Capitol, National Sculpture Hall.

When Luke arrived, the neighborhood was already under martial law.

Of course, under the effect of [Psychological Invisibility], he still walked in smoothly.

As he got closer and closer to the center of the incident, he also inadvertently spotted several transcendent beings who had entered in various ways and lurked in certain locations, probably individuals or forces interested in the Solomon family.

The person in charge of the scene investigation was the FBI, he cleared his throat and said flatly: "Friends in the shadows, please show up!" ”

Although the voice was very low, it spread throughout the hall, and there seemed to be some kind of demagogic power in it, making people subconsciously want to obey his orders.

Luke easily resisted the urge to show up, but not so much for the others.

A shadowman in pitch black emerged from the shadows of a certain booth, a spider-man in a perverted leotard jumped out of the corner of the ceiling, and even next to an inconspicuous wall somewhere, the skin of the wall looked like a wriggling, and it turned out to be a person with chameleon-like mimicry abilities standing there.

After a few people stood up, they found that their minds were temporarily controlled, and they stared at the imperial eagle dog in the middle of the hall with ugly faces.

"Yurio, the Soul Speaker, is it you who is responsible for tracking down the secret treasure of the Solomon family? Aren't you about to exemplify that the FBI is willing to release you? The chameleon capable man asked sharply, pointing out his identity and abilities by the way.

"It turned out to be Chameleon Caine, I remember you were serving the Rice family, right? Why, is your family trying to take action against the FBI, or is it trying to provoke Freemasonry head-on? ”

A big hat was buttoned up, and Cain's already ugly face looked more like he had eaten. He argued: "I just heard about a bizarre case here, and my curiosity is sparking, so I just want to take a look, and it has nothing to do with the Rice family." ”

Yurio sneered: "I heard that after committing a crime, murderers like to return to the scene to watch, could it be that you are the murderer who cut off Peter Solomon's right hand?" ”

When he spoke, he had already used a trace of spiritual power to induce Cain to admit it voluntarily.

A look of confusion and struggle flashed across Cain's face, and he looked like he was about to turn himself in.

He is just a little minion at the level of a brave man, because his ability is strong and suitable for intelligence work, so he was entrusted with important tasks. But in the face of Yurio, who is at the peak of the hero rank and is about to step into the exemplary realm, his spiritual resistance can be said to be like a papier-mâché, which can be broken with a pestle.

In normal times, even if it involves a case in the transcendent realm, the FBI will at most send a brave-level team leader, even if it is a more serious situation, it is only a few people with less seniority in the hero rank to lead the team, like Yurio, who is generally in retreat and cultivation, waiting for a breakthrough, and will not arrange any more tasks.

I didn't expect the FBI to attach so much importance to the secrets of the Solomon family this time, and actually sent him out. The few snoopers who were supposed to be foolproof were all taken down.

Just as Cain was about to open his mouth to confess, the shadow under him suddenly changed slightly, and a pitch-black spike appeared from the shadow and stabbed into his calf.

"Hiss"

The severe pain woke up Cain from his ecstasy, he looked at Yurio in surprise, he didn't expect that in front of everyone's eyes, he would dare to use his ability to forcibly control himself, isn't he afraid of the Rice family's revenge?

Cain thought about it, and he really didn't seem to be afraid.

Damn, admit it!

A flattering smile appeared on his face, but before he could speak, Yurio whispered again, "Stop me from interrogating me on the spot, Fatos, are you also an accomplice of the criminals?" ”

The shadow assassin Fatos stepped back and said, "Lord Julio, we are just here to pay attention to the little minions of the Solomon family, and it is the family behind that really wants to intervene. It's come to this, why don't we take a step back, we'll leave right away, and you can let us go, how about it? ”

As soon as he finished speaking, before Yurio could agree, his body seemed to melt, disappearing into the shadows under his feet, and he fled.

Seeing that he was gone, the others also scrambled to leave, leaving only Caine in front of Yurio.

Cain secretly scolded a group of dogs for running really fast, while annoying that his ability was concealed enough, but speed was a weakness, and he didn't dare to run at all.

He shrank back in embarrassment, and continued to show a flattering smile: "Lord Julio, I."

