250 You Shall See Me (1/2)
”Since neither side can compromise, the situation now is very messy and difficult to distinguish. I have a suggestion if you all can hear me out.” Mr. Hu’s words had caused everyone to hold their breaths but this *sshole was going to keep them in suspense!
He lifted his teacup and drank slowly. After pretending to cough for a long time, he stated, ”Why don’t the two both publish the Voynich Manuscript at the same time and give up any copyrights or profits, putting it in the public domain. This way, both men can enjoy the name and glory and won’t have any disputes in the future. What do you all think?”
Finished speaking, he blinked at the scholars in the audience. Everyone sank into silence as if they had been thrown into the vacuum and were about to pass out from suffocation! It was a moment of silence for their wasted anticipation. For a moment, they had thought that Mr. Hu, this Eastern scholar, could give some effective suggestion but ”Do you know what the f*ck you’re saying?” they wondered.
This was such a sh*tty suggestion! It was practically ruining the Union’s reputation.
Seeing everyone’s anger, Mr. Hu chuckled awkwardly. ”Ha, that was a joke. I’m sorry, I practiced this joke so many times in private but I guess it still doesn’t work. I’m so sorry. But it seems that someone got the joke.” He paused and gazed at the man who did not have the time to wipe the grin off his face. ”Mr. Ingmar, can a scholar who had spent decades working on an accomplishment be so happy hearing that they could split it with someone else?”
Ingmar froze like a wooden duck. ”I-I…” he stuttered, blanching at Mr. Hu. ”I didn’t…didn’t we agree…”
Clunk! A cup of tea crashed onto the table before him. Hot water splashed onto his face but it chilled him to the bone like frost. At the podium, Mr. Hu had risen. The smile was gone and he no longer looked like an onlooker. His eyes had transformed into pure gold and blazed with terrifying fire.
The people finally remembered that this Eastern scholar was referred to as the Sun by the Cardinal and the name came from this tremendous power.
Now, he glared down at the man below the podium and asked seriously, ”Agreed on? Are you speaking of what the uninvited lobbyist discussed with me at midnight? If I support you, I’ll receive five kilograms of gold, a robe, and a century-old Indus branch. Ah, it’s a good plan but sadly, I have been a scholar of the Imperial College for thirty years but I cannot accept such a large gift!”
He spoke in Eastern dialect but most scholars here were fluent in many languages and could understand a bit. Thus, they gasped in shock at the fact that Ingmar was now suspect of underground deals—this was another huge scandal!
”Someone only worthy to be compared to a dog, unscrupulous, vile, unrighteous, harsh and merciless, stealing other’s work to be your own, cheating others of their kindness and for your own interests, speaking nonsense to fool the masses…you have no right to be called a musician! Do you still not give up?! If this was in the East, I would have written a letter to the censorate long ago to remove all your accomplishments and toss you into the tianlao!”
His voice was not very high but it exploded in one’s ear like thunder. Its weight made one’s vision spin and mind go blank; the people were completely speechless. This was the ”thunder voice” that Eastern musicians strived for.
Ingmar’s entire body trembled. A thin layer of blood-red appeared in his eyes and his mind was shaken. He had started to lose control of his aether.
”There is no doubt that Ingmar plagiarized the interpretation of the Voynich Manuscript!” Mr. Hu declared. ”This involves many matters and parties. I hope that the Sacred City and Anglo Kingdom will fully investigate this event!”
Thud! He slammed the gavel down, creating a heart-shaking boom. The appraisal drew to an end in the dead silence. Ingmar’s plagiarism was confirmed and all achievements of the Voynich Manuscript were returned to Abraham. All costs of the appraisal would be paid by Ingmar…these were all small details.
The most important thing—Ingmar was ruined.
Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! The crowd’s commotion could not hide the ghastly popping sounds. Soon, everyone realized what was happening and all looked toward Ingmar. The endless pops came from Ingmar’s body. Every pop was like a steel hammer crashing onto his bones, causing his body to spasm.
Ingmar’s face paled with each pop. In the end, he could only produce unclear gurgles. There was no more life in his eyes.
”His sound of heart has shattered! It has completely shattered!”
Under everyone’s shocked scrutiny, Ingmar, who had collapsed onto the chair, pulled himself up with difficulty. He stumbled forward as blood flowed from his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears like a stream. He practically crawled to the spot before the people. His body slipped, but his hands gripped the side of the podium, refusing to fall down.
”Abraham, Sergey, Barthelemy, Lola, and the Par—you liars! I won’t forgive you…” he yelled as he stared into everyone’s eyes with his bloody orbs. It was difficult to say whether his eyes were filled with more craze or more despair. Pointing at everyone’s faces, he roared, ”You’re all liars! Liars!” Screaming out the last word, his pale face abruptly swelled. Boiling blood spewed out from every pore.
Boom! The aether around him went wild. In the storm, the wooden stage quickly rotted, cracked and turned to ash. Ingmar fell into the ash and closed his eyes.
Someone rushed up nervously and felt his neck. He cried, ”Not dead, he’s not dead yet! Take him to the Church!”
-
Amidst the commotion, Abraham sat in his seat and looked around in confusion, not understanding the situation.
”Professor, what’s wrong?” Charles reached out in concern and waved. ”Say something!”
Abraham flinched as if snapping out of a daze. He looked at his student and asked with uncertainty, ”Charles, did we win?”
”Of course! We won!” Charles nodded earnestly. ”You’re the true grandmaster! The Sacred City is going to ring the Philosopher’s Bell for you!”
Stunned, it took a while before a smile appeared on Abraham’s face. He murmured, ”That’s great. Charles, I think I left the bag in the resting room. Can you and Yezi fetch it for me?”
Charles was unsure but nodded slowly and left with Ye Qingxuan. Abraham watched as his students walked away and smiled involuntarily.
But for some reason, his eyes also reddened. He looked down at his steel hand. His shoulders shook as he buried his face. He knew he should smile now but the tears flowed out for some reason. He just wanted to sob.
This was great.
”I can’t believe that I can do more than kill in my life.”
-
After the appraisal ended, all the grandmasters left without caring for the scholars and reporters gathered outside. Before leaving, Lola threw a flirtatious glance at Ye Qingxuan, causing the youth to shudder.
It was afternoon by the time all the paperwork was done. Abraham was still registering in the Musician’s Union, Charles was somewhere, and Bai Xi was still having fun outside. Ye Qingxuan became bored after pacing around and decided to wait in the lobby. However, a priest clad in black walked over and handed him an invitation.
”Archbishop Mephistopheles?” Ye Qingxuan was stunned.
”Yes.” The priest nodded. ”He told me to wait here and invite you to the church after you’ve taken care of everything. Are you available now?”
After thinking, Ye Qingxuan nodded. ”The others are still here. I’ll leave them a message and go afterward.”
”Then I will wait for you at the entrance of the Westminster Church.” The priest nodded in farewell and left.