Chapter 4 Chapter two

A mile away, the albino Silas limped into the doorway of a luxurious brownstone on Labrou Street.The barbed penance belt he wore around his thigh got stuck in the flesh.However, because he had served God, his soul sang with contentment. Pain is good for people. When he entered the mansion, his red eyes quickly scanned the hall.No one was there.He crept up the stairs, not wanting to wake any of his companions.The door to his bedroom was open, as doors were not allowed to be locked here.He entered the house and closed the door behind him. The rooms are simply furnished—hardwood floors, pine wardrobes, a canvas cushion in the corner that doubles as a bed.He lives here all week.Luckily for him, he's enjoyed a shelter like this in New York City for years.God gave me shelter and pointed me to the purpose of existence.

Tonight, Silas felt that he had finally given back to God.He hurried to the closet, found the cell phone hidden in the bottom drawer and made a call. "Hello?" A male voice answered the phone. "Master, I'm back." "Speak," the voice ordered, feeling as if he was pleased to hear the news. "Four are gone. Three deacons... plus the master himself." The other party paused for a while, as if praying. "Then I think you've got the information." "All four said the same thing. Separately." "You trust them?" "They're all saying the same thing, it can't be a coincidence." He heard excited breathing. "Excellent. They usually keep secrets, and they have a reputation. I was afraid they'd keep the Monarchs' secrets."

"The impending death is a powerful motivator for them to speak." "Then, disciple, tell me what I need to know." Silas knew that the information he would gather from his victims would be astounding. "Master, all four confirmed the existence of the keystone—the legendary keystone." Through the phone, he heard the other party gasp immediately, and he could feel the excitement of the master. "The keystone, as we had supposed." According to legend, the Order of the Friars made a stone map, the Keystone, or Sockstone.It was a slab of stone carved with the place where the greatest secrets of the Order of the Friars were hidden.This secret is too important, and the Brotherhood exists to protect it. "Once we have the keystone, we are only one step away from success," said the Master.

"We're closer than you think. The keystone is in Paris." "Paris? It's unbelievable, it's so easy." Silas went on to describe what happened earlier that night: how the four victims tried to buy back their sinful lives by snitching before they died.Everyone had said exactly the same thing to Silas: the keystone was cleverly hidden in a precise place in an old Parisian church, Saint-Sulpice. "In the sanctuary of God," exclaimed the master. "How they mock us!" "Centuries!" The master suddenly became very quiet, as if he wanted to keep the victory at this moment in his heart forever.At last he said, "You have done a great service to your master. We have waited centuries. You must find the slab--at once--tonight. You know it is a matter of great importance."

Silas knew it was important, but the master's order seemed impossible. "But that church is very guarded. Especially now, at night, how can I get in?" The master began to give instructions face-to-face with the tone of a person with great influence. Silas hung up, flushed with anticipation. One hour.He told himself, while thanking his mentor for giving him time to do penance before entering the sanctuary of God.I must cleanse my soul of sin today.The purpose of crime today is sacred.The war against the enemy of God has been waged for a hundred years.Surely you will be forgiven.Even so, Silas knew, pardons came with sacrifices.

He took off his sunglasses and knelt naked in the middle of the room.He looked down at the barbed penance strap tightly bound around his thigh. All true believers in The Road carry such things.It was a leather belt with sharp metal barbs spiked into the flesh, as a permanent reminder of the suffering of Jesus.The tingling that this stuff causes also helps to suppress carnal desires. Although Silas had worn the penance belt for more than the stipulated two hours today, he knew that today was an unusual day.He grabbed the buckle and tightened it again.His muscles contracted instinctively as the barb penetrated deeper.He exhaled slowly, savoring the purification ritual that caused him pain.Pain is good for you, Silas muttered under his breath.He was repeating the sacred prayer of their mentor Josemaria Escriva.Although Escriva died in 1979, his wisdom lives on.Worshipers around the world repeated his words in whispers as tens of thousands of worshipers around the world knelt on the ground to perform a sacred ritual known as "carnal austerity".

Silas now turned his attention to a large, neatly coiled rope in a heavy knot on the floor beside him.Be restrained.The knots are smeared with dried blood.Anxious for the cleansing effect of the excruciating pain, Silas finished his prayer quickly.Then, grabbing one end of the rope, he closed his eyes and swung the rope violently over his shoulders.He could feel the knot hitting his back.He swung the rope over his shoulders again and lashed himself, lashing his flesh.In this way, he repeatedly whipped himself.