Arknights: Studying medicine can't save Terra

"This is our first time meeting."

"But your deeds are not hard to find."

"How can you tell how much of it is true and how much is false? Let's put that aside for now."

The Pope gestured for Qi Yan and Andorn to take their seats.

After the two were seated, he poured them freshly squeezed juice and began chatting casually as if they were friends:

"If nothing unexpected happens, the two of you will meet first, and I believe Qi Yan will definitely share a lot of important information."

“He has already revealed some of the nature of the law to me,” Andorn said without hiding anything.

"Hey! I'll just give you a tiny bit of information." Qi Yan quickly emphasized, "I'm also very curious about that machine. Don't forget to take me to see it after you're done talking about it."

Pope: "...You call this a tiny bit?"

Andorn tried his best to maintain a calm demeanor.

Even though he already knew from Qi Yan that the existence of the law might be a cruel and false pursuit for Sarkaz, the cold word "machine" still made Andorn feel a sense of desolation when it came from Qi Yan's mouth.

There was a sigh.

The Pope looked somewhat wistful and said with a touch of melancholy:

"Qi Yan, you can certainly meet him if you want, but I'm still not sure if Andon is a suitable candidate. In the current situation, there's really no atmosphere for us to verify each other's identities."

"Andorn is qualified, so go ahead and do it without worry. I won't be responsible if anything goes wrong," Qi Yan assured him, patting his chest.

The Pope nodded, but then suddenly realized something was wrong and almost became a spiritual Liberian citizen on the spot.

Picking up the glass full of juice, the Pope forcibly swallowed the "ah" that was about to come out of his mouth.

Then he spoke again:

"Qi Yan, you have already answered Andorn's questions. Before I have an audience with the Law Master, could you please answer one of my questions as well?"

Qi Yan looked surprised: "I thought you, old Deng, were sitting here like you were in charge, knowing everything perfectly well. You also have doubts?"

The Pope nodded, looked at Qi Yan seriously, and asked:

"I want to hear the truth buried in history from you. I want to know the reason why Sakota and Sarkaz split back then."

Hearing this, Qi Yan was at a loss.

He knows nothing.

"As the Pope, do you really not have any of these traditions passed down to you?" Qi Yan retorted.

"You could say it's the wear and tear of history, or you could say it's a flaw in religion," the Pope explained. "The written records about this matter are as ambiguous as revelations, allowing later generations to interpret it in any way they see fit."

"So, history is already untraceable?" Qi Yan asked again to confirm.

The Pope nodded earnestly.

Qi Yan straightened his back slightly, and instantly felt more confident.

Since you really don't know, that makes things easier!

Chapter 1003 'The Truth in History'

This is a story that has been completely submerged in the long river of history.

In a somewhat dilapidated village called Kazdel on the continent of Terra.

Two people with unusual racial characteristics meet.

"You came."

"I am coming."

"You shouldn't have come."

"But I'm still here."

After a brief opening, the two looked at each other with serious expressions, but in the end, their gazes fell on the wooden box in each other's hands.

"Looks like you succeeded."

"Each each other."

"Then... let us witness it."

Overwhelmed with suppressed excitement, the two squatted down.

A person took out a rough linen blanket and various types of fired pottery bowls and chopsticks from a wooden box.

The man introduced himself with a hint of pride:

"These are techniques I learned from the relics I dug up from the ground. They are called textiles and pottery. With these, it will be much easier for us to eat in the future."

The other person silently opened their wooden box, revealing soft, white, and springy food inside.

He raised the corner of his mouth slightly and said confidently:

"The skills you've learned are certainly important, but without the one skill I taught you, the unparalleled delicacy called tofu pudding, your utensils are nothing but soulless objects."

"Heh, it seems we haven't been able to determine a winner again."

The two exchanged a glance, both revealing a mutual appreciation in their eyes.

They then stopped wasting their energy on the argument and excitedly began to share the tofu pudding using ceramic bowls and chopsticks.

After a hearty meal, the two sat contentedly on a linen blanket, enjoying the breeze.

One person licked his lips and sighed:

"Tofu pudding will surely become a great invention that benefits this land."

The other person chuckled and said, "Your textiles and pottery are not bad either."

"Thank you, but I think that although tofu pudding is good, with a smooth texture and a natural fragrance, it still lacks a bit of stimulation."

"What a coincidence, I think so too."

The two looked at each other again and both felt that the other was indeed their confidant.

Without the slightest hesitation, the two simultaneously voiced their thoughts.

"I think it should be saltier!"

"I think it should be sweeter!"

The atmosphere instantly became suffocatingly oppressive.

The two looked at each other in disbelief, and then their faces gradually turned red.

"What nonsense are you spouting! How could this thing possibly be sweet?!"

"I'd also like to say this to you: Tofu pudding must be sweet!"

