Shadow of the Beautiful World

When Merlin mentioned S.H.I.E.L.D. to Gordon, he naturally hoped that these aliens living in seclusion could establish a connection with S.H.I.E.L.D.

This is his duty. As the leader of sl.d., it is his job to monitor and manage these supernatural forces.

Although the location of the aliens is far away from the current range of power that SHIELD can radiate, there is no bad effect in establishing contact in advance.

In particular, Gordon mentioned that those aliens with few alien genes will experience uncontrollable situations during the final awakening period. If the alien organization Afterlife can cooperate with S.H.I.E.L.D. effective help is also available.

Moreover, although this alien force calls themselves exiles, they are a heterogeneous organization with full potential, and they also rarely adhere to the principle of friendship.

This means that if they can assimilate them, then SHIELD, at least the power that s.d. can use, will be greatly improved.

The most important thing is that Merlin can feel that this organization is very weak. Gordon the Eyeless Man said it himself, they are just hugging each other for warmth.

This also means that as long as the method of contact is appropriate, there is a possibility of cooperation between the two parties.

But for an organization accustomed to being isolated from the outside world, it will certainly not be so easy to get them to cooperate with the authorities.

Because of the pain they suffered in the past, they have an instinctive distrust of the outside world. To eliminate this distrust, it will naturally take time and the maintenance of both parties.

Facing Merlin's suggestion, Gordon hesitated.

This seemingly tough alien is actually not a reckless person. He obviously knows the benefits of cooperation between the two parties, but he is not the leader of the 'afterlife'.

He did not refuse Merlin's goodwill to release him. When Lincoln was taken away voluntarily, Gordon the Eyeless Man promised Merlin that he would convey Merlin's kindness to his leader.

If his leader agrees to contact, then Gordon will find a time to visit Merlin.

For this alien who can travel back and forth in the world, no matter where Merlin is in the world, as long as Merlin is willing to be found, then he can find him.

Merlin believed that the two parties would eventually come into contact, and they already had a bond between them.

That was Lincoln Campbell.

At Merlin's request, Gordon promised that if Lincoln was willing to awaken, he would advise the leader to send him back to Merlin's department after Lincoln completes his awakening.

As long as Lincoln can keep the 'afterlife' a secret.

From this point of view, although there were some unharmonious things in this contact, overall, it was quite successful.

After watching Gordon leave the hidden foothills with five aliens at once, Merlin also returned to Kandahar with the Displacement Curse.

Meeting Lincoln and helping him solve his troubles was just a casual move by Merlin, he hadn't forgotten his real mission yet.

Lincoln's problem is now solved, so it's time to start the investigation of the mysterious Ten Rings.

Merlin already knew the exact location of the organization's hideout, and it was time to go to the canyon hidden in the desert.

swish

Merlin directly returned to his tavern through the transfer spell. Under the dim light, he turned his head and looked at the soldier lying on the assembled table. Only then did Merlin realize that he still had a problem in his hands.

He had to find a way to send the soldier who saved his life back without attracting attention.

But this guy just finished the operation and is still hanging on the nutrient solution. His body is very weak, using the transfer spell in this state will definitely kill him. So Merlin had to wait.

He picked up the soldier's dog tag from the table, which had an uncomplicated name on it.

Frank Castle? Marines?

Merlin read out the name, then looked at the man with a resolute face, and said:

It turns out that you are a fourth-class Ma Run. You can be selected to carry out such subversive actions in other countries. It seems that you are still an elite. No wonder you survived.

As he spoke, he changed the soldier's nutrient solution, checked his condition, and then turned back to the back room. Merlin was going to take a rest and find some time tomorrow to go to the canyon base of the Ten Rings Gang.

Early the next morning, Merlin made all the preparations. When he walked out of the back room, he saw the awakened soldier trying to sit up.

Hey, don't move.

Merlin held the teacup, leaned against the wall, and said to the soldier:

The wound will burst.

Who are you? Where is this?

