"From me into the city of afflictions, from me into the abyss of sin, you who come in, leave behind all hope. —Dante's Divine Comedy, Inferno

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Cheng Mo carefully inspected the gypsum factory and said to Bai Xiuxiu, "Let's go", at this time, Han Jiji's body had been taken away by Taijilong's people, only broken glass and white gypsum blocks were left, TVs, cameras and a laptop computer had been taken away by the Europa Special Police Force affiliated with Ouyu, and there were still some people at the scene who were carefully collecting fingerprints, footprints, suspicious items and other evidence.

Bai Xiuxiu said hello to the Taijilong members who were in charge at the scene, and walked to the door of the warehouse with Cheng Mo, and the two of them lifted the yellow warning strip and walked out of the gypsum factory, and there were piles of beige gypsum ore outside. Bai Xiuxiu's Touareg stopped next to a pile of ore, and when he got into the car, Bai Xiuxiu asked Cheng Mo: "Did you find anything?"

Cheng Mo fastened his seat belt, and said with a thoughtful expression on his face: "There is no steel-making furnace or metal smelting furnace on site, which means that the other party did not plan to make Han Jiji into a sculpture here, but only completed the intermediate step of the lost wax casting method here and made a gypsum mold..... The next step was to incinerate the bodies in the plaster casts and pour bronze juice into them...... Wait for the plaster to cool and knock off the plaster, and after sanding, a bronze sculpture is complete. ”

"What do you mean, the place where Chen Fang was trapped should be the iron foundry?"

"Logically, it should be like this, an iron foundry or a processing plant for bronze crafts...... But there is one thing that I am very strange, if this case is regarded as a high-IQ crime, the hint of the plaster is too obvious, is this kind of topic too simple? The reason why I directly guessed the iron foundry is the reason....." Cheng Mo said with some confusion.

"Do you think it's simple? None of us in the field could tell the connection between The Thinker, the Gates of Hell, Rodin, the Lost Wax Casting Method, and the case..... Including me, I think this is a provocation..... No one thought that the other party would be so perverted and conceited, to be honest, I usually watch a lot of this kind of crime movie, but in real life, I really dare to do this for the first time......" Bai Xiuxiu's cold tone was full of disgust.

"It's not rigorous to say that perverted, strictly speaking, this kind of person just lacks empathy ability, and is extremely narcissistic, so he can hurt others without feeling, we are often used to calling this kind of character 'antisocial personality', but in fact, high IQ must have antisocial tendencies, because the establishment of society stems from lies and compromises, and the public relies on this kind of lies and compromises to protect, but this kind of lies and compromises are a drag on high-IQ people. The more capable the individual, the less dependent on the collective, and thus the more antisocial he is......"

"You feel like you're describing yourself, huh?"

Cheng Mo habitually made the action of pushing his glasses, and when he raised his hand, he remembered that he was in the carrier state, so he changed it to touch his chin, and he said lightly: "Antisocial personality does not necessarily hurt others, and besides, my IQ is not very high...... 138 only, at least until 140 can be said to be high IQ.... In fact, high IQ must have antisocial tendencies, because society is built from lies and compromises, and the masses rely on such lies and compromises for protection, but such lies and compromises are a drag on high IQs. The more capable the individual, the less dependent on the collective, and therefore the more antisocial he is. will do some behaviors that ordinary people feel 'perverted', and the most important thing is that they lack the ability to love other people, that is, they can't empathize....." After a slight pause, Cheng Mo continued to say softly: "I think...... I still have the ability to love other people...... There are many people like me in the world, and this experience is not good at all, because I can't trust anyone and people, so I am lonely and have to wear a personality mask to integrate into society. But I was lucky to meet many good people, teachers, Fu Yuanzhuo, Yan Yitong..... Xie Minyun and your ....."

Bai Xiuxiu turned her head to look at Cheng Mo's side face and said, "Thank you for the good guy card." ”

Cheng Mo didn't continue on this topic, but frowned and said: "Actually, my reasoning is just a castle in the air, and it is still difficult for me to understand the motive and purpose of the other party's crime, it seems that it is not as simple as obtaining Uroboros." ”

"I think the other side wanted to disrupt our position and then wait for an opportunity to reap the greater benefits, but because we were very vigilant, they saw that there were no good opportunities, so they gave up. Bai Xiuxiu said.

"This is a reason to say in the past, but the other party has never tried to attack us, so this reason is a bit ......reluctant," Cheng Mo said.

"Don't talk about it so much, I'll take you to see Team Leader Xie now, and you can tell him your understanding in person. Bai Xiuxiu stepped on the accelerator deeply and began to accelerate.

