Shadow of the Beautiful World

Merlin asked Chas to send the seriously injured Satana back to Blood Street, and he still had some things to deal with.

He has already seen the current state of Sulfur Port. Dracula's forces have erected a dark tower in the northwest of the city, just like the city of Mordor in the real world, which cannot be ignored at all.

The Supreme Family promised that they would contact the resistance forces in Sulfur Port City. As Merlin, who has no foundation in Sulfur Port, it is inconvenient to intervene in the city's internal affairs at this time. of the forces.

Obviously, the S.H.I.E.L.D., a behemoth from the outside world, is just an outsider without any deterrent power to Sulfur Port, where the aliens live together.

It's not time for Merlin to speak yet.

He stood on the street of the city, pushed up his glasses, and looked at this city with chaotic architectural styles, but with an exotic feeling. Under the lenses, a cold gleam flashed in his red eyes.

No hurry, no hurry.

His figure slowly dissipated in the drifting black mist, but his icy voice remained in place.

In a few days

This unruly city will learn to listen to our voices.

—

Ten minutes later, on the rooftop of Trident headquarters in New York, Merlin saw Fury walking towards him with a cup of coffee.

The bureau chief has seemed a little thin recently, probably because of his busy schedule, and his mental state is not very good.

You look like you need a break, Fury.

Merlin said to his chief and his friends:

Maybe you should take a half-month vacation and really leave it all behind and go out and relax.

sure.

Fury took a sip of hot coffee, glanced at Merlin, and said to his subordinates:

As long as you are willing to temporarily take over the things I have at hand, Pierce asked me again these days, when will you enter the top management of S.H.I.E.L.D. .”

Fury paused, and he said to Merlin:

He intends to let you become a level 9 agent, and then take over the job of the deputy director, and really become my deputy.

Can I say I don't have much interest?

Merlin relaxed his arms. He took out the iron cigarette case of the old Sika cigarettes from his pocket, took out a cigarette from it, and put it in his mouth. The dancing flame ignited the cigarette. In the beating, he said to Fury:

You know me. Rather than sitting in the office and looking at those documents, I prefer to be responsible for some more in-depth front-line work. Always sitting in the office, even if you assign me an excellent assistant like Hill It's a waste of life.

That's what I told Pierce.

Fury took another sip of his coffee and said:

But Pierce was very determined, you know, he was one of those guys who doesn't like to see talented people squander their talents.

Even if you are not willing to do more things, he will try to force you to take on more responsibilities. I mean, if you are targeted by him, there is no possibility that you can live easily.

Sounds like severe OCD.

Merlin took off his cigarette and took a puff of smoke towards the outside of the rooftop. He said with a smile:

Maybe you can help me to let me let go of s.d.o.l.d. now, I'm still a little worried.

Are you worried that after you leave, your successor will not be able to prevent your department from being quietly corrupted in the shadows?

Fury said:

In my opinion, you've got s.d.o.l.d. in one piece.

I'm worried, Fury.

Merlin sat on the edge of the roof, his legs hanging hundreds of meters away from the building. He patted the position beside him. Fury shrugged and sat beside him without fear.

The two senior executives of S.H.I.E.L.D. were chatting while sitting in a place where they might fall and be smashed to pieces with the cold wind blowing.

You and I both know that there is still the shadow of Hydra in S.H.I.E.L.D.

Merlin says:

They just realized the danger and chose to dive deep, but one day they will start their activities again, even, they have already started their activities now, but we haven't noticed it yet. I know you have your plan, but I also have I have to make sure that I have enough preparedness to turn things around before they get to the worst.

Not bad!

Fury nodded appreciatively and said:

Now there is somewhat of a sense of crisis that policymakers should have.

Oh, I learned this from you.

Merlin said to Fury:

I have been with you for more than ten years. If I can't even think of such a thing, let alone you, I will be very disappointed in myself.

Hey, when did the famous Agent Merlin learn to compliment others?

After Fury finished his last sip of coffee, he picked up the paper cup and threw it to Merlin, who took it in his hand. Amidst the billowing black smoke, the paper cup was quickly burned to ashes, and then blown into the air by the wind.

Praise doesn't cost money, and it's practical.

Merlin said casually:

That's what you taught me, too.

You really look more and more like me, Merlin.

Fury was silent for a moment, he smiled and said:

Do you think this is a good thing?

Bad things, good things, I don't know.

Merlin said indifferently:

I know I'm growing up, and that's the best. Before I was 30, I was very resistant to your conspiracy theories. After I was 30, I realized that many things cannot be done in the open. Everyone knows about conspiracy. Not a good thing, but it often works, which is ironic.

So, you came here today to talk about conspiracy?

Fury patted his leg and said:

Tell me, what's the matter.

Sulfur Harbor.

Merlin looked at the small city under his feet but stretched to the end of his sight, and he said to Fury:

That alien city that has always resisted entering the new order, a blind spot within the scope of our stronghold, an unbearable stain on a painting that is becoming perfect.

The time has come to solve this problem and I have an opportunity, a chance to solve it above board.

Well, that sounds great.

Rubbing his chin, Fury asked:

Tell me, I'm listening.

The vampire Dracula, a legendary figure entered Sulfur Harbor a few months ago, and he caused quite a stir there, the city is now isolated, and worst of all, if this matter is dealt with If not, New York City above Sulfur Harbor will be implicated, and millions of human lives will be threatened. In this case, the World Security Council will not reject our proposal, let alone Pierce will help.

