Shadow of the Beautiful World

swish

The moment Merlin stepped out of the pier, a black Raptor car drove up rapidly.

With a beautiful and perfect tail wagging, it precisely stopped in front of Merlin's eyes.

The car door opened automatically, and the escalator with pedals extended to Merlin's feet.

Merlin glanced back at the battle on the pier.

The pier, which was almost swallowed by the sea, was in a mess, but the fierce confrontation continued.

Hydra's soldiers were almost killed by the assassins in ambush, and the tyrant they brought was also drawn into the deep sea.

The battle between Superman and Thor isn't over yet, and the Arthur trio is strong, but it's almost impossible to defeat the combination of Clark and Thor.

And Iron Man has taken advantage of the chaos and left the battlefield.

Something went wrong with his Super Mark...

Maybe Merlin should thank Jarvis, after all, the artificial intelligence was risking being discovered and disassembled, and played a scene with Merlin.

Well, maybe Icarus communicated with Jarvis in advance.

But the battle here has nothing to do with Merlin.

click

He got into the car, and the seat belt automatically fastened for Merlin.

The car door was closed, and the steering wheel of Horus automatically deflected the next moment. It started smoothly, but rushed out of the combat zone at the speed of a sports car.

How is the situation at home?

Merlin leaned on the driver's seat, as if closing his eyes and resting his mind.

he asked softly.

The next moment, Horus replied in a low voice:

Everything is safe, everyone is waiting for you at home, Master Merlin, your friend Wolverine Logan and the children of hell are protecting them, do you want to go straight home now?

No.

Merlin shook his head and said:

I have to find a place to clean up first...

He looked at the dust and blood on his shirt, and at the pale, bloodless face reflected in the rearview mirror.

He said:

Just go back like this, they will worry.

Shall I find you a door?

Horus asked in a low voice:

Perhaps it is a good choice to enter the mystery room at this time.

Door?

Merlin chuckled lightly. He took out the key of the mysterious house and inserted it into the keyhole of Horus' car from the inside. He twisted the key and said softly:

The world is full of doors...

In the next second, using the key as a medium, Horus, who was running on the street of the world, disappeared strangely in place.

Let the three rockets that hit from the sky hit nothing.

Amidst the roar of the flames smashing the earth, Horus appeared in the large hall of the mysterious house very smoothly.

click

The car door opened, and Merlin walked down leaning on a cane, and was supported by Xuan Lan who suddenly appeared.

How did you do this?

Xuan Lan said in a dissatisfied tone:

You respect the world, respect everyone, I hope you can respect yourself, once in a while...

Can't you really be nice to yourself?

It was just an accident.

Merlin didn't want to argue with Xuanlan.

He knew that Xuanlan was doing it for his own good.

He was supported to sit on the sofa, and the flame in the fireplace burned more intensely at this moment, making the hall warmer.

Xuan Lan picked up the handbell at her waist, and while it was shaking, ghost servants appeared, bringing hot towels to Merlin and changing him into new clothes.

He served him a cup of hot tea with a suitable temperature, as well as spare pastries.

You were injured, why didn't you come back as soon as possible?

Xuanlan bent down, and while helping Merlin tidy up some messy hair, she said:

You know how worried I... the kids are?

I just don't want you to worry too much about me, and it's no big problem.

Merlin picked up the teacup, he took a sip of the tea, and said:

It was just expected, and I was prepared for it, but it came with a menacing force, still a bit beyond my imagination... But things are not out of control, far from out of control.

The source of all confusion has been found...

Merlin put down his teacup and said:

The rest is very simple.

Really?

Xuan Lan stood beside Mei Lin, she said:

You should know that in this room, I can feel your thoughts...

Why is your beating heart telling me that this time you are not sure at all.

The housekeeper who had been with Merlin for nearly ten years looked at her master, and she said seriously:

Tell me honestly, Master Merlin, what is the real situation? About your disordered and complicated fate, tell me...

Xuan Lan walked up to Mei Lin, she squatted down, and held Mei Lin's cold hands with both hands.

She looked into Merlin's dark red eyes, and she said:

You know you can trust me, you can tell me... all this, what is it like?

Under Xuan Lan's inquiry, Merlin was silent for a moment, and a few seconds later, a trace of sadness appeared in his eyes.

He seemed to have removed all disguise, he said to Xuan Lan:

Well, bad.

It's not because of the matter itself, Lan, but because of the game...Although I haven't told you, I believe you can guess.

The end game is coming.

Merlin sighed, he raised his head, looked at the ceiling of the mysterious room above his head, which was covered with strange patterns, and said softly:

When you're forced to start a game...

You're forced to play in the worst possible capacity.

You don't know all this at first, you think all this is your life, everything is real.

But then, you wake up, you become detached, and you realize that it's all set.

Merlin lowered his head, he looked at Xuan Lan's face that resembled Natasha.

He stretched out his finger, stroked the smooth cheek, and said:

And you don't want to sink into illusory satisfaction, you want to have your own reality, and most importantly, you want to win...

Isn't playing games just to win?

But the problem I'm facing now is that the game is almost over and I don't know what to do to win...

I don't know what counts as winning. It makes it difficult for me to strategize. Hydra is a small problem, but this ... is a big problem.

A vain smile appeared on his face, and he stroked Xuan Lan's cheek.

In the burning fire of the fireplace, in that warm breath, he looked at Xuanlan, and asked softly:

Lan... are you real? Or, like me, you were just born in a dream?

Like a soap bubble, poke it lightly...

Snapped

It just broke.

Xuan Lan listened to Mei Lin's narration, her expression changed, finally, under Mei Lin's gaze, Xuan Lan stood up, she stretched out her hand, and pushed Mei Lin on the sofa.

