Shadow of the Beautiful World

Here's your tip.

At the door of his own house, Merlin, who was leaning on a cane, handed some banknotes to the driver Dubender, and he said:

Go home quickly, it's getting late.

It's okay, I have to take on a few more jobs.

The taxi driver took the banknotes, and he beamed and said to Merlin:

My car player is broken and I'm going to save some money to get a new one. I've also picked up a lot of new songs that you can hear next time.

Merlin glanced at Du Pengde, he raised his voice, and Chen Ken said to the young driver:

Don't change, please, being a quiet taxi driver can make your business better, trust me.

After chatting with Dupont for a few words, Merlin turned and walked towards his house.

Eric had already started school, and little Matt was sent to a boarding school by Merlin, and he went home 2 days a week, so Merlin was the only one at home most of the time.

But not tonight.

boom

Merlin pushed open the door, and he saw Fury sitting in the living room eating.

A look of confusion flashed across his face, he put the cane aside, took out a bottle of drink from the refrigerator, and said to Fury:

You can't always come to my house when nobody's around and eat what I've prepared for myself. I mean, if you have to come next time, you'd better take a few bags of bread and red wine along the way. You almost ate up everything in my house!

I'll bring it next time.

Fury glanced at Merlin. He forked the last piece of red sausage on the plate and put it in his mouth. Then he picked up a tissue and wiped his mouth.

I came here on business, Merlin.

He took out a bunch of bound documents from the handbag and handed them to Merlin, he said:

I encountered some things, things that were difficult to decide. So I planned to ask you for advice, but I suddenly found out that you were suspended, so after get off work, I stopped by to see you. Well, you have recovered well recently. , can’t walk with a limp.”

When did I walk with a limp?

Merlin glared at Fury, who sat on the sofa and opened Fury's file.

As a result, after only one glance, Merlin's expression became strange. He waved the document in his hand and said to Fury:

The S.H.I.E.L.D. to set up a chain of semi-official blood banks throughout the Americas to provide blood assistance to all vampires who are willing to accept supervision at a low price, so as to reduce the chances of vampires committing crimes sounds a little bit Arabian Nights, are you sure those vampires aren't joking?

They are not.

Fury crossed his legs and put them on Merlin's coffee table. He rubbed his forehead and said playfully:

They are so sincere that they are even willing to take full responsibility for all the initial investment of this chain blood bank project. As long as I nod my head, an astonishing sum of money will be transferred to the official account of S.H.I.E.L.D. Really, I I feel that I have underestimated them, these guys are no worse than us at all when playing tricks.

Probably they also sensed the crisis.

Merlin casually flipped through the documents in his hand, and said:

If I remember correctly, the arrogant vampire Dickon Forrest who paid a lot of money and offered a bounty on my head, the way it started was to set up many underground transactions in the dark world of New York to supply blood plasma with pioneering thinking Go ahead. It provides enough blood plasma to those commoner vampires, so that they can envelop them around themselves and fight against the elders of the vampires.

Now the Presbyterian Church is going to build its own blood bank, and it is still united with the government, and the S.H.I.E.L.D. attracted half-vampires to them, to weaken the Radicals once more.

Merlin couldn't help saying with emotion:

Tsk tsk, this is a trick that kills two birds with one stone. It's really a trick.

He threw the file on the table, took another look at Fury, and it said:

But in this way, S.H.I.E.L.D. will face those vampire radicals directly. I don't think Deacon Forrest will just bow his head and admit defeat. He is an ambitious man. I heard that his character is still rebellious. His subordinates And a bunch of outrageous, violent, cunning vampire villains. I mean, it's definitely going to fight back.

It's starting to put a bounty on the head of a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent!

Fury chuckled, and a chill flashed in the only remaining eyes:

You said, is there any possibility of peace talks between us and it? It is engaged in various illegal businesses, Merlin, do you know that in the past few days, there have been a lot of weird things on the New York market. And it's starting to circulate in the addict community, and that's it.