Cheng Mo let out an "oh" and looked out the window at the deep night of Athens. He remembered that "The Gates of Hell" was based on the "Inferno" of Dante's Divine Comedy, and that the whole work was not completed until Rodin's death after thirty-five years, but Rodin still left behind 186 "suffering groups". The hell in the Divine Comedy is not the same as the hell expressed in other religions, and the hell in the Divine Comedy is not a place where people who are punished or judged stay.

The gates of hell are open, and there are no guards, but they are inscribed on the door: From me into the city of afflictions, from me into the abyss of sin, and you who come in leave behind all hopes.

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15 November 2020 at 11:09 p.m.

The hourglass of life that belongs to the old has dropped 189 pieces.

Xie Guangling stood at the table smoking cigarettes one after another, he listened to Bai Xiuxiu's report in the conference room with an expressionless face, turned his head to look at Cheng Mo and asked in a tone that he felt was ridiculous: "So the other party just wants to show us, how did he use the lost wax casting method to cast people into sculptures?"

"It's really hard to guess why he did that, because we don't know anything about him. Cheng Mo shrugged his shoulders and said, this was the first time he had a direct conversation with Xie Guangling, and he could infer from Xie Guangling's businesslike expression and tone that Xie Guangling didn't like him very much, Cheng Mo didn't know the reason, and he didn't care.

Xie Guangling pressed the cigarette into the ashtray full of cigarette butts, and asked in a deep voice, "How many statues are there in this "Gate of Hell"?"

"There are 186 groups in total, "The Thinker" and "Adam" are two of the enlarged sculptures, the other enlarged sculptures are "Three Shadows", "The Kiss", "Eve", "Ugulino", "Amor" on the Run...... However, sculptures such as "Ugulino", "Amor" on the Run, and some other enlarged sculptures are not very well-known and rarely known by people who are not keen on sculpture, and the main works are "The Thinker", "Adam", "The Three Shadows", "The Kiss", "Eve", ......"

"One hundred and eighty-six groups, is he trying to make statues of all the members of our Taiji Dragon?" Xie Guangling said contemptuously.

Cheng Mo didn't know who this contempt was aimed at, he tacitly was the murderer he targeted, so he didn't answer.

Bai Xiuxiu turned her head to Cheng Mo and said, "You go out first!"

Cheng Mo nodded, turned around and left the conference room, and the two of them watched Cheng Mo close the door in unison, until there was a soft sound of "pop", Bai Xiuxiu turned back to Xie Guangling and said: "I think Cheng Mo's speculation is very reasonable, and Han Jieji was made into a plaster mold as proof." ”

Xie Guangling looked at Bai Xiuxiu and was silent for a moment before he spoke: "It may also be a trap." ”

"Even if it's a trap, we have to step into it. ”

Xie Guangling walked back and forth in the conference room for a few steps, picked up the mobile phone placed on the conference table, and when he called Li Hongzheng, he said to Bai Xiuxiu: "I hope you are right this time." He then informed Li Hong that he was conducting a search throughout Athens, focusing on iron foundries and bronze processing plants.

Waiting for Xie Guangling to hang up the phone, Bai Xiuxiu said: "Team Leader Xie, when we came here just now, we checked the Yellow Pages, although there are not many iron foundries in Athens, there are many factories and workshops engaged in bronze processing..... I guess Captain Li's side doesn't have enough manpower, so I think our team will also join the search for Chen Fang first, and when Chen Fang is found, it will be appropriate to track down the murderer with all his might......"

Xie Guangling nodded, "Okay, but the responsibility of tracking down the murderer is the same on you, you have to remember this." ”

"Yes. ”

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Bai Xiuxiu walked out of the conference room but didn't see Cheng Mo, she called Cheng Mo and asked, "Where are you?"

"Reception. ”

Bai Xiuxiu didn't say much, quickly hung up the phone, walked quickly to the elevator, and when he saw Cheng Mo in the hotel lobby, he saw Cheng Mo holding a map in his hand, taking money out of his pocket, and after giving money to the staff at the front desk, he walked to the café, unfolded the map and looked at it attentively.

Bai Xiuxiu approached Cheng Mo, who was concentrating on the map, and asked, "Isn't there an electronic map?"

Cheng Mo said without raising his head: "The electronic map is not intuitive. ”

"Do you think there is a logic to the location set by the other party?" asked Bai Xiuxiu.

"There is no logic, but we can try to narrow down the scope of the search, first of all, we can exclude the city center with more cameras, and secondly, we can exclude Pellistri, he must know that we found Han Junji in Pellistri and will immediately transfer people over to find his clues, if I were him...... The third location will be placed in the farthest place from Peristri......" Cheng Mo pointed to the location of the airport east of Athens and said, "So I guess it should be this side." ”

"Then I'll call Chen Shaohua and they will go to Purnari. Bai Xiuxiu looked down at the position of Cheng Mo's finger and said.

