No matter what is in that room, you should not peek or covet it. This is basic courtesy.
Abigail glared at Stephen fiercely, ignored him, and continued to check books and take notes.
She was so engrossed that she didn't notice that Stephen was leaning on the door, squinting his eyes and leaning towards the keyhole to peek inside.
"There are a lot of things covered in linen... Abigail, take a look."
Abigail was a little upset when she was called. She covered the book, walked over, pulled Stephen back, and asked him to sit down at the coffee table.
Stephen's expression was awkward, he sat there helplessly, not daring to move, and glanced at the scattered pages on the table.
After scanning around, he found that the information Abigail brought out alone were all similar, and they were all about certain customs of the Valentine natives.
"What are you recording? So serious?"
Stephen curiously moved his face next to Abigail and looked at the notebook where she recorded.
All the records above are about one thing - resurrection.
He turned his attention to the scattered information pages again, some of which had illustrations, depicting a group of sinners with their hands bound, sitting around some kind of idol, and their bodies began to spontaneously burn.
"This is some kind of ceremony of the indigenous people of eastern India."
Abigail's eyes burst with excitement and excitement.
She picked up the information page of the picture and explained to Stephen: "The indigenous people of Indong believe that sacrificing sinners can bring about a certain degree of resurrection."
Just as Stephen was carefully observing the drawing, there was a knock on the study door, and Professor Carmen walked in wearing a home cotton vest.
"I didn't disturb you two!"
Abigail stood up quickly and greeted the other party politely.
"Today's lecture is over. You can take a good rest at home. You can also stay here tonight, Miss Herman, until your work is completed."
Professor Carmen is very friendly and provides them with the greatest convenience. He has a pleasant green arc of light on his head.
When he finished speaking, his attention also stayed on the page of drawing manuscript held in Stephen's hand.
"Oh... you actually discovered something interesting."
After saying that, Professor Carmen sat on the sofa in front of the bookshelf, took off his glasses, and wiped them with a clean cloth several times.
"Professor, do you know about this ritual?" Abigail asked curiously.
Carmen put on her glasses again and smiled: "Of course, beautiful lady, this information was found in my study, wasn't it?"
Immediately afterwards, Professor Carmen fully explained this special cultural custom to the two reporters.
It is said that among the aborigines of the Indong continent, there is a ritual that can resurrect the dead, but the cost is quite high.
They need to completely sacrifice thousands of people in some way, and then use the remains of the dead who need to be resurrected to achieve the effect of human flesh and white bones.
That's why this scene in the black and white painting appears.
"Is it really an evil festival? A thousand lives are exchanged for one?" Stephen couldn't understand it at all after hearing this.
Times have changed, and even royal power will be restricted by the Bill of Rights. A certain king in Gordon was sent to the guillotine before the reform.
There is no longer the situation in the feudal cold-weapon period where the common people are like rotten dogs and the powerful can kill them whenever they want, at least on the surface.
The history of mankind is the history of struggle. Only a barbaric country like this can do it by exchanging a thousand people for one life.
"Backward, decadent, barbaric..." Stephen's face is full of disgust for the Valentine natives.
"Don't put your own thinking habits into it..." The professor tapped the air with his finger, preparing to explain his point of view, "Valentin people believe that human lives are not equal."
"But... isn't it too cruel to burn like this?" In Abigail's mind, the pain of those who were sacrificed appeared.
"No, no, no, your knowledge is too shallow. When looking at a problem, you must see the essence. Since it is a ritual, you have to connect it with invisible techniques. Anything incredible may happen."
As he spoke, Professor Carmen pointed to the painting in Stephen's hand.
"A certain sage once said: People can always die a little more, and life is a pure flame. The ritual leads to the flame, which burns the mortal body, making it disappear in the material world and exist in the created world.
The part of it will be gathered into the person who is about to be resurrected, filling it up completely."
Stephen didn't understand this. In Abigail's eyes, there was a blue arc of light above his head, full of doubts. On the contrary, she herself understood a lot based on her experience in contact with the mysterious.
"You mean, the flames that burned them to death were not artificially lit?"
"Correct answer! The ritual will draw out the flame of their lives. When it burns out, the mortal body will completely dissipate in the material world."
Professor Carmen walked up to the two of them, placed Stephen's drawing in the center of the coffee table, and pointed his finger at the pillar-shaped statue surrounded by the indigenous people on the drawing.
"Did you see this? I explained at the museum exhibition that day that the Valentine people worshiped the Three Holy Gods. Have you noticed that this thing is very similar to the three holy gods pillars at the museum exhibition?"
Abigail looked at it carefully and felt that it was indeed similar. If the painting was more detailed, it might be exactly the same.
"I have studied them for many years. This painting reminds me of some necessary means, or props, of the ritual. Because thousands of people are required to self-immolate for resurrection, it is definitely not just drawing some patterns or chanting incantations.
That's it. The Valentan tribe must have the legendary 'relic', which is the fourth form of expression of invisible arts besides secret transmission, magic potions, and rituals."
In Professor Carmen's view, the core relic that runs the ritual is the key to the success of the ritual.
He named this ritual "Blood Vengeance Ritual". As for the logic of the naming, he did not go into details, but it is said that this name has also been entered into the databases of the Velen Police Bureau and the Renekton Police Bureau.
After learning that the other party's research could be recorded by the official department, Abigail and Stephen were in awe of this authoritative occult expert.
The professor smiled, waved his hand, and said to the two reporters: "So... Miss Herman, do you have any questions? We can continue chatting after dinner."
……
In Dandelion, less than a hundred meters away from the mayor's residence in the center of the city, there is a villa that is even more luxurious than the mayor's residence, and that is the big boss of Cornwall Company, Thomas Cornwall.
home.
Of course, this is just the "home" where he lives most often.
Victor got off a rare private carriage in the city. He was dressed very formally today, wearing a white suit and a top hat. He was also carrying a black box in his hand, and he didn't know what was inside.
The delivery day has arrived...
Victor raised his head and stared at the four-story symmetrical mansion in Thomas Manor. There were no fewer than dozens of armed bodyguards patrolling the garden, all of them fierce.
Once someone steps in, their life will be completely controlled by the owner inside.
He calmed down, raised his hands to calculate, and his expression continued to remain calm along with the hexagrams.
"There are some accounts that need to be settled..."