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Text Chapter 126 Four Elements

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    ¡°I will have the utmost respect and care for your treasures. Your archivists will not find a single trace of my visit.¡±

    The bell of St. Peter's Basilica rang loudly overhead.  The papal chamberlain checked his pocket watch.  "I have to go," he paused and nervously raised his head to look at Zhiqiu, "I will send a garden guard to meet you at the entrance of the archives. I believe you, Detective Zhiqiu, go now."

    Zhiqiu was so excited that she was speechless.

    The young priest seemed eerily calm at this time.  He reached out his hand and squeezed Zhiqiu's shoulder with surprising strength.  "I hope you find what you're looking for, quickly."

    The Secret Archives of the Land of the Prophets is located in the far corner of the Borgia Courtyard, on a hill behind the Porta Santa Ana.  There are more than 20,000 volumes in the archives, and it is said that there are also some treasures.

    Zhiqiu stepped on the deserted Fondamen Tower road leading to the archives with vigorous steps. He simply couldn't believe that he was about to be allowed to enter the archives.  Momo was beside him, walking gently alongside him.  Her hair undulated slightly in the breeze, exuding a faint scent of almonds. Zhiqiu took a breath of the fragrant air.  He felt that he was distracted and immediately turned his thoughts back.

    Momo said, "Can you tell me what I'm looking for?"

    ¡°Find a little book written by a guy.¡±

    She was surprised.  "Stop being ridiculous, what's in the book?"

    "There should be something called a mark in the book."

    "Mark?"

    "Marks, clues, signalsit depends on how you interpret it."

    "What mark?"

    Zhiqiu quickened his pace.  "A secret location. That guy's sect needed to protect themselves from the Holy See, so they established a highly secretive gathering place in the City of Ten Thousand Cities. They called it the church of the sect."

    ¡°It¡¯s audacious to call an evil lair a church.¡±

    Zhiqiu shook his head.  "That guy's sect is not evil at all. They are all scientists. They believe in the Enlightenment. Their meeting house is just a safe place for them to gather to discuss topics forbidden by the Holy See. Although we know that there are secret hiding places  But to this day no one has found out where it is.¡±

    ¡°It sounds like the cheaters know how to keep secrets.¡±

    "Definitely. In fact, they never reveal their hiding place to anyone outside the organization. This secrecy protects them, but it also creates a problem when they want to recruit new members."

    ¡°If they don¡¯t publicize it, they can¡¯t grow and develop,¡± Momo said.  Her feet are sharp and her brains are not to be outdone.

    "That's right. News about that guy's organization has spread since the 1730s. Scientists from all over the world have made pilgrimages to the City of Ten Thousand Cities in order to join the Cheating Faction They are eager to get a chance to see that guy  The telescope and listen to the master's voice. Unfortunately, due to the high level of secrecy of the Traitor Faction, the scientists who arrived in the City of Ten Thousand Cities did not know where to attend the meeting, nor did they know who they could talk to with confidence. The Traitor Faction hoped to attract new blood  , but they dare not risk their secrets and let others know their whereabouts."

    Momo frowned.  "Sounds like a dead-end dilemma."

    "Indeed. It's a catch-22, as we call it."

    "Then what will they do?"

    "They are all scientists. They studied this problem and found a solution, and to be honest, it was a brilliant solution. The cheaters created a very clever 'map' to guide other scientists to their habitat."

    Momo seemed to suddenly be suspicious. She slowed down and said, "Map? It seems a bit sloppy. If a copy falls into the hands of others"

    "Impossible," Zhiqiu said, "There is no copy anywhere. This is not a map drawn on paper. This map is very large, with road signs indicating directions across the entire city."

    Momo walked slower.  "Is it an arrow painted on the sidewalk?"

    "In a way, that's true, but it's subtler. The map consists of a system of hidden, symbolic signs distributed in public spaces across the city. One sign leads to another and then the next  The road leading to the city¡­ ultimately leads to the home of the cheating faction.¡±

    Momo blinked at him.  "Sounds like a treasure hunt."

    Zhiqiu laughed out loud.  "In a sense, it is true. The cheater sent the bossThe path guided by their series of signs is called the "Path of Light," and anyone who wants to join this organization must follow this path to the end.  This is also a test.  "

    "But if the family wants to find the cheating party," Momo argued, "can't they just follow the signs?"

    "No. This road is very hidden. It is a mystery. Only certain people have the ability to unravel and follow the route guided by the signs to find where the church of the Traitors is. The Traitors intentionally use it as an initiation ceremony.  This is not only a security measure, but also a screening process for newcomers, ensuring that only the brightest scientists arrive at their door."

    "I don't agree with this view. In the seventeenth century, the clergy were among the most learned people in the world. If these signs were in a public place, then someone in the Holy See would definitely be able to find out where the sect's lair is."