Without any procrastination, the moment the argument erupted, it reached a dead end that was destined to be irreconcilable.

Two friends who had a love-hate relationship for years parted ways, each gathering their own supporters to begin a power struggle. As the techniques of making tofu pudding and pottery spread, the conflict intensified...

In the cathedral room, as Qi Yan finished his narration, the room became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Qi Yan picked up the juice in front of him, took an elegant sip, and left his final comment:

"Two people who once shared the same ideals ended up going their separate ways. It's tragic and lamentable. Who could have known that the unearthed ruins were like a Pandora's box? Once opened, this land would never have peace again."

The Pope lowered his head slightly, obscuring his expression, but the way he gripped the juice glass tightly was enough to tell him his mood at that moment.

The Pope lowered his head and said softly, "Your Excellency Qi Yan...why..."

Andorn's lips twitched twice, and he quickly tried to act as a mediator:

"Qi Yan probably just wanted to make a joke and lighten the mood..."

"Why must this land have savory tofu pudding!" the Pope suddenly erupted, interrupting Andorn. "I cannot tolerate it, I'm sorry, I simply cannot tolerate the existence of such heresy!"

I'm gradually understanding everything!

"Saints who are walking on this land for the first time, I, Ivangelista XI, have heard your unwavering resolve that cannot be extinguished even by countless ages. The Sarkaz will not be defeated; the Sarkaz... will ultimately achieve absolute victory!"

Andorn: ?!

Startled, Andorn jumped to his feet and instinctively called out towards the door:

"Quickly, where are the medical staff?"

"No need to shout anymore."

The Pope took a deep breath to calm his agitated emotions: "In order to welcome your arrival, I have dismissed all irrelevant people, and I am fine. After all, I am a man of the world."

"Are you really alright?" Andorn asked, somewhat suspiciously.

"I'm really fine."

The Pope gestured for Andorn to calm down, then looked at Qi Yan with a serious expression and confirmed:

"Could you tell me if you prefer savory or sweet flavors?"

Andorn: "..."

He felt it would be better to find medical staff.

Didn't they say the Rhodes Island people had already arrived?

It might not be too late to ask them now.

Just as Andorn was pondering, Qi Yan replied:

"I eat spicy food."

The atmosphere instantly became suffocatingly oppressive.

The two looked at Qi Yan in disbelief, and then their faces gradually flushed.

"Heretic! You are the real heretic!"

"Qi Yan, what are you talking about?!"

Without any transition, the moment the argument erupted, it reached... the ending of 'the ordinary is joy'.

Under Qi Yan's watchful, slightly menacing gaze, the two who had just been caught up in their excitement instantly calmed down, sitting obediently in their respective chairs like attentive elementary school students in class.

"Look at you all, you're all grown up, yet you act like elementary school kids," Qi Yan admonished. "As people, you have to learn to be brave enough to try new things. How will you know it won't work if you don't try?"

The corners of their mouths twitched violently; they wanted to curse, but dared not.

Just as the pope and his companion were about to be driven mad by the urge to speak their minds, there was a knock on the door.

A woman's voice came from outside the door.

“Your Holiness, I know you are holding an extremely important meeting, but you previously instructed me that when the last delegation enters Lateran, I must report to you immediately, even if the sky were to fall.”

"They've finally arrived," the Pope sighed.

Qi Yan couldn't help but raise an eyebrow:

"Is this the real arrangement you mentioned, as Violet has been talking about?"

The Pope was clearly not in a good state; he seemed to be under some indescribable pressure and was somewhat dazed. He failed to realize that Qi Yan was completely unaware of his arrangements.

He stood up, supporting himself on the armrest of the chair, and said regretfully to Andorn:

"The moment has finally arrived. The audience with the law will have to be postponed. I hope you can understand."

Andorn looked at the Pope with suspicion and uncertainty.

He realized that the Pope at this moment was different from the man possessed by the eccentric person who had just been caught up in the debate between salty and sweet. The Pope was now truly in a state of inner turmoil, and the anxiety and repression he felt were beyond what could be expressed in words.

"Please come with me. At least, I hope you two can accompany me on this last leg of my journey."

The Pope turned and walked toward the door.

Andorn glanced tentatively at Qi Yan, but the latter could only shrug and give him a helpless look.

On the main street of Lateran, this street is the main thoroughfare leading to the cathedral.

The streets, usually bustling with people, have seen a surge in traffic due to the recent international summit. People of all races mingle, and under the influence of Lateran's peaceful atmosphere, they unconsciously relax their usually tense emotions and enjoy the tranquility that this holy city cherishes.

A black minivan was parked at the edge of the street, with the cathedral entrance just ahead.

Wearing the uniform of a messenger from all nations, Sakta stiffly pushed open the driver's side door, walked step by step to the back door, and reached out to open the door for the messenger inside.