Chapter 027
Beeihae Shinnshiow
The five of them then walked back to the backyard. When they reached the hole's edge, Shinnshiow and Yihshyong prepared to descend. At that time, the process was going much faster than before.
The basement was quite spacious. It may even be as large as the simple houses scattered throughout the city. Many houses in urban areas were less than a hundred square meters. The ceiling was also quite high, about four meters. The hole they had entered was in the back right corner of the room. That's assuming that the basement was in the backyard of a house next door to the house behind their house.
Shinnshiow tried to illuminate the entire dungeon with the flashlight he carried. The center of the room was almost empty. There was only a table and a few benches made of stone. Shinnshiow wasn't sure that it was a table. It had no legs, so it was like a stone slab. However, it did seem to function as a table. What they thought was the table even had a unique shape, namely an octagon. It seemed to be positioned according to the eight cardinal directions. The table was quite large. It was about one meter high. The farthest width of the table, from end to end, was about two meters. Shinnshiow couldn't understand how people entered the table into the dungeon in ancient times.
Several months ago, when they came down to the room, they had also seen the stone table. Just like that time, the second time they saw the thing, Shinnshiow and Yihshyong were still amazed. Some objects in the room were too heavy to fit through the holes they had entered. Another possibility is through the two doors that are there. But even that is not without problems. The two of them had absolutely no idea how the oversized table, chairs, and cupboards would get through the narrower door. For the umpteenth time, they could only shake their heads.
Shinnshiow paid close attention to the situation there. On each side of the table, there were eight chairs in total. The benches were rectangular, with each side measuring about fifty centimeters. Both the table and the bench were finely carved. Shinnshiow was definitely not a historian. Also completely clueless about antiques. However, even a fool would have guessed that the objects in the room were extremely valuable. Both in terms of art, historical, and commercial value.
On each side of the room, there were things that looked like cupboards. A few months ago, when they came down to the room, they had seen things that looked like these closets. But they had paid little attention to those things. The shape was like a locker but without a lid. So, from a distance, it looked more like a pile of boxes. There was nothing in the cupboards. Everything was empty.
In contrast to the table and benches in the center of the room, which were made of stone, the cupboards were made of wood. However, it was still heavy because the wood used as raw material was the number one quality wood. Except for the corner from which they had come, the entire room was covered with cupboard-like objects.
The four central sections of the walls on each side of the room were already exposed. The cupboards in that section have been shifted to the side by Shannchyuan, Iren, and Jenqyih. Shinnshiow and Yihshyong could see that a door led to nowhere in the middle of the west and east sides. Yihshyong knocked on the metal door.
"What are you doing?" Shinnshiow was surprised. "Behind the door, there must be a room or passage. It's an empty space. So it's definitely not rock or solid earth."
Yihshyong just laughed. "I know. I'm just looking for inspiration. Who knows, I might suddenly come up with such a good idea?"
"Maybe we should just ask our new landlord," said Shinnshiow.
"Ask about what?" Yihshyong chuckled.
"We'll ask if he knows about this room. Then if he knows about the doors on the west and east sides of this room. And most importantly, does he have the keys to these doors?" said Shinnshiow.
"Even if he knew and had the key. Do you think he would tell us?" Yihshyong sounded stifled laughter.
"I don't think so. Ha ha ha!" Shinnshiow laughed. He tried not to laugh too loudly. Although he was almost one hundred percent certain that his voice would not be heard all the way up, he still had to be careful.
Yihshyong still looked curious. He shone his flashlight at the door in front of him. The iron door had no handle. Although there is a small hole to insert the key. Yihshyong tried to look through the small circular hole in the door that had no handle.
"Can you see anything?" Shinnshiow approached Yihshyong from behind.
"I can't see anything. Everything is pitch black." Yihshyong straightened his back.
Shinnshiow walked towards the table in the center of the room. Then he sat down on one bench at the side of the table. The moment he touched the table's surface, he felt a chill in his palms. Shinnshiow rubbed the table's surface to make his palms feel slightly warm. It was then that he realized that the table's surface was not as smooth as he had previously thought. There were carvings on the surface of the table.
