Shadow of the Beautiful World

Now I finally know why those of you who have been in contact with him don't like him.

After Hank Pym's projection dissipated, Merlin walked up to Dr. Foster, who was depressed and almost autistic, and patted the doctor on the shoulder. He said in an understanding tone:

Sure enough, as you said, this is really an unlikable bastard.

But you've also seen his amazing intelligence.

Fosterbos was sitting on a chair and was writing and drawing on a set of drawings. He said to Merlin without raising his head:

Hank is such a person, he is arrogant, cold, unreasonable, controlling and scary... The problem is, he has the capital to do this, his wisdom, Merlin, there are always some people in this world His wisdom is beyond ours, no matter how hard you try...you can't catch up with him, that kind of feeling is really uncomfortable.

He gave us a plan, although I didn't understand it.

Merlin looked at the drawings in Dr. Foster's hand, and he asked:

Are you sure this plan works?

Um.

Dr. Foster nodded, and he said to Merlin in a sense of loss:

Pym's sarcasm is right, I really overlooked a lot. When you first handed me the blueprint of the quantum restraint device, I knew that the restraint device can strengthen the suppression of quantum activities through quantitative superposition , but that thing will also oppress Ava's spirit, if she wears more than 3 restraint devices, it will bring her a terrible burden.

However, I overlooked another application of this restraint.

The doctor pointed to the blueprint he had just drawn, and he said to Merlin:

What Ava needs is not a wearable restraint device, what she needs is a set of clothes that can shield quantum activities, a closed confinement field that can suppress the ever-increasing quantum energy in her body.

Oh, a combat uniform?

Merlin looked at the strange fully enclosed armor that had just been drawn on the blueprint, rubbed his chin, and said:

Like a mobile restraint warehouse?

No, it's completely different in principle.

Dr. Foster looked up at the beehive-like restraint chamber in front of him, and said:

But there is no problem with how you describe it... As long as Ava wears this combat suit loaded with several restraint devices, she can maintain the integrity of her body. After training, she can even manipulate the quantum energy in her body , which can greatly reduce her pain and allow her to move freely in the outside world.

But she can't take it off until she's back in this cell.

The doctor said with some regret:

You've also heard what Pim said. Although he has a bad temper, he usually doesn't lie. He said that he can't solve Ava's problem, which is probably true.

That is to say, my poor Ava will only be able to walk around in this combat uniform like the future soldier?

Merlin breathed a sigh of relief, he looked at Ava in the restraint cell, his eyes were full of pity.

But soon, he thought of another thing, and he said to Dr. Foster:

Hank Pym told us just now that he can cure Ava as long as his experiments go further... Do you think this is a lie, or?

It should be true.

Dr. Foster continued to improve the design, and said to Merlin:

Although I don't know exactly what Pym has been doing these years, I can probably guess that he is probably researching a method that allows him to enter the quantum world. This is theoretically impossible, but both you and I You know, theory can only restrain ordinary people, and for a genius like Pim, general cognition can be broken at any time.

Once Pym really finds a way to safely enter and exit the quantum world, it means that he can collect free energy from the quantum world, the kind of energy that only exists in that microscopic world, and it can be used to repair and stabilize Ava. body.

The Doctor said as best he could in a way that Merlin could understand:

The energies of those quantum worlds are relatively stable in that world. We only need to inject those energies into Ava's body to make the disordered atoms in her body reach a relatively stable state...

Of course, this kind of stability will go into chaos again with the passage of time, but if Pym really finds a way to enter the quantum world, it means that we can replenish Ava's energy at any time.

Dr. said:

That means that Ava will return to the world of normal people, and she can enjoy her life freely like other girls...even get married and have children.

It sounds pretty good.

Merlin rubbed his forehead, he said:

Then we can only hope that the test of that irascible old man will make progress in the near future.

It's not that easy, Merlin.

Dr. Foster sighed:

Pym has probably spent more than ten years perfecting that experiment, which shows that the difficulty encountered in that experiment is much greater than we imagined, unless it encounters a breaking point, it is like Pim It is difficult for a genius to achieve a breakthrough in a short period of time.

But you're right. Apart from waiting, our poor intelligence can't do much.

It seems that you were really cast out of the shadow by him.

Merlin patted Dr. Foster on the shoulder, and he said:

Don't listen to his nonsense, you are also very smart, Bill, at least in my opinion, you are already one of the very smart few people in the world.

Well.

Dr. Foster touched his bald head, looked at Merlin, and said:

I always feel that there is something in your words... But, Merlin, just being smart is not enough. People like Pym, or Reed, or Stark, you can't describe them as smart. It's like a humiliation.

The doctor sighed, and he said to Merlin:

In the next period of time, I will design this combat uniform for Ava. If it goes well, she will be able to move freely in the outside world in half a month.

Give it a name.

Merlin looked at the blueprint in the doctor's hand, rubbed his chin, and said softly:

Let's call it 'Ghost', the name fits Ava's abilities well, doesn't it?

really.

Dr. Foster nodded and said:

It can pass through most solid objects, is immune to any physical attack, can freely switch between virtual and real forms, and can truly hide in various senses. This is indeed too similar to the ghosts in fairy tales.

Your Excellency Merlin, you have a new communication message.

A sudden reminder interrupted the chat between Merlin and Dr. Foster. On the lens in front of his eyes, a communication message from Kansas made Merlin blink.

