In this large document that Morris brought, there is only such a small section that can be related to the mysterious symbol - and the symbol is only an extremely inconspicuous part of this small piece of information.
The author did not even use a single stroke of ink to interpret this symbol and the relief pattern around it.
Duncan and Morris could only analyze the details presented in the manuscript illustrations, and initially determined that the broken cross surrounded by a hexagonal outline should be a religious symbol or academic symbol from the Old Kingdom period.
Duncan slowly closed the big book.
Morris judged from a rational point of view that the ascetics who visited the Lost Home a century ago could not be descendants of the ancient kingdom - the possibility that a group of hermits could pass on for ten thousand years without extinction in the chaotic and dangerous Deep Sea Age was almost
Zero, from a rigorous academic perspective, he cannot make this assumption rashly unless more evidence is found.
But Duncan still intuitively believed that those ascetics must be inextricably linked to the ancient kingdom of Crete. They held that mysterious emblem and attached great importance to it, which meant that they knew that the emblem had something to do with it.
What meaning.
Of course, hypotheses are just hypotheses. Without evidence, everything is empty talk. At this stage, unless those ascetics appear in front of Duncan again, no one can figure out their origins.
"...How many Cretan ruins have been found and are well preserved in the world now?" Duncan suddenly raised his head and asked.
"There are so few relics that have been found that you can count them on one hand. As for the better-preserved ones... it depends on what the standard of 'better' is," Morris said. "For the study of ancient times,
For people in the kingdom, if they can find a large pit that is confirmed to be related to Crete, if they can find wall tiles connected together for more than ten meters, or even just a few stone doors that have fallen to the ground, it can be considered to be well preserved.
Already."
Having said this, the old scholar couldn't help but let out a sigh: "Under normal circumstances, it is unlikely that the relics left within the jurisdiction of the city-state will be preserved. We will try our best to leave text and image data for them, and try our best to preserve them.
Their every detail description is recorded, and then the relics for analysis are collected in research facilities. Finally...the relics themselves will be bulldozed, filled up, and become part of the city."
Duncan thought for a moment and said to himself: "The ground to stand on is as valuable as gold."
Morris nodded: "We study history, preserve history, and try to remember the things of the past as the years go by, but we cannot let the things of the past squeeze our living space.
"The new city-state has been around for nearly two thousand years. In the years when explorers were most active, new islands were often discovered, and unknown wilderness and ancient ruins came into view. But in the last one or two centuries,
Here, this kind of 'discovery' is on the verge of extinction.
"The original 'new islands' gradually turned into city-states one after another. There was only so much land on the boundless sea that could be established. The remaining ruins... were either on isolated islands with a dangerous environment that could not survive, or they themselves were destroyed.
It is shrouded in extraordinary power, or is on the edge of a dangerous vision, so that even the Four Gods Church can only explore it and seal it on the sea map."
Duncan was silent for a long time, but still focused on the symbol and the original documents behind it: "You just said that your friends in academia can find more information related to this symbol?"
"I met a friend in Lunza who specialized in the history of the ancient kingdom. He was my classmate when I was studying at the Institute of Truth." Morris nodded and pointed to the big book on the table. "This book was written by him many years ago."
It was given to me. I remember that he also mentioned the relevant documents at that time. I have already written a letter, but I don’t know when I will receive a response.”
Duncan exhaled: "Just wait patiently, everything will happen as it happens."
Later, he discussed many things with Morris about the ancient kingdom of Crete - about those sporadic discoveries, those ethereal and weird legends, those that were so mixed in truth that it was impossible to tell whether they were reality or myth.
Documentary scrolls.
After a pleasant conversation between the guests and the host, it was time for Morris to say goodbye and leave.
"I promised my wife to go home for lunch before I left," the old scholar said with a smile on his face. "If I go back too late, I'm afraid my wife and daughter will scold me for a long time."
Duncan couldn't help but laugh: "I see you are enjoying it."
Morris nodded cheerfully, put on his hat, put the big book under his arm, and went downstairs with Duncan.