Shinnshiow aimed his flashlight at the carving. It turned out that there were carvings on the stone table. The carving was in the form of three horizontal lines. Each line was about twelve centimeters long. Shinnshiow then shifted to the other side of the table. He inched to the right. There were carvings there, too. Almost the same as before, there were also three lines. But the third line comprised two short horizontal lines about five centimeters long. There was a space of about two centimeters between the two horizontal lines. Shinnshiow then turned to the left side of the side where he was initially sitting. Here, Shinnshiow also found almost the same carving. Comprised three lines. The first line comprised two short horizontal lines, while the second and third lines each have a long horizontal line.
"What is it?" Yihshyong walked over to Shinnshiow.
"These engravings depict the shapes in the Hexagram!" Shinnshiow couldn't help but shout.
"Hexagrams?" Yihshyong's voice was like the shriek of a chick that had lost its mother. Apparently, he didn't understand what Shinnshiow meant.
"Right! As in Yihjing."
"Yihjing?" Yihshyong raised a hand to scratch his head. "Please explain in simpler language."
"Yihjing, the 'Book of Change,' the ancient book of fortune-telling!"
Yihshyong froze for a moment. He frowned.
"Remember yet?" Shinnshiow was so excited. To the point that he forgot that Yihshyong couldn't keep up with the pace of his thoughts. "It is one of the earliest scriptures in our ancient civilization. Initially, it was used to predict and describe the future."
"Ah! You mean that book!" Yihshyong finally remembered.
Shinnshiow knew Yihshyong was ignorant of ancient texts that date back to the time before The Great Migration. Let alone the ancient books written during the time of their ancestors still living in the old world, even Yihshyong apparently had never heard of most of the ancient books written by the people in their new world. After they lived together, Shannchyuan and Jenqyih, who were experts in history and ancient languages, often discussed these matters. They often had taught other friends about the ancient books that existed in the old world.
Yihshyong quickly stood next to Shinnshiow. He also checked the surface of the table. The two of them then checked the other sides. It turned out that there were Hexagram carvings on each side of the table. Yihshyong then ran towards the door on the east side. He shone on the door with his flashlight. On that occasion, he did so meticulously. Shinnshiow followed Yihshyong and stood to his right.
"Ah!" Yihshyong shouted.
Shinnshiow pointed his flashlight at the part of the door that Yihshyong noticed. Yihshyong was observing the top of the door. The door leaf was relatively high, which was about three meters. At the top, there was an engraving as well. It was clear that the shape of the engraving was a combination of the eight basic shapes of the Hexagram. The Hexagram has eight basic shapes. Simple was the right word to describe these basic forms. The hexagram combination combined the two basic shapes for a total of sixty-four shapes. The shape on the surface of the door leaf in front of them was six rows, each row comprising a long horizontal line.
The two of them then ran to the west wall. They found a six-line engraving in the same position on the door leaf, each line comprising two short horizontal lines. The shape was the opposite of the shape on the door on the east wall.
They cheered like children who had just received a new toy. They then sat on the benches there. Shinnshiow guessed the symbols must have something to do with the way the doors were opened.
"Now, what should we do? Go to the surface to tell our friends?" Yihshyong said as he tapped his fingers on the surface of the stone table.
"Not now," said Shinnshiow. "Our findings don't change things. We still don't know how to open these doors. So let's hold off for a moment. Let's think about it here."
The two of them then sat pensively on the cold stone benches.
"Shyongge, the carving on the door is a combination of two basic shapes. But the basic shape used is the same. The carving on the door on the east is a combination of two basic hexagram shapes in the form of three long horizontal lines, while the carving on the door on the west is a combination of two basic shapes in the form of three pairs of short horizontal lines."
"Shiowdi, maybe the meaning of the symbol is the emphasis on the basic shape of the Hexagram. So, we should only focus on the shape of three long horizontal lines for the east door, and six short horizontal lines, or what you call three pairs of short horizontal lines, for the west door."
Uh? That is a good idea!
They then checked the side of the stone table in front of them once more. At that time, they checked much more thoroughly than before. Every inch of the table did not go unnoticed by them. Not only the table's surface, but they also check the legs and the bottom of the table. But so far, they have found nothing.
Shinnshiow sat back down on the cold bench. He twirled his flashlight so that its light flashed across the walls of the room.
