Since acquiring a vast amount of knowledge and diligently self-studying, Liang En had accumulated considerable expertise. Apart from lacking practical experience, his knowledge in archaeology, history, and even linguistics was comparable to that of renowned archaeological masters.
Thus, when he discovered these copper ingots, he naturally hoped to use formal archaeological methods to find clues and identify their origin, giving him a greater sense of achievement.
However, the clues on these items were too scarce, making it impossible for Liang En to find what he was looking for without using his skill cards.
Upon returning home from the museum, Liang En immediately combined four [Detection (N)] cards into one [Detection (R)] card, and used it on a metal ingot. Soon, a light spot appeared over the Aegean Sea.
"It seems this item must be from a shipwreck," Liang En mused, comparing the location with a map and noting the light spot near the Cyclades Islands.
Unlike previous excavations in desolate areas, the Cyclades Islands are Greece's top tourist destination, with each island holding significant value.
The archipelago consists of 39 islands, including Mykonos, a famed Aegean attraction; Delos, listed as a World Heritage site; Santorini, known for its iconic blue rooftops; Milos, where the Venus de Milo was discovered; Naxos, the largest island famous for its marble; and Paros, known for its Assumption Day celebrations and serving as a transit hub among the islands.
During tourist season, visitors from around the world flock to the islands, especially Mykonos, Santorini, Paros, and Ios, making them extremely crowded.
With frequent flights departing daily from Piraeus and Rafina ports to various islands, conducting large-scale secret excavations in this archipelago and nearby waters is nearly impossible. Liang En was curious how the previous group managed to obtain these items.
On the other hand, this also meant that direct excavations, as in previous archaeological work, were not feasible. Now, the excavation required prior applications and approvals.
This was why Liang En decided to involve the museum, not only to save money and secure enough manpower but also because handling various permits would be much simpler.
However, Liang En wasn't one to rely solely on one approach. He also posted the exploration project on the Golden Dawn website to see if he could find collaborators.
Due to the seemingly unrelated nature of this archaeological work to legends, there were few responses. However, an anthropology professor from Oxford University, Harry, showed great interest.
Harry mentioned that this archaeological site could serve as an excellent practical experience for his students and hoped Liang En would inform him once the excavation began, so he could bring his students along.
In the following days, Liang En, in collaboration with the National Museum of Ireland, submitted a request to the Greek authorities to conduct scientific research in the Cyclades Islands and surrounding waters. Meanwhile, he made various preparations and handled some personal matters.
Among his personal matters, writing a paper was the most important. According to his habit, he always wrote a paper or two for archaeological journals to build his reputation after discovering a significant site.
Thus, his recent discovery of important Mycenaean civilization artifacts was no exception. He planned to write a paper on this significant finding over the next few days.
However, just as he began drafting his paper, summarizing his previous archaeological discoveries, an editor from Bloomsbury Publishing reached out, hoping he could cooperate with the publisher's promotion efforts.
"I remember my books are selling quite well," Liang En remarked in confusion when the editor expressed his hopes. "What's the point of holding a book signing event now?"
"It's mainly the readers' wish," the editor smiled. "You're considered a mysterious author, with few photos of you available. Naturally, readers hope for a chance to meet you."
"Besides, unless you're writing serious literature, it's not common nowadays to stay home without interacting with readers. In this regard, your interaction frequency with readers is much lower than average."
"Ah, that's indeed my shortcoming," Liang En admitted, scratching his head. "But you should know I often travel worldwide for archaeological excavations, leaving little time to cooperate."
"That's indeed an issue," the editor nodded. He personally visited Liang En due to his special circumstances.
Honestly, he hadn't expected such a professional scholar and linguist to write those stories. The corresponding problem was that Liang En really had no time to cooperate with the publisher's activities.
Naturally, the publisher immediately dismissed any mandatory participation plans. Forcing such a scholar into commercial activities would ruin their reputation.
"However, I think you might have some free time. If so, it would be best to participate in such activities," the editor suggested amicably.
"You know, these activities can significantly boost your book sales, benefiting both of us."
"Yes, yes, I understand that, but I have a new archaeological dig in Greece soon, so I'll be leaving the UK shortly," Liang En said helplessly.
After listening to the editor, Liang En realized he should cooperate with the publisher to promote his books, but the timing was off.
Given the ongoing process for the excavation application in Greece, everything was accelerating. As the primary initiator, he couldn't abandon the project.
Thus, the editor's visit was ill-timed. Even if he had come three days earlier, Liang En would have delayed the excavation a bit to complete the reader engagement activities before heading to Greece.
"Oh, the timing is indeed unfortunate," the editor sighed upon hearing about Liang En's archaeological work.
He had considered many scenarios before coming. If Liang En simply didn't want to participate, he had ways to persuade him. However, lack of time due to objective reasons was hard to resolve.
Still, this didn't mean the issue was unsolvable. The editor quickly thought of a compromise to resolve the time conflict.
"Mr. Liang, I have an idea," the editor suggested after a few seconds of thought. "I believe your archaeological work won't be busy all the time, so you could take some time during breaks for an online book signing event."
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