When a person’s personal characteristics become “formatted,” they lose a lot of their distinctiveness.
Just like Lin Xiao’s handwriting, each stroke resembled printed text, making it impossible to discern his characteristics from the handwriting.
The entries in the small notebook were not very detailed; most were phrases and words, simple yet clear.
As Bai Lixin moved with the crowd, he flipped through the contents of the notebook.
In the initial pages, he described the appearances of the twenty suspects with a few words each.
Following each name were words that, though few, instantly brought the features of each person to life.
He looked through the descriptions of these individuals one by one.
Apart from the ten players, there were ten more people during those ten minutes.
Among these ten were an elderly couple, a couple deeply in love, a father bringing his young child to appreciate national treasures, and four business partners.
Among these four business partners, two were wealthy businessmen, and the other two had intricate connections with the palace.
The queue quickly reached their position.
After paying the ticket to enter the museum, there was a security check to ensure no dangerous items were carried in.
Once searched, you could enter the Imperial Capital Museum.
Bai Lixin temporarily put away the notebook and silently surveyed this five-story treasure museum.
Armed guards in black and red uniforms patrolled continuously, meticulously supervising every corner of the museum.
Bai Lixin had just stepped onto the first floor when a commotion erupted nearby.
A crowd had gathered ahead, and two guards were restraining a person on the ground. The man’s hands were restrained, and he shouted with a strained voice, “Let go of me! I haven’t done anything. Are you all crazy?”
One guard confiscated something from the person’s hand. “Photography is prohibited in the museum. Flashes can accelerate the aging of artifacts, and your actions just harmed the preservation of cultural relics. How dare you say you haven’t done anything. Keep quiet in the museum.”
“Take him away.”
The two guards escorted the gagged man away in a well-trained manner. As they passed by Bai Lixin and his group, one guard nodded before focusing on the path ahead and striding away.
Bai Lixin looked at Dr. Garner, who adjusted his collar. “I told you, I’m quite useful.”
Bai Lixin initially thought Dr. Garner was just a cannon fodder NPC and wasn’t interested in his identity. After hearing him say this again and again, he suddenly became curious. “Dr. Garner, what’s your background exactly?”
Being a trusted confidant of the queen, he couldn’t be an ordinary doctor, right?
Dr. Garner straightened up, his tone sincere with a hint of superiority. “Actually, I’m not just Dr. Garner; I’m also Count Garner. My father, Duke Garner, is a cousin of Her Majesty the Queen. I address Her Majesty as Aunt, and I have good relations with the princes and princesses. Many people know me. With my face, it’s not difficult to extract information from the guards.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
No wonder Dijia asked him to follow him, he truly was a useful tool.
After the guards left, the momentarily bustling grand hall quickly quieted down.
It was nine in the morning, and the museum had just opened. The number of visitors was not high.
According to the known clues, the disappearance of the Kiss of the Sun occurred between 4:00 and 4:10 in the evening. It was closing time, and the number of visitors was not at its peak.
The previous shift of guards left, but the next shift did not arrive on time.
This ten-minute lapse was a major mistake; experienced guards shouldn’t have made such a foolish error.
Bai Lixin asked, “When the Kiss of the Sun went missing, how were the alternating patrolling guards dealt with? Did anyone find out why there was a ten-minute gap between the shift change?”
Lin Xiao blinked and answered mechanically, “After the theft of the Kiss of the Sun, both guard teams were taken away for punishment. The museum remains silent about the reasons for their dereliction of duty, and I haven’t found this answer.”
They both turned and looked at Garner.
Dr. Garner: “I’ll inquire for you. But you can’t follow; let’s temporarily split up and agree on a meeting place.”
Lin Xiao pointed upstairs, “There’s a Queen statue on the third floor, it is a less crowded area and easy to find. It’s suitable as a meeting point.”
Dr. Garner: “Then let’s meet at the Queen statue on the third floor. If I find the right person, I should have the information within half a day. Regardless of whether I find it or not, let’s meet there before noon.”
Bai Lixin: “Okay.”
The three made an arrangement, and Dr. Garner turned to leave in another direction.
Once he was farther away, Bai Lixin focused on the museum exhibits.
Lin Xiao had been here for several days, but even though he was accompanying Bai Lixin here again, he showed no signs of impatience.
More accurately, he showed no expression at all.
While Dijia’s face typically lacked expression, his lack of expression was that he was disdainful of making expressions. However, subtle cues still conveyed Dijia’s emotions.
Lin Xiao’s expressionless face genuinely had no expression.
Like a cold, emotionless robot.
Bai Lixin started observing from the glass display case closest to him.
