Chapter 236: Profound Family Knowledge!
The Magical Artifact
Criminal psychology is a fascinating subject. Luke spent two months studying it when he was four years old and found it highly beneficial.
People possess a kind of hopeful optimism, and when faced with life-and-death situations, this psychology is amplified infinitely, turning into a kind of obsession.
Luke didn't know Joel Nash's secret, but he was certain that the pyramid contained something he, or the person behind him, cared deeply about. This item could be in the possession of the FBI, or it could be with Luke.
Having settled on this idea, Luke and Amanda instantly had a plan. They whispered together for half an hour, working out all the details, and then separated. Amanda returned to the White House to sound out Joel Nash, while Luke went to Base No. 2.
The gold, silver, and jewels retrieved from the pyramid were stored in the vault. Luke checked them one by one. After filtering them, his attention settled on the four gems and the stone jar. The gems were all exquisite, highly valuable, and reflected bright light under the lamps.
"Ava, examine the internal structure of the gems. I need their isotopic spectrum and molecular structure."
"Understood, Young Master."
Driven by an energy field, the gems were sent into the analyzer. Soon, their microscopic structure was presented as a three-dimensional model on the virtual screen. Luke examined it carefully several times and shook his head in disappointment.
"Jadeite! Jadeite with no energy."
"Aside from being pretty and pleasant to look at, they're useless." He then checked the other three gems, with the same result: all were useless luxury goods.
Since the gems were not the key, the only thing left was the stone jar.
The Red Jar of Klytus! The artifact used to seal the demon Ghast. Without a doubt, this was the item.
Luke picked up the stone jar and placed it into the analyzer. A dazzling electric spark flashed, and the analyzer cracked open, destroyed by the energy burst from the jar.
The jar's surface glowed, and dense, mysterious symbols appeared.
"Ava, what do these symbols mean?"
"Apologies, Young Master. None of the four hundred known languages match these symbols. However, I found something interesting: the energy field released by the stone jar is very similar to the invisible field emitted by magicians like Zatanna. The difference is that the intensity of its field is several thousand times stronger than theirs."
Luke stroked his chin, musing aloud, "You mean the stone jar is a magical item?"
"It's highly probable."
Adam's Delivery Service
In Keystone City, after Luke left, Zatanna did not return to the circus. Instead, she started a frenzied buying spree in the bustling central city. The trip to the forest brought her a cash income of seven hundred thousand dollars.
Seven hundred thousand! Zatanna had never received that much spending money in her entire life.
Thus, the girl, loaded with cash, began a life consumed by material desires. Brand-name perfumes, handbags, clothes, and jewelry that she previously couldn't afford were all bought up. She dressed herself in a dazzling and expensive fashion. She even accepted an invitation from a young heir to attend a socialite banquet and met more heirs through interesting magic tricks at the banquet.
All of a sudden, Zatanna became the focus of Keystone City's young elite circle, with many admirers.
Zatanna, however, remained elusive, using her rich social experience and magical tricks to keep these naive simpletons dancing around her, and even extorted a handsome commission from them. Life was truly interesting!
Zatanna cheerfully clutched her Hermès bag stuffed with checks. That day, after enjoying lunch with a young heir who had just graduated from Harvard, she emerged from the restaurant, only to crash into a literal mountain.
Seeing that expressionless face and emotionless eyes, the girl involuntarily shivered.
"A... Adam! What are you doing here?"
"Young Master needs to see you!"
"No way!" Zatanna cried out like a startled rabbit. "I have an event tonight, I can't go."
"Young Master doesn't like to wait."
The overbearing statement annoyed the heir standing nearby. He stepped forward, blocking Zatanna like a knight of old. Looking up, he said arrogantly, "Big man, show respect to a lady. Didn't you hear her? Miss Zatanna is attending a banquet with me tonight. She doesn't have time to see your 'Young Master.' Please leave. If your Young Master is unhappy, tell him to come himself."
Adam extended an unusually large hand, grabbed the heir's collar, and tossed him out like trash.
Bang!
After flying several meters, the heir slammed heavily onto the flagstones, feeling sharp pain as if his entire body was coming apart.
Having done this, Adam simply glanced at Zatanna, turned, and left, completely ignoring the horrified stares of the surrounding people.
The girl was extremely embarrassed. After a moment, she apologized to the young heir, lifted her skirt, and quickly followed Adam.
The Divine Runes
Four hours later, Zatanna appeared outside a country villa. Seeing Luke Shaw at the door, she couldn't help but roar,
"Luke Shaw, listen to me! I am not a tool. Next time you need me for something, you'd better be polite! And this big simpleton—I don't want to see him again. He's scarier than a demon."
Luke glanced at her bag, jewelry, and clothes, shaking his head with a 'tsk.' Women are all the same.
"Come in. I have a problem I need you to handle."
"I can help, but it will cost at least two hundred thousand. Otherwise, forget it."
Zatanna walked into the villa, shouting, and let out a surprised 'hmm' when she saw the glowing stone jar on the table.
"Such strong magical power."
"What is this?"
"The jar that sealed the demon Ghast, also known as the Red Jar of Klytus."
"Did you call me here for this?"
"Yes. The stone jar should be a magical item. I don't know much about magic, so I had to find a professional."
Luke sat down on the sofa and snapped his fingers. A blue energy wave struck the stone jar. Its light suddenly intensified, and dense, mysterious characters appeared on its surface.
"Do you recognize these characters?"
Zatanna picked up the magnifying glass on the table and observed closely. The more she looked, the more astonished she became. She subconsciously grabbed a pencil and copied the characters onto a piece of paper. Soon, a sheet of A4 paper was covered with dense characters.
Luke watched with interest without speaking, only opening his mouth after all the characters were copied.
"You can read these characters?"
Zatanna shook her head with a serious expression. "These aren't characters; they are Divine Runes that reveal the nature of magic. They are fundamentally different from writing. They're more like mathematical equations. They require a special method of interpretation to combine and arrange the different Divine Runes to get the meaning hidden within."
"You know the interpretation method?"
"My father taught me when I was little."
Luke was speechless. The girl before him was the best example of a profound family tradition. She could instantly recognize symbols that even a Super AI couldn't comprehend. Truly worthy of being one of the leading figures in the DC world's magic scene—her knowledge reserve is unmatched.
Since she could understand it, things would be much easier.
🗒️NOTE:
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MistaQuartz
Explore up to 20 chapters in advance!