My avatar is becoming the final boss

Chapter 365 Liuli's Vision, Zeus's Deployment (Two-part series, please vote!)

Xia Pingzhou and Ayase Origami spent a whole day wandering aimlessly around Lijing, and the two of them managed to visit all the amusement parks, including the Ferris wheel, the movie theater, and the aquarium.

According to the internet, these are the legendary "three holy places for dating".

However, it's not as sacred as some people think. Any family with decent financial means would take their children to those places a few times during holidays.

For a child who grew up normally in a big city, this is nothing new, even quite commonplace. But what's strange is that before meeting Xia Pingzhou, Ayase Origami had never been anywhere, not even the most ordinary movie theater.

It was only then that Xia Pingzhou realized how monotonous and boring Ayase Origami's life had been.

She could actually sit at home day after day, repeatedly working on the haiku collection her mother left her, or just drinking tea and watching TV.

At first, he didn't understand what was so interesting about that haiku collection. Wouldn't he get tired of flipping through it for so long?

Later he realized that this was one of the few things her mother had left her.

For a small child, her world is only so big, so it is only natural that she will repeatedly seek her mother's love from those monotonous and boring things, trying hard and clumsily to prove that she is loved.

Xia Pingzhou lowered his eyes. He could almost picture her childhood: a girl like this doll, dressed in a kimono, sitting in a Japanese-style house, her eyes lowered day after day, flipping through haiku she had long since grown tired of.

No one paid her any attention in the huge mansion. Her father left her all alone. Every time she opened the paper door, all that awaited her was an empty room with nothing in sight. Over time, her eyes also became empty.

Perhaps she was thinking that no one would ever love her like her deceased mother did, which was why she never grew tired of it, and that every time she looked down at the haiku, she could forget the world.

Later on, she even developed a special ability related to "paper pages." After all, everyone's special ability is closely related to their upbringing. Thinking of this, Xia Pingzhou found it somewhat amusing, yet also felt a pang of sadness.

But for some reason, Ayase Origami has been reading haiku collections much less lately. She often goes out, even dragging Natsumi Hibiki along for walks, and seems to be becoming more like a normal girl.

After leaving the aquarium, Xia Pingzhou and she had a sukiyaki buffet at a nearby food street. It was a customer's birthday, and the staff clapped and sang "Happy Birthday" to him.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you~" The cheerful singing filled the store.

Origami Ayase glanced at the person, then suddenly turned and asked, "What's the kitten's birthday?"

Xia Pingzhou was taken aback. At that moment, several birthday dates appeared in his mind at the same time, and he couldn't tell which one Ayase Origami wanted.

He hesitated for a moment with his head down, wondering whether to tell Ayase Origami Xia Pingzhou her birthday or tell her his real birthday. In the end, he gave her "August 15th," which was Ji Minghuan's own birthday.

After listening, Origami Ayase opened her phone, glanced down at the calendar, and after a long while, she looked up from her phone and murmured, "...It's over."

“Yes, three days have passed.” Xia Pingzhou took the glass filled with ice from the waiter.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Origami Ayase turned her pale face to look at him without moving.

Xia Pingzhou picked up his chopsticks, dipped a piece of Wagyu beef into the raw egg liquid in his bowl, and said in a serious tone, "Birthdays are not important. Only children are happy to celebrate their birthdays. Adults avoid talking about it. Because after a birthday, it means they are another year older."

“You’re a cat, not an adult,” Origami Ayase said softly after thinking for a moment with her eyes downcast.

"Yes, ma'am. I'll remind you next time it's your birthday." Xia Pingzhou nodded, chopsticks in his mouth. "Come to think of it, I didn't even know it was your birthday."

Origami Ayase nodded.

"What's your birthday?" Xia Pingzhou asked as he took the tempura shrimp from the waiter.

Origami Ayase paused for a moment, then shook her head and remained silent for a short while.

"I don't know," she said.

“I said…” Xia Pingzhou picked up his cup, took a sip of his Ramune soda, and then sighed, “You don’t even know your own birthday, and then you’re blaming me for not telling you?”

"Nobody told me."