    "Of course." Zhiqiu said, "If they knew that these signs had special meaning, they would find it, but they don't know this. And they never pay attention to these signs, because the cheating faction used a  The method was such that the clergy would never guess what the signs meant. This method they adopted is called camouflage in semiotics."

    "Disguise."

    Zhiqiu¡¯s heart moved.  "You know the term."

    ¡°Camouflage,¡± she said, ¡°is nature¡¯s best form of self-defense. Like a trumpet fish standing upright and floating in seaweed.¡±

    "That's right," Zhiqiu said, "The Cheating Faction adopts the same concept. The logos they create are based on the ancient city of ten thousand cities. They cannot use symmetrical words or scientific symbols because they are too conspicuous, so  They hired an artist who was known as the "King Dad Pi" - who was also a genius - to create a symmetrical symbol for the words 'King Dad Pi'. They also commissioned him to carve four sculptures."

    "Foolish sculpture?"

    "Yes, there are two strict principles to follow in making these four sculptures. First, the statues must look like other works of art in the City of Ten Thousand Cities so that the Vatican will never suspect that these works of art are fake.  group."

    ¡°Religious Art.¡±

    Zhiqiu nodded. At this time, he felt a little excited and spoke faster.  "The second principle is that these four sculptures must have a specific theme. Each sculpture must cleverly represent one of the four elements in the scientific concept."

    "Four elements?" Momo said, "There are more than a hundred elements."

    ¡°This was not the case in the seventeenth century,¡± Zhiqiu reminded her. ¡°Early alchemists believed that the entire universe was composed of only four substances: earth, air, fire, and water.¡±

    ??Zhiqiuzhi, the early cross is the most common symbol of these four elements-the four arms of the cross represent the four powers of earth, air, fire and water.  In addition, there are indeed many similar symbols of earth, air, fire and water in history - Pythagoras's theory of life cycle and China's "Shangshu".  Jungian masculine and feminine archetypes.  The zodiac quadrant, even Muslims revere the ancient four elements although in Islam these four elements are called "earth, clouds, electricity, and waves."  But for Zhiqiu, this more modern usage always makes him tremble with fear - Hang Niang's expression for the four mysterious levels of original matter is: earth, air, fire and water.

    Momo seemed confused.  "So did this scumbag artist create four sculptures that look religious but actually represent earth, air, fire and water?"

    "That's exactly it." Zhiqiu said, and quickly turned onto Sentinel Road leading to the archives.  "These sculptures were mixed in with the countless religious artworks scattered throughout the City of Cities. Organizations would anonymously donate the artwork to specific churches and then use their political influence to easily place these four statues  In their carefully selected churches in the City of Cities. Each statue is a signsubtly pointing to the next churchwhere the next sign awaits. These signs serve as clues under the guise of religious art.  Function. If an applicant of the Pit Faction can find the first church and the earth mark, he can follow its guidance to find 'air' then 'fire' then 'water' and finally reach the pit.  Send church.¡±

    Momo looked more and more confused.  "What does this have to do with catching the killers of the Scammers?"

    Zhiqiu smiled slightly and showed off his trick.  "Oh, it does matter. The cheaters used a very special name to call these four churches, and that is the Altar of Science."

    Momo frowned.  "But, this doesn't mean anything" She stopped suddenly.  "The Altar of Science?" she exclaimed, "The traitor sent a killer. He warned the Cardinal that he would become a pure sacrifice on the Altar of Science."

    ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ???She smiled.  "Four cardinals, four churches, four altars of science."

    She was stunned.  "You mean to say that the four churches where the cardinal was consecrated are the same churches that marked the ancient path of light?"

    "I believe so, yes."

    "But how could the killer leave us this clue?"

    "Why not?" Zhiqiu replied, "Few historians know about these sculptures. Even fewer people detail their existence. Moreover, the location of these sculptures has not been known for four hundred years. There is no doubt that  The Traitors believe that no one will know for another five hours. Beyond that, the Traitors no longer need their path of light. Their secret lairs are long gone. They live in modern society, and they are in bank conference rooms.  , restaurants, and private golf courses. Tonight they want to make their secret known to the public. The time has come for them to show up in a serious way."

    Zhiqiu is worried that when the cheating party shows up, there will be a symmetrical word that he didn't mention.  Four printed characters.  The killer swore that each cardinal would be stamped with a different symbol.  Proof that the ancient legend is absolutely true, the killer said.  The legend of the four symmetrical characters is as old as the Traitors themselves: earth, air, fire, and water¡ªthe four characters are absolutely symmetrical, just like the word "Tracer".  Each cardinal is stamped with an element representing ancient science.  Rumor has it that the four characters were in English rather than Italian, a point that has been debated by historians.  The English language is too casual with its derivatives, which is completely different from their native language and the Traitors never do anything casually.

