The Fox Clan.
Together with the Salvatore Clan, Gilbert Clan, Lockwood Clan, and Phil Clan, it is known as one of the five prominent families in Waterfall Town.
As settlers in Waterfall Town, the Fox Clan's manor is located to the east of the town, near the valley and river.
The scenery is picturesque.
Hawk drove up to the manor that bore the marks of time and was full of Southern charm, and regrettably looked at Gwen: "You should have brought my cowboy outfit."
Gwen saw her grandfather waiting at the manor's entrance and ignored Hawk. She opened the car door and ran happily towards her grandfather, William Fox, who stood at the entrance with gray hair but was still energetic.
"Grandpa!"
"Haha."
William, already sixty-five this year, was pleased to hug his granddaughter Gwen, then looked at Hawk, who had stepped out of the car.
After getting out of the car, Hawk buttoned up his suit, which he had unbuttoned while driving, straightened his cuff, and walked up.
He was not very accustomed to wearing suits.
Compared to suits, he preferred more casual or sporty clothes.
But this time was different. This time he was here to meet Gwen's grandfather, so it was better to dress formally.
"Grandpa, this is Hawk."
"Hawk, Grandpa, William Fox."
"Mr. Fox."
With a smile, Hawk extended his right hand to William Fox, who had gray hair but sharp eyes.
He shouldn't call him Grandpa along with Gwen, at least not until he and Gwen were officially married.
Helen was different; he only called her Mom when it was just him, Gwen, and Helen together. He didn't do this when there were others around.
William Fox didn't give Hawk a hard time; after Hawk extended his hand, he reached out and completed a handshake: "Welcome, Hawk."
Hawk felt the firm grip of William Fox, still strong despite being sixty-five years old, and smiled: "Thank you."
Soon.
Hawk followed Gwen, who held her grandfather's arm, into the main building of the manor.
Upon entering.
A spacious hall, a vintage rectangular dining table, a brightly burning fireplace, and various oil paintings hanging on the walls seemed to tell the Fox Clan's illustrious history.
But not anymore.
As is well known.
In the Civil War, it was the Northern Federation that ultimately triumphed, while the Southern Alliance was defeated.
So to this day, the Fox Clan, once major landowners, are now at most local town elites.
The sheriff of Waterfall Town is Gwen's aunt, Liz Fox.
And if nothing unexpected happens, the future town sheriff will either be Liz Fox's daughter, Caroline Fox, or Caroline's future husband.
However...
This has nothing to do with Hawk and Gwen.
They don't plan to settle in Waterfall Town; they are simply visiting Grandpa and taking a vacation, and they won't stay long.
After Gwen made her grandfather sit on the sofa near the fireplace, she asked: "Grandpa, Aunt and Caroline aren't back yet?"
Grandpa chuckled: "They live in town and only come back on weekends, but I called them in the morning, and they'll be back in the afternoon."
Gwen happily said: "I haven't seen Aunt and Caroline in a long time. By the way, Caroline should be about to graduate, right? Did she get her college invitation?"
Caroline Fox, Aunt's daughter and Gwen's cousin, is eighteen years old, attends Waterfall Town High School, and is the cheerleading captain, fair-skinned, beautiful, and graceful.
Don't be fooled by those TV shows and movies that depict cheerleaders as dumb and superficial.
You should know that in the Federation, being a cheerleader captain is something that can be included in your resume.
Because the selection of cheerleader captains is very stringent.
Beauty is a requirement, studies are also a requirement, and family background is equally important.
All three are indispensable.
Even Gwen felt a little nervous when Jennifer Chuck, the cheerleader captain at their Midtown High School, approached Hawk when they were establishing their relationship.
In the afternoon.
After accompanying Grandpa William Fox for lunch, when Grandpa William Fox went for a nap, Hawk followed Gwen to tour Fox Manor.
Of course.
The manor was not the focus; the focus was on the old photos at Fox Manor.
Hawk finally saw them.
Yellowed photos, Fox Manor in vivid colors, endless cotton fields and melon patches, and the hardworking black animals within.
Hawk looked through the photos depicting past glory, shaking his head with a sigh.
"I'm late."
"What do you mean late?"
"Born at the wrong time."
Hawk shrugged.