"Get out!"

"Okay!"

After the few people were gone, Yurio looked around, took a mysterious instrument handed over by his men, opened it, and put it at his feet.

With a "buzz", an illusory ripple appeared from the antenna above the instrument's head, swept across the field in an instant, and formed a small vortex of air around Luke.

Dry!

I thought you kid was solving the case, but I didn't expect it to come at me!

Yurio looked at Luke's approximate location: "Your Excellency, please show up for a while." ”

This time, he didn't use the charm of words, but simply sent out an invitation.

Luke thought about it, and yes, after all, [Psychological Invisibility] is a skill acquired a long time ago, although Luke has strong mental power and can exert its role superordinarily, but after all, there is no relevant divine blessing, and it is normal to be outdated.

Now that he was discovered, he didn't hide it, he directly lifted the [Psychological Invisibility] and appeared in front of several people.

"It turned out to be Mr. Luke." Julio said enthusiastically, "You are also interested in the secrets of the Solomon family?" ”

He didn't have the cold attitude he had with a few peeps before, after all, Luke's strength was stronger than him, and it was much stronger.

As one of the older people in the FBI, his intelligence authority is still quite high, and he has a certain degree of understanding of Luke's combat power, and the internal intelligence finally gave him a rough judgment of his combat power as one of the strongest under the legend.

As a weak chicken boy who has not yet advanced to the top example, how strong he is in the chameleon Caine is how weak he is in front of Luke. Although he was covered in a layer of FBI skin, Luke couldn't really do anything to him on the spot, but in the transcendent world, there were too many ways to secretly kill someone.

What's more, Luke also has a legendary cursed wizard family behind him.

Can't be provoked, can't be provoked.

Not to mention him, even the Solomon family at its peak did not dare to provoke people like Luke.

Yo, the attitude is quite good.

Luke nodded unceremoniously: "It's a little curious." ”

"Let's take a look? It just so happens that you're helping us find clues. Yurio warmly invited, and then pointed to a person who was controlled by the FBI: "This is Peter Solomon's student, Robert Langdon, who is also an important witness and clue in this case, I plan to ask him about the details first." ”

Although Luke has also solved many strange cases during this time, he knows that his own situation has been overcome by extraordinary ability. Now that the professionals are playing on his behalf, he is also happy to be idle, anyway, he follows all the way, see if there is a place that can be accelerated, and then take the initiative to accelerate.

Robert Langdon is a well-known expert in symbolic ciphers, although he is not an extraordinary person, but because of his work, he has some contact with the transcendent world, so he did not panic when he suddenly faced this situation. At this time, the most in his heart was still worried about the teacher who was also a teacher and friend, and even a teacher like a father.

The few people in front of him were obviously official forces, and he took the initiative to explain: "Yesterday someone contacted me in the name of Peter and invited me to meet in Washington. This morning, a man who claimed to be Peter's assistant said that Peter was going to give a big talk today, but the speaker was sick and wanted me to come to the National Sculpture Hall to give a talk for her. ”

"Of course, now I know that the so-called assistants, invitations, and speeches should all be fake, and they are all traps set by the murderer behind me to lure me in. As for the reason—"

He lengthened his tone: "Maybe it can be found in this severed hand." ”

Several people turned their attention to the severed hand.

Yurio took a look at it and said, "There is blood on the ground, it is flowing from the wrists. It is well known that blood clotted after death, so this at least proves that Peter was still alive at the time of the severed hand. ”

Luke mentally added, "Or just died." ”

Langdon endured the grief in his heart and carefully observed the severed hand.

The cross-section of the wrist is poked at the pointed fork of a small wooden base, the three fingers are in the shape of a clenched fist, and the straight thumb and forefinger point to the dome. On the severed hand is a gold ring engraved with ornate patterns: a two-headed bird and the number thirty-three.

