Star City.
Since the last story conference that I was forced to attend ended, the city has experienced a brief period of calm.
Whether it is the underground forces or the wealthy people in the upper class, they are all hiding quietly. The whole city is as calm as a windless lake.
If there is any focal event that everyone can talk about, it may be the exchange of the heads of the Quinn Group. The share price of the Quinn Group fluctuated. After it suddenly plummeted due to the sudden imprisonment of Moira, it was again replaced by the Merlin Group. Malcolm was suddenly pulled back by a wave of strong public collaborations on large-scale projects.
What happened within the Quinn Group? Why is Moira suddenly in jail? What on earth was Malcolm thinking?
Tommy also wanted to know what his father was thinking.
In fact, Tommy's nerves had been put under considerable strain ever since he heard the secrets at the story convention.
He knew that Oliver was the Green Arrow, but he didn't know that his father was actually the culprit who killed Uncle Quinn, and he didn't even know that Shia Quinn, whom he regarded as his biological sister, was actually his biological sister!
That Linn told them these secrets so easily and casually.
Tommy still doesn't remember how he returned to his home from Oliver's hotel in a daze.
He wanted to tell his father all these things, and wanted to question him, asking him if these were true, and asking him why he did what he did.
However, Oliver asked him to be patient for a few days no matter what.
Tommy knew he had to promise Oliver this. Because no matter from which point of view, Oliver has the reason, the position and the qualifications to say these words and ask these questions in person.
So Tommy kept silent.
but……
Tommy, who was depressed and worried, found out when he deliberately ignored his father's existence but inevitably paid more attention to him...
His father, Malcolm Merlyn, was actually doing the same thing.
Could it be that he knows everything? Someone told him this? who is it?
It's Lynn! Definitely Lynn! There will be no one else but him.
But why...
Tommy, who was full of doubts, finally couldn't help it after spending two days in a strange atmosphere at home. At the dining table where there were only two people, father and son, but they both glanced at each other secretly, he took advantage of the opportunity of the father and son to be alone during the meal and started to talk. Finished.
"Father. You actually know everything."
Malcolm's spoon stirring in the soup paused for a moment, then resumed stirring at a slower speed. He raised his eyelids slightly and replied casually: "What are you talking about."
Tommy didn't even look up, he just cut the food on the plate with his knife forcefully, making a squeaking sound that was painful to the ears.
"He has been here. He told you, right?"
Malcolm stopped, slowly raised his head, and looked deeply at his son: "Who are you talking about?"
The movements in Tommy's hands also stopped, and he let go of the poor piece of chopped steak on his plate. He raised his head, looked directly into his father's eyes, and returned slowly, but clearly and forcefully: "Lynn."
Pang Rang~
The spoon fell to the bottom of the bowl, and Malcolm's breathing stagnated for a moment. His pupils dilated, his fingers trembled weakly, he took a deep breath hard, pressed his hand on the side of the table, and said resignedly: "So... what he said , are all true. Right."
Tommy also felt a little suffocated, and unconsciously avoided his father's gaze: "...Hmm."
"Xia, she..."
Hearing these words, Tommy couldn't help but raise his head again and looked at his father with complicated eyes: "Recently...it's better not to disturb Sia."
"Oh yes, yes, yes, yes, I...I..."
Malcolm talked about me and me for a long time, and finally gave up. He slumped his shoulders and pursed his lips: "I'm sorry, Tommy. I..."
"Father."
Tommy mechanically put the steak on the plate into his mouth, chewed it randomly, and swallowed it hard. For some reason, eating the usually tender and delicious steak made him feel nauseous.
The smell of blood and the juice flowing in his mouth were not only difficult to swallow, but also gave him some other illusions.
His efforts failed, and ferocious blood vessels burst out on Tommy's forehead. He lowered his head suddenly and spit out everything in his mouth. He picked up the red wine next to the table and poured it into his mouth. After a while, Tommy His face finally looked better.
"Tommy..."
The expression on Malcolm's face was also extremely complicated, an expression of guilt mixed with apology and some strange persistence.
He still couldn't get up and walk to Tommy, nor could he say any words of comfort.
