Shadow of the Beautiful World

New York, Queens, at daybreak, the purge came to an end.

Under Merlin's frowning gaze, dozens of ghost fans in handcuffs, terrified, and not dressed like normal people, walked into the coming prison van under the escort of the agents with loaded guns and live ammunition.

Among them were some boys and girls with disheveled hair and beggar faces, who looked like they had been tortured for a long time.

And a handful of handcuffed, sycophantic vampires.

Melinda seems to have told you, Coulson.

Merlin said to his subordinates:

We will not accept prisoners this time. Do you have any misunderstandings about the words 'eradication' and 'deterrence'?

No, sir.

Coulson replied in a low voice:

I carried out the order. Those vampires were able to survive because they cooperated very well. They didn't fight us. They also led us to destroy a hidden stronghold where the vampires used to imprison their 'prey'. From there we A dozen missing persons were rescued.

Coulson said to Merlin seriously:

Using their lives to exchange the lives of a dozen compatriots, I think this is very worthwhile and correct.

Merlin didn't immediately answer Coulson's explanation. He glanced at the poor people who were sent into the ambulance, and said:

Well, it's doing good. You're right, Coulson. What about the 'fans'? What are you going to do with them?

They would be sent to a mental hospital.

Coulson said with a look of disgust:

Many of them have already drank human blood, they are not normal people, they cannot be released into society.

Then why bother?

Merlin asked:

Why not eliminate them on the spot? You should know that several experiments in the past few years have proved that once you become a 'ghost fan', it is basically impossible to turn back.

I know, I presided over those experiments, and I know the results of the experiments very well.

Coulson's tone was a little low, and after a few seconds, he said:

But I still think they should have a second chance, although they may not need it. But whether they want to come back is one thing, and whether we will give it is another matter.

Coulson looked at Merlin, he said:

We're a conservation organization after all.

Merlin shook his head, he no longer discussed this with Coulson. He reached out, took out his ID and gun from his pocket, handed it to Coulson, and he said to Coulson:

It might be a while before I get back to s.d.o.l.d., but this time, I really pissed off Fury.

In my absence, you are acting minister.

Merlin lit a cigarette, he exhaled and said to Coulson:

The vampires won't just be suppressed like this. This deterrent action can calm down some vampires, but that Dickon Forrest who set off a division among the vampires is not a fuel-efficient lamp. He will definitely find a way to fight back .”

During this period of time, you will be under a lot of pressure.

Merlin looked at Coulson, he emphasized his tone:

It's one thing when you're the executor. It's another thing when you're the commander. I want you to know the difference between your 'kindness' and your 'kindness' to the majority. I hope that when necessary, you can give the correct order and make the correct judgment.

I

Coulson looked at the certificate in his hand, he didn't know how to answer Merlin's persuasion.

But Merlin didn't care, anyone grew up under pressure, he believed that Coulson would not let him down.

And just as Merlin turned to leave, Coulson suddenly took a step forward, and he said to Merlin:

Sir, I think that maybe Melinda or Sharon are more suitable than me to lead temporarily

No.

Merlin looked back at Coulson, he saw the worry and pressure in Coulson's eyes, he thought about it, and said to Coulson:

I know you have always wondered why, among the three of you, I am especially partial to you and value you very much.

You are indeed flawed Phil.

Merlin looked back at the light of dawn covering the city in front of him little by little, and said softly:

You are not as strong as Melinda, and you are not as decisive as Sharon. When you carry out some cold orders, you will hesitate. You always try to find a way to complete things without hurting others, even if it will It puts you under a lot of pressure and even puts you in danger.

There are some defects in your soul that cannot tolerate you choosing between one life and many lives. You take it as a sign of weakness. Yes, in many cases, it is indeed weakness.

But do you know why Fury agrees with me letting you lead s.d.o.l.d.?

