In the front storage compartment of the co-pilot's seat, there are currently two somewhat aged Helwan pistols. These are Beretta 1951 model pistols replicated under permission in Egypt. They used to be standard-issue weapons in the Egyptian army but have since been phased out.
"Yesterday, I bought them along with 80 rounds of ammunition for 1000 euros," introduced Fan Meng. "Given the consistently unstable situation in this region, being prepared with some weapons for self-defense is certainly more sensible than relying on rescue or paying ransom if we're kidnapped."
"You're right. Egyptians aren't always the most reliable in many places. I believe it's more meaningful to be prepared ourselves than depend on them," Liang En nodded, observing the scenery on either side of the road.
Due to the location being in the Nile Delta, unlike before, the surroundings aren't desolate. Instead, they're full of vibrant life, from date palm trees to aquatic plants by the river, breaking the silence of the environment.
Even though it's winter, the midday temperature is still around 25 degrees Celsius. Under these conditions, driving on the asphalt road isn't the most comfortable experience.
Fortunately, the destination is only five or six kilometers away from the city center. So, just a few minutes later, the convoy reaches their destination along the highway.
"We've arrived now." As the group saw the river flowing into the sea along the highway, Professor Jacques' voice came through the radio. "The structure ahead of us is Katebey Castle."
Upon hearing the voice, Liang En, who had been a bit drowsy, immediately sat up straight in his seat and looked towards the front of the vehicle. He saw a building that resembled a temple from a foreign land.
This is a castle from the Mamluk era, situated at the point where the Rashid River meets the sea, five kilometers north of Rashid City. It was established as a fortress guarding a strategic pass.
However, now the castle has completely lost its military significance and has become an ordinary ancient structure surrounded by makeshift houses.
Liang En and the others have come here because the local authorities plan to renovate this building and turn it into a tourist attraction, attracting visitors. Thus, with limited personnel, they've sought assistance from the Louvre Museum in France for archaeological work.
"Katebey Castle?" After the conversation ended, Fan Meng looked at the unimpressive building in front of them with a puzzled expression. "If I recall correctly, there's also a castle with the same name built on the site of the Alexandria Lighthouse, isn't there?"
"You're correct. That's because the sultan whose image is printed on a one-pound Egyptian note was quite an enthusiast for large-scale infrastructure in that era," Liang En replied with a smile. "So, there's no shortage of structures in Egypt named after him."
This sultan was a ruler in 15th century Egypt, and naturally, he didn't prioritize the preservation of historical artifacts. Hence, when constructing this castle, a substantial amount of materials from ancient buildings were utilized.
In fact, such practices were quite common in that era. For example, the outer structures of the ancient Roman Colosseum have mostly disappeared, with the remaining half used as building materials for newer structures by local residents over time.
This is also why inviting the Louvre Museum was necessary for the renovation. The castle's construction involved many components borrowed from ancient Egyptian architecture, requiring careful organization of these elements now.
After getting off the vehicle, everyone swiftly moved some items from the car into the castle. Accompanied by a group of locals, they commenced their exploration of the entire castle.
Upon entering, Liang En noticed a flight of stairs with ancient Egyptian inscriptions carved into the surface on the wall to his right. As he approached, he discovered that although the upper lines contained partially incomplete characters, the remaining royal names indicated that these inscriptions were likely taken from some temple.
Regrettably, due to the convenience-seeking stonemasons of the past who had sliced a column horizontally, both lines of text were significantly damaged, making it impossible to discern their content.
Nevertheless, this was a promising sign, suggesting that the area held valuable artifacts. After placing some tools in the central courtyard, the research team divided into sections under Professor Jacques' guidance and began their search.
Liang En's designated search area was quite small, encompassing only a few soldiers' barracks. This was because Liang En's main objective in this visit was to provide real-time translations of the texts found on unearthed artifacts.
Just as the task was announced, Professor Jacques pulled Liang En over to a wall. Embedded in the wall, at about head height, was a half-intact stone tablet, appearing relatively whole except for minor wear and tear in certain areas.
"This should be a stone tablet left behind by the Ptolemaic Dynasty of ancient Egypt during the Hellenistic period," Liang En quickly translated the content on the stone tablet after studying a few lines. "It mainly praises the donation made by Queen Arsinoe III to the temple."
"Arsinoe III? She's the daughter of the Egyptian King Ptolemy III, the full sister and wife of Ptolemy IV," Professor Jacques, an Egyptology expert, recalled who she was promptly.
"Although she met a tragic end in political struggles, she was quite beloved by the Egyptian populace. The two conspirators who killed her were subsequently exiled, so it's reasonable for such a inscription to have been preserved," Liang En explained.
"But Professor, can we really be certain that this translation is accurate?" Right after Liang En finished translating the tablet, a middle-aged man with a goatee on the side suddenly spoke.
Hearing the skepticism, Liang En turned his head and realized that the one raising doubts was Dr. Sherif, also a researcher from the Louvre Museum's Ancient Egyptian Department.
"Well then, could you point out where I made a mistake in my translation?" Hearing the doubt, Liang En looked directly at the middle-aged man.
After all, this was a language that had been dead for a long time. Even someone as brilliant as Champollion might not be able to ensure a flawless translation. Therefore, Liang En was eager to hear valuable suggestions.
"How can you be certain that your translation is entirely accurate? After all, nobody knows what these long-extinct words truly represent now. You could easily create a so-called accurate translation to pander to the crowd—"
"I hope you can present valuable information instead of just causing disruptions like you are now," Liang En interrupted when he saw that the objections were purely for some ulterior motive.
"Don't act all high and mighty here. Your research, as someone without extensive professional training, is probably just a money-making scheme," evidently, Dr. Sherif must have been facing some issues that led him to vent his frustration on Liang En.
Reflecting on it, he did look like he was twice Liang En's age and had much higher qualifications. But currently, he could only assist Professor Jacques with auxiliary tasks, so it was reasonable for his emotions to flare up.
"Sherif, we're scholars, not politicians." At this point, Professor Jacques' face also displayed his displeasure. "So, when you're accusing others of errors, it's best to provide solid reasons instead of resorting to personal attacks like you are now."