Yurio noticed that Luke's eyes were focused on the ring, and he introduced, "It should be a Masonic ring, and Peter is a member of the 33rd Order of Freemasonry—the highest rank. ”

Langdon crouched down and continued to observe, while sharing the observed information with his mouth: "Tattoos on the thumb and forefinger, fresh. On the thumb is a crown, and on the index finger is a star. ”

"If you can see a few other fingers, there should be other tattoos on them, which are the sun, the lantern, and the key. This is the 'mysterious hand', which means to force action. ”

"For centuries, the 'mystical hand' has been given a sense of summoning. Briefly, it's about inviting someone to pick up on secret knowledge—secrets that can only be known and kept by a few elites. This hand is an invitation — the guy behind me is inviting me to do something."

Zhangyu Luke looked confused, this was crushed by Professor Xueba.

Professor Langdon circled around the severed hand.

Severed hands

Invite.

What does this mean?

Luke is not good at decryption, but fortunately this is not the White House, but the Capitol.

Although they were all burned by the British, and both painted white after that, as a building that is free to visitors, its security and shielding facilities are not as strict.

For example, in most of the space, Luke's mental power can pass through smoothly and sense certain anomalies, rather than being restricted by a small distance from his body as in the White House.

He first used his mental power to explore this magnificent sculpture hall, this circular hall was 55 meters high, and the king of mountain monsters did not have to bend down when he came in. The hall is filled with bronze statues and statues of prominent figures from the founding of the Lighthouse Nation, and there is even a pirated marble statue of Lady Liberty.

However, this statue is different from the most famous figure of holding the sacred flame in her hand, with a feather crown on her head, a sword in her right hand, and a shield in her left hand, and her eyes are far away, and she looks ready to fight.

No, it's not just what it seems, it's really capable of fighting!

Luke was keenly aware of the extraordinary energy fluctuations on this goddess statue, probably an alchemical puppet or something.

In the sculpture hall, there is not only this place that exudes strange fluctuations, but also on the dome of the hall and under the floor directly below the dome, there are unusual abilities.

Luke looked up curiously, on the dome was a huge oil painting, the center of the oil painting was the father of the nation, Washington, he stood in the center of the oil painting, dressed in robes, next to thirteen young girls, the whole style of painting looks like a church work, and Washington, naturally, plays the role of Jesus.

Seeing Luke look up, Professor Langdon didn't look up, he knew what was on it, and he said simply: "Washington's Sanctification, a huge mural of 4,664 square feet, which records the moment of his ascension...... He became a god. ”

"Become a god?" Luke looked back at the spy leader on the side: "This father of the nation has become a god?" ”

Although Yurio is the head of the intelligence agency, unless he is supported by relevant intelligence, he is also illiterate, and he has a limited grasp of historical allusions, and he said in confusion: "I can't do it." ”

Luke looked at Professor Langdon and asked the next question, "Is there something like that Washington Sanctification Map under our feet?" ”

"You are sharp, sir." Professor Langdon exclaimed, "Yes, we have a crypt under our feet that contains the eternal fire planted by Washington. It was the flame of divine enlightenment that he had lit, which meant that the light spread to the corners of the New World. ”

Eternal Flame?

Luke's first instinct turned out to be to ignite the divine fire.

Relying on the great power to create a country, at the moment before the Mandate of Heaven expires, relying on the person of the "Father of the Nation" and using the love and faith of the entire Lighthouse Country as a firewood, he ignites the divine fire, holds high the throne of God, and becomes the god of the Lighthouse Country to protect the country.

This plan is very feasible.

Luke still felt in his heart that he was afraid of failure, after all, the so-called eternal flame has now been extinguished and sealed, and Washington is not revered in the name of God.

And it has been proven that Jehovah, who has just been reborn, is the only God in this world.

His own ancestor Emmanuel also made it clear that the father of the country disappeared because of the favor of heaven, overdrew his fate, reaped the consequences, and his old injuries broke out and died.

However, although the residual energy in the mural is scarce, the quality is ridiculously high, even if the aura felt in the "Father of Cavalry" or his own ancestor is stronger, surpassing the legend. In this world, it generally means gods.

This. The fog of history is really not something that a person like Luke who doesn't like to play with his brain can figure out, so let's honestly explore other places beyond the halls.

At this time, Professor Langdon suddenly hesitated and said, "There should be some clues in the palm of this severed hand. (End of chapter)