At this moment, Watson stepped forward and said, "I don't need any vehicle assistance from you. I just need you to tell me the location where Tony Stark went missing, and preferably give me one of Tony Stark's personal belongings."
Rhodes felt a headache upon hearing these conditions: "All of that is fine, but tell me, how are you going to find him? Don't tell me you're going to use a hound! This area is almost one hundred thousand square kilometers of Gobi Desert!"
"Hoo~! Meow!!"
At this point, Coulson spoke, "You'll see our method soon, but not here. We need a safe place."
---Whoosh~ whoosh~
Sitting in the military jeep, Watson looked at the continuous sand and dust outside the car window, lost in thought.
Suddenly, his expression froze.
Ding! System Mission issued: Devil in the Depths!
Now, it's time to let some people know that devils exist in this world!
Mission Progress: Destroy 'Freedom Fighters' armed strongholds (0/4)!
Mission Status: Incomplete.
Mission Reward: Gift of the 'Devil in the Depths'.
Ding! System Mission issued:
Ding! System Mission issued: Master of the Sky!
Although the time has not yet come, one day, you will rule the sky!
Mission Progress: Possess Flying Wyverns (0/10)!
Mission Status: Incomplete.
Mission Reward: Gift of the 'Master of the Sky'.
Ding! Free Mission issued: Rescue the Fleeing Duo.
Sometimes, you have to be a babysitter for some little brats, don't you?
Mission Progress: Rescue Tony Stark (0/1), Yinsen (0/1)
Mission Reward: Perfect-grade Dragon Saddle, Dragon Stirrups.
!!? Missions issued at this time? And three of them?
System Missions? Free Missions? Thinking this, he couldn't help but rub the little head of Braised Egg.
"Meow~" It let out an expression of pure enjoyment.
Screech~~~ Sizzle~~~
"Alright, gentlemen! We've arrived! Mr. Watson, take this communicator for easy contact," Rhodes said as he got out of the jeep, pointing to the spot where Tony Stark was attacked.
"This is it. We were attacked right here!" Then he took out a wine glass and said, "This is what Tony used during his celebration. I hope it helps you a little."
"Now, agents, it's time to let me know how you're going to find him, isn't it? I signed a non-disclosure agreement, but I have a right to know!"
Upon hearing this, Coulson suddenly showed a hint of an inexplicable smile, but he hid it well.
System, release the Pukei-Pukei three meters above Colonel Rhodes!
Rhodes, who was waiting to watch the show, suddenly noticed --- it was cloudy...?
Immediately after, a strong gust of wind suddenly erupted from the ground!
Whoosh! Whoosh!
A pair of huge, wavy wings unfurled with a roar!
Gaoooowwwwww! An ear-piercing howl exploded,
"Ah! ... Ugh ah---"
Rhodes clutched his ears in pain and fell to the ground.
Coulson, protected by the system at Watson's request, stood still and chuckled, "Finally, someone is more disheveled than me."
"Holy… sh*t!!" Rhodes, enduring the discomfort, looked up at the colossal creature with a wingspan of over ten meters above his head, feeling his worldview collapse.
Recovering, Rhodes stood up again, warily watching the monster above him: "What is that?! What is that?! Are you sure it won't eat us?"
"Of course it won't, I swear!" Although he said that, Coulson was actually a little uneasy in his heart --- this was only his second meeting with it --- their relationship hadn't been established yet!
As for the first time --- of course, it was when they were getting their 'license plates'.
At that time, Coulson, surrounded by five 'burly men', was as docile as a lamb!
"So? Is this your latest biological weapon?"
"No, no, no, it's just a little pet we use for assistance."
A little pet?? ... This is the most ridiculous joke I've heard in my life!
"Little Hua, come down."
Whoosh~! Whoosh~! Bang~
Watson looked at the landing Pukei-Pukei and turned to Rhodes, saying, "Is this 'hound' satisfactory, Colonel Rhodes?"
Watson looked at the disheveled Rhodes and unceremoniously threw Rhodes's previous words back at him.
"Of course, I apologize for my previous rudeness, sir!" Rhodes finished speaking, then saw the Pukei-Pukei sniffing around, and then walking towards him.
"Colonel, give it the cup."
"Ah? Oh... okay." Rhodes carefully stepped forward and handed over the wine glass in his hand.
Slurp!
A fleshy, columnar object suddenly shot out. He only felt a warmth in his hand, and then the cup disappeared.
"Woah! What was that???"
Ignoring Rhodes's strange cry, he leaped onto Little Hua's neck: "Alright, wait for my good news. Coulson, help me look after Braised Egg~"
"Meow!"
"I promise, I'll take you next time, okay? After we get a saddle~"
"Meow woof...--"
"Come on, buddy, no cheating."
With that, he ignored Braised Egg and Coulson and the others. Little Hua, ascend!
Whoosh~! Whoosh~!
Now, it's time to show some real skill!
Feeling the whistling wind in the air, watching Braised Egg and Coulson gradually shrink to the size of ants, he couldn't help but tighten his grip on Little Hua's fur.
I won't fall, will I--
Now I know why the mission reward includes a dragon saddle --- it kind of reminds me of How to Train Your Dragon???
Watson, lost in thought, realized that riding on Little Hua was much more comfortable than riding on 'Laura'!
Hahaha, it seems it's not that difficult, after all. He remembered Tony Stark's final MK2 test flight altitude.
"Little Hua! How high can you fly? Let's set a small goal first, how about 5000 meters?"
Gaoooowwwwww!
Whoosh! Swoosh! ~
Little Hua, who was previously flying level, suddenly ascended rapidly!
"Woah ah ah ah ah!!!! Woah oh!!! Oh ho ho!~" Feeling the exhilaration of soaring, Watson, who was initially a bit scared, gradually adapted.
"Wahahaha...ha~...ha!"
Watson, who was enjoying himself, suddenly felt Little Hua come to an abrupt stop.
Feeling like he was about to be thrown off, Watson quickly tightened his legs.
Gaoooowww!
"Uh---sorry, Little Hua, I didn't mean to hurt you---are we there yet?"
Gaoooowww~
"Luckily I have the physique of an advanced hunter, otherwise I think it would be very difficult to breathe right now! But this place really is --- it's just... too beautiful!"
Looking at the sun in the sky, it was the first time he felt so close to it.
Then he looked down to take in the vast yellow earth below, with swirling sandstorms raging beneath his feet.
It was as if he was standing above a natural disaster!
"This feeling... it's really... so exhilarating! But it's a bit desolate, and the colors are a bit monotonous! Never mind, we still have a mission. Little Hua, let's go, lower the altitude. Now we need to find out where our 'experience package' is?"