"Where's your father?"

The girl in the kimono silently shook her head.

"Where's Uncle Takikage? He couldn't possibly not tell you his birthday, could he?"

"Takikage doesn't have the habit of celebrating birthdays either."

"Then why are you blaming me? Do you think I'm easy to bully?"

"The kitten... is panting."

Origami Ayase muttered to herself, her brows furrowing slightly as if trying to express annoyance, but after a while, her delicate eyebrows relaxed as always. In the end, only a trace of confusion remained on her snow-like, serene face.

Xia Pingzhou looked up at her twice, then lowered his head and thought for a moment before saying helplessly, "Maybe we can try asking a hacker; he might be able to find out your birthday."

He took two bites of tempura shrimp. "But the underworld may have already destroyed your information. After all, for them, being born into the underworld is a great disgrace, and they should try every means to sever ties with you."

Origami Ayase nodded silently, then took out a pair of gloves from her sleeve and handed them to him.

"A birthday present," she said.

"When did you buy these?" Xia Pingzhou raised an eyebrow and looked at the black fur gloves.

"When I went out with Jack."

"Why gloves?"

"She said your initiation mark is tattooed on the back of your hand, which is easily visible, so it would be better to buy you a pair of gloves," Origami Ayase said. "Don't you like it?"

"Although my birthday has passed, I'll still reluctantly accept it, thank you." Xia Pingzhou said, taking the gloves and putting them into his coat pocket.

After finishing their late-night snack, they hailed a taxi outside the sukiyaki restaurant. A little while later, the yellow taxi stopped on the quiet street, and the driver unlocked the door.

They got out of the car and walked into the deep alley by the moonlight. They then pushed open a door and turned into a secluded corridor. After walking for a while, they saw red and blue lights. This was the underground bar called "Grey Raven".

The leader said it was his friend's bar, while some members said it was the bar his sister used to run, but later handed it over to someone else. Xia Pingzhou didn't know which version was true, or perhaps both were true.

It was late at night, and the underground bar was empty. At the entrance, on the bar's iconic electronic sign, a gray raven was hidden in the shadows, its blood-red eyes still gleaming, its shadow flickering on and off.

Origami Ayase was already sleepy. She wasn't a night owl and avoided staying up late, so she quickly found a private room to sleep in and fell asleep soon after.

In the end, only Xia Pingzhou, Bloodline, and Ripper remained in the empty bar. The old woman who was still chasing love was still wearing her signature red dress, and Ripper was still wearing his unchanging Japanese black and white school uniform.

They sat side by side at the bar, quietly sipping their drinks while looking up at the television hanging on the wall.

At this very moment, an old, antique television is playing a video recording. It's a compilation of the Lake Hunters' fighting style gathered by hackers from various intelligence networks. Most of the footage was taken by passersby who were lucky enough to witness the Lake Hunters' battles against demons.

As for the purpose of watching these videos... it's not to watch them show off, but to study their weaknesses so that these monsters can be defeated one by one when the battle begins.

It is said that the four members of the Lake Hunters were also not good at teamwork and mostly fought alone. Rather, they never encountered an enemy that required them to work together as a team.

This is good news. The Lake Hunters will have to deal with both the Year Beast and the Seven Deadly Sins this time, and the four of them will inevitably be separated. That will be the time for the White Raven Brigade to make their move.

"Where are the doctor and Tong Zizhu?" Xia Pingzhou took a sip of orange juice with ice.

“Sea Sail City,” Bloodline said casually, resting his chin on his hand. “They’re nothing like you and Miss, always busy dating.”

"So what are they busy doing?" Xia Pingzhou asked.

"So, you don't deny that you're on a date?" The vampire girl curled the corners of her lips into a playful smile. She wasn't wearing heavy makeup today; instead, she looked elegant, with clear and bright eyes.

"Can you please stop changing the subject?"

"Tong Zizhu is busy looking for his mother every day, that is, the woman named 'Su Ying'. As for the doctor... he is looking for interesting human samples to conduct experiments. He seems to enjoy removing other people's brain tissue. I joined the group relatively late, so I am not very familiar with him." At this point, Xueyi shrugged.