"I think it's Oliver who should be said sorry now."
"..."
Malcolm looked up at his son again. This time, he could confirm that Tommy did know everything, and what Lynn said was true.
For a moment, the father and son fell into an unspeakable silence.
Until, Malcolm spoke again: "So, Lynn said Green Arrow is..."
"right."
Tommy's eyes were still a little dodgy. He didn't know if his concealment from his father was one of the reasons for today's situation, but he always believed that he did the right thing.
But this doesn't mean that Tommy won't apologize to Malcolm.
"Father, I...I didn't mean to hide it from you, I just...I just didn't know how to tell you, I...
I believe that what I did was not wrong. "
Seeing his son raising his head and looking at him with such firm eyes, Malcolm did not feel any offense, but was very relieved.
Because of his own hatred, because of his negligence and neglect, Tommy became one of the two biggest losers in Star City. He accomplished nothing and was despised by the people of Star City. At one time, he had the idea of driving his son to other cities without seeing him. The idea is pure.
But now, he has seen his son grow up, seen his courage and responsibility, and seen him become a responsible man instead of a waste that has accomplished nothing.
Malcolm, my pleasure.
"You did nothing wrong, kid. I am very proud of you."
He smiled and praised his son, and it was like the ice melted. With his father's first compliment in his life, the unspeakable embarrassment and vague hostility between father and son completely disappeared.
After wiping the wine stains from his mouth with a napkin, Malcolm stood up with a calm expression and looked into the distance: "I won't blame you for not standing on my side, and I won't blame you for hiding it.
In fact, I have never longed for understanding and support from the world, including you, my son. "
At this point, Malcolm paused and thought of Lynn.
Linn, Linn...that scary guy is actually the only one who understands him. This is really...
"I don't regret what I did, and I will accept it regardless of the outcome.
This naturally includes all your decisions.
My child, what I owe to the Quinn family, what I owe to this city, what... what this city owes me, that is not your responsibility, nor does it require you to bear the pain of your life.
I only ask you to promise me one thing. "
Facing his father's calm narration, Tommy raised his head, looked at his father, and asked with difficulty: "What is it."
"Ah."
Malcolm smiled, naturally and happily.
“Stick to yourself and do what you love.
Also, if I die. Don't take revenge for me. Believe me, when that day comes, I will die well. "
"..."
"Tommy. Please grant this unfit father your only request."
"……good!"
"Hahahahaha!"
Malcolm smiled wildly, and Tommy could tell that he was really, really happy.
Walking to Tommy, Malcolm smiled and patted his son on the shoulder: "Even if I die now, I believe your mother will be happy because her son has become a good enough person."
"Father……"
"Walk."
Malcolm pulled Tommy and walked toward the secret training base located underground in the mansion. As he walked, he said: "You can be friends with Oliver in the future, but you can't imitate him. Oliver... is really a little off. Well, maybe you can try to influence him and get him back on the right path. In this way, you will be worthy of being his best friend."
"Father……"
Tommy had a vague feeling that something was wrong, but he couldn't tell what exactly was wrong.
"Hey~ Let's not talk about this for now. Come on!"
After walking to the training ground and turning on all the lights, various obstacles and dummies placed randomly on the field came into view, and the various weapons all over the wall were even more surprising.
Throwing a pair of bows and arrows over, Malcolm no longer had the cold face that Tommy often saw when he was training him in this field, but smiled naturally. He also found himself a pair of bows and arrows. By the way, he put on protective gear for himself, and also signaled Tommy to put on protective gear and pick up the bow and arrow.
"Today, we, father and son, have a good fight. Don't let me go."
"Father……"
"Hurry up and put on your protective gear, I need to turn off the lights."
Tommy watched his father put on his [Dark Archer] equipment with ease and was testing the strength of the bow. He looked very serious, so he could only put on the protective gear first.
According to past training experience, an arrow may be shot directly at any time at this time.
"Then, let's begin!"
The lights were suddenly turned off, and in the huge underground space, only the remaining outlines of the buildings were left in the eyes and the faint sound of wind from the vents in the ears.
Whoosh!
From a blind spot in the distance, an arrow suddenly shot out.