"Stop it. The flashlight is so dazzling!" Yihshyong shouted.
Shinnshiow laughed. He stopped his action. "There must be something we've missed."
Yihshyong asked, "when are we going back to the surface?"
Shinnshiow didn't answer. He got up and walked back to the door on the east side. Then he turned and approached the door on the west side.
"The Hexagram engraved on the top of the door is a combination of the two basic shapes. There are eight basic shapes. The combination of the two basic shapes results in sixty-four Hexagram shapes."
Yihshyong just stared at Shinnshiow. Shinnshiow felt Yihshyong was only listening to the words he had just spoken. It was clear that Yihshyong had no idea whatsoever. Maybe later, after breakfast, he can think more clearly, so Shinnshiow can invite him to discuss. But that's not a guarantee. Most likely, Yihshyong still didn't know what to say.
"According to Shyongge, why were those Hexagram combination were used, not others Hexagram combination?" Even though he knew Yihshyong could not answer, Shinnshiow kept asking.
Yihshyong just shook his head. Shinnshiow knew that there was no point in forcing Yihshyong to think under such circumstances. Unexpectedly Shinnshiow, suddenly a brilliant idea slid out of Yihshyong's mouth.
"On the top of the east door are engraved six lines, each of which is a long horizontal line. It is a combination of the same two basic shapes. The basic form is three long horizontal lines. The west door is the same, the carving is six rows each. Each row comprised two short horizontal lines. The basic form is three lines, each line comprised two short horizontal lines. Why are the two the same shape chosen? Why not different shapes? Maybe the solution lies there!"
Could that be the key to this puzzle?
"The Hexagram shape on the east door symbolizes 'Force,' while on the east door it symbolizes 'Field.' Does this have something to do with how we can open the doors, or is it about the contents of the rooms or passages behind the doors?" Shinnshiow spoke those words out loud. Of course, he asked himself. He didn't expect Yihshyong to answer the question.
"What if the two identical shapes stacked together don't represent a combination of Hexagrams? But it illustrates that there are two things being talked about?" Yihshyong said.
Shinnshiow listened to Yihshyong's words as he again shone the flashlight at the door and the ceiling. Then he gasped. "The base shape on the east door symbolizes 'heaven' while the base shape on the west door symbolizes 'earth.' If the two basic forms of heaven are combined, it symbolizes 'force', while the combination of the basic forms of 'earth' symbolizes 'field.' So, according to Shyongge, it is possible that the shape of the carving on the east door does not symbolize 'force' but symbolizes two 'heavens'. While the shape of the carving on the west door also does not symbolize the 'field,' but two' earths.'"
"But what are the two 'heavens' and the two 'earths'?" Yihshyong muttered.
Shinnshiow ran towards the stone table. Yihshyong followed him.
"The 'heaven' and 'earth' engravings are on this table. Maybe in this room there are other places that contain 'heaven' and 'earth' carvings as well," said Shinnshiow.
"We can't possibly drag all the cupboards on the four walls of this room to check every inch of the wall behind it. That is definitely a time-consuming and labor-intensive thing," said Yihshyong.
Shyongge is right. Our time is minimal. But, at least we have to try!
Shinnshiow groped the part of the wall that had not previously been covered by the wardrobe-like objects, namely the corner they had come from earlier. The wall was made of concrete, which looked very solid. So it's not made of stone like the octagonal table in the middle of the room. Shinnshiow muttered, "Which part of this room is made of stone, just like that table?"
Suddenly, Shinnshiow jolted like an electric shock. He rushed back to the table. There, he immediately kneeled and examined the bench in front of the side of the table. The benches were also made of stone. Carefully, Shinnshiow examined every inch of the bench. The bench was rectangular. At the bottom of the side of the bench facing the table, Shinnshiow found the basic shape of the Hexagram engraved there.
Yihshyong also checked the other benches. In the same position, he also saw the carving of the basic Hexagram shape. They both cheered again, like when they had just found the Hexagram engraving on the top of the two doors. But it's not over yet. They had found the two 'heavens' and the two 'earths' in question but did not know what the connection between the two of them was with how to open a locked door.
Finally, Shinnshiow said, "I think it's time we tell them about our discovery. Maybe after knowing this, they'll have a better idea."
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