Shadow of the Beautiful World

The location chosen by the murderer is very professional, and that location is a monitoring blind spot on the highway.

I went to the scene to see it myself. There are still traces of black magic there. In the wreckage of Fury's vehicle, the external communication system was also interfered. The black box of the special car was destroyed.

When the dawn was approaching, Merlin leaned on the desk and said to Pierce in front of him:

This was a premeditated attack and the perpetrators did not leave any trace at the scene.

I can only judge from Fury's injuries that there should be superhumans involved in the assassination.

Merlin said with some regret:

Judging from the open wound on his abdomen, the burns around the wound, and the paw prints on his back, the perpetrator is not of a different kind.

There are traces of some kind of burning hormone in the air at the scene, it should be some kind of mutant, superhuman, or alienated animal

I have entrusted the Aurors of the Magic Congress to search for unusual events in New York in recent months.

But to be honest, I don't have much hope that the perpetrator will be found immediately.

He paused and said to the silent Pierce:

The assailant should be a top killer. The entire assassination process may not even take 2 minutes. If it wasn't for Fu Rui, well, in short, if he wasn't lucky enough, he might meet us in the form of a corpse.

And what I'm more confused about now is why Fury drove out of the city alone in the early hours of the morning?

Looking at his destination, it seems to be heading to Washington

it's me.

Pierce lowered his head, he said regretfully:

I asked Frey to meet in Washington, and I killed him.

Um?

Merlin asked in surprise:

Is there anything that can't be said during the day? Fury has to go out at night.

Pierce raised his head, looked left and right, and winked at Merlin, who immediately reached out and released a sound barrier.

Obviously, what Pierce will say next cannot be known by others.

It's very important, Merlin.

Pierce stood up, he walked tremblingly to the window, he looked at the city in the distance, turned his back to Merlin and said:

I spoke to Fury once when you first started your vacation

About letting you take over as director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and getting Fury into the World Security Council as S.H.I.E.L.D.'s supervisor at the United Nations.

I want to arrange the future career paths for you and Fury as much as possible while I am still in this position.

Frey will be, like me, the official spokesperson and protector of S.H.I.E.L.D. at the United Nations.

And you, you will take over Fury's mission and manage the world's largest intelligence collection and abnormal affairs management agency for the United Nations and the World Security Council.

The old man looked back at the surprised Merlin, and said:

But things have changed in the near future. I can't tell you more, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Fury, so I let him come to Washington as quickly as possible.

But I didn't expect that my request almost let him down

Well, if that's the case, there's no doubt as to motive.

Merlin nodded. He looked at Pierce and said:

The attack on Fury came too suddenly, there was no warning beforehand, and all traces of the scene were erased. I have no clue if I want to track it down.

What we can do now is to protect Fury.

After he wakes up, we may be able to get some useful information from him.

Um.

Pierce nodded, and the undisguised worry on his face made Merlin sigh.

He could imagine that, living to Pierce's age, every friend must be very precious and must be very important to him.

Not to mention that he and Fury have been on the battlefield together, worked together, and played their lives together.

You haven't seen him yet, have you?

Merlin stepped forward and sat beside the sad-looking old man. He said to Pierce:

Do you want to go and have a look together?

Is there any smoke?

Pierce didn't answer, but turned his head and said something to Merlin.

Merlin was stunned for a moment, then took out his own Sika cigarette case that contained secret agent equipment from his pocket, took one out of it and handed it to Pierce.

After receiving the latter in his hand, Merlin snapped his fingers lightly, a ball of flame hovered in front of Pierce's eyes, and lit a cigarette for him.

Amidst the rising smoke, Pierce was silent for a moment, and the expression on his face became sad in the fuzzy smoke.

He said softly:

Tell me honestly, is Merlin lying in the hospital really Fury? I mean, is it really Fury?

Um?

Merlin snorted and looked at Pierce.

He didn't seem to understand why Pierce was asking that question.

But when he saw the shining light in Pierce's eyes that wanted to find out the truth, but was afraid to know the truth and hid from the dodging light, Merlin suddenly understood.

Pierce was also a secret agent, and he also has the kind of thinking that everything is defined by conspiracy theories.

Merlin shook his head and explained to Pierce:

I'm not bored to that level yet. If Fury is really dead, I won't spend time playing this hard-to-get game. I will immediately take the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. to flip the whole world to avenge him.

