My avatar is becoming the final boss

Chapter 320 The True Face of the Father of Puppetry (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

August 11, 12:30 PM Japan time, Dotonbori, southern Osaka.

Under the blazing sun, cicadas chirped incessantly in the trees as Gu Qiye and You Ruier walked side by side along a food street by a canal.

The food street is crowded with all kinds of shops and snack stalls, and the Japanese signs overhead are also varied - some are giant crabs, some are a string of flashing lanterns, and some are small sea bream-shaped balloons swaying gently in the heat.

The streets were crowded, practically shoulder to shoulder. Tourists made up a large portion of the crowd, dragging suitcases, carrying bags, and taking photos with cameras or phones everywhere; there were also quite a few locals, mostly people who had just finished get off work for lunch and were having a get-together with colleagues.

The air was filled with the aroma of various foods mixed together: the smell of fried food, the sauce of takoyaki, and the salty and savory taste of soy sauce.

“There’s a combat meeting this afternoon, but we’re free to move around until 3 p.m.,” Yuriel said.

Today she changed into a white casual dress, paired with a light blue denim jacket. Gu Qiye had never seen anyone wear a dress and a jacket together before; You Ruier was the first.

The girl's white hair swayed slightly in the hot summer breeze. Perhaps due to her supernatural ability, despite the crowded surroundings and the unbearably hot weather, she barely sweated, and her skin was so white it seemed almost translucent.

"That's good, a good balance between work and rest."

As Gu Qiye spoke, he stopped at a roadside stall, turned to her and asked, "It's rare for us to go shopping, let's buy something to eat."

“Okay,” Yuriel said.

"How are takoyaki? Have you ever tried them?" he asked.

"I've never tried it. But I can give it a try," she said.

Gu Qiye nodded and looked up.

Many takoyaki shops make their takoyaki right outside. A young man in a uniform stands in front of a steaming griddle, flipping the round balls of batter. You can see small pieces of octopus meat peeking out from the batter.

The finished takoyaki are served in small boat-shaped cardboard boxes, topped with sauce, sprinkled with nori powder and bonito flakes. The bonito flakes sway gently in the steam.

Speaking fairly fluent Japanese, Gu Qiye bought a box of takoyaki from the shop owner. Then she handed the fork to Yuriel and they shared it.

"Do you have any particular preferences when it comes to food?" Gu Qiye asked.

Yuriel wanted to say something, but in the end she shook her head. "No."

"If you don't like it, that's fine," Gu Qiye said. "Don't force yourself."

"Actually, most of the time, it doesn't matter to me what I eat."

"why?"

"Since I was ten years old, no matter what food I ate, it had no taste, as if my sense of taste had been frozen. It seems to be a sign that my superpowers are about to awaken."

"and then?"

"At that time, I was still in the orphanage."

"You said that you ran away later."

“I could only taste the food when I ate next to a nurse,” Yuriel said. “She was very kind to me, like an older sister.”

She was silent for a while, then said to me, "People are all the same. Food tastes better when you're with people you love. It's not strange that you're like that."

"And then?" Gu Qiye asked. "Is she still in the orphanage?"

“No,” Yuriel said expressionlessly, “she got married and left the orphanage, so I left too.”

Gu Qiye thought for a moment: "After that, did you still have any taste for food?"

“No,” Yuriel shook her head, “but things are different lately.”

"Will food taste bad if I eat it next to you?"

Yuriel nodded silently, looking away from him.

“I understand, that nurse was probably me in disguise,” Gu Qiye said without hesitation.

Yuriel was stunned. She lowered her head and thought about it seriously for a moment before realizing that he was making a lame joke. It wasn't a question that required logical thinking, so she slowly raised her head and glanced at him indifferently.

"You have no sense of humor."

"But you smiled."

Yuriel was taken aback.

She lowered her head, raised her hand, and gently stroked her pale cheek with her fingertips, only then noticing a barely perceptible curve at the corner of her mouth.

Yuriel remained silent, forked a steaming hot takoyaki, and ate it in small bites.

After that, the two bought a box of grilled sea bream from a street vendor. It was golden and crispy on the outside and sweet inside, but the shop assistant said that it came in both sweet and savory flavors, which sounded a bit strange to some extent.

So they tried both flavors like opening a blind box, swapping them, and finally threw away the salty one, then walked along the river railing.

The Dotonbori canal gleamed in the sunlight, and the white-haired girl's hair fluttered in the summer heat and warm breeze. Even in summer, she seemed to harbor an unmelting winter within her.

Gu Qiye couldn't help but sigh, standing next to You Ruier was like being next to a human-shaped air conditioner, and the temperature seemed to drop a lot.

"Fan Dongqing said he's also in Dotonbori, so he invited us to lunch together." Yuriel picked up her phone and suddenly said, "Want to go?"

"Who else did he make plans with?"

Gu Qiye turned to look at her and asked without hesitation.

“I made plans with everyone. But not many people showed up,” Yuriel said. “Also, he didn’t invite you.”

