Shadow of the Beautiful World

Abstergo is a large-scale pharmaceutical scientific research enterprise. It was born very early. After the end of the First World War, in 1937, there was already a prototype of a multinational company.

But it is very low-key. Although the in-depth research on antidepressant drugs made the company famous in the last era and reaped unimaginable profits, the company has never shown more activity in the international order.

This company pays taxes on time, and at the same time provides tens of thousands of jobs in North America and around the world. It is enthusiastic about social and public affairs and has close ties with many charitable organizations, which gives it official goodwill.

Just last year, the head of Abstergo, Mr. Warren Vidic, was honored by the government.

On the face of it, Abstergo Corporation is a company of conscience that everyone likes.

But in reality, the organization's low profile is there for a reason.

It is a shadow enterprise established by Templars as old as the Assassin Brotherhood in modern times. It exists for one and only one purpose, and that is to achieve the advent of order through power and control. The idea of ​​a knight from birth.

It sounds great, but there will always be erroneous interpretations in the inheritance of ideas from generation to generation. For example, in this era, the idea of ​​Abstergo's Templars has changed from obtaining peace at any cost to A new world order at all costs.

It looks great, but the problem is that no one knows what this new world order actually represents.

However, judging from Abstergo's increasingly frequent contacts with the political world in recent years, this new order is probably a bit different from the perfect world that the ancestors of the Templars longed for.

After Merlin learned the true identity of Abstergo Corporation from Ms. Cassandra, he has been mobilizing the resources of S.H.I.E.L.D. to secretly search every move of the company.

He has already gained.

He knew that last year, in 2003, the company conducted a medical experiment called new fluoride in the chaotic Central Asia, which resulted in the poisoning of an entire town.

The matter was kept under wraps, but Merlin had gathered all the evidence he could have brought legal justice against Abstergo Corporation at any time, which he didn't.

He was waiting for the final test of his apprentices to be completed, which would be another confrontation in this era between the nascent Brotherhood and the Templars.

Icarus, forward all information regarding Abstergo's 'New Fluoride' experiments, including the death list, to Hill.

On the streets of New York, Merlin leaned on a cane and walked towards the Continental Hotel. He said softly:

At the same time, tell Hill that starting tomorrow morning, we will use official means to investigate the headquarters of Abstergo Corporation in North America and sue them in court. Those bastards who have done evil things think that someone can protect them rampages, but I don't think they can!

If you make a mistake, you should be punished.

The Templars need a severe punishment to teach them that they and the Brotherhood are not the only ones in this world, they need to recognize their identity in the new era!

OK.

Icarus' voice sounded in Merlin's ears, and she said:

The message has been forwarded, do you want to monitor Abstergo's communication network?

Well, of course it needs to be monitored.

Merlin says:

I also really want to see who is acting as an umbrella for them. Let Hill find out the most active guys and kill them as an example!

There was a flash of light in his eyes, and he said:

Assassins and Templars have a purer struggle.

I don't want to see other people meddling in it. This war that has lasted for a thousand years needs to be fairer.

After speaking, Merlin stretched out his hand and pushed open the door of the Continental Hotel.

He stepped into the elevator and onto the second floor, where the door to room 203 was open, where an old friend was waiting for him.

Merlin, when I got your call, I thought you were joking.

Thalia, who was wearing a long red dress with her hips akimbo, stood at the door and looked at Merlin angrily. The very feminine demon leader who cleaned herself up said in a low tone:

You can't just interfere with the operating rules of the Assassin League at will, including your three apprentices...they attacked their companions recklessly, which violated the regulations of the Continental Hotel, and they need to bear the price of violating the rules!

Whatever you want, Thalia.

Merlin walked into the room, closed the door behind him, and said to Talia:

I'm not here to intercede for them, Thalia, I'm just inviting you to a 'show'.

Performance?

Talia stared at Merlin, and she said:

Desmond Miles, Layla Hassan, and Victoria Bibble, the three assassins you asked me to take in will end their contract with the League of Assassins at 12:00 midnight. According to regulations, me and my The organization will not shelter them...