The next moment, Xuan Lan bent down and put her whole body into Mei Lin's arms.

She wrapped her arms around Merlin's neck and kissed Merlin lightly on the cheek.

She whispered in Merlin's ear:

Now, you can feel my weight, my temperature, my feelings, do you think I'm real?

I have no idea.

Merlin closed his eyes and said:

But I want you to be real, just like I want this to be true...not a damn story, a goddamn game.

I hope you have flesh and blood. I hope that all the times we have spent together are as real as steel. I don't want to open my eyes the next moment and find that all this is a dream of mine.

Or worse, it's someone else's dream.

At the end of the game, will we, who have completed our mission, still exist? Can we continue to go on? To the unknown end.

This question made the hall of the mystery house fall into silence, and Xuan Lan couldn't answer it.

In the silence, Mei Lin and Xuan Lan leaned on the sofa in a very ambiguous posture.

Only the sound of the flames peeling away.

Other than that, there is only silence.

Of course they will continue to exist!

A few seconds later, a voice broke the silence, the voice seemed to answer Merlin's question, he said:

But you don't have to.

swish

Xuanlan in Meilin's arms opened her eyes, and she turned to look at the person who appeared behind her.

Her face was full of surprise and a hint of fear.

As the accompanying spirit of the mysterious house, theoretically, no matter how powerful the person who enters the house is, they cannot hide from Xuanlan's perception, because she is the house itself.

But now, a guy she didn't perceive appeared.

He was sitting on the sofa opposite, holding a cup of tea in his hand.

But in Xuan Lan's perception, it was as if this guy didn't exist at all.

What appeared before him seemed to be only a ghost, something that did not exist in reality.

He was wearing a black suit and a gentleman's hat. The hat was worn obliquely on his head, covering most of his face, making his face look like it was shrouded in shadows.

He was wearing black gloves, very fitting gloves that fit almost perfectly on his fingers.

Under the suit, there is a white shirt with a stand-up collar that is rare nowadays, but there is no matching bow tie or tie around the neck.

It is worth noting that he is sitting on the sofa in a big guy sitting posture.

The left leg rests on the right leg, and the blue cloak behind her is spread on both sides of the sofa in a smooth gesture.

And the buckle of the cloak was just under the collar.

That clasp is peculiar.

It is as if three unique silver coins have been molded together to form this clasp.

hum

Xuanlan subconsciously mobilized the power of the mysterious house to drive out the strange intruder who appeared suddenly.

But as soon as she raised her hand, Merlin stopped her.

it's useless.

Merlin clasped Xuanlan's wrist, looked at the mysterious man sitting opposite, and said:

He is not from this world, and the power of this world is useless to him.

Maybe he is looking at you doing useless work with a mocking heart, and then took the opportunity to humiliate you severely.

orchid...

Merlin said to Xuanlan in his arms:

Why don't you go prepare a tea for the guests?

Xuan Lan understood what Mei Lin meant, she looked at Mei Lin with some worry, and then at that weird and mysterious man.

She stood up and quickly disappeared into the hall.

Wow...

The mysterious man put down his teacup, clapped his hands, and said to Merlin:

Compared to the last time we met, Merlin, you have really matured a lot...

The girls around you are really charming and loyal to you. If it weren't for your sad situation, even I would envy you.

I think, compared to the last time we met, you really haven't made any progress.

Merlin straightened up, looked at the mysterious man in front of him, and said:

As before, I always like to talk nonsense.

But you finally showed up, Mr. Stranger, I've been waiting for you for 19 years...

I've been looking forward to meeting you again.

Ha ha.

In 1971, when Merlin was born.

And in 1989, when Merlin's real story begins, the Phantom Stranger, who appears twice, sits on the couch and laughs.

The third time he looked at Merlin, he said:

You expected me to come? Why are you so sure?

You are the messenger.

Merlin says:

It is their eyes, the hand they extend into the world, to convey the order of the higher will, and it is their weapon to correct mistakes, and it is also the means for them to play with those in the game.

The game is almost over. If you don't show up, then I think you are too incompetent.

Alright alright.

The Phantom Stranger spread his hands, and a strange expression appeared on his face, which was shadowed by the hat.

He said:

I haven't seen you for so many years. You are not very capable, but your temper is not small, and you have become sharp-tongued...

People always grow up, Mr. Stranger.

Merlin said calmly:

It would be a disappointment to you if, after so much, I still haven't improved.

makes sense.

The Phantom Stranger nodded in agreement, and he took out his pocket watch with an extremely strange shape and internal device, and looked at the time.

He said to Merlin:

I don't have much time, so let's be more honest.

I did come to tell you something you need to know...

But you're wrong, Merlin.

The Phantom Stranger showed a strange smile, pointed to the sky, and said:

But I'm not here on behalf of 'them'.

Um?

Merlin was a little surprised now, he looked at Phantom Stranger questioningly, and the latter explained softly:

Although it is a game for two people in name, in fact, from the beginning of the game, there are far more than two people involved...Many people are concerned about the result. Of course, you don't need to know too much about this.

As for me, I was honored to be chosen as the messenger...

Stranger picked up his teacup, took a sip of the tea, and said:

But the will behind me also has its own plans and ideas. I serve the Voice of Heaven, and Voice of Heaven also has friends...

His friend is very concerned about you, and he hopes that I will help you at some point.

The Phantom Stranger raised his head, showed a big smile to Merlin, and said:

So, here I come.

Ready to ask questions? Merlin...

The Stranger's tone became serious, he looked at Merlin, and said:

A friendly reminder! You have already made a mistake...

So this time, if you really want to get the right answers, then you better ask the right questions.