Fury took out a bag of strange red powder from his pocket and handed it to Merlin.

The latter took it in his hand, sniffed it lightly, and his face became ugly. Merlin threw the powder into the fireplace, and the next moment, the flames that ignited suddenly burned the powder completely.

It's got vampire blood in it.

right!

Fury nodded. He looked at the flames burning in the fireplace with disgust, and said:

That thing is called 'blood meal' by addicts, it is a new type of drug. The feeling of smoking it is stronger than ordinary evil things. Most importantly, it will make those addicts suffer from bloodlust, It will make them bite people like vampires, and the bloodlust is also contagious.

Dickon's men made it?

Merlin narrowed his eyes, and said softly:

That vampire scum is really impatient.

There is no doubt that this is a counterattack to the suppression operation we launched.

Fury said:

This gives us another reason to get rid of it, and that's why I came to you. I hope you can find out the source of this extremely dangerous 'blood powder', and then destroy it!

Why not let someone else do it?

Merlin snapped his fingers and said:

I'm suspended, am I? I'm on leave. I'm still a patient.

Colson is busy cleaning up those ghost fans. He will clean up Brooklyn again soon.

Fury explained:

Sl.d. With the current state of mobilizing soldiers and horses, it is impossible to separate the manpower. Besides, you won't feel at ease if you let them do such a dangerous thing?

You can't come to me every time you're in trouble, Fury.

Merlin looked at the watch on his wrist and said:

Where's your Avenger? Really, can't Natasha or Barton come and deal with it?

Everyone has their own things to do, Merlin. The things that Natasha and Barton are responsible for now are no simpler than the work in your hands.

Fury shook his head, took out Merlin's secret agent ID from his pocket, and put it in front of his eyes:

This is your stuff, put it away, don't throw it away next time. Your review will end in 10 days, if you want to go back to sl.d., everyone is welcome. But once things like estrangement appear, I want to It's not going to be that easy to heal again.

Fury looked at Merlin and said:

But it doesn't matter, we still have time. But contradictions are contradictions, work must continue.

Merlin looked at the documents on the table. At this moment, he was a little irritable and wanted to tell Fury the truth about Hydra. But when the words came to his lips, Merlin still held back.

He has already suffered a loss because of impulsiveness.

In the absence of definite evidence, it's better not to talk about the news he found with the Dementor Curse.

Where did those blood powder come from?

When Fury walked to the door, Merlin asked in a low voice:

You have to give me an address, don't you?

Fury's footsteps stopped, he turned his head, a smile was put on his dark face again, and he said:

It's in Brooklyn and Manhattan. Nobody knows where it came from. You might be able to look it up your way.

I'll check.

Merlin nodded, and he said to Fury:

But that doesn't mean the differences between us are over, Fury. Regarding Richard and Mary, I'm still waiting for the results of your investigation.

I'm not that naive.

Fury replied:

I won't be as simple as a child and think that if you accept the task, it means that you have calmed down. But I am still very happy to see that you continue to be loyal to your duty.

Come on, Fury.

Merlin sneered, and said coldly:

From the moment I entered S.H.I.E.L.D., I knew that what I was doing was an ideal job. Therefore, only ideals can support me in my work.

It makes no difference.

Fury opened the door, and at the moment before leaving, he said to Merlin:

In my opinion, ideals and responsibilities are the same thing.

The sound of Fury's car starting sounded in the night, and soon, his car drove away from the streets of Hell's Kitchen.

Merlin also got up at this moment. He picked up his cane, glanced at the time on the watch on his wrist, and then cast the Displacement Curse. The next moment, he appeared in the box of Midnight Papa nightclub.

After a while, an acquaintance swayed his waist and walked into the box with a few glasses of drinks.

That was the little succubus molested by Merlin a few years ago. She is now the front desk manager of this nightclub. Merlin still remembers that her name should be Mandy.

Hi, Mandy.