Take it easy, Pierce.

Merlin reached out and patted the old man's shoulder. He said:

The one lying there is Fury. I have seen the soul and tested the DNA. That is Fury. He is still alive.

That's good, that's good

Pierce's expression became relaxed at this moment, but his heart became more dignified.

Things started to go wrong.

But hold on, don't panic

The more critical the moment, the less you can panic.

I'll go see him.

Pierce finished smoking a cigarette, he stood up, pinched the cigarette butt, and looked for the ashtray.

Merlin stretched out his hand towards him, Pierce glanced at him, and then put the cigarette butt in Merlin's palm with a strange expression.

In the lingering black mist, the cigarette butt was quickly burned away.

I'll go with you.

Merlin sent Pierce out of the office, and he said to the old man:

Actually, counting the time, Fury may wake up in a few days.

?

Pierce looked at Merlin in surprise, and said:

So fast? Is the news I heard wrong?

Girl Hill told me that Fury was pierced by a sharp weapon and was almost torn apart. With such a serious injury, it will take a few days for him to heal?

That's for ordinary people.

Merlin accompanied Pierce into the elevator, and he said to the old man:

When Fury saved himself, he injected nano-robots into his body. When he was brought back, his internal organs were basically healed, but he looked miserable on the outside.

I have already contacted the healer at the ghost base, and I am treating Fury for external trauma.

Merlin made a searchlight motion, and he said to Pierce who kept nodding beside him:

Optimistically, he may wake up within a week, but Fury's spine is injured and he may need surgery.

But the trouble is, only Dr. Stephen Strange can perform this kind of spine stitching operation in the whole world.

Merlin said to the old man beside him with a regretful expression:

But the doctor's appointment has been scheduled for several years, which means that Fury may have to use a wheelchair for a few years.

The director of S.H.I.E.L.D., what does it look like in a wheelchair!

Pierce snorted very dissatisfied.

After getting out of the elevator, he took out his mobile phone, dialed a number, talked and laughed a few times to the other side of the phone, then hung up the phone, turned his head and said to Merlin:

It's been arranged. After 25 days, send Fury to Dr. Strange's clinic. There will be someone there who will take care of everything.

After finishing speaking, Pierce stretched out his hand, pointed at Merlin, and said in a bad tone:

Also, don't take me for a fool, you brat!

If you want my help, just say it, don't beat around the bush with Fury. I used to be an agent, no worse than you and Fury!

Nick Fury's recovery time was shorter than Merlin expected.

Under the care of Dr. Ziegler, the most proficient in nanotherapy technology, Fury woke up on the fifth morning after his injury.

Merlin received the news immediately.

But because he is in charge of Fu Rui's daily work, in the past few days, he has been coordinating some things with other departments of the World Security Council in Europe, so he couldn't come here immediately.

Of course, this was arranged by Pierce.

Just like the last time the tyrant went out of control, Merlin was temporarily appointed to represent Pierce in Switzerland for a meeting. Pierce needed to send Merlin away immediately to confirm some things.

Snapped

The door of the ward was pushed open, and accompanied by Agent Hitwell, Pierce walked into the ward with a smile on his cane.

The little nurse who was feeding Fu Rui immediately stood up, put the lunch box aside to make room for the big boss, and moved a chair with a wink.

Don't let other people bother us.

Pierce said something to Agent Hitwell, and the bald agent turned his head and nodded to Director Fury who was lying on the bed, and then quickly walked out of the ward.

A few capable agents stood guard in front of the ward, preventing others from disturbing the conversation between the two bosses.

How are you feeling, Fury.

Pierce sat in a chair, a concerned expression on his face, and he looked at Fury in front of him.

Director Braised Egghead is in terrible shape now, with a bandage on his left arm, leaning against the head of the bed, and new skin left by nanotherapy on his face and neck.

Those skins look lighter than Fury's original skin color.

This makes Fury look like a zebra, very weird.

He still wears his black eyepatch, probably because his body still hurts, Fury's complexion is not good, and his lips are livid.

He was also weak in speech.

Facing Pierce's inquiry, he shook his head with difficulty, and said:

It's terrible. It's like being trampled back and forth by a herd of elephants a dozen times. I feel like every bone in my body has been broken and then healed again. Some parts of my body are still itchy. Shinobu, hell! Falk!