    Zhiqiu turned onto the brick path in front of the archives.  The horrific images kept swirling in his mind.  The long-planned conspiracy of the cheating faction is gradually revealed.  The group vowed to remain as silent as possible while they gathered strength so that they could resurface without fear.  Fighting back in broad daylight to achieve their goals.  The cheaters no longer have to hide.  They want to show off their power and prove that the conspiracy myth is true.  What happened tonight will leave people all over the world stunned.

    Momo said: "Our escort is here." Zhiqiu raised his head.  A garden guard was seen hurrying across the adjacent green towards the front door.

    The guards stopped when they saw them.  He stared at them as if he was hallucinating.  He turned away and took out the walkie-talkie.  He obviously had doubts about what he was going to do, and he said something urgently to the other end of the intercom.  His angry shouts reached Zhiqiu's ears. Although he couldn't understand it, the meaning of his words was very obvious.  Finally, the guard put the walkie-talkie back dejectedly and turned around with a look of displeasure on his face.

    The guards didn¡¯t say a word as they led them into the archives.  They passed through four steel doors, two entrances opened with master keys, and down a long stairwell.  Arriving at a foyer with two PIN pads.  After passing through a series of high-tech electronic doors.  They reached the end of a long corridor, which opened into a wide oak double door.  The guard stopped, looked at them again, murmured under his breath, and walked to a metal box on the wall.  Open the lock above, touch inside and press a password.  The door in front of them creaked, and the bolt was unlocked.

    The guard turned around and spoke to them for the first time.  "The file is just inside the door. I've been instructed to send you here and then go back to accept another mission."

    "Are you leaving?" Momo asked.

    "The Garden Guards are not allowed to enter the Secret Archives. You are here because the Pope's Chamberlain gave the order directly to the Commander."

    "But how do we get out?"

    "The entrance and exit are one-way, you will have no problem." This was the entire conversation between them. After saying this, the guards immediately turned around and left along the corridor.

    Momo made a few comments, but Zhiqiu didn't listen. His mind was still on the double door in front of him. He wanted to know what mystery was hidden behind the door.

    Although Pope Carter¡¯s chamberlain knew that time was running out.  But he still walked slowly.  He needed this time alone to clear his thoughts before he could say the opening prayer.  There is so much going on.  He walked into the north wing glumly, overwhelmed by the trials of the past fifteen days.

    He has discharged his priesthood to the letter.

    Still in the tradition of the land of the prophets, after the death of the pope, the papal chamberlain put his finger on the pope's carotid artery and listened carefully to his breathing.  Then his name was called three times, thus confirming that the Pope had passed away.  By law, no autopsy will be performed on the pope.  Then, the Pope's Chamberlain sealed the Pope's bedroom, destroyed the Pope's fisherman's ring, broke the seal mold, and arranged the funeral.  With everything in place, he began to prepare for a secret meeting.¡°Secret meeting,¡± he thought, the final hurdle.  This is one of the oldest traditions in the religious world.  Now, because the results of secret meetings are often known before they take place, the process is often accused of being legalistic - more of a show than an election.  However, the Pope's chamberlain knew that this was just a lack of understanding of the secret meeting.  A conclave is not an election, it is an ancient and mysterious transfer of power.  The tradition is timelessthe secrecy, the little folded slips of paper, the burning of the ballots, the concoctions of ancient medicines, the smoke signals, it's all there.

    As the papal chamberlain walked through the pavilion, he wondered if Cardinal Bryant was still panicking.  Bryant no doubt noticed early on that the candidate bishop was nowhere to be found.  In their absence, the bishops will likely have to vote all night.  The papal chamberlain knew very well that it was a good thing that Bryant should take up the position of electoral officer.  This person has great insights and can speak his mind.  Tonight's conclave needs a leader more than ever.

    Walking up to the top of the royal staircase, the Pope¡¯s chamberlain felt as if he was standing on the edge of the precipice of life.  Even from above he could hear the clamor in the Sistine Chapel below¡ªthe uneasy voices of one hundred and sixty-five cardinals.

    One hundred and sixty-one cardinals, he corrected himself.

    In an instant, the papal chamberlain fell, as if he suddenly fell straight into hell. People screamed, flames engulfed him, and gravel and blood rained from the sky.

    Then there was silence.

    When the child woke up, he found himself in heaven, surrounded by pure white and dazzling and pure lights.  Although some people say that a ten-year-old child cannot understand what heaven is, the young Carter has a very profound understanding of heaven.  He was in heaven now, where else could he be?  Although he was only ten years old, he had already experienced the majesty of God - the thunderous sound of the organ, the high dome, the high-spirited singing, the stained glass, the shimmering bronze and gold statues.  Carter's mother, Mary, took him to Mass every day.  The church was his home.

    ¡°Why do we have to come to Mass every day?¡± Carter asked, not that he didn¡¯t want to do this.  (){Piaotia Literature www.piaotia.net thanks all book friends for their support. Your support is our greatest motivation}
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