Merlin briefly introduced the situation to Fury:

I plan to carry out a 'humanitarian rescue', an armed parade, and a siege. While defeating the dangerous enemy, I will extend our power to that unruly city and solve all the troubles at once!

Wait, I have a question.

Fury asked:

Is there no response from the Magic Council to such a big matter? I may have recently received a report about an S-class supernatural incident. Did those wizards not see it, or are they planning to turn a blind eye? Or, conceal it?

I don't know either.

Merlin simply shook his head, and said:

So I'll ask in a moment.

He paused and continued:

At the very beginning, the two sides just started to cooperate, and we helped each other. At that time, we needed to help each other to fight against the chaotic heterogeneous world, but now

Merlin didn't finish his sentence, and he didn't need to.

Fury, the master of conspiracy, knew what Merlin meant.

Today, on the east coast in 2003, a monitoring and intervention system from south to north has been successfully established, with nearly 2,000 agents under his command, and has begun to prepare for the mass production of his own s.d.o.l.d. Backed by the ever-increasing armed strength of SHIELD, the Magic Council can help Merlin less and less.

In other words, Merlin and his department no longer need this former ally.

Especially when the Magic Congress seems to have begun to be estranged from the S.H.I.E.L.D. system, the two parties who have cooperated well in the past are likely to be about to break up.

This 'question', do you need my help?

Fury said softly:

Maybe I can send out a few special response teams

No, no need.

Merlin said in a gentle tone:

They are still friends, Fury, and it's not time to draw the sword yet. What's more, we still have more troublesome things to deal with now. Regarding the 'siege' I planned, I need the support of the headquarters.

Tell me, how many people do you need?

Fury didn't resist, and he was happy to see his subordinates figure things out on their own.

How many people can we dispatch?

Merlin replied:

There are also ships, heavily armed. Well, the air force is not very useful in such a situation. There is not enough airspace in that city for fighter jets to fly.

It depends on how large a deterrent you are going to do.

Fury glanced at Merlin, and he felt that Merlin was going to play really this time.

Just like in 1998, when he asked the British Navy to launch a tactical missile to help him deal with the Death Eaters' attack.

That's a city, Fury.

Merlin says:

A city inhabited by millions of aliens, I don't want to see us fall into a disadvantage in numbers and firepower. Let me ask you, if we want to destroy a city like New York now, what kind of firepower do we need?

Without using nuclear weapons, the most convenient method is a salvo of powerful tactical missiles.

Fury said:

It takes a fleet.

Very well, let's have one.

Merlin said in a relaxed tone:

Leave me the hidden enchantment and the demiplane gate of Sulfur Port. You just need to prepare enough explosives. How to deal with them as the underground city will be left to me.

And, we also need a ground force.

Merlin says:

After the battle with a legendary vampire, there must be a mess that needs to be cleaned up. There will be many thugs in the chaotic and war-stricken city, threatening the lives of peace-loving heterogeneous friends. We need to restore order in the shortest possible time.

15 Special Response Units will be on standby from 3pm today.

Fury looked at his watch and said:

Pierce can also authorize several troops belonging to the World Security Council, but I think that since it is related to heterogeneity, it is better for us to let ordinary soldiers have access to these things that should be kept secret.

Well, I can understand.

Merlin says:

The dragoon squad can also enter the standby state. In addition, I also know that there are a group of defense robots from a.i.m that we copied at the Pegasus base. I heard that the number is quite considerable.

Well, I'll put them on standby as well.

Fury nodded, and he asked:

What else? What else do you need?

Let me think

Merlin rubbed his forehead, and after a while, he said to Fury:

I need a sum of money that will not be suspected, and the amount is probably around 25 million.

What do you want money for?

Fury said suspiciously:

Your department should still have funds.

Well, to do some things that are not convenient for us to do.

Merlin snapped his fingers, and he said to Fury:

Thalia's Assassin's Alliance will also take some less 'legal' business. I probably figured it out. The heads of the faction leaders in Sulfur Harbor are worth almost this much money.

Tsk tsk, you're really ruthless, Merlin.

Fury said softly:

Did you learn this from me too?

Not this one.

Merlin said to Fury seriously:

This is my own understanding that violence cannot bring peace. Violence cannot solve difficult problems, but if we take a step back and the requirements are not so high, then violence can solve the person who caused the problem.

When the people are gone, the problem is gone.

But you didn't like to use assassination to solve problems before.

Fury said:

I remember you telling me that things like assassinations will only bring more trouble.

I was young, Fury, and it was understandable to say something stupid.

Merlin waved his hand and said:

At that time, my understanding of assassins was too shallow, but now, I already know a lot of stories about assassins, and I also know the meaning of assassins' existence.

He wiped his left arm, where there was a holy silver hidden sword ready to go, and he said softly:

If the children of order came to a world of chaos

Then they're bound to turn that world upside down

The realization of order is the most important thing. As for the method used to achieve it, it doesn't matter at all.

Merlin and Fury were silent for a few seconds at the same time. Merlin took out the pocket watch from his pocket, looked at the time, and then said to Fury:

That's all, I'll go first.

I also made an appointment with Mr. Samuel, the great wizard, to have lunch with my old friend. I can't be late.