Tommy lowered his head to dodge, and at the same time carefully moved his position, and did not choose to fight back. Because he knew that his father must be constantly moving and changing his position while attacking him.
Right now!
When he heard a familiar sound breaking through the air, Tommy started to fight back.
Suddenly, in the dark training ground, the sound of swiss and swish continued to sound, along with the sound of various arrows hitting the wood, it seemed that there were more than a dozen or dozens of people here.
The mutual attack lasted for about ten seconds. When Tommy went to get the quiver hanging on the wall, an arrow that had been preparing for a long time struck and hit the target.
"ah!"
"Tommy?!"
The lights were turned on, and Malcolm, who was running in a hurry while taking off his mask, eagerly helped his son who was shot by an arrow in the shoulder.
"This, this, this... this shouldn't be done! What... why didn't you dodge? Your archery skills should be better than mine. Shouldn't you dodge this arrow, then pull it out and shoot it into the wall? Would you like to return the arrow to me?"
Fortunately, he was protected by protective clothing, and Tommy was not hit because he was not fast enough. Otherwise, the arrow should have hit his throat.
Taking out the arrow stuck in his shoulder, Tommy said with a wry smile: "Dad, do you think I am the Green Arrow, hahaha.
Dad, your expression...you...
Um? You don’t really think that I…”
"You're not Green Arrow?" "I'm not Green Arrow!"
silence. Silence is Cambridge tonight.
"That……"
"Oliver is the Green Arrow. God, I thought you knew. Didn't Lynn... didn't he tell you?"
Malcolm's eyes were wandering, as if he was remembering something: "He said, he said that Shia is my daughter and Green Arrow is her brother...
Ah...I figured it out. "
Malcolm showed an embarrassed smile and helped his son who was crying and laughing: "Lynn said a lot to me that day, which was shocking.
Those old events, those secrets, those threats and encouragements all had an unspeakable impact and shock on me, so at that time, I was probably more...
Be confused. In short, I misunderstood. "
"Ha, what is this called...what is this called? It's really...sigh."
Tommy himself found it interesting, so in this case, does the arrow on his shoulder count as being taken for Oliver?
wrong.
Tommy remembered what his father had just said. Green Arrow should be stronger than his father. After all, Oliver was younger, stronger, and more agile and focused.
Therefore, Tommy's arrow can actually be said to have been taken for his father Malcolm in the own-goal battle between Green Arrow and Black Arrow.
Thinking of this, Tommy smiled a little.
"What's wrong, son?"
"Ha, it's nothing, I just think it's a bit outrageous."
"Haha, I also feel...it's my fault."
"It's nothing, father, it's just..."
Ding dong~
As the two talked, they seemed to get closer, and the twenty-year estrangement between father and son dissipated a bit. However, the doorbell at the entrance suddenly rang.
Due to many matters in the past few days, Malcolm temporarily gave all the servants at home a holiday, so of course no one else would open the door for him at this time.
And the clothes he was wearing now, let alone the blood on Tommy's shoulder, were certainly not suitable for opening the door.
Tommy walked upstairs by himself. Malcolm took off his combat uniform and walked toward the door. At this time, Tommy's cell phone rang.
I took it out and saw it was Oliver calling.
"Oliver?"
Malcolm stopped and looked at his son on the stairs holding a mobile phone.
Tommy held up his phone and answered the call.
"Tommy, I'm at your door. Uncle Merlin...is he at home?"
"……exist."
Walking to the door, Malcolm took a deep breath and opened the door.
"Uncle Merlin, I..."
At the door, Oliver frowned slightly and lowered his head. After seeing Malcolm's attire, Oliver's eyes sharpened instantly and he took a step back quickly.
"Hey! Oliver!"
Tommy's voice came from the door: "Don't get me wrong, we are... just joking."
Believing it or not, Oliver stood at the door and soon saw Tommy running over.
At the same time, the injury on his shoulder was also seen.
"Are you kidding me?!"
"This is all... this...
This is what Lynn asked us to do. "
"Ah. Then I understand."
I don’t know what Oliver understood, but anyway, he believed it instantly.
(End of chapter)
