby box. Just as big.

What does the thief want
with a pair of Chinese boxes?

[Lara, echoing] I'm not sure yet.

[grunts]

[gasps]

- Show-off!
- [chuckles] Come on, babysitter.

- [Jonah scoffs]
- [Lara laughs]

[wind whistling softly]

[Jonah grunts]

Ugh. No kid climbed this far.
I think we took a wrong turn.

I don't think so.

Tang dynasty mercenaries. 7th century.

Why would they be this far underground?

- [Jonah] Why would there be traps?
- [gasps]

[Jonah] Huh?

[Lara] There's something here.

Something important.

- [echoing screech]
- [gasps] Jonah.

[wind whistling]

[screeching and whistling sounds]

[roaring]

[both gasping]

[crashing]

Run!

[screeching]

[Lara gasps]

[screeching]

[chittering]

[Lara gasps]

[Lara gasps]

[Lara] One, two, three, jump!

[both groaning]

[Lara sighs]

- [distant roaring]
- [gasps]

[roaring fades]

[panting]

You all right?

Uh... yeah.

Huh?

[mysterious music playing]

Wow.

[gasps] It's so beautiful.

[music continues]

Do you see the kids?

[gasps]

- Strange.
- I'll say.

No. This is a shrine to Daji.

But why would there be a shrine
honoring an evil fox spirit

who nearly destroyed China?

These writings.
It says that Daji saved China.

Jonah, whoever built this temple,

they believed Tianxi Xing was the monster
and Daji was the victim.

- A victim who steals children?
- [Lara gasps]

Hmm.

[suspenseful music playing]

[strains]

[Lara] Ruby Stone.

Some kind of power seeping out of it.

Not fire.

Wrath.

Daji took it from him.

Jonah, it was here.

Daji took the stone.
Believed it was poisoning the emperor.

So she gave it to

the Sisters of Nu'wa.

Nuns! To hide it away forever.

The lockbox contained its power.

What does this have to do
with the missing kids?

This is not about the boxes.
It's about what's inside.

[grunts]

[gasps] Ah!

[sighs]

[Jonah laughs]

Hmm.

[both laughing]

[Jonah whistles]

- [gasps]
- [clattering]

[grunts]

[Jonah] That doesn't look Chinese.

[Lara] It's Turkish.

[soft rustling]

[Lara] There was a fight here.

His attacker was Turkish.

This soldier barricaded himself
in the temple.

He was being hunted.

What did they find down here?

[mysterious music playing]

[gasps]

[grunts]

[music fades]

[sighs]

[rattling]

[small objects clatter]

They took the Ruby Stone.

Lara!

[tense music playing]

It's all right. We're here to help you.

[Lara] Don't.

That's not a child.

- What? [gasps]
- [rumbling]

[yelps]

[music intensifies]

[Jonah] Lara!

[panting]

[wind whistling]

[tense music continues]

[Jonah] Lara, wait!

It's narrow enough for children!

I'll look for a way out!

[gasps] Be careful!

I'm always careful.

[grunting]

- [crashing]
- [gasps]

They're here! They're all here!

[heavy crashing]

[groaning]

This won't work.

Daji's coffin.

"May she die forever."

[gasps]

History's written by the victors.

Hmm. Fox spirits can be
either evil omens or good.

- [intense rumbling and crashing]
- [gasps]

[yelps]

[Lara] Because it knew
people would come looking for children.

That they'd find this place.

Find her!

[gasps]

She's asking for our help.

I have to release her!

Hard no!

You need to get those kids out now!

[Lara yells]

[straining]

[chiming]

[air whooshing]

[groans]

[child whimpering]

[gasps]

Hurry! This way! It's all right.

[children scream]

[Lara grunts]

[Jonah gasps]

What?

Hmm.

[grunting]

[cracking]

[yells]

[Lara] It's all right.

[girl squeals]

[whimpering]

[gasps]

[dramatic action music playing]

[music fades]

Don't need a babysitter, huh?

Huh. We're trapped.

[suspenseful music playing]

[straining]

[Lara gasps] Hmm.

I know I'm not wrong.

I know you're out there.

Help us.

[music fades]

[inhales deeply]

[exhales slowly]

[air whooshing]

[gasps]

[gasps]

[child squeals]

[Jonah gasping]

[yells, echoing] Lara!

- [chiming]
- [Lara gasps]

Huh? Oh...

[wind sighing]

Oh.

[straining]

[children gasping]

Quick!

[dramatic music playing]

[coughing]

[wind whistling]

[magical tinkling sounds]

[calm music playing]

- [child laughing]
- Huh?

- [boy] Papa!
- [girl] Mama!

Oh!

[both speaking Mandarin]

- Mama!
- [speaking Mandarin]

[speaking Mandarin] Huli jing?

[in English] Turns out the huli jing
was not a monster, after all.

- She's at peace now.
- Hmm.

Here. Biyu wanted to gift you this.

But you scare her.

[chuckles] I think she likes you.

Hmm. It's very sweet of her.

[Yining] You have given us
our children back.

We can never repay you,

but we can offer you a guide

to the shrine of the great Tianxi Xing.

Actually, the great Tianxi Xing
doesn't have what I need.

He never did. Thank you.

This is the Lara I know.

- Lara Croft. Savior of children.
- [Lara chuckles]

[Jonah] Defender of ancient ghosts.

How did you know
that Daji's spirit wouldn't k*ll us all?

- I didn't.
- Oh.

Cool.

Cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool.

But I'm learning history doesn't always
tell us the whole truth.

[wistful music playing]

People change the past
to fit what they want to see.

But the real truth is too difficult
for most to bear.

So rather than believe it...

They blame someone else.

The tremors, the avalanche.

I don't know how,
but they're connected to these stones.

When the thief sees the shrine is empty,
he'll go looking for the ruby.

I have a clue to where it is now.
I could beat him to it.

[Jonah] And then what?

Uh, you've been through enough.
You can rest now.

You don't understand.
These stones meant something to them.

My father and Roth.

Roth's death wasn't your fault, Lara!

Neither was your father's.

You... you don't have to keep chasing this.

They're gone.

But you're not.

[Lara sighs]

Roth was right.

Lara!

It's better to go it alone.

You keep at this pace,

you just might, Little Bird.

[sighs]

- [distant crashing]
- [gasps]

- [intense rumbling]
- [both grunting]

I know that sound.

So do I.

[dramatic music playing]

[dramatic music playing]

[theme music playing]