Old Earl saw Skye come down from the second floor, wearing yesterday's clothes, and he smiled mockingly.
Despite having mentally prepared herself and feeling justified, in practice... well, Skye's face was beet red.
Mike had originally intended to come down together, but Skye refused, implying, 'This girl can handle it.'
Then... that's it?
However, Chloe's perspective was different from an adult's; she immediately spotted Bobby following behind Skye.
Even though Bobby wasn't afraid of Mike from the start and was affectionate with Skye, he was actually a bit shy with strangers. He hid his body behind Skye's legs, peeking out his head. The flame on the tip of his tail indicated he was a little scared but also very curious.
"Kani! Kani!"
From now on, he had to protect Skye, so Bobby felt he couldn't show weakness. He opened his mouth, revealing his tiny fangs, and 'roared' at Chloe, a fierce yet adorable sound.
Upstairs.
Mike was carefully examining the list Fat Jerry had sent; there were over twenty qualified gunmen. Most of them were former special forces, Agents, or shooting sports athletes, but without exception, all of them were wanted criminals.
"Attaching spiritual energy to bullets, changing the bullet's direction after it leaves the barrel, and also superpowers called 'Lock-on,' curved trajectory techniques, gun-fu... It truly is a gathering of talents."
"Heh heh ~ The American government truly has a gift for pushing talented people to become their adversaries."
No wonder the World Police's international status was declining; they could only rely on constantly stirring up trouble to maintain their presence.
Mike suddenly recalled something, a joke about citizens of several countries suddenly awakening superpowers.
China: Hmm, let's keep a low profile, silently make a fortune, and find an opportunity to show off (pretend) in front of others (act cool).
Japan: Ah, I'm different from others, I'm a monster, (Now begins) Who will give you a bag of rice (Let the World feel pain). I want to destroy this corrupt nation.
Universe Korea: Hmph, the World belongs to my snoring nation, hmm, first I'll find a girl group idol to relax with, then consider conquering the Universe.
America: The people need me, the World cannot be without me, the Universe must be saved by me, but what about my personal life! What about my family! What about love! So painful!
"Heh heh, thinking about it carefully, it's quite profound."
Downstairs.
Skye was working on her laptop, and Bobby was lying on her lap, blinking his eyes. Chloe held a fruit candy, her expression conflicted, wanting to give it to Bobby but not daring to approach.
Mike patted Chloe's head and beckoned to Bobby.
Bobby climbed off Skye's lap, reluctantly, looking back three times, but Skye was focused on the screen.
Mike opened the fruit candy. Bobby sniffed it with his short nose, showing an expression that he wanted to eat it.
"Ah ~ Open your mouth!"
"Ha ~" Bobby obediently opened his mouth.
The taste of the candy made Bobby's eyes narrow, and his tail wagged back and forth, almost saying, 'Delicious ~'
Mike took Chloe's small hand: "It's okay, don't be afraid, touch him."
Little Fire Dragon's skin was smooth, soft, and resilient, feeling more comfortable than satin, no wonder Skye liked holding Bobby.
Chloe's face immediately lit up with a smile.
"Alright." Mike patted Bobby's head, then put Bobby's little paw and Chloe's small hand together, "From now on, you're friends. No fighting, and certainly no brawling, understand?"
Bobby raised his head: "Kaha!"
Chloe nodded like a pecking chick: "Mm! Mm!"
Thinking about it, with Chloe's personality, how could she possibly argue with anyone, let alone fight?
"With a personality like that, she'll probably suffer when she enters society later," Mike worried about Chloe's future, "From now on, whoever dares to bully Chloe, just wait for My Iron Fist."
He looked up and saw Skye smiling at him.
Mike touched his face, "What's wrong, is there something dirty on my face?"
"No, you really like children?"
Skye smiled.
"It depends on the situation. For a brat, a righteous whipping is still necessary."
Mike shuddered as Tony Stark's greasy image came to mind. Stark really was an oversized brat. He wondered if the kidnapping experience had corrected him.
Old Earl's expression was complex, with a hint of fear in his eyes.
Fear of the cute-looking Little Fire Dragon?
Mike then remembered the legends in the West. In films and novels, dragons were often depicted as ferocious, brutal, and evil—Nidhogg the Despair Black Dragon, Fafnir the Giant Dragon, Leviathan the Chaos Dragon, Ladon the Hundred-headed Giant Dragon, Tiamat the Mother of Evil Dragons, HYDRA the Nine-headed Dragon (HYDRA), etc., all symbols of chaos, enemies of the gods.
As for Drogon in Game of Thrones, he was actually set as a Wyvern, a lower-class dragon.
So Old Earl's reaction was quite normal.
Mike asked Skye: "What did you tell them?"
"What else could I say? I told them the truth. Superpower crimes are becoming more and more common, it's in the news every day, almost a daily occurrence. Old Earl wasn't scared, and as for Chloe... she's still at the age where she believes in Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, and the Fairy Godmother, so it's actually easier for her to accept." Skye then turned to work matters, "We need to hire another person."
Previously, Mike had suggested Skye hire more Chinese employees, and she had listened, but she felt she should give other disadvantaged ethnic groups some opportunities. Then these people slacked off and left as soon as work hours ended, regardless of whether the tasks were finished. If you brought up overtime, they'd bang on the table. Skye was puzzled; the salary was high, the overtime pay was generous, and she was clearly helping them, but in the end, she only created trouble for herself.
Skye had fired two people before, but unexpectedly, those two actually wanted to sue the company. When their lawyer saw the Wei Kai Law Firm sign, he immediately stated that he wouldn't take the case.
When being soft didn't work, they resorted to force; these two brought a few hooligans to cause trouble, and Mike sent them to the hospital for a month's stay.
"Hmm," Mike said casually, "You decide, I trust you."
However, Skye was no longer buying it. She pouted and said, "You're just too lazy to manage things and dump everything on me."
"Heh heh."
Mike let out a dry laugh. Skye, you've changed. Before, just saying 'I trust you' would make you touched for half a day.
"Old hearts change with ease, yet they say ancient hearts change easily." Mike groaned inwardly, without actually being sick.
He had originally thought it would be another leisurely, pleasant day.
Afternoon.
Mike received a call from Tony Stark.
"Where are you? Are you free?" Stark's voice was a bit muffled, as if he had something in his mouth.
Mike was startled, thinking: "He should be serious if he has something in his mouth. A single kidnapping wouldn't have changed Stark's life and sexual orientation, that... what does it have to do with me?"
Thinking of this, he replied: "It depends on the situation. If it's a good thing, I'm free. If it's trouble, then bye-bye, no time! Busy!"
"Does giving you money count as a good thing?"
"I'm here, thanks for the invitation, boss, please speak!"
Mike told Skye, then drove to Stark Tower. There was a helicopter upstairs, taking Mike to Stark's cliffside mansion in Malibu, California.