"Hmm... this smell..." Merlin leaned forward and glanced down at the cracked hole. A stench immediately wafted up from the sewer, nearly overwhelming him. "It seems the lizard man slipped away through the sewer." He relaxed slightly upon confirming the escape, then looked up at Gwen, who was hanging upside down from the ceiling.
"Are you going to chase him?" Merlin asked.
Gwen glanced at the sewer and then back at him, exasperated. "If you are willing to chase, I will follow."
"Forget it, I'm not a superhero. I thought this smell would be nothing to you," Merlin said, spreading his hands and teasing her. "By the way, you just called my name. Do you know me?"
Gwen's body stiffened. She had shouted his name out of worry, but with her mask on, Merlin couldn't see her expression.
"That's what your friends call you," she quickly thought of an excuse and said nonchalantly. Not wanting to dwell on the topic, she changed the subject to avoid revealing more.
"I appreciate your courage, but you're just an ordinary person and you only live once. You better not take such risks in the future," she warned in a serious tone. "Just leave this kind of thing to me."
"I can't help it. Who knows why he keeps staring at me," Merlin said, sounding a bit helpless.
Gwen fell silent, trying to understand the situation. Could it be that someone was sent to specifically target him? She knew a bit about Merlin and his father, and she had even looked into them after gaining her abilities. However, by the time she investigated, those gangs had already been wiped out.
"By the way, can you help me find my friend? Her name is Gwen. She has short blonde hair. I don't know where she ran off to in the chaos just now."
"No problem!" Gwen felt a sense of relief hearing that Merlin hadn't forgotten about her.
Gwen disappeared into the toilet with a cobweb, and Merlin was about to go home.
"Hannah!" As soon as he turned the corner, he saw Hannah walking cautiously along the wall.
"Oh my God, are you okay?" Hannah seemed startled by the shout, but she immediately relaxed when she saw Merlin come out safely.
"It's okay, but the monster still got away. Let's wait for Gwen here," Merlin reassured her.
"Gwen... By the way, when did Gwen disappear? Is she okay?" Hannah asked, suddenly concerned.
"Don't worry, she'll be back soon," Merlin said, trying to calm her. He took Hannah back to the hall, carrying the rifle. He picked up the discarded atomic energy gun and put the rifle back into the box, tidying up their equipment.
Incendiary bullets, like armor-piercing, high-explosive, metal, and hollow-point bullets, are all specialized ammunition types.
Hannah, who followed, was still a little confused, but soon Gwen, a blonde, found them with a look of joy on her face.
"Merlin! Hannah! It's great that you are okay."
Hannah glanced at Merlin in confusion, wondering how he was so sure that Gwen was fine and would be found again.
"It's really sad that you abandoned us at the critical moment," Merlin said, pretending to be sad while holding the weapon box.
"Ah...this..." Gwen, who was initially happy, suddenly looked embarrassed, but she quickly thought of an excuse.
"No, that's it. I ran with the crowd. I thought you were following."
"I found that you two didn't keep up, so I ran back."
"I'm really sad because I'm worried that you went out of your way to find us regardless of the danger, and you still suspect me," Gwen said, turning the tables and showing an aggrieved expression.
"Really?" Merlin gave her a strange look. It was the first time he realized how good her acting skills were.
Soon, police cars arrived at the school and surrounded the entire venue. Some bold teachers and students, who hadn't gone far, watched curiously from outside the venue. When the police arrived, they cautiously followed them in.
"Gwen, Merlin!"
Hearing the familiar voice, Merlin and Gwen stopped bickering and looked towards the door. George, wearing body armor and holding a pistol, looked at the two in surprise.
To be honest, when he heard from the people who had just escaped that neither Gwen nor Merlin had come out, he feared the worst. Every step he took closer to the venue made his heart tighten. Fortunately, the two of them finally appeared in front of him, unharmed.
After confirming that neither of them was injured, George finally felt relieved and then learned about the situation at the scene. Since Gwen wasn't there during the incident, apart from Spider-woman, Merlin was the only witness who had fought off the monster. Therefore, Gwen and Hannah could leave first, while Merlin was taken away by George.
Before leaving, Merlin threw the car keys to the two of them. "As promised, go back and wait for me." He winked at them, then opened the car door and sat in the passenger seat of George's car.
"After such a big thing happened, he's still in the mood for barbecue," Gwen couldn't help but complain as she received the car keys. She then turned to Hannah next to her. "Are you going?"
"Of course, let's go. I've already informed my family that I'm safe," Hannah replied.
Manhattan Headquarters, interrogation room.
George looked at the electromagnetic pulse transmitter in his hand, then uncertainly at Merlin, sitting opposite him.
"This... was developed by you?" he asked.
"Yes, it's my exhibit for today, and the main customers are you," Merlin replied casually, not showing much nervousness.
"And this rifle, the modified Famas?"
"Yes, I made some modifications." Merlin didn't bother with the specifics. While the gun resembled the Famas, its prototype was a QBZ95 rifle.
George frowned, feeling a strange distance from the child he once knew. Merlin had been such a well-behaved kid, but since his friend's death, he seemed to have changed
."He was such a well-behaved child before, but since his father passed away, he seems to have changed."
"Merlin, what have you been up to recently?" George asked, his concern evident.
"Maybe you should pay attention to the electromagnetic pulse transmitter," Merlin replied, looking at the exhibit box to his right with a hint of helplessness.
"And I am the hero who defeated the monster this time. I've answered all your questions. How long will you keep me in detention? Gwen and the others are still waiting for me at home."