Gu Qiye was taken aback.

"I've been isolated? Rainbow Wing still plays the old-fashioned seniority game?"

“No,” Yuriel said calmly. “He knows I’m with you, so asking me out is the same as asking you out. There’s no difference.”

"I see." Gu Qiye understood. He thought for a moment, "By the way, will the Father of Puppetry come? I was thinking, with his face wrapped in bandages like that, won't he scare away the other customers when he enters the shop?"

“He said he was coming,” Yuriel said.

"Really?"

“Really,” Yuriel explained. “He doesn’t always have bandages on; we’ve seen what’s under the bandages.”

"how does he look like?"

“Wears glasses, fair-skinned, middle-aged,” Yuriel described succinctly.

"Wears glasses, fair-skinned, middle-aged..."

Gu Qiye murmured softly, her expression unconsciously darkening.

Before long, they accepted Fan Dongqing's invitation and went into the Japanese barbecue restaurant that was located on their phone, and found a private room.

The two pushed open the nori curtain at the door and went inside, where the large lanterns overhead emitted a warm, orange-yellow light.

The warm yellow paper lanterns cast a soft glow. The others were already seated on cushions around the low table: Garfield, Tsukumo, Ruri Urushihara, Father of Puppetry, and Ke Qingzheng.

Everyone who was supposed to come had arrived, more than Gu Qiye had expected. She hadn't realized that Fan Dongqing was quite popular.

Gu Qiye remained silent, glancing at the corner of her eye.

There was only one unfamiliar male face in the private room. Without a doubt, this was the Puppet Master, now that the "bandages" had been removed.

He wore frameless glasses, his features were gentle and indifferent, like a meticulous scholar. He smelled of disinfectant and wore a fine white overcoat; his demeanor was reserved and mild.

The person in front of me was completely different from the man wrapped in bandages who exuded a strange aura.

It would be hard for anyone to associate this bespectacled man with the "father of puppets".

"He is the father of puppetry?" Gu Qiye asked again for confirmation.

“Yes,” Yuriel said.

"So sweet, are you always sticking together whether you're on a mission or not?" Ruri Urushihara looked up at the two of them and teased them.

“He’s new. I have an obligation to take care of him,” Yuriel said.

“I’m a newcomer, so I have an obligation to be taken care of by her,” Gu Qiye said.

"When I was a newcomer, no one took such good care of me, except for that kid Ke Qingzheng." Fan Dongqing had just come back from the restroom when he pushed open the noren curtain and came in.

Then, with his back to the crowd, he raised his phone and took a selfie, saying, "This is the first time I've managed to get so many people together."

"Shut up." Ninety-Nine frowned. "Narcissistic man, I just happened to be nearby."

"Yes, yes, you came for Garfield." Fan Dongqing made a "V" sign and snapped another photo with a "click".

"Where?" Ninety-Nine exclaimed anxiously.

"I must first clarify: I don't date. Dating is just a bug in my brainwaves; mechanics are much more interesting," Garfield said expressionlessly.

“You’re a narcissist too.” Ninety-Nine glared at him.

“Rainbow Wing members are prohibited from uploading photos on social media platforms,” Yuriel reminded Fan Dongqing, taking a sip of ice water.

"White Hair, are you my mother?" Fan Dongqing asked without turning his head.

"Don't change the subject."

"Don't worry, I just took these photos for fun, as a keepsake. I've sent them to you all." Fan Dongqing said, quickly creating a group chat on Line and adding everyone present—except for Gu Qiye.

Gu Qiye was silent for a moment, then turned to look at Yu Ruier sitting next to him: "Send me the photos?"

“Okay,” Yuriel replied.

She lowered her head, tapped her fingertips lightly on the phone screen, and forwarded the photo she had just received to Gu Qiye.

Gu Qiye leaned back against the wall, glanced down at the photo, and confirmed that the face of the Puppet Father was clearly captured in the picture.

Then, he opened his phone's contacts and sent the photo to Black Chrysalis through a private channel.

At this very moment, in another corner of Osaka.

The black pupa was hanging upside down under the eaves of the izakaya, occasionally stealing a takoyaki or two from the table using its restraints.

He munched on takoyaki while staring blankly at the passersby on the street.

A moment later, his phone suddenly made a "ding" sound, so he looked up at it.

[Gu Qiye: This is his photo.]

[Black pupa: 1.]

Hei Yong opened the photo sent by Gu Qiye. What came into view was a group photo in a private room, which consisted of either handsome men and beautiful women or cute little boys and girls. This private room could definitely make a fortune if it were used as a brand endorsement.

He had previously seen the faces of the twelve members of Rainbow Wing by receiving Gu Qiye's memories, except for the Father of the Puppet.

He then naturally realized that the only person he didn't recognize in this private room was the Father of Puppetry.

Black Chrysalis squinted, staring at the fair-skinned man wearing glasses and a white trench coat.

After a slight pause, he hoarsely squeezed out two words:

"tutor?"

　Ask for monthly ticket orz
　　
　
(End of this chapter)