The soldier ignored Merlin's warning, he sat cross-legged on the table with difficulty and weakness, this movement made blood ooze from the gauze on his abdomen, but this guy didn't seem to feel any pain.

He looked at Merlin, with vigilance shining in his weak eyes, and he said:

You saved me?

Um.

Merlin nodded, took a sip of tea, and said slowly:

I went to the town of Camille to deliver goods yesterday. I saw your battle on the way. Those militants thought they had killed all of you, so they walked away. I found you in the pile of corpses.

Don't look at me as a bar owner now.

Merlin says:

I was a skilled surgeon before, and you were lucky, so you just survived.

Thank you.

The soldier was silent for a few seconds, and he tried hard to climb down. But he was rescued from death yesterday, and this action was too difficult for him.

Merlin put down his teacup, walked over, held down the struggling soldier, and said seriously:

You better rest now.

No time to rest.

Private Frank said in a low tone:

I have to go back, my companions will worry about my identity, and I will not see the light.

Tsk, quite cautious.

Merlin said with emotion:

But I don't think you are suitable for action now, so let's delay the matter of revenge.

We are Ma Run

Frank closed his eyes, gritted his teeth and said:

We can sort out our own troubles ourselves.

But no one should die here, proud Ma Run.

Merlin helped Frank remove the gauze and re-stitch the torn wound, saying:

You shouldn't even be here, all of you should be staying at home instead of rushing to this backcountry to help a group of armed lunatics who are fighting a civil war. It's wrong to start a war casually. Oh, by the way, I put your wedding ring in your pocket, did you just get married?

3 years.

Although Merlin didn't have much contact with Frank, he could tell from these few words that this guy was a typical soldier. Indifferent, violent, stubborn, firm, and does not bow his head in the face of death.

But when he mentioned his family, Ma Run, who had just crawled out of hell, also had a touch of tenderness in his tone.

When Merlin was suturing the wound, he reached out and took out the golden ring from the pocket on the side. He looked at his ring, and after a while, he said to Merlin:

Thank you.

This time there was a lot more sincerity in the thanks, he said:

Thank you for giving me the chance to be with them again.

they?

Merlin stitched up the wound, and asked without raising his head:

Not just the wife? And the daughter?

Yes.

A real smile finally appeared on Frank's face:

Before I left home, my Maria just gave me a little princess, and I actually wanted another son

You guys are so lucky, you still have everything.

Merlin glanced at him, then cut the sutures, and he patted Frank's wound, causing a trace of pain to appear on Ma Run's face. He smiled and said:

Then protect yourself, don't let yourself die on the battlefield, there are still people at home waiting for you to go back.

Of course, the war will end.

Frank said:

I just came here to complete my mission. After the mission is over, I will go home and be with my loved ones forever.

Can you tell me about your mission?

Merlin picked up his teacup again, he filled it with hot water, and said:

Why didn't I know that there were still Marines operating in Afghanistan? I thought there would only be some CIA agents in charge of subversive operations here.

Military secret, no comment!

Frank lay on the table, turned to look at Merlin, and said:

Besides, you don't look like an ordinary bar owner. I used to go to bars when I was young. I have never seen a bar owner like you.

Why don't I look like this anymore?

Merlin snorted:

How many people have you met? Soldier.

In short, I just can't tell you, it's for your own good. Also, if you can, leave Kandahar as soon as possible. The peace of this city won't last long. The failure of the government army is inevitable, no matter in terms of numbers or firepower, They are all at an absolute disadvantage. The city is about to change hands.

Frank whispered:

By the way, what's your name?

Yuri, call me Yuri.

Merlin drank his tea and said:

A failed investor from New York.

And then run to a **** country to open a bar?

Frank laughed:

Do you think I'm a fool?

You're a fool.

Merlin says:

Your life is in my doctor's hands now, so you'd better not ask these outlandish questions.

