Chapter 237: The President and the Demon!
Decoding the Runes
The characters on the stone jar were not static; they changed over time. Thus, simple copying turned into an arduous task. It took Zatanna two hours to complete the transcription of all the symbols on the jar.
Looking at the table full of A4 sheets, Luke said, speechless,
"What do we do now?"
Zatanna replied in a deep voice, "Every sheet contains a piece of information. I need to combine them to get the final answer."
"Give me a room."
Luke spread his hands. "The entire villa is yours."
A Test of Allegiance
In the White House in Washington, Amanda immediately went to the Oval Office after returning.
Joel Nash was discussing foreign policy in the Middle East with the Secretary of State. Judging by their voices, the two seemed to have a major disagreement. Joel Nash wanted to use a tougher approach to demonstrate strength, preferably starting a war, to make the terrorists hiding in the Middle East feel what true fear was like.
Secretary of State Berland disagreed with the President. The Middle East situation was complicated, and many countries were involved due to oil reserves. Blindly starting a war would only lead to greater conflict, potentially even causing allied nations to turn against them.
Joel Nash refused to listen, loudly roaring. He could be heard clearly even outside the door. After a short while, Berland emerged sheepishly. Seeing Amanda at the door, he turned and left without a word.
Amanda knocked on the door.
"Hello, Mr. President."
"Come in."
Amanda closed the door and sat down with a serious and respectful demeanor.
Joel Nash put away his documents and asked flatly, "Jason told me you went to see Luke Shaw again."
"Yes."
"How did the conversation go?"
"He is very cunning and is unwilling to reveal his thoughts before the election ends. However, I did learn something else: the Sun God Pyramid in the Swamp Forest contained quite a lot of treasure, with a total value of nearly three hundred million. Among the jewels were several precious items, the most eye-catching of which were four gems."
Joel Nash asked curiously, "What kind of gems?"
"Red, purple, blue, and cyan. Four colors, each about the size of an egg."
"That is rare indeed," Joel Nash commented, then asked, "Aside from the gems, was there anything else?"
"He was unwilling to disclose too much, but my contact inside the FBI told me that besides the gold and silver jewelry, the FBI also found a stone jar and a crystal vial filled with purple liquid in the pyramid's secret room."
As she spoke, Amanda deliberately slowed her pace, keeping her eyes lowered, but watching the President with her peripheral vision. Sure enough, the moment he heard "stone jar," his face visibly changed, and his relaxed right hand instantly clenched into a fist.
Joel Nash took a sip of coffee, asking casually,
"Why would the crystal vial and the stone jar be placed with the gold and silver jewelry?"
Amanda shook her head. "I don't know the specifics. Jack Harvey is investigating. He wants to unlock the stone jar's secret. There is also a rumor that the stone jar possesses mysterious power, and that characters appear on its surface. By discerning the secret of these characters, they can uncover the truth behind the situation. Of course, these are just rumors and should not be easily believed."
Joel Nash couldn't sit still. He hadn't expected them to investigate this far. If this continued, things could truly go wrong. He was thoroughly unsettled but forced himself to maintain composure.
"Well done. You truly are the founder of A.R.G.U.S. After the election, I will propose to Congress that A.R.G.U.S. become an official department, like the FBI and CIA, specializing in dealing with supernatural events and aliens. I believe that with your ability, you will certainly excel."
Amanda immediately stood up. "I will not disappoint you, Mr. President."
Joel Nash motioned for her to sit down, speaking with a serious tone.
"The operation in the Swamp Forest angered me deeply. I never imagined they would actually suspect me of conspiring with a cult and spread unsubstantiated rumors. That old man is hateful; he's desperate to drive me out of the presidency."
Amanda agreed. "Jack Harvey has lost the most basic moral consciousness required of a law enforcement officer. He is blinded by prejudice and is unfit to continue serving in such an important position as FBI Director."
"You are absolutely right."
Joel Nash leaned back in his chair, his expression cold. "This is not the first time something like this has happened. I have tolerated it many times over the years. This time, I cannot tolerate it anymore. No one can slander me."
"I want you to take over the Serpent Spirit Society case. Investigate the cause, process, and outcome of the case thoroughly."
Amanda stood up. "I guarantee I will complete the mission, however..."
Her tone shifted, and a hint of hesitation appeared on her face.
"If you have any concerns, speak freely."
Amanda lowered her voice. "The FBI is the highest intelligence agency in the U.S. Jack Harvey's rank is far above mine. Even with your direct order, he may not cooperate, or he may even obstruct me. If he does that, I have no recourse."
While this was ostensibly a complaint, her true purpose was to test the President, to see how much the stone jar mattered to Joel Nash—whether it was more important than his own life.
She was right.
The moment she finished speaking, a layer of frost appeared on Joel Nash's face, and his eyes narrowed, emitting a chilling, knife-like glare. In that moment, he exuded a strange sense of pressure.
"Go all out. No matter what happens, I will cover for you."
Amanda's expression stiffened for a second, then she said loudly,
"Understood, Mr. President. I will thoroughly investigate the case's entire process and bring back all the confiscated contraband. I will not disappoint you."
"Good. Go now."
Amanda adjusted her clothes and left the office. The moment she stepped out the door, the respect vanished from her face, replaced by an expression of extreme coldness. She had only suspected Luke's deduction and wasn't entirely certain, but after the conversation, all her doubts vanished.
Damn Joel Nash! As President, he actually has ties to a cult.
Every time she thought of this, Amanda couldn't control the growing killing intent.
She hated everything non-human, especially a being like a demon that specialized in tricking people and causing disasters. Joel Nash must die; he absolutely could not be re-elected.
After leaving the White House, Amanda immediately called Luke and briefly repeated the conversation and her judgment.
On the other side, Luke, who had received the update, leaned back on the sofa. On the table in front of him lay a deciphered text Zatanna had translated from the runes. The writing was awkward, but it roughly translated to:
The beginning of calamity, the fate of twins;
One body, two souls, without beginning or end.
"This is truly interesting."
Luke couldn't help but laugh. He had thought Joel Nash was merely a puppet being manipulated, but it turned out that he was the most deeply hidden character of all.
The Demon Ghast. The President of the United States.
No wonder you fought me so desperately. It wasn't you at all.
But this time, you won't escape.
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