Starting from the mountain villa, bypassing the Holy Seat Mansion under renovation, not far from the Half Moon Theater, is the Hall of Heroes.

It is a square-shaped building, with four corridors and a central open-air cemetery and monument forming the entire Hall of Heroes.

Here not only are the heroes of the Thousand River Valley War honored, but also individuals aligning with Holy Sect values are included.

Figures like Juanuo, Danji, Frick, and Patrick have statues within.

Even including Falan and Norn people, as long as they made outstanding contributions benefiting believers.

The sculptor artists of the Holy Alliance take pride in having their works selected for the Hall of Heroes.

However, at this moment, the Hall of Heroes open to the public had only one door remaining.

The entire second floor was closed, with Night Watchers in black clothing and wearing copper badges standing guard.

Citizens sheltered under the eaves from the rain wiped the rainwater off their faces with handkerchiefs, guessing what might have happened.

Was it theft, or a murder?

But as a figure sunk into the shoulders of guards walked in, the citizens realized—oh, the Pope has arrived.

"May His Holiness always be well!"

"Devout! Devout!"

Some more enthusiastic citizens and soldiers immediately waved and shouted towards Horn.

Horn waved towards the crowd, leading a group of nearly two-meter tall strong men to open the bronze door with a spiral pattern, entering a second-floor exhibition room.

The curator of the Hall of Heroes is Sangpo, formerly Danji’s attendant.

After Danji died in battle, Sangpo also went to war, only to have his leg trampled and broken by a horse on his first battle.

"Sangpo, are you sure it’s not the Black Snake Bay wizards causing trouble again?"

Wiping the rain off his neck with a handkerchief, Horn smiled and asked Sangpo.

Previously, Sangpo swore to Horn that the Dragon Head was resurrected, the Dragon Soul revived.

Eventually, investigation revealed it was a few Black Snake Bay wizards scared people in the exhibit at night, intentionally after being criticized by Sangpo during the day.

The wizards ended up eating jail food in the Night Watch Hall’s prison for a week and sweeping streets for another week before things settled.

This incident was joked about by other elders for several months, still being mentioned now.

"I guarantee with my position as curator, this time I’ve seriously checked, there aren’t any of those bastards!"

Using a crutch, Sangpo argued angrily, limping as he led Horn towards the artifact room.

The so-called artifact room exhibits ancient artifacts passed down through noble families for millennia with cultural and artistic value.

As for how these noble artifacts ended up here, don’t worry about it.

In the artifact room, the top three treasures are the Holy Cabinet, Dragon Head, and Crown.

The Holy Cabinet was inherited by Horn from Puliano Pope after winning an argument against Grandiva.

Dragon Head was dug up from the ancestor’s grave during the Divine Punishment Army’s conquest of Black Snake Bay’s eastern county in the attack on Jade Bud City.

The Crown’s origin is even simpler, a coronet passed down for a thousand years from the Leia Kingdom, going as far back as the Seven Hills Kingdom era—

Gifted by King Jiji.

When Horn arrived at the artifact room, Hilov, Kerben, Akatean, and Xie Li had already arrived ahead of time.

To be precise, they arrived as soon as the incident occurred.

Horn came after finishing official duties, being the last to arrive.

"How is it? Any clues from research?" Horn asked the crowd around the glass.

Those who arrived earlier nodded in greeting, ignoring Horn’s words.

Instead, Xie Li couldn’t stand it and spoke up: "Such a miracle hasn’t appeared in the records of past Popes."

"I recall didn’t several records mention the Holy Cabinet glowing at night?"

"Mixed with the luminescent water of the ice-red bird, the real records lack this aspect."

"Oh?" Horn was intrigued, squeezing to the front row.

Watching Horn’s back, Xie Li’s eyes were unsure and suspicious, this Holy Cabinet has been in Holy Seat City for thousands of years.

Unmoving even if you worshiped it three times nine times, and not even a "coincidental" falling stone could damage it.

Yet after arriving in Thousand River Valley, first the Holy Cabinet fell into water, mysteriously fished out by Horn using a net.

Earlier it could still be said as coincidence.

But now the Holy Cabinet is flying, can it still be dismissed as coincidence?

Xie Li discreetly glanced at the Holy Mark on Horn’s neck, swallowing his saliva secretly and loosing his collar.

He suddenly felt a bit breathless.

Moving through the crowd, Horn reached the front row, finally witnessing the live scene of the flying Holy Cabinet.

In the Gospel, it’s recorded that before Miseria ascended to heaven, she placed the key to Paradise Mountain inside the Holy Cabinet.

And she informed Saint George, keeper of the Holy Cabinet, that on Judgment Day, the Holy Cabinet will open automatically, guiding billions of believers toward eternal bliss.

However now, through the barrier and glass, one can see the golden Holy Cabinet under the lights. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

It’s a roughly shoebox-sized cube bronze box, square and one-piece made.

No openings, no lid, no mechanism to open it.

At present, the Holy Cabinet can be seen floating in the air, unmoving.

Though called bronze, Horn inspected after receiving it, the green was actually church-painted green paint.

Washing off this layer of green paint, the golden box underneath is exposed, never showing patina regardless of how long it stays.

After acquiring, Horn had it checked but found nothing.

Besides, being an artifact of its size, it has valuable collection and exhibition worth, he never considered destroying it, there’s no need.

At that moment, their attention was entirely absorbed by the angel’s tear candle.

"Can this glass and barrier be opened?" Horn tapped the thick glass with his hand.

"Certainly." Sangpo pulled out a large ring of keys from his waist, squinting to identify symbols before finding the correct key.

The barrier opened, Horn stepped forward to rush in but was blocked by the guards.

Large guards entered first, thoroughly inspecting around and on the Holy Cabinet, then allowed Horn to approach.

The Holy Cabinet on the wooden countertop hovered approximately thirty centimeters above, silent and eerie.

It didn’t sway at all, as if an invisible pair of hands were holding it below.

Sweeping his hand over the Holy Cabinet, above and below, confirming no optical illusion.

Circling the Holy Cabinet, Horn puckered his lips, blowing at the floating cabinet to see if it could be moved.

Only when his breath touched the Holy Cabinet, the perfectly seamless one-piece cabinet unexpectedly made a cracking sound.

Gazing at the sudden, noticeable crack on the Holy Cabinet’s surface, Horn stepped back twice: "Hey, wasn’t me, I didn’t touch it, huh, trying to frame me..."

Horn’s explanation was unheard, everyone’s gaze was frozen on the Holy Cabinet.

The legendary Holy Cabinet, said to only open on Judgment Day, had shockingly—cracked open at this moment.

Golden bronze panels rose into thin air, remaining four panels unfolded like petals, also floating, swirling around the central base like satellites.

As for Horn, before he could see what was inside, he was carried from the iron barrier by guards under their arms.

But even more unexpectedly, the Holy Cabinet followed out of the exhibition area, maintaining a not-too-near not-too-far distance from Horn.

Seeing the Holy Cabinet approaching, guards quickened their pace, the Holy Cabinet pursued shadow-like, you run I chase.

"Wait, wait, put me down." Horn beat on the guard’s arm, "It’s the Pope’s decree, put me down!"

The guard reluctantly let Horn down, the cracked Holy Cabinet stopped in turn.

Only now did Horn clearly see what was inside the Holy Cabinet.