You get so grumpy every time you lie in the hospital, Fury.

Pierce reassured softly.

On a certain rooftop hundreds of meters away from the building, the Winter Soldier in casual attire had already set up a sniper rifle.

And two blocks away, a Decepticon warrior disguised as a Mustang police car was also slowly heading towards this block.

Only after Pierce finished asking the question, the second assassination will begin.

Raccoon City hasn't been exposed for the time being, but it's only a matter of time before the umbrella is exposed if the witcher agents continue to investigate.

Although Fury died, the investigation over there was only temporarily suspended and would always restart, but Pierce, who was running out of time, was already ready for the arrival of the new order.

All he needs is not to be disturbed at the last moment.

That's all.

I shouldn't have called you that night.

Pierce sighed, and he said to Fury:

Almost killed you.

Nothing but Pierce, Hydra is still there!

Fury said softly:

It's the Winter Soldier, I can see it clearly, he's trying to kill me.

Hydra?

Pierce's eyes widened, and the surprise on his face couldn't be concealed at all. He looked at Fury, who nodded to him with a serious expression.

This is a really big deal.

Pierce clenched his fists, and he said to Fury:

I'll call Merlin back right away.

Um.

Fury nodded, and he said:

Indeed, he must be brought back. The hydra has started to move again, and it is menacing. There is not much time left for us.

Get some rest, Fury.

Pierce clenched his fists, he stood up, and when he walked to the door, he looked back at Fury, and he said in a complicated tone:

Bye now.

See you.

Fury didn't realize the deep meaning of Pierce's words. He was raising his hand, trying to take out a piece of bread from the lunch box to eat, probably because he had been hungry for too long.

But just as Fury picked up the bread and put it in his mouth, Pierce's expression suddenly changed.

He picked up the phone, clicked on the shining one, then pressed the off button, raised his hand again, and gestured a no gesture to the outside of the window.

The Winter Soldier, who had already aimed at Fury's head and was about to pull the trigger, froze for a moment. He confirmed Pierce's gesture, then silently put away his sniper rifle, and quickly left the rooftop.

Hundreds of meters away from the hospital, the Decepticons who were ready to attack suddenly received an order to stop the mission.

The Mustang police car turned a corner on the spot and quickly merged into the traffic flow.

Pierce, who canceled the assassination order at the last moment, looked at Fury on the hospital bed, who was pinching a piece of triangular bread and eating it sweetly.

Pierce's eyes narrowed at this moment, and thoughts like lightning flashed through them.

Seconds later, he returned to Fury with a smile and said:

I almost forgot, Hoffs, do you remember?

On the battlefield of the Vietnam War, our chief, the guy whose arm was blown off, called me a few days ago and said that he would come to New York and buy us a drink.

The old guy is 89 years old this year. Maybe he will never see him again if he misses this time. Do you want to go with me?

Um?

Fury's expression remained unchanged, and he said softly:

You can arrange it, but look at my current situation, I can't drink at all.

Okay, then I'll book a hotel.

Pierce stood up. He pointed to the bread in Fury's hand pretending to be curious. He shook his head and walked towards the door of the ward. He said:

That's weird, you've never eaten a triangle bun before

Behind him, a moment of tension flashed across Fury's face, but it recovered quickly.

After watching Pierce leave, Fury looked at the triangle bread in his hand, curled his lips, and threw the food box aside.

The little nurse who had given him water before walked into the house, and Director Fury said to her:

Girl, give me this bread for a change

I don't eat triangle buns.

On the other side, Pierce, who walked out of the hospital, looked back at the tall buildings behind him, and there was a hint of amusement in his eyes.

He didn't know who the impostor was lying on the hospital bed.

But he can be sure that it is definitely not Fury

The real Fury will not remember the past on the Vietnam War battlefield. Their company commander was not called Hoffs at all.

The chief of Fury's unit back then was Pierce himself!

Not to mention, that triangular bread that casually shows off its feet

Hehe, what a poor pretender, but he managed to fool Merlin, at least on the surface.

Pierce got into the car, he motioned the driver to drive, and he leaned back on the seat with his eyes closed.

In other words, he hasn't been exposed before Merlin's eyes. Well, this is an opportunity that can be used, but be careful.

Look at this thing, it's really getting more and more interesting.