This was because he traveled too late; put it this way, if he had traveled back to the Civil War period, even without superpowers and starting as an orphan, he would have twisted the course of events and made Northern Expedition a reality.
Not for anything else, but to reduce melanin in the future world.
Melanin should be eternally enslaved.
Gwen, beside him, looked aside at Hawk, who was sighing while looking at the photos, and blinked: "Keep it down, don't expose your tendencies so blatantly."
Hawk chuckled and looked at Gwen.
"Am I not blatant enough already?"
"Uh..."
Gwen remembered the attempted kidnapping by Wakanda that Hawk destroyed.
Obviously.
At the moment Hawk exterminated the Wakanda clan, Hawk's tendencies were made quite clear.
Gwen recalled the times Sharon went shopping with her and mentioned some things occasionally.
"So, is this why nowadays the ratio of black agents in the integrated S.H.I.E.L.D is decreasing?"
"Hmm?"
"Sharon said it."
Gwen shrugged: "Sharon mentioned that previously, New York S.H.I.E.L.D had some black agents, but during Director Maria Hill's recent integration, the proportion of black agents has become almost negligible."
Hawk raised an eyebrow.
He truly wasn't aware of this.
However...
This is great.
Hawk chuckled and said, "S.H.I.E.L.D was constructed by five benevolent leaders, it can have whites, it can have yellows, but what does black even matter."
Gwen cast a glance at Hawk.
"Our current president is black."
"He's a mix!"
"Uh..."
"In the Eastern Country, when two different breeds of dogs mate and produce a puppy, they call it a mix, or a hybrid!"
"..."
Gwen's lips twitched, then decisively ended the topic, turning to Hawk and saying: "Alright, you've admired the photos to your heart's content. Let me take you for a stroll in town, there should be a party today."
Hawk raised an eyebrow.
"Should be?"
"Yes."
Gwen nodded, looking at Hawk: "Waterfall Town has another nickname called Party Town. Do you know why?"
Hawk shook his head.
"After tourism was made the pillar of Waterfall Town, every mayor continued this policy."
"Because every day tourists come here to play."
"At that time, in order to keep these tourists, the town held various parties every so often."
Gwen explained the fundamental reason why Waterfall Town seems to be partying almost every day.
In a word.
To stimulate the spending of visitors who come here.
"Waterfall Town is already considered elegant."
"A nearby state once had a town that was even more outrageous."
"To retain tourists, they had all the residents play western cowboys and bandits, right when a train full of tourists arrived, they'd witness bandits attacking the town and brazenly laughing as they kidnapped the beautiful saloon owner."
"..."
Hawk's eyes lit up, he looked at Gwen: "This nearby town is..."
Gwen smiled slightly.
"In 1970, it went bankrupt and closed down. Now, the town only has a few stray cats left."
"Uh..."
Originally thinking of visiting this role-playing town, Hawk listened as Gwen's tone changed, and his expression fell silent.
Just at this moment.
Hawk raised an eyebrow, turning his head to look outside the study.
No other reason.
He smelled a scent similar to that of a vampire, like the one he sensed upon entering the town.
At the same time.
A voice rang out from downstairs in the manor.
"Grandpa."
"Gwen?"
"..."
Just as Gwen was puzzled at Hawk suddenly turning his head, she heard the voice and her eyes lit up: "It's Caroline."
Gwen spoke, turning and walking out of the study, standing on the corridor, she first saw Caroline Fox standing on the first floor.
Caroline, standing in the first-floor hall, also saw Gwen walking out from the second-floor study.
The next second.
A unique sound among girls expressing surprise and joy at seeing each other, like nails scraping on glass, instantly echoed.
Gwen headed down the stairs.
Caroline walked towards the stairs.
Then.
The two girls rushed towards each other, meeting at the bottom of the stairs, then embraced, jumping around happily on the spot.
Yes.
Clearly, both Gwen and Caroline were delighted.
"Gwen, I thought you would return last year, but Grandpa said you couldn't."
"Sorry."
Gwen smiled with pursed lips, then unconsciously brushed her golden hair that had slipped down due to excitement.
Caroline was about to say something when her eyes were caught by a flickering purple light.
She followed the flashing purple light and found her gaze drawn to the six-carat purple diamond ring on Gwen's finger.
"This is..."
"..."