You should know, Merlin, that the three of them have been hunted down by a group of mysterious mercenaries, and now that they violated the regulations, they will also be hunted down by the killers at the Continental Hotel in New York, unless you are willing to include them in the official In the power, otherwise their situation will be very dangerous.

Speaking of this, Talia's tone became playful. She leaned on the sofa in a coquettish posture, with her two perfect long legs resting on the long table, and said to Merlin who was sitting opposite her:

Of course, we are friends, really good friends, so I am willing to spare you, if you need, I can stop chasing them, and even send out assassins to help them resist those strange pursuers. ..”

Talia seemed to be deliberately teasing Merlin, she stuck out her tongue, licked her lips, and said in a very ambiguous tone:

As long as you ask, Merlin, I will do it. You know, I will never refuse you.

No.

Merlin shook his head. He sat on a chair, leaning on a blood-red cane with both hands, looked at Thalia with admiration, and said:

They don't need to.

Um?

Thalia made a confused nasal sound, and she said:

Are you so confident in your apprentices? You have to know that at 12 o'clock tonight, once they leave the Continental Hotel, at least 300 people will join in their pursuit. Although I know the number is not a problem for you, but I don't think those three young men are as powerful as you.

They will die, Merlin.

Thalia emphasized her tone:

If you don't help, they won't see the sun tomorrow.

If they die tonight, it proves that they are nothing more than that.

Merlin said indifferently:

But if they make it to the end, it means that they have lived up to my expectations. Let's make a bet, Thalia, if they make it to 8 o'clock tomorrow morning, I need you to withdraw the order to kill them, and withdraw Those assassins who chased them down, the premise is that those assassins can still live to that time.

good!

Thalia stretched out her hand without hesitation, and she said to Merlin:

But if it's a gamble, you need a bet... Well, I won't take the lives of the three of them, but if anyone is captured or loses combat effectiveness, I will win!

If I win, Merlin, you have to do something for me!

Thalia blinked, and she said in a husky, seductive voice:

I mean anything! You have to do it!

Based on what I know about you, you should not be such a superficial woman, so...

Merlin shrugged and said:

That's it, deal!

hehe

Thalia stood up, twisted her slender waist and walked to the wine cabinet. This fairy-like woman poured two glasses of wine for Merlin and herself. She stood behind Merlin, bent down, and breathed like blue in Merlin's ear explain:

There are still 2 hours until 12 o'clock...do you want to hurry up and relax?

If Damian sees you the way you are now...

Merlin shook the wine glass in his hand, he looked at the swirling liquid in the wine glass, he said:

He must be very disappointed in his mother.

I mean, Thalia, be serious, don't lower your impression in my mind anymore. You know, not every man can't control himself. As a woman's most powerful weapon, It's of no use to me.

Tch, boring.

Talia snorted, and at this moment she quickly changed from a seductress to a dignified and indifferent lady. She sat opposite Merlin, put the wine glass on the table, and said to Merlin:

Speaking of which, I heard that Bruce has recently encountered a difficult enemy. A psycho who claimed to be a 'clown' haunted him in Gotham and almost killed him several times. As a good friend of Bruce, don't you go to help ?”

I heard about it too, but he didn't ask me for help.

Merlin glanced at Thalia, he sighed and said:

You should know Bruce better than I do. If I go to Gotham, he will be very angry. He treats it as his own place and doesn't allow other people to get involved...He's such a stubborn guy.

Yeah, he's stubborn.

Talia complained in dissatisfaction:

I went to see him once, and he refused help from the Assassin's League, but what I'm really worried about is Damian. That silly kid is proud of his father, but he doesn't know the crisis hidden around him at all.

Bruce has a bottom line, but those criminals didn't. They reached out to my Damian more than once, trying to use him to hit Bruce.

There was a hint of murderousness in Thalia's tone, she said:

They are courting death!

I thought you were an emotionless killer, Thalia.