Merlin waved to the cold-faced little succubus. The latter snorted, put a few drinks on the table, folded his arms, and looked down at Merlin, her watery eyes flickered. Displeased, she said coldly:

Boss Midnight is not here today, tell me if you have anything to say.

oh?

Merlin glanced at the succubus in front of him, and said:

Really? Are you sure you can handle my troubles?

You speak first!

Mandy glared at Merlin, her well-hidden tail flicked behind her, representing her extreme impatience and dislike for Merlin.

She still hasn't forgotten how Merlin humiliated her in public a few years ago.

Succubus, this is a very vengeful and narrow-minded race.

Blood meal.

Merlin picked up his glass and said to Mandy:

You don't have that kind of thing here, do you?

of course not!

Mandy said with a straight face:

We are a legal place of business here. We know that it is illegal to sell those things, but I know where there are blood powders for sale, and they are of a large scale. They attract almost all the addicts around.

Speaking of this, the front desk manager of this nightclub gritted his teeth and said bitterly:

There are a lot of customers missing all of a sudden, and this week's turnover is already ugly. Hell, don't you law enforcement officers care about it? Those guys are selling dangerous things that will kill people!

That's what I'm here for. Tell me, Mandy, where's that place?

Merlin ignored the little succubus' complaints, and asked directly:

And what background are they?

Oh, good time.

The little succubus' expression came alive at a speed visible to the naked eye, and the tail behind her flicked more and more lightly. She knew everything and said to Merlin:

That place is called the 'House of Pain', and it's run by that lunatic Dickon. Most people can't find it. But I worked there before. Uh, I mean, I inspected there!

It's at the intersection of Brooklyn and Long Island. It's a remnant of an underground bomb shelter. The vampires have transformed the place. The surface structure is a warehouse, and it's guarded by Deacon's most capable villains at all times. , only vampires, half-vampires and hagui, oh, according to you, 'ghost fans', can go there.

But recently, that place has also been opened to other people. They sell blood powder there. That thing is disgusting. Even dwarves can't resist the temptation and madness brought by that powder. Boss Midnight doesn't allow himself Those things appeared in our business, which also caused us to lose a lot of turnover, ah, it’s really sad.”

Is that so?

Merlin nodded, he looked at Mandy:

Any other news about Dickon?

Yes, I have.

Mandy flicked her tail, she looked at Merlin:

But why should I tell you?

I'm going to 'take a look' at that place.

Merlin explained to the little succubus:

I'll 'talk' them out of the risky business, they don't sell the blood meal, your customers come back, the next week's business returns and you get paid more. So, you see, Man Dee, this is something that benefits both you and me, why don't you say it?

Well

Mandy thought about it, and felt that what Merlin said was right, so she flicked her tail and said to Merlin:

Well, I can tell you.

Dickon and his henchmen are looking for something near New York recently. It is said that it is a relic left by the first batch of vampire pioneers who immigrated to the North American continent with the Puritans. There are some powerful ones sealed inside. Dickon hopes to use that thing to destroy the American Sanguine Presbyterian Church, and then take over himself.

Um?

Merlin raised his head, looked at the succubus in front of him, and said:

I don't doubt the authenticity of this news, but how do you know this kind of secret news?

I heard it from my boyfriend, er, ex-boyfriend.

Mandy said nonchalantly:

That guy talks nonsense when he gets excited, and he worked for Deacon for a while.

Ex-boyfriend?

Merlin became even more curious, he said:

Which man would reject a succubus girlfriend? Why did you break up?

It's not him.

Mandy said to Merlin unabashedly, as if chatting about family matters:

It's mainly me. After I was with that guy for a while, I suddenly realized that I seemed to like women more than men. So we broke up, but his sister is my girlfriend now, so between us The relationship is still going well.”

After Merlin listened to the explanation of destroying the three views, he stood up expressionlessly, and said to the bold little succubus in front of him:

I know enough, I should go.

Also, I wish you a happy life with your girlfriend and her brother.