As soon as Zhang Chengyue returned to school, all the classmates who saw him exclaimed and asked what he had been doing during this time. Zhang Chengyue had already read the information that Amy gave him in the car, so based on the above remarks, roughly

He talked about his internship at the Institute of Archeology.

Students majoring in archeology express their envy. They are worried that their major is not practical and they may be unemployed after graduation. If they want to work in an institution such as a research institute, they may not be able to do so even if they have a master's degree. They have to study for a doctorate.

How can one get an internship in a research institute just after completing an undergraduate degree? I’m afraid the low-key Zhang Chengyue doesn’t have any good acquaintances...

After Zhang Chengyue said goodbye to his classmates, he called home to report that he was safe. His parents blamed him for not calling for so long, so Zhang Chengyue could only vaguely say that the institute had confidentiality rules...

School had just started when he and Pengpeng disappeared, and now the final exam was about to take place, so he had to catch up on his classes.

Unfortunately, he met Professor A again on the road. The professor asked him to submit two additional papers, and they would be required the day after tomorrow. Zhang Chengyue reluctantly agreed.

When he returned to his dormitory, it was almost dinner time. His dormmate wanted to invite him to McDonald's, but Zhang Chengyue declined. He had a meal in the cafeteria and hurried back to write his thesis.

What topic should I write about? The ancient artifact of destiny? The Balbek Space Base in Cedar Mountain? The fire-breathing biomechanical dragon Humbaba? Zhang Chengyue’s mind is full of these things now. It would be strange if he didn’t be regarded as a lunatic when he wrote it!

After much deliberation, he decided to write one article, "A Study of the Ancient Writings of Uruk", and another article, "The Evolution of Pottery in the Early Dynasty of Mesopotamia".

It only took him one night to finish two papers because there were still many things waiting for him to do.

The second day back to school was still hectic and busy. Zhang Chengyue finished dealing with a bunch of messy things and looked at Wang Peng's empty bed in a daze. Pengpeng was different from his script. The mysterious agency actually suspended him from school directly! This is a return

Does it mean that it is already far away?

To be honest, I really envy Pengpeng. When he returned to modern times, Zhang Chengyue was a little uncomfortable. In ancient times, he was a powerful magician, a hero respected by everyone, a prophet and right-hand man trusted by the king, but now... he is thirsty.

Even if he wants to move the cup in the distance with his mind, he has lost the aura of the protagonist and has completely turned back into an ordinary person.

Modern times are also very good. There are warm cares from his parents on the other end of the phone. Hot water flows when he takes a bath. A large number of videos, games and novels are waiting for him. Mutton skewers, McDonald's, karaoke bars and movie theaters are waiting for him on the street.

I waved but I always felt empty inside.

In my memory, I remember the scorching sunshine, the small adobe houses, the city full of waterways and date palm trees, the shirtless muscular men and women wearing white linen skirts all over the streets, and the golden view from the palace wall.

Figures...these scenes are deeply imprinted in Zhang Chengyue's mind, like a hometown he cannot return to.

If you ask him whether he thinks it is better in ancient times or now? I am afraid it is difficult to answer.

It’s the same as asking someone whether it’s better to be a child or an adult.

Zhang Chengyue was upset, so he opened the "Epic of Gilgamesh" he bought and flipped through it casually.

Looking back on the past, Gilgamesh defeated Kish all the way, obtained the holy book, obtained the kingship, and finally explored the kingdom of God, defeated Humbaba and the Bull of the Sky, pushing his life to the pinnacle, but rejected Inanna and killed Humbaba.

It was also the beginning of his decline.

He thought: If I go back in time and do it all over again, can I change Gilgamesh's life to be more perfect? ​​Should I persuade him not to go to Cedar Mountain? That way we can always live a carefree life in Uruk.

worry about life.

But wouldn’t that be boring? If you don’t go to Cedar Mountain, you won’t be able to see the Kingdom of God, and you won’t be able to find the Everlasting Grass in the end.

And will Gilgamesh always keep his peace? Reason tells him that he should stick to his duty under God's rules and not cross the threshold; but his heart is eager to explore all the unknowns, eager to climb to higher places and stand

Looking forward on the shoulders of God, your eyes reach a magnificent world that ordinary people cannot imagine.

This is human beings. Would you say that they are overly curious and never satisfied? But this desire drives human beings to continue to develop to this day regardless of their own safety.

I also have the same burning heart of exploration, so together with Gilgamesh, I broke into the Kingdom of God with my blood boiling and my head spinning!

Or I should travel back in time to the time when I just defeated Humbaba, and urge Gilgamesh not to refuse Inanna's saying that success is nothing but failure, and Inanna can help him win the kingship, or she can make him fall to the bottom, God is right

Such is the master of destiny.

At this time, Zhang Chengyue couldn't help but smile bitterly. Such a beautiful thought, can I just travel back to that node? Can history really be modified at will? In the end, I still have to rely on that research institute to send me back...

Forget it, it’s useless to think too much. There is another exam tomorrow morning. After the exam, go back to the institute in the afternoon!

The next day, after Zhang Chengyue finished his exam, he packed up his stationery and was about to leave. Professor A stopped him in the corridor: "Xiao Zhang, don't leave yet. I've already read your paper."

Zhang Chengyue scratched his head and said to the professor: "If you don't write well, please give me a gentle criticism..."

Professor A pushed up his glasses and said, "No, actually your writing is not bad, but there are some issues that need to be paid attention to."

"Please give instructions..." Zhang Chengyue bowed and said.

Professor A teaches archeology, but he studies Chinese archeology and doesn’t know much about the archeology of West Asia, so he pondered for a moment and said: "What do you think about the pottery and writings of Mesopotamia 5,000 years ago?"

The description is very detailed, which is good, especially regarding cuneiform writing. I can't give you any advice. However, when writing a paper, you must have a 'source'. For the examples you cited above, what year and which archaeological excavation were they made?

The result? Your explanation of the grammar and meaning of ancient texts comes from which scholar and which monograph? It can’t be all your own ideas, right? You have to list all of these, so that your paper will be rigorous enough."

"Yes, yes, you are right, I should add those references and citations." Zhang Chengyue replied, but his heart was filled with tears. How could his knowledge be dug out by archeology or researched by scholars?

, are all things he saw and learned in Uruk, otherwise he would not have been able to write two articles in one night. Now if he is asked to supplement this information, where can he piece it together?

Professor A patted him on the shoulder and said: "Xiao Zhang, I can see that you are passionate about the archeology of West Asia. I wonder if you plan to choose this as your academic direction in the future?"

Zhang Chengyue nodded seriously and said, "Of course I do."

The professor smiled: "Yeah, it's good to be enthusiastic, but...well, I don't want to discourage you. As far as I know, Assyriology (the collective name for the study of Sumer and Assyria-Babylonia) has a major in Assyriology.

There are no more than 10 professional scholars in the country. It can be said to be an aristocratic knowledge (that is, the knowledge that the nobles only study when they are rich and have too much time to spare)! I have a friend, Professor Liu, who once studied Assyriology in the United States.

He is a scholar in the United States who can piece together fragments of clay tablets to interpret cuneiform every day in the institute. If you are interested in this knowledge, I can give you Professor Liu's contact information. If you have any questions, you can ask him directly.

"

Zhang Chengyue said happily: "Okay, thank you, Professor!"
Chapter completed!