Merlin took a sip of his wine and said softly:

But now it seems that you are still a good mother.

What do you mean barely?

Thalia said dissatisfied:

I killed dozens of villains for my son, blood on my hands for that disobedient brat and careless guy, I did this for them, but those two guys kept saying No thanks at all... Ah, I'm really in trouble.

They probably don't need you to help them get rid of those bastards.

Merlin says:

Maybe, what Damian wants is a mother who can be with him every day, and what Bruce needs is a wife who can make him feel relaxed... Do you understand what I mean? Thalia, you have to make Choose, choose between your ambitions and careers, and your kin and lovers.

You can't be the head of the world's biggest killer organization and be a perfect wife and mother at the same time.

A smile flashed across Merlin's face, and he said:

Admit it, Thalia, old friends, you love them more than anyone else...you just see that love as weakness, and keep resisting the warmth they can give you. You're so torn!

You know a lot.

Thalia glared at Merlin, and she said:

You don't know me, Merlin, you don't know how happy I am, shut up! I don't want to talk to you about these damn things. And I'm in a bad mood!

Thalia took out the phone and pressed a few keys casually. She showed a strange smile to Merlin, shook the phone in her hand, and said:

Because you messed with me, Merlin, the reward for those three little guys has been increased from 7 million to 15 million. Listen, the killers in New York are starting to sharpen their knives... like wild dogs that smell blood, haha , it's more fun, isn't it?

Your character is really bad.

Merlin curled his lips and said:

I sort of know why Bruce doesn't want you now...but it doesn't matter.

Rubbing the fraternity badge between his fingers, he whispered:

For a real assassin, the number of enemies...

Never a problem.

Wait patiently, the show...is about to begin.

———————————————

There are still 7 minutes.

In the lobby of the Continental Hotel in New York, Leila Hassan glanced at the wall clock on the wall, said something to her companion, then took a piece of gauze, and applied sword oil to her broken spear. People, maintaining weapons is always a compulsory course and a basic skill.

Beside her, Victoria, who closed her eyes and meditated, also put on the same white tights that did not affect her movements like Layla and Miles, and a hood over her head.

She had two swords, one long and one short, on her knees, and on her belt made of cowhide, there were sharp throwing knives and various potions in small bottles.

For more than half a month, she has been training with Merlin, and has also conducted actual combat training with Captain America Steve Rogers. The legendary hero passed on his combat experience to Victoria bit by bit, so that her opponent The use of weapons has become more and more skillful.

In front of the two ladies, the male assassin Desmond Miles was assembling a black sniper rifle. Before the parts on the table, there were also pistols and rifles placed there like a weapon display.

Of course, there is also the hand crossbow that is standard for demon hunters. In fact, these cold weapons for silent assassination are the favorite of assassins compared to the firearms that will expose themselves.

They're waiting for us.

Miles quickly assembled the disassembled gun in a dazzling way. He pulled the bolt and said in a rattling sound:

They think they've got us. They think we're going to flee from their hunt like we used to.

Isn't this normal?

Leila replied:

We have failed before, and we failed miserably, like rats being chased away, we can only hide in the dark and linger.

But the darkness gave us new strength.

Victoria's fingers danced on the hilt of her sword, and she said:

This power sent them a new message through the blade...

The time on the wall clock on the wall points to 12 midnight. The three stood up. They stretched out their hands and pulled up their hoods to cover their hair and eyes. Then the left hands of the three were stacked together, and Miles Say softly to your companions:

Blood and death will proclaim to the Templars...

The Brotherhood is back...

This time...

We won't fail again!

Snapped

The door of the Continental Hotel was pushed open. Under the watchful eyes of Merlin and Thalia, the three stepped out of the final safe zone. They will face challenges from the entire city.

Victoria turned her head and looked at Merlin standing by the window on the second floor. She and her companions bowed down to salute Merlin, like a ritual, like saying goodbye.

They rushed into the darkness in three directions, and the next moment, harsh gunshots sounded in the darkness.

It means, hunting...start!