Cheng Mo said "um", staring at the image of the ground in a daze with empty eyes, Bai Xiuxiu finished the phone call with Chen Shaohua, and said to Cheng Mo: "Let's go, let's go too." ”

"No, let's go to the police station. Cheng Mo rolled up the map, stood up and said.

Bai Xiuxiu reacted immediately: "Go check the phone number, but the other party may not tell the truth." ”

"It's better to try it than to look for it. Cheng Mo said.

Bai Xiuxiu nodded, walked side by side with Cheng Mo towards the elevator, went down to the first floor and got into the car, Bai Xiuxiu drove out of the underground parking lot with the Touareg, and said as if chatting: "I didn't see you when I came out just now, I thought you took the plane back to the room to see Xie Minyun! I'm sorry to embarrass you, so that you two can't enjoy a leisurely vacation, you won't complain about me, right?"

Although Bai Xiuxiu's tone was normal, Cheng Mo heard a little jealousy from the teasing tone, and he said lightly: "Don't be embarrassed, I'm very happy to do something for Sister Bai, a holiday or something, and more in the future." ”

"Thank you. Bai Xiuxiu held the steering wheel and said without turning her head.

"It's not too late to wait until the murderer is caught. Cheng Mo said.

"If you can really catch the murderer, I will promise you to help you fulfill a wish. Bai Xiuxiu said.

"No need. Cheng Mo shook his head.

Bai Xiuxiu was a little surprised, she happened to encounter a red light, she stepped on the brake, turned her head to look at Cheng Mo and said with some surprise: "This doesn't look like you! Don't you like to bargain for anything?

"Don't. Cheng Mo said.

"Don't regret it. ”

"Well, I don't regret it. Cheng Mo said lightly.

After that, silence fell in the carriage as the Touareg galloped through the streets of Athens in the middle of the night, passing by the Champ de Mars, where a cheese pie shop was located, then by the gleaming windows of the Minion department store with marble sculptures dressed in fashion, and then by the Cineac Cinema, where the crowd was leaving the historic cinema.

The two of them feel a wonderful fulfillment and tranquility in this dangerous and eerie ambiguous atmosphere, which is far from the precious feeling that the "drawbridge effect" can interpret. In the sea of Athenians, they clearly understand that they are just a pawn on the chessboard of fate, and they are involuntarily moving towards the unknown shore, and no one knows what awaits them in front of them, it may be luck or disaster.

At this moment, the city is like Rodin's "Gates of Hell", all kinds of people and emotions are violently intertwined and kinked together, just like a Spanish literary film has reached its climax.

When the Touareg was about to arrive at Syntagma Square, the gloomy sky suddenly began to drizzle, and the outline of the bar street not far away was blurred by the rain and fog, but Cheng Mo could hear a trace of lazy singing through the sound of the rain, which was like the endless wind chimes in an empty house.

At this moment, Cheng Mo accepted a kind of instantaneousness, and when the car was about to stop, he suddenly said, "I regret it." ”

The corners of Bai Xiuxiu's mouth twitched, and she said indifferently: "I said that I don't regret it." ”

Cheng Mo turned a deaf ear, and he whispered: "I want to sing KTV with you again..... But I'd like to hear you sing your own favorite songs. ”

Bai Xiuxiu didn't answer immediately, she parked her car in the open-air parking lot in front of the Athens police station, the wipers stopped working, and immediately the rain flooded the front windshield, blocking the vision of the two people, leaving only some hazy lights.

"Do you want Xie Minyun to come along?" Bai Xiuxiu turned her head to look at Cheng Mo and asked with a smile.

"Just the two of us, but I'll tell her. Cheng Mo said without changing his face.

"No, I'm not going on a single date with a married man. After speaking, Bai Xiuxiu reached out and pulled the car door and got out of the car.

Cheng Mo didn't have any disappointment, and got out of the car. Cheng Mo trotted two steps in the rain and rushed into the police station, but Bai Xiuxiu did not run, but walked gracefully and quickly through the rain curtain and entered the police station without a drop of water.

The two of them returned to the conference room of the police station, and asked the Taijilong members who stayed at the police station to ask the Greek police for the phone numbers of the managers of all the iron foundries and copper processing factories in Purnari District, and then asked the two policemen on duty to help call one by one, of course, under Cheng Mo's instructions, they did not check the tone, but said that there was an urgent order, and the price was negotiable, but it was necessary the day after tomorrow, and asked if the other party could undertake it.

As a tourist city, there are not many iron foundries in Athens, but there are many sculpture companies and copper art workshops, there are 30 or 40 large and small sculpture companies and copper art workshops in Purnari district alone, and two policemen made 46 phone calls according to Cheng Mo's instructions, of which 39 said they could undertake, and seven said they could not accept it.

Cheng Mo and Bai Xiuxiu took the list and address, and hurried to the Purnari district without stopping for a moment......

(Double commuter pass, please give me some commuter pass!)