Passionate Kiss, Surrounded

Indeed, this time Merlin had not only done nothing wrong, but had also driven back the monster that had suddenly appeared, protecting his classmates.

They had seen all of it on the surveillance footage.

Because the Lizardman incident was highly significant and could easily cause panic if mishandled, George, as sheriff, was unable to leave for the moment. He could only arrange for someone to take Merlin home.

After returning home, Gwen and Hannah had already set up a grill on the balcony and lit the apple charcoal.

"Merlin, you're finally back. Hurry up and cut the meat." The apartment's open-air balcony was huge, even comparable to some Rooftops, so the grill did not make it feel crowded or stuffy.

"Where's Peter? Didn't he come?" Though Merlin had roughly guessed Peter's situation, he still wanted to confirm it.

Hearing Merlin's question, Gwen shook her head glumly. "I don't know if he caught a cold or is in a bad mood, but he doesn't plan on coming."

"Looks like it'll just be the three of us drinking, then." Merlin raised the beer he had bought on his way back.

"That's plenty!" Gwen's eyes lit up. At home, George kept a tight leash on her, so getting anywhere near beer was practically impossible.

Only when she came to Merlin's place could she secretly have a little.

Once the barbecue was ready, the three sat around the grill, drinking cold beer and chatting as they admired the city's nightscape.

Usually, though, it was Merlin and Gwen bickering while Hannah watched with a smile, occasionally chiming in.

After it was over, Gwen cleared the smell of alcohol from herself before carefully returning home, while Merlin prepared to take Hannah home.

At this hour, aside from the main city districts, the streets had mostly become deserted. Under such circumstances, it was dangerous to go home alone.

All sorts of narrow alleys had a high chance of concealing crime.

"Come on, get on." Merlin started the engine and tilted his head toward Hannah, whose cheeks were flushed.

He had not expected her alcohol tolerance to be so poor. Just one glass had left her looking a little dizzy.

Still, Hannah's flushed cheeks made her look much cuter beneath the hazy streetlights.

"Mm..." Hannah climbed onto the back seat unsteadily, then tightly wrapped both arms around Merlin's waist, her whole body practically pressed against his.

"She's got quite a figure..."

He muttered in surprise before releasing the clutch and starting the motorcycle.

Seemingly hearing Merlin's words, Hannah's already flushed cheeks turned even redder.

"Vroom..." The roar of the exhaust echoed through the quiet streets before gradually fading.

Sitting on the back seat, Hannah felt the wind rushing past her ears. The cool breeze cleared much of the dizziness from her head.

Outside the Manhattan District, drunk-driving checks were not common to begin with, and there were even fewer at this hour. Merlin rode his motorcycle without obstruction and soon arrived at Hannah's home.

"We're here. Get some rest early. Thanks to your help at the venue today."

"Hannah?" When there was no response from the back seat for a long time, Merlin turned around in confusion. The next moment, Hannah, her face flushed red, lunged at him.

Merlin did not hold back either. He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulled her in front of him, held her by the backs of her legs, and kissed her passionately as she sat facing him on the motorcycle.

After a long while, Hannah's hurried breathing sounded beneath the moonlight. Her eyes, misty beneath reddened rims, gazed at Merlin from inches away.

"Click!" Suddenly, the sound of a door opening rang out.

Merlin and Hannah turned to look. A Silver-haired Old Lady was squinting as she examined the two of them, seemingly trying to confirm something.

"Grandma!" Hannah cried out. She hurriedly jumped from Merlin's embrace and ran toward her, her face burning red.

"See you tomorrow!" Merlin said with a smile, waving before starting his motorcycle and vanishing into the night.

"Ahaha, looks like I interrupted you two." Hannah's Grandmother looked at her blushing granddaughter and chuckled.

"You really did interrupt..." Hannah patted her heated cheeks as she watched Merlin disappear, looking somewhat absentminded.

The next day.

Merlin went to check on Gwen. Just as he had expected, she was not home.

She definitely would not stand by and do nothing after the Lizardman appeared. She had most likely gone home last night, changed into her Spider suit, and drunkenly swung through the skies above Big Apple City.

He just did not know whether she had gone crawling through the sewers.

The moment Merlin arrived at his destination on his motorcycle, a group of reporters and technology company representatives who had been waiting for a long time impatiently swarmed around him.

"Hello, according to the police announcement, you were the one who drove back the Lizardman. Is that true?"

"According to our investigation, Spider-Man was also present at the time. Why does the announcement say that you drove back the Lizardman?"

"Is it because of your close relationship with Sheriff George Stacy?"

"How did you drive back the Lizardman?"

"Move aside, move aside! He isn't available for interviews right now. We're the ones who matter here."

Before Merlin could even get off his motorcycle, he was surrounded by microphones of every size. The reporters threw out all kinds of pointed and leading questions, trying to dig up bigger headlines and conflicts.

Meanwhile, the people from the various technology companies had been pushed to the outside by the reporters.

Merlin looked helplessly at the microphones shoved in front of his mouth, worried that the moment he opened it, someone would stuff a microphone inside.

At a time like this, not speaking was best. Even then, they could twist it into all kinds of meanings and slap all sorts of headlines on it.

Silence meant consent.

Speaking was even less worth considering.

Fortunately, the principal of Midtown High School soon arrived with security guards and temporarily calmed all the reporters down.

After all, these people had not made appointments. Interviewing someone so casually was against the rules.

"We will hold a special press conference later. Everyone is welcome to attend and conduct interviews then."

"No, we only want to understand what happened yesterday. You cannot stop us from seeking the truth!"

"That's right! He needs to stay!"

The reporters immediately refused. If they let him go back to be coached, what would they have left to dig up?

They had come to block Merlin first thing in the morning because he was young and likely to let more slip.

But the principal knew exactly what reporters were like, so he did not indulge them. He had the security guards escort Merlin into the school and stop the reporters outside.

The representatives from the various technology companies straightened their collars and followed them inside.

They had come to discuss cooperation, and also to see whether they could poach Merlin, a high school student.

He had already created the Atomic Gun. There was no need for university anymore; it would be better to recruit him directly into a company and train him.