Merlin extinguished the cigarette in his hand on the railing next to him, and said to Coulson:

Your flaw means we can count on you when our lives are hanging by a thread, and we don't have to worry about you sacrificing us to save others, because you're always trying to save everyone, understand?

Merlin stretched out his finger, as he did 10 years ago, and tapped on Coulson's chest, he said:

That's why I pulled you in here. I let you do the flaws in this position, which is your advantage. I believe you will not let me regret it, and you will not let yourself down.

I won't stay in s.d.o.l.d., Fury, he has a lot of plans, maybe fate, has already arranged a path for me. Computer terminal ::/

Merlin says:

One day, when I need to leave, I hope I can leave without worry.

Coulson didn't answer. He looked at Merlin's ID and the gun in his hand. He didn't know how to respond to Merlin's sudden persuasion. He could even feel that there were other meanings in Merlin's words.

But that was him now, beyond comprehension.

Give me your watch.

After Merlin said something, Coulson immediately took off his watch and handed it to Merlin. : :

That wasn't some expensive watch, it was just a special agent's watch. Although the quality was excellent, it wasn't a famous brand or any meaningful souvenir.

Merlin waved the watch in his hand, he took out his official car key from his pocket, and threw it to Coulson:

This thing belongs to me. You can go to the logistics department to get another one. Help me put the car back in the base garage. I won't need that thing until I re-enter the job.

I'm leaving first, I still have some things to do.

After speaking, he waved to Melinda and Sharon who were not far away, and walked towards the taxi that had been waiting for him on the side of the street for more than ten minutes, and then, accompanied by cheerful Indian music, , drive out of the block.

From this moment on, Merlin Riley, Level 7 Agent of S.D.O.L.D., was officially suspended.

—

Oh my God.

Ten minutes later, Merlin rubbed his forehead and got out of the taxi with a painful expression on his face.

He took out a few banknotes from his pocket and handed them to the young Indian driver in his 20s. He complained:

Dupender, my friend. It's not the first time I've ridden in your car, and I've tipped you handsomely every time, and I've asked you to help me when I'm not driving myself. Hell, I'm Where is it not good enough to let you torture me with these headache music every time you drive me?

ah?

The young Indian driver, this handsome guy, said to Merlin with a blank face:

Mr. Merlin, so you don't like the music in my hometown? But why didn't you say it before? I saw you closed your eyes and thought you enjoyed it.

Shet!

Merlin cursed:

You were born in Brooklyn! You've never been to India. It's not where you came from.

He glanced down at the watch on his wrist, and said to Dubender:

Wait here for me, I'll be back in 20 minutes at most.

After finishing speaking, Merlin hurriedly turned and left, walking towards a warehouse in the distance. Behind him, the Indian-born driver Dupont shouted loudly:

Mr. Merlin, you need to pay extra for waiting for the service, I will start the timer now! You better hurry up.

Merlin ignored the shout from the guy behind him.

Dupont was actually a friend of Merlin's.

Since Merlin took his car a few years ago and accepted his business card, when Merlin was not driving, he would basically call Dupont to pick him up.

This guy is a solid driver, and if need be, he can go all out and race through the streets of New York.

The most important thing is that Dubender is very lucky, almost so good that it is a weird situation.

From the first time Merlin took his car, Merlin discovered that Dupont, a guy with a bad taste in music, hardly ever encounters a red light when driving. Haven't seen this driver waste time with a red light.

Dubender himself may not have noticed this, he just thinks he is a lucky person.

But Merlin was different.

For a period of time, Merlin was plagued by bad luck, so he had an almost stubborn insistence on such illusory things.

After discovering Dupont's good luck, Merlin has been keeping in touch with him. He has no other ideas, but pure hope that Dupont's weird luck can change his own bad luck a little bit. luck.

But so far it doesn't seem to have any effect.

But persevere, there will always be gains, right?

Merlin looked at the warehouse in the remote part of Brooklyn in front of him, he moved his fingers, and his figure disappeared quickly when no one was paying attention.