The first floor was somewhat sparse, with pictures of the country’s famous people hanging on the walls. Glass cases displayed items used by these famous people, chronicling their achievements and highlighting the once prosperous history of the country.
Regarding the construction of civilizations, Bai Lixin was already familiar with it.
Although packaged with etiquette, he could see at a glance that this country’s civilization was built on plunder.
There wasn’t much on the first floor so Bai Lixin quickly glanced through it and moved to the second floor with Lin Xiao.
The second floor was much more compact and filled. The vast floor was divided into ten exhibition halls, each displaying precious exhibits classified by category.
There are a few words written in the first exhibition hall: Bronze Ware.
Bai Lixin walked in. In the somewhat dim exhibition hall, Bai Lixin saw metal utensils placed in glass showcases, bearing the weight of time.
There were bronze swords with rust stains but still radiating a chilling aura, the broken blade of a halberd with only the spearhead remaining, and household items like wine cups, bowls, and intricately carved bronze statues.
The civilization portrayed by these bronze artifacts was entirely different from the civilization covered by this country. They were more majestic and profound, a level that a country with only a few hundred years of history could not achieve.
These so-called exhibits placed here were clearly trophies plundered by this country.
They were placed here, stabbing at the original country’s heart every day.
Bai Lixin moved on to other exhibition halls.
Porcelain, calligraphy and painting, gold and silver ornaments, and so on. Each displayed item represented the highest level of craftsmanship at that time.
These were originally the continuation of the original country’s civilization, but were extensively plundered to become tools for expanding the civilization of this country.
“This museum has a total of five million collections. Due to limited space, ninety percent of the artifacts are not on display. Besides the Eastern civilization we see now, this museum has also looted and collected many artifacts from other civilizations.”
“It’s more like a showcase of their spoils of war than a display cabinet for the civilization of this country.”
“There shouldn’t be much to focus on the second floor. Let’s go directly to the third floor; the Kiss of the Sun was displayed on the third floor.”
It was the first time Bai Lixin had heard Lin Xiao speak so much at once. He glanced at Lin Xiao, didn’t continue examining the following exhibition halls, and accompanied Lin Xiao to the third floor.
As soon as they reached the third floor, Bai Lixin saw a stone statue of the Queen carved in white plaster. This was the agreed-upon meeting point.
Most of the exhibits in the exhibition halls on the third floor were still treasures from other civilizations. Only one exhibition hall displayed meticulously crafted works of this country’s civilization.
Exhibition Hall 35.
Also, the place where the Kiss of the Sun had been preserved.
As soon as Bai Lixin reached the third floor, he sensed a vigilant gaze projected from a corner. Looking over, he saw a head quickly retracting into the corner, followed by a figure leaving stealthily.
The figure left in the same direction as their destination, which was also the direction of Exhibition Hall 35.
“Was that person a player?” Bai Lixin asked as he walked, taking the opportunity to observe the layout around the third floor.
The third floor was considerably higher than the second, about twice the height. Neatly arranged windows were embedded diagonally above the corridor, each glass made of iridescent stained glass. It looked expensive and magnificent, with some religious overtones.
As the museum’s prime floor, the third floor was somewhat unique.
The museum’s roof wasn’t entirely enclosed. The museum had a “concave” shape, with the space carved out in the middle being an open-air garden with a typical natural layout. The enclosed space around it was the museum.
Standing in the museum’s inner circle, a slight lowering of the head allowed for a comprehensive view of the delicate garden with iris-shaped lines.
The Queen statue was in the very center of the “concave” shape, and the sunlight poured in from the open-air garden. It shone on the stained glass, making light going in transparent to come out as colored light. Whether it was by design or coincidence, most of the scattered and refracted colored light fell on the Queen statue.
The Initially ordinary Queen statue instantly became filled with a sacred aura.
Bai Lixin lingered in front of the Queen statue.
In front of the approximately four-meter-high Queen statue, there was a stone-carved book, detailing the origin of this statue.
This statue was of Queen Elizabeth I and had been here for over a hundred years.
The current reigning Queen was Elizabeth III, and the Elizabeth I depicted by this statue was the grandmother of Elizabeth III.
The stone statue had a realistic style, and some facial features could still be distinguished.
Perhaps due to blood ties, the facial features on the statue bore some resemblance to the Queen he had seen a few days ago.
The facial features were similar, and the aura of nobility was also similar.
[Elizabeth I, the creator of a prosperous era.
She led the empire to a new height, showcasing the elegance of a queen with her unyielding will.
The Queen’s soul lives forever
Flowers adorn the garment, and the sun gives a kiss.
The great soul will forever defend and protect us.]
