"After all, I'm really involved in things that shouldn't be involved."

"Richard and Mary...sorry, I shouldn't have been involved in it, I..."

"Don't mention their names."

Merlin reached out to interrupt Gatler, and he whispered:

"That will only make me feel that you are even more abominable."

"Okay, then say something else."

Gatler took a sip of the cigar. In the smoke rising from the corner of his mouth, he put down the Gent card in his hand and said to Merlin calmly:

"After you cured my terminal illness, Merlin. I really have the urge to tell you everything..."

"Really, I swear, I treat you as a friend, and I and that organization are breaking apart. They have been sending killers to try to kill me, but I don't regret this decision, I have a conscience, too..."

Gatler pointed to his chest and said:

"I joined them just to beg for life. You know what happened to me in the past. I am not on the same road as them. I don't have those crazy beliefs, I just want to live! I just want to live, just like a wild dog begging for life. I myself think I am humble! At that time, I felt that I could sell anyone without any guilt..."

"But, but when you gain a good friend, those secrets, those pasts, they become shackles."

Gatler looked at Merlin and whispered:

"I... dare not tell you, not only because I am afraid that you will draw your sword to kill me, but also because I am afraid that I will lose a true friend, a friend who has brought me a new life. But that is a sin after all, and my hands are stained with blood after all."

He closed his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief.

"I planned to retire and take Liv away from your country and disappear completely into your life. I want to use this as a farewell so that we don't have to get to where we are, but..."

"Those who should come will always come. If you make a mistake, you will be punished."

The old cowboy's breathing became heavier. He gritted his teeth and said to Merlin in a calm but regretful tone:

"I'm not so naive that I try to convince you. I know your and my principles of doing things. Trust is repaid with blood when you are betrayed. I'm willing to pay that price... Kill me, and then attend my funeral as a friend, raise my children as a brother, I know I can trust you, I know you can do it well, or even better than me... Come on, do it, this is what I owe you."

"Don't do this, Gatler, John..."

Merlin stared at his old friend, like a sculpture, until several minutes later, he shook his head and put away his Gent card, he said:

"You still have unborn babies, you and your wife are waiting for you to come home. I have met Liv, who is also my friend, and I have very few friends... so each one is very important."

"Level 9 Agent John Gatler."

Merlin stood up and threw a document before Gatler's eyes, saying:

"Today, you retire. Let's go and leave here."

He turned toward the office door, and at the moment he opened it, Merlin looked back at Gatler, and he said in a gentle voice:

"Sad, John."

"You are no longer my friend... Never show up in my hunting ground."

Merlin left, Gatler stayed alone in the office, staring at the Gent signs scattered on the table, looking at the documents waiting to be signed, and he was stunned.

Merlin didn't take his life, but it was not worthy of gratitude...

A precious friendship ended because of the sins he committed in the past to beg for life.

"well..."

Gatler was like a real old man. He took out his signature pen and wrote down his name neatly on the document.

"It's your own fault..."

——————————————

"Ba, bha"

A heavy knock sounded in the Queens apartment. Mei, who was making lunch, walked quickly to the door with an apron, opened it, and saw his younger brother.

Merlin, with a bleak expression, stood at the door, his mental state looked very bad. After the funeral of Richard and Mary, Merlin had almost never seen Merlin look like this now.

"What's wrong? Brother."

Mei hurriedly put down the shovel in her hand and wiped her hands on the apron. She reached out and touched Meilin's forehead worriedly, and she asked:

"Is it because of your physical discomfort? Are you sick?"

"No, sister."

Meilin was a little afraid to face Mei's gaze. He lowered his head, like a child who had done something wrong, and he whispered:

"I...I found the murderer who killed Richard and Mary, but..."

"I can't do it. Sister, I let him go because he was my friend too."

Merlin clenched his fists, and in front of his family, he no longer concealed himself. His voice was filled with strong self-blame and pain.

"I'm sorry, I really can't do it."

Mei's expression also changed. The tragedy between Richard and Mary will always be an unforgettable pain in this family, but compared to those who have passed away, Mei would rather see the living people live well.

She sighed, and as she once did, she reached out to hold Meilin into her arms.

She patted Merlin on the back and said:

"It's okay, brother, it's okay."

"Those things have passed. The departure of Richard and Mary made us understand that we should cherish our still alive relatives more. Instead of killing our enemies with blood stained with your hands, I hope to see you stay with Little Peter and us with a smile. This is the most important thing."

"Listen to me, brother, stop blaming yourself. We don't need to rely on pain and hatred to survive... No one will blame you."

"It's all over...be good, it's all over."

Meilin let out a long sigh, and he gently hugged his sister, and he whispered:

"I will not lose you again, sister, everyone, no more."

"Uncle! Uncle Meilin!"

Perhaps hearing the sound from the door, Peter, 8, rushed out of the room. He looked at Uncle Meilin standing beside Aunt Mei. He stretched out his hands happily and shouted:

"I'm going to play in the park!"

"Okay! You can go wherever you want to play today!"

Merlin stretched out his hand and held Little Peter in his arms. He touched the child's hair and said softly:

"Call your sister Riven, Lorna, Daisy, and Brother Matt. Let's go play together, okay?

"OK."

Little Peter clapped his hands, hugged Merlin's neck and shouted:
Chapter completed!