Well, before I lost consciousness

Frank recalled yesterday's exchange of fire, and in that painful expression, he said softly:

I may be blinded, but I saw a flying car that was burning. You didn't do that, did you?

Trust me, it's your eyesight.

Merlin pulled out his wand generously in front of Frank. He put down his teacup, waved his hand, and pressed the arm of the soldier who realized something was wrong and was about to fight back.

He held his wand as if holding a gun, pointed at Frank's fierce eyes, and said to the soldier in front of him:

Go to sleep, and soon, you will recover.

Obliviate! (Forgetting Curse)

Stupefy! (Sleeping Curse)

With the flash of magic light, two spells in a row were thrown on the struggling soldier, causing him to lose consciousness almost immediately, lying on the table, and let out a low snoring sound.

Merlin withdrew his wand, looked at the soldier in front of him, picked up his teacup regretfully, and said softly:

I've said it all, why don't you want to listen if I told you not to ask?

You guys who are too curious are really annoying.

While speaking, Merlin pushed Frank's eyelids away, and threw a spell of insanity on Ma Run's body. But as Merlin expected, for these determined guys, the effect of the Dementia Curse was too poor.

Apart from knowing that Frank's army was secretly operating near Kandahar recently, Merlin found almost no valuable information.

Ten minutes later, Merlin woke up the sleeping soldier. He looked at the bewildered Frank Castle and said:

I rescued you in the war zone yesterday, your comrades are dead, I performed surgery on you, but you'd better tell me the contact information of your camp, I can notify your comrades to pick you up.

Merlin shrugged, and he said to the soldier in front of him:

You can't lie here all the time, I have to open the door for business.

Frank, who was still in a state of amnesia, reported a series of numbers, and Merlin called his camp and explained the situation.

Half an hour later, a military vehicle carrying several soldiers stopped at the entrance of Merlin's bar. A tall medical soldier walked into the bar, first checked Frank's physical condition, and then thanked Merlin repeatedly.

Thank you, Mr. Yuri.

The tall black medical soldier said to Merlin:

My name is Kurt, and I'm the medic of Frank's team. I have to thank you for saving my friend.

As an experienced military doctor, he sees that without Merlin's help, his friend Frank might have died long ago.

Moreover, the bar owner's surgery was so successful that he, a military doctor, didn't need to do anything more.

Thanking you along with the military doctor Kurt, there was also a thin but handsome soldier.

He seemed to have a very good relationship with Frank.

My name is Billy, Billy Russo.

He glanced at Frank who was being carried out of the bar on a stretcher by several soldiers, he put a wad of banknotes on Merlin's bar, and said sincerely to Merlin:

Frank is my best friend. This is my private wish. Please don't refuse.

I'm not going to turn down money when I'm offered it.

Merlin looked like a philistine and picked up the wad of money. He said to Billy Russo in front of him:

You are much better at being a man than your grumpy friend. Oh, by the way, when I operated on him yesterday, I found that it might be due to his serious injury, and his memory is missing.

Merlin warned:

You'd better find a doctor to show him. I mean, based on my surgical experience, he may not be suitable to stay on the battlefield anymore. It's best to send him back.

Yeah?

Billy nodded solemnly, and he said to Merlin:

I will pass this on to my superiors, thank you again, Mr. Yuri.

Yeah, well, let's go.

Merlin waved his hand and said to the soldier in front of him:

Take your people and leave quickly, I have to open the door to do business.

Because Frank's injury required follow-up treatment, the soldiers left quickly.

After they left, Merlin looked at the time on his watch. He picked up the Cybertron weapon module in the dark compartment of the bar, and disappeared into the bar under the shining light of the Shifting Spell.

In a blink of an eye, Merlin came to a scorching desert area. He stretched out his hand to block the raging dust in front of him. Victor, the spirit of the raven, rushed into the sky and began to scout around.

The base of the Ten Rings Gang is nearby, and in the hot desert wind, Merlin could feel that he was only one step away from the key point of this mission.

ps: Ask for a monthly ticket again~