Project: Flightfire Begins
Lee Yong-Su believed in starting things early—explosives, rebellion, fire-themed pet training.
So when Kaboom flapped his stubby wings and hovered three inches above the ground for two seconds, Yong-Su did what any rational toddler would do:
He declared Project Flightfire™ officially operational.
"He has liftoff potential," Yong-Su announced proudly.
Fen, watching from the doorway, mumbled,
"He has arson potential."
The Sky Trial
With Tao-Tao watching judgmentally from a distance (helmeted and traumatized), Yong-Su strapped a miniature saddle onto Kaboom using fire-treated linen, two belt loops, and suspicious enthusiasm.
Attached to the side?A tiny pouch containing:
One smoke pellet
A soft cork
A firecracker made from scroll paper
And a talisman labeled "Do Not Ignite Indoors" (handwritten by Fen)
Kaboom took off.
Kind of.
It was less majestic flight and more aggressive falling with style. He launched upward, flailed, spun in a circle, fired the smoke pellet mid-air, then nose-dived into a rice basket.
"Improvement!" Yong-Su clapped.
The basket burned. Again.
Fen's Bunker Upgrades: Phase Two
With the latest airborne incident, Fen's paranoia bunker became a full-blown fortress.
New features included:
Reinforced walls made from old cultivator manuals
Talisman wallpaper (50 sheets, 2 blessings, 1 accidental curse)
Salt lines at the entrance
A roasted goose offering (not Tao-Tao, but the warning was clear)
She also added a wooden sign:
"If the world catches fire, this is your fault, Young Master."
Estate-Wide Safety Drill
After a fourth fire in the same week (technically Kaboom lit the compost pile trying to heat a mouse), Madam ordered a family fire drill.
Yong-Su was not invited to participate—he was the reason for the drill.
Tao-Tao was officially placed in charge of Emergency Honking.
Kaboom, meanwhile, spent the drill chewing through the water bucket.
Weapon Test: Airborne Firecracker Dispenser (AFD)
Yong-Su's next invention was an aerial drop system made of:
A paper scroll tube
A timed ember fuse
A pouch full of powdered sugar and ash (don't ask why)
The unshakeable belief that Kaboom would fly in a straight line
Kaboom did not fly in a straight line.
Instead, he launched into the air, spun like a burning frisbee, and dropped the device directly onto a nearby meditation pond.
It exploded with a BANG, turning the water pitch black and launching five confused koi fish into low orbit.
A monk who'd been meditating nearby stood up, blinked once, and walked straight into the woods.
"He's ascended," someone whispered.
Meanwhile: Father Tries to Understand
Father, holding a blueprint labeled "Dragon Payload Harness v2", turned to Madam.
"Darling, should a one-year-old be this militarily advanced?"
"He's two."
"That... does not make it better."
"He's passionate," she said, sipping tea as smoke drifted in from the west courtyard.
"He listed me under 'non-combatant liability.'"
"So considerate!"
Baby Genius Log: Night Entry
Kaboom flight rating: 3/10 (horizontal wobbles, vertical potential)
Aerial explosive deployment: promising if dragon learns "up" vs. "pond"
Fen's bunker: still standing, possibly sentient
Tao-Tao: now wearing sunglasses. Why? Unknown.
Next goal: Fireproof saddle + ranged launch platform.
He stared at the stars from his crib, Kaboom curled at his feet like a tiny furnace.
"Sky supremacy... is within reach."
A koi fish landed in the courtyard behind him.
He smiled wider.