When a person’s personal characteristics become “formatted,” they lose a lot of their distinctiveness.
Just like Lin Xiao’s handwriting, each stroke resembled printed text, making it impossible to discern his characteristics from the handwriting.
The entries in the small notebook were not very detailed; most were phrases and words, simple yet clear.
As Bai Lixin moved with the crowd, he flipped through the contents of the notebook.
In the initial pages, he described the appearances of the twenty suspects with a few words each.
Following each name were words that, though few, instantly brought the features of each person to life.
He looked through the descriptions of these individuals one by one.
Apart from the ten players, there were ten more people during those ten minutes.
Among these ten were an elderly couple, a couple deeply in love, a father bringing his young child to appreciate national treasures, and four business partners.
Among these four business partners, two were wealthy businessmen, and the other two had intricate connections with the palace.
The queue quickly reached their position.
After paying the ticket to enter the museum, there was a security check to ensure no dangerous items were carried in.
Once searched, you could enter the Imperial Capital Museum.
Bai Lixin temporarily put away the notebook and silently surveyed this five-story treasure museum.
Armed guards in black and red uniforms patrolled continuously, meticulously supervising every corner of the museum.
Bai Lixin had just stepped onto the first floor when a commotion erupted nearby.
A crowd had gathered ahead, and two guards were restraining a person on the ground. The man’s hands were restrained, and he shouted with a strained voice, “Let go of me! I haven’t done anything. Are you all crazy?”
One guard confiscated something from the person’s hand. “Photography is prohibited in the museum. Flashes can accelerate the aging of artifacts, and your actions just harmed the preservation of cultural relics. How dare you say you haven’t done anything. Keep quiet in the museum.”
“Take him away.”
The two guards escorted the gagged man away in a well-trained manner. As they passed by Bai Lixin and his group, one guard nodded before focusing on the path ahead and striding away.
Bai Lixin looked at Dr. Garner, who adjusted his collar. “I told you, I’m quite useful.”
Bai Lixin initially thought Dr. Garner was just a cannon fodder NPC and wasn’t interested in his identity. After hearing him say this again and again, he suddenly became curious. “Dr. Garner, what’s your background exactly?”
Being a trusted confidant of the queen, he couldn’t be an ordinary doctor, right?
Dr. Garner straightened up, his tone sincere with a hint of superiority. “Actually, I’m not just Dr. Garner; I’m also Count Garner. My father, Duke Garner, is a cousin of Her Majesty the Queen. I address Her Majesty as Aunt, and I have good relations with the princes and princesses. Many people know me. With my face, it’s not difficult to extract information from the guards.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
No wonder Dijia asked him to follow him, he truly was a useful tool.
After the guards left, the momentarily bustling grand hall quickly quieted down.
It was nine in the morning, and the museum had just opened. The number of visitors was not high.
According to the known clues, the disappearance of the Kiss of the Sun occurred between 4:00 and 4:10 in the evening. It was closing time, and the number of visitors was not at its peak.
The previous shift of guards left, but the next shift did not arrive on time.
This ten-minute lapse was a major mistake; experienced guards shouldn’t have made such a foolish error.
Bai Lixin asked, “When the Kiss of the Sun went missing, how were the alternating patrolling guards dealt with? Did anyone find out why there was a ten-minute gap between the shift change?”
Lin Xiao blinked and answered mechanically, “After the theft of the Kiss of the Sun, both guard teams were taken away for punishment. The museum remains silent about the reasons for their dereliction of duty, and I haven’t found this answer.”
They both turned and looked at Garner.
Dr. Garner: “I’ll inquire for you. But you can’t follow; let’s temporarily split up and agree on a meeting place.”
Lin Xiao pointed upstairs, “There’s a Queen statue on the third floor, it is a less crowded area and easy to find. It’s suitable as a meeting point.”
Dr. Garner: “Then let’s meet at the Queen statue on the third floor. If I find the right person, I should have the information within half a day. Regardless of whether I find it or not, let’s meet there before noon.”
Bai Lixin: “Okay.”
The three made an arrangement, and Dr. Garner turned to leave in another direction.
Once he was farther away, Bai Lixin focused on the museum exhibits.
Lin Xiao had been here for several days, but even though he was accompanying Bai Lixin here again, he showed no signs of impatience.
More accurately, he showed no expression at all.
While Dijia’s face typically lacked expression, his lack of expression was that he was disdainful of making expressions. However, subtle cues still conveyed Dijia’s emotions.
Lin Xiao’s expressionless face genuinely had no expression.
Like a cold, emotionless robot.
Bai Lixin started observing from the glass display case closest to him.
