Xiao Ye Takes Good Care of People

Su Ye had no idea that Thor and Jane had been misled to Los Angeles by some half-deaf guy.

However, their carefree adventures in Los Angeles managed to infuriate someone far away in Asgard—Loki.

Thor's exile by Odin had been orchestrated by Loki, who sought to take Asgard's throne and become its king.

So, Loki should have been pleased that Thor was getting further away from Mjolnir and couldn't return to Asgard. After all, as long as Thor couldn't retrieve the hammer, Loki's rule would remain secure.

Loki understood this logic, yet for some reason, seeing Thor's blossoming relationship with Jane, their joyous trips to amusement parks, and their laughter as they clung to each other left Loki feeling inexplicably irked.

Why are you so close with someone else… Ahem, no, this mindset is wrong.

Loki adjusted his thoughts.

Hah! You, a disgraced man stripped of your powers and banished to the barren Midgard, why do you get to live so happily while I must toil for Asgard? It's not fair!

Now that was more like it. Loki let out a sigh of relief.

Loki had now unofficially assumed the throne of Asgard. Internally, he had to appease the citizens, while externally, he was negotiating with the Frost Giants of Jotunheim. It was exhausting work.

At this point, the only thing that could bring Loki peace of mind was seeing Thor suffer as well.

But how could he make Thor suffer?

Loki thought long and hard before finally coming up with a brilliant plan.

…..

Midnight, New York, Muse Bar.

This place used to be a wild nightclub where people partied hard. Since it changed its name, its vibe had shifted from wild to mellow.

The atmosphere was pleasant—no loud DJs or wild dance floors. Instead, a stunning woman in stylish, sultry attire sat on the central stage, gracefully singing blues to a soft melody.

Her looks and style clearly catered to the tastes of the regulars. The drinking patrons were already whispering and ogling her, but the woman on stage seemed unfazed, clearly accustomed to such attention.

This scene felt familiar somehow… but that didn't matter.

The singer was Angelina, the adopted daughter of Geese Howard, the former ruler of Beizhen.

Despite being Geese's goddaughter, working at bars, and being nicknamed Beizhen's famous socialite, Angelina was genuinely a good girl. Su Ye was supportive of her decision to come to New York with Terry.

Who could say no to such a gorgeous sister-in-law?

Just as Su Ye had expected, the Muse Bar he entrusted to Qiong quickly became a gathering spot for several King of Fighters NPCs.

Mai Shiranui and Yuri Sakazaki were regulars, as were Joe Higashi and Terry, who spent most of their evenings here.

Terry mostly sat quietly at the bar, listening to Angelina sing.

Joe, on the other hand, rallied a group of idle martial arts students from the Shiranui and Bajiquan dojos to form the Muse Bar's security team. Every day, dressed in suits, they prowled the bar looking for troublemakers to deal with.

With improved security, business flourished, giving Joe a newfound sense of purpose.

Besides them, Ryo Sakazaki and Robert, who had come looking for Yuri, and Athena Asamiya, whose travel plans were delayed due to a temporary gig, were also present.

Although Athena participated in the KOF tournament under the Chinese team led by Genjuro, she was actually Japanese. The surname "Asamiya" was unmistakably Japanese.

Initially, Genjuro's other disciple, Sie Kensou, wanted to stay and look after Athena. Kensou had been in unrequited love with Athena for over twenty years, and his decades of devotion as a "simp" had earned him nothing, a fact well-known to all.

However, this request was quickly shut down by Genjuro. The old drunk had this to say:

"You're unfamiliar with this place—can you really take care of Athena? Don't make her take care of you instead! As for Athena, leave her to little Su Ye. Look at how well he's been taking care of old Hanzo's granddaughter! Tsk tsk…"

Despite having never shown his eyes in his lifetime, the old drunk's insight was sharp. Even Su Ye couldn't help but give him a metaphorical "10,086 likes."

Thus, Athena was left behind and moved into the Muse Bar with Qiong and Yuri. After her gig, she even joined Angelina for performances at the bar, living quite a comfortable life.

According to Athena, the place was so cozy that she didn't want to leave. In Japan, she was a pop idol, and even a casual outing was inconvenient. Here, she was practically invisible, able to go out without a mask without issue.

"I'm starting to feel like I don't even want to go back."

Mai Shiranui wholeheartedly supported Athena's sentiment. Both being from Japan, they had plenty to talk about.

As for Yuri, she grew up in Beizhen, so she was a bit different from the two of them.

On a side note, Mary had gone to Washington to visit her father and hadn't met up with Mai Shiranui yet, making the atmosphere notably more relaxed.

While drinking and chatting, the conversation somehow shifted to discussing their respective martial arts styles and abilities.

As the conversation continued, Su Ye glanced at Athena and asked, "The dojo isn't far from here. Athena, can your psychic senses pick up anything from there?"

Everyone perked up with curiosity at his question.

Psychic sensing was a powerful and mysterious ability. If Athena could sense things from hundreds of meters away, did that mean even their late-night farts wouldn't escape her notice?

Plus, they were all curious about what those men in black suits were doing at the Shiranui dojo.

Athena had no reason to refuse Su Ye's request. After all, her master had entrusted him with her care, so he was undoubtedly more than just an ordinary martial artist.

Besides, seeing Mai's radiant demeanor every day, it was clear Su Ye had many strengths, making him someone highly trustworthy.

Athena closed her eyes, and her psychic energy instantly spread outward.

"There are many of them, and they're studying that hammer," Athena said, eyes still closed.

Everyone fell silent, listening intently to Athena as if afraid to disturb her concentration.

Athena's lips curled into a smile. "Someone's stubbornly trying to lift the hammer, but it won't budge. How amusing. I guess only Master can lift it?"

Then, Athena suddenly paused and frowned. "No, something's off! That person has a strange kind of power, not like an ordinary human. It's as if no one else can see him."

A non-human-like figure trying to lift the hammer, invisible to others?

Su Ye's brow furrowed. Why did this scene feel so familiar?