He turned to Dr. Foster and said:

Doctor, I still have something to deal with, so I'm leaving first.

In addition, after Ava wakes up, call me. This child has not eaten with the children at home for a long time, and the children miss her very much.

Well, go ahead, Merlin.

A few seconds later, Merlin came to the roof of Pegasus Base. He stood on the edge of the roof, looking at the vast desert in front of him, and then Icarus dialed the phone number just now in reverse.

Clark, you haven't contacted me for almost a year...Could it be that you called me suddenly to wish me a merry Christmas?

Well, you can think so.

On the other end of the phone, Clark's voice sounded, and he said:

Christmas is coming, after all, but I have another thing to tell you.

Speak, don't be shy.

Merlin says:

We are friends, and friends help each other.

Uh, it's like this. I want you to help me find a job... It's better to be far away from home. Forget it, come here. The matter is more complicated. I'll tell you in person.

—————————————————

A few minutes later, on the hillside not far from the Kent Farm, Merlin walked out of the light of the Displacement Curse, and saw Clark sitting on the hillside, drinking beer melancholy.

This guy was still wearing that old denim jacket and a worn-out straw hat. His collie was lying beside him. One person and one dog looked very leisurely in the winter sun.

I thought you were going to work all your life on the family farm.

Merlin stepped forward, pulled out a portable chair from his pocket, sat beside Clark, and said:

What happened to make you want to leave the farm and go outside.

My mother forced me to get married...

Clark looked into the distance, he said with a melancholy face:

She and my dad have been looking for a girlfriend for me recently. Just yesterday, the family went to a small town restaurant for dinner. When I got there, I saw another family sitting at the table. They are my parents. Friends, that's not the point, the point is, their daughter was there too... That meal made me feel awkward.

I thought old Kent and Martha would respect your choice.

Merlin suppressed a smile, and said to Clark solemnly:

They will be like other parents who don't care about your life's major events and just let you run around the world, but now it seems that they are quite traditional and will worry about marriage for their troubled son .”

But I don't need it!

Clark squeezed the soda can in his hand into a discus a little annoyed, and said:

You know my problem. I can't fall in love casually, let alone get married casually.

Are you afraid of giving birth to a Kryptonian baby?

Merlin leaned back on the chair, crossed his legs, and said leisurely:

But it's really okay, honestly, I can understand your parents' concerns... If my son is turning 25 and he hasn't even been in a relationship, he hasn't even touched a girl's hand, He doesn't pretend to be polite to all the women around him, so I also started to think wildly, does he not like women? Could it be that the baby son is gay or something.

He glanced at Clark and said:

Martha is a sincere Catholic, and it's really normal for her to have such concerns. Seriously, if you want to appease your parents, I can send a female agent pretending to be your girlfriend...it's The easiest way to deal with it.

No, I don't want to lie to them.

Clark pulled his straw hat down over his face, and said:

I'm a little annoyed, maybe it's a good choice to take this opportunity to leave home and go out for a look. But you also know, I just graduated from high school and never went to college. If I had to find it myself, it would be difficult to find a job that can Let parents work with peace of mind, so I can only ask you.

For a lunatic like you who can read and understand A Brief History of Time in 10 minutes, a Ph.D. is a joke.

Merlin shrugged and said:

But if you've made up your mind, I'll help you. It's not that hard. What I'm more curious about, though, is that I've given you a year to think, and I haven't intervened in your thinking. I I think one year is enough time.

How are you thinking about my other invitation?

The Avengers?

Lying on the hillside, Clark let the sun shine on his body. He stroked the head of the wagging puppy beside him. He said:

Okay, I'll join. As you said, it's a loose organization that only gathers when something bad happens, right?

Um.

Merlin used Icarus to search for current jobs in New York City, and replied:

Most of the time, you are free, and you are free to live your own life. Speaking of which, do you have any requirements for your new job?

No request.

Clark took off the straw hat and threw it aside, he said to Merlin:

As long as it suits me.

Well, let me see.

One recruitment message after another flashed on the lens in front of Merlin's eyes. After a few minutes, he seemed to have found a suitable job. He said to Clark:

You can hear the voice of a city, you are not afraid of being threatened, you still have a sense of justice, and most importantly, you run fast and can arrive at the scene as soon as possible... Well, this position is very suitable for you.

What?

Clark looked at Merlin, who stereoprojected information about the job into the air, and said to Clark:

Planet Daily is currently recruiting reporters, I think you can give it a try.

Reporter...

Clark read the recruitment notice carefully, and said with a look of embarrassment:

But it requires a BA in journalism...

It's okay.

Merlin patted Clark on the shoulder, and he said:

I will help you 'revise' your resume, and I can guarantee that you will definitely be admitted.

However, you need to sort out your own image first. You need a suit and a device that can change your face. Maybe a pair of glasses would be good. The style is similar to mine. Well, your face shape is more suitable for black. Glasses can make you look more stable... In short, you go and say goodbye to old Kent and Martha, and leave the rest to me.

Merlin stood up, and he said to Clark:

Just go to work at the Daily Planet tomorrow morning.

Oh, by the way, since you have joined the Avengers, the necessary training has to be scheduled. It just so happens that there is an elderly person who also needs to start resuscitation training. You can come together.

Go, Clark, pack your things. I'll wait for you in New York.