The first floor was somewhat sparse, with pictures of the country’s famous people hanging on the walls. Glass cases displayed items used by these famous people, chronicling their achievements and highlighting the once prosperous history of the country.
Regarding the construction of civilizations, Bai Lixin was already familiar with it.
Although packaged with etiquette, he could see at a glance that this country’s civilization was built on plunder.
There wasn’t much on the first floor so Bai Lixin quickly glanced through it and moved to the second floor with Lin Xiao.
The second floor was much more compact and filled. The vast floor was divided into ten exhibition halls, each displaying precious exhibits classified by category.
There are a few words written in the first exhibition hall: Bronze Ware.
Bai Lixin walked in. In the somewhat dim exhibition hall, Bai Lixin saw metal utensils placed in glass showcases, bearing the weight of time.
There were bronze swords with rust stains but still radiating a chilling aura, the broken blade of a halberd with only the spearhead remaining, and household items like wine cups, bowls, and intricately carved bronze statues.
The civilization portrayed by these bronze artifacts was entirely different from the civilization covered by this country. They were more majestic and profound, a level that a country with only a few hundred years of history could not achieve.
These so-called exhibits placed here were clearly trophies plundered by this country.
They were placed here, stabbing at the original country’s heart every day.
Bai Lixin moved on to other exhibition halls.
Porcelain, calligraphy and painting, gold and silver ornaments, and so on. Each displayed item represented the highest level of craftsmanship at that time.
These were originally the continuation of the original country’s civilization, but were extensively plundered to become tools for expanding the civilization of this country.
“This museum has a total of five million collections. Due to limited space, ninety percent of the artifacts are not on display. Besides the Eastern civilization we see now, this museum has also looted and collected many artifacts from other civilizations.”
“It’s more like a showcase of their spoils of war than a display cabinet for the civilization of this country.”
“There shouldn’t be much to focus on the second floor. Let’s go directly to the third floor; the Kiss of the Sun was displayed on the third floor.”
It was the first time Bai Lixin had heard Lin Xiao speak so much at once. He glanced at Lin Xiao, didn’t continue examining the following exhibition halls, and accompanied Lin Xiao to the third floor.
As soon as they reached the third floor, Bai Lixin saw a stone statue of the Queen carved in white plaster. This was the agreed-upon meeting point.
Most of the exhibits in the exhibition halls on the third floor were still treasures from other civilizations. Only one exhibition hall displayed meticulously crafted works of this country’s civilization.
Exhibition Hall 35.
Also, the place where the Kiss of the Sun had been preserved.
As soon as Bai Lixin reached the third floor, he sensed a vigilant gaze projected from a corner. Looking over, he saw a head quickly retracting into the corner, followed by a figure leaving stealthily.
The figure left in the same direction as their destination, which was also the direction of Exhibition Hall 35.
“Was that person a player?” Bai Lixin asked as he walked, taking the opportunity to observe the layout around the third floor.
The third floor was considerably higher than the second, about twice the height. Neatly arranged windows were embedded diagonally above the corridor, each glass made of iridescent stained glass. It looked expensive and magnificent, with some religious overtones.
As the museum’s prime floor, the third floor was somewhat unique.
The museum’s roof wasn’t entirely enclosed. The museum had a “concave” shape, with the space carved out in the middle being an open-air garden with a typical natural layout. The enclosed space around it was the museum.
Standing in the museum’s inner circle, a slight lowering of the head allowed for a comprehensive view of the delicate garden with iris-shaped lines.
The Queen statue was in the very center of the “concave” shape, and the sunlight poured in from the open-air garden. It shone on the stained glass, making light going in transparent to come out as colored light. Whether it was by design or coincidence, most of the scattered and refracted colored light fell on the Queen statue.
The Initially ordinary Queen statue instantly became filled with a sacred aura.
Bai Lixin lingered in front of the Queen statue.
In front of the approximately four-meter-high Queen statue, there was a stone-carved book, detailing the origin of this statue.
This statue was of Queen Elizabeth I and had been here for over a hundred years.
The current reigning Queen was Elizabeth III, and the Elizabeth I depicted by this statue was the grandmother of Elizabeth III.
The stone statue had a realistic style, and some facial features could still be distinguished.
Perhaps due to blood ties, the facial features on the statue bore some resemblance to the Queen he had seen a few days ago.
The facial features were similar, and the aura of nobility was also similar.
[Elizabeth I, the creator of a prosperous era.
She led the empire to a new height, showcasing the elegance of a queen with her unyielding will.
The Queen’s soul lives forever
Flowers adorn the garment, and the sun gives a kiss.
The great soul will forever defend and protect us.]