Merlin waited patiently in the warehouse for nearly 15 minutes. When the time agreed between Quinn and the butler who issued the task of kidnapping Little Peter came, Merlin stood in the dark and heard the sound of the warehouse opening.

He barely wasted a second. The moment the butler, who was protected by four burly bodyguards, walked into the warehouse, the black mist that rose up surrounded all five people in front of him.

legilimens! (Instigmatism)

In the diffuse black mist, before the 60-year-old butler could react, his thinking was broken by Merlin's will.

But unfortunately, this old butler didn't know much, at least not as much as Merlin imagined.

Even the plain ring on his finger had been passed down to him by his father, and the steward did not know the meaning of the pattern of value.

But Merlin still found the clues he needed.

The old butler's father was also a butler, and his father and his two generations served the same family.

A family of bankers who migrated from Europe to New York when World War II broke out and have been passed down to the present.

that's what merlin needs

obliviate! (forgetting curse)

Merlin put away the black mist, threw a few Oblivion Curses on the five fallen people behind him, and then walked quickly into the warehouse as before. A few minutes later, when he was back in Dupont's car, he said to Dupont:

Go to the West End, Greenwich Village, and turn off that damn music before I blow your head off!

Greenwich Village is a literary and artistic place that symbolizes New York's multiculturalism, but Merlin's destination is not here. To be precise, it is a set of high-end estates not far from Greenwich Village.

There was the mansion of the master of the old butler.

In the memories Merlin searched, it was the master of the butler who issued the order to kidnap little Peter.

Most importantly, in the memory of the old butler, his master, a wealthy but low-key banker in the upper class of New York, also had a very similar ring on his finger.

That banker is definitely related to Hydra!

Merlin's understanding of the Hydra organization comes from the information left by Ms. Carter.

During World War II, Hydra was an intelligence and armed organization serving Hitler, and it was the base camp for developing evil weapons for the Nazis. It is also the biggest opponent of the Strategic Science Corps established later.

According to the information records left by Ms. Carter, this organization has dissipated into history along with the failure of the Communist Party of Germany. In the 1960s and 1970s, the Strategic Science Corps also launched the Paper Clip operation, recruiting a group of scientists from Hydra to work for the Strategic Science Corps. Those scientists were strictly monitored and did not cause trouble. What a mess.

But now, Merlin once again saw the Hydra logo.

The dark red mark like a skeleton octopus made Merlin wonder whether the original paper clip operation was really successful, and whether Hydra really disappeared?

He still remembered that at Ms. Carter's house, the mysterious old Steve also reminded him that Hydra was probably not dead yet.

Maybe, this damn organization is hidden in S.H.I.E.L.D.?

Little Peter was kidnapped as soon as Richard and Mary died.

Merlin stared at the quiet mansion in front of him, he whispered:

What exactly do you want?

The perception of darkness spread outward, and under Merlin's invisible search, he quickly discovered the secret inside the mansion in front of him.

The seemingly quiet mansion is surrounded by state-of-the-art surveillance cameras, and there are nearly 30 security personnel patrolling around and inside the mansion. Judging from their inspection routes and their equipment, these people are definitely not just ordinary people. Security is that simple.

So, you do have a secret.

Merlin narrowed his eyes, his body turned into black mist, seeping towards the mansion in front of him.

The banker kept his residence tightly guarded, but unfortunately, these methods were useless in front of Merlin.

A few minutes later, Merlin found his target in the dining room. The kind-hearted banker was sitting at the dining table, enjoying a pleasant breakfast with his wife and a little girl who looked like a granddaughter. Look, there's no way Merlin could hook him up with a villain in hiding.

If You Are Innocent

Merlin picked up his wand, looked at the happy family of three, and said softly:

Then I must apologize.

swish

The next moment, three consecutive sleeping spells were thrown on the three people in front of them.