Nina was counting a few banknotes behind the counter, Alice was watching curiously, and Shirley disappeared without knowing when, maybe she ran out to play.
When Duncan walked down the stairs, Nina was patiently teaching Alice, who lacked common sense, about currency: "Look, this one with the golden corner mark is Sola, and here is the face value...these coins are'
Peso', the number on the front is the face value...can't bite, it's very dirty!"
"It seems that business is okay today?" Duncan glanced at the money in Nina's hand and raised his eyebrows slightly, "Normally there is not so much."
"Yes, I don't know why, business is very good today," Nina happily waved the money in her hand to Duncan, "It seems to be related to Alice?"
Duncan was stunned when he heard this: "Is it related to Alice?"
"What an old lady said when she left just now," Nina said with a smile, "she said that there is a clerk like the eldest lady in the store, which makes the pile of things on the shelves look like real..."
Duncan: "...?"
He looked at Alice silently, and Alice looked at him confused.
But Miss Doll has no idea what's going on - she's still trying to remember what money looks like and learn how to count it.
"I didn't expect that Alice could still play such a role here," Duncan sighed thoughtfully for a long time, and then suddenly turned to Morris, "Do you want to bring something with you when you go back?"
"Ah?" Maurice was a little surprised, "This... I didn't have this plan when I went out..."
"No charge, it's a thank you for your efforts in searching for documents," Duncan smiled, walked to the counter, reached out and took down a crystal pendant from the shelf - the same pendant he gave to Morris as a "gift"
Exactly the same, because he bought a box of this kind of pendant, "I remember you mentioned that your daughter's pendant was damaged, so I gave this to you."
Morris looked at the pendant in Duncan's hand and saw the magnificent crystal that represented modern industry gently swaying in mid-air, with the surface reflecting the radiant light. The first thing that came to his mind was the incredible things Heidi had mentioned to him after she came back.
Experience:
The experience of still being awake when the city-state fell apart, witnessing the division of two histories and the annihilation of one of them, and the protection of the amulet.
Only then did he realize belatedly that Captain Duncan had sent his kindness so early.
The dagger worth 3,400 solas was just an insignificant gift, but the real treasure was almost covered in dust.
"I hope this amulet can continue to bring good luck to Miss Heidi," Duncan said with a smile, "Take it, you deserve it."
Morris solemnly reached out to take the crystal pendant and expressed his gratitude, but Duncan seemed to think of something again and muttered thoughtfully: "If you just take this pendant back, you will definitely have to be beaten by your daughter."
I’m going to say, I have to include your wife this time. Just wait a moment and I’ll find you something real, so you can go back and do business with your wife and children.”
Upon hearing this, Morris waved his hands repeatedly: "No, no, you don't have to do this to me..."
However, Duncan had already turned around and started rummaging in the pile of junk beside the counter. While rummaging, he muttered without raising his head: "No need to say more, I understand...ah, I found it."
As he spoke, he returned to the counter with the "real thing" he found, and put the thing on the counter with a "bang".
The sudden movement made Alice next to her suddenly excited, and she quickly stretched out her hand to hold her head.
Morris stared dumbfounded at what Duncan got on the counter.
"This is..." The old gentleman was a little confused.
"Antiques," Duncan looked at the old man in front of him seriously, "I don't have many real things in this store, but this one is absolutely authentic."
"Looks like a cannonball?"
"Yes, the one from the Homeless Ship is in very good condition. You can even fire it if you find a front-loading smoothbore cannon with a suitable caliber." Duncan happily patted the big iron ball on the counter. "What's more important is the ammunition.
It still has the complete steel seal of the cannonball foundry and the personal mark of the forger on it. To be honest, it is rarer than the dagger last time - given to you."
Morris looked at the cannonball and then at Duncan, with an increasingly weird expression on his face. For a moment, he didn't know whether it would be easier to raise the blood pressure of his wife and daughter with a cannonball or a glass pendant.
Facing the enthusiastic smile on Mr. Duncan's face, he finally swallowed all his words and accepted this... "gift" calmly.