“Human samples…that’s a really weird idea,” Xia Pingzhou said casually.

His impression of Rukawa Chiba was so-so. The main reason was that Rukawa Chiba could sense other people's emotions, so he knew that Xia Pingzhou was just a puppet and did not have any emotional signals.

Just like the giant bee "Joe" of the Light-Eating Bees, Joe also saw that the Black Chrysalis was a puppet without emotions. As long as Xia Pingzhou and the Black Chrysalis appeared in the same place, it would be easy for Rukawa Chiba to see something.

“‘For many psychic beings, humans are no longer human. You are not a psychic, so you don’t understand this feeling,’” Bloodline shrugged. “That’s what the doctor told me. You can go to him if you have any questions.”

"Is it because they understand people too well?" Xia Pingzhou speculated. "Psychic ability users have too much insight into people's hearts, so it's natural that they find it difficult to get along with others like ordinary people."

Bloodline tilted his head, turning his crimson eyes to look at Xia Pingzhou. "Perhaps... No matter what it is, it will become unrecognizable once you get too close."

She paused, then said in a serious tone, "It's like you turned into a cat in front of the young lady."

"What kind of inexplicable logic is behind that next sentence?" Xia Pingzhou said expressionlessly, turning his head to glance at the black and white school uniform girl next to him who was sipping her cocktail silently. "What are you daydreaming about again?"

"The commander said he has found his sister's puppet." Enma Rin was silent for a while before speaking. "What puppet?" Xia Pingzhou asked knowingly.

In fact, he was also very interested in the story between Ruri Urushihara and Ruri Urushihara. He was very curious about how Ruri Urushihara ended up in the hands of the Salvation Society and why she later became one of the puppets of the Father of Puppetry.

But when he asked her in Osaka, Japan, using the identity of the black pupa, Ruri Urushihara didn't answer at all. She just said that her experience was unrelated to what he was looking for, so Ji Minghuan had no choice but to give up.

But now, he seems to have the opportunity to learn about their story through the tour group.

The Bloodline also cast a curious glance at the two of them. She had been drinking all night before Xia Pingzhou arrived, and she was already a little drunk, with a warm pink hue on her face.

"The captain's younger sister is named Urushihara Ruri. She disappeared a few years ago, as if she had vanished into thin air," Enma Rin said. "No matter what, the captain has been unable to find any trace of her."

“Urushihara Ruri…” Xia Pingzhou raised his head and murmured the name softly.

"Urushihara Ruri was a superpowered individual, but her ability had only just awakened at that time, and she didn't know what the specific effects would be. She disappeared during those few days."

"Is someone eyeing her abilities?" Xia Pingzhou asked instinctively.

“That’s possible.” Enma Rin thought for a moment. “Back then, the leader asked a former member he trusted very much to use his divination ability to determine whether Urushihara Ruri was alive or dead.”

"And the result?" Bloodline picked up his wine glass, swirled it, and casually asked, resting his chin on his hand.

"The result is that she is dead," Enma Rin said. "And the leader has no doubts about this result, after all, that member has been with the Phantom Troupe for a long time."

"Dead?" Xia Pingzhou raised an eyebrow.

“That’s right, she died.” Enma Rin nodded. “But after that, someone resurrected her and turned her into a puppet.”

"Turns into a puppet..." Bloodline raised an eyebrow. "The ability user who can do this is truly astonishing."

"That organization seems to be the Salvation Society, the organization behind those kids we met in London. The leader only found out after exchanging information with Black Chrysalis."

Xia Pingzhou was silent for a moment, "The Salvation Society..."

“The Salvation Society, what a chilling name,” Bloodline murmured. “So… 1001 is currently inside the Salvation Society. I really should find out where this Salvation Society is.”

At this moment, her eyes became increasingly unfocused, and the strong liquor she had drunk flowed through her veins like fire, while the jazz music in the bar gradually became psychedelic.

"If someone could help you find the Salvation Society, would you go with them?" Xia Pingzhou asked.

“Of course, I joined the guild to find 1001. If I have already found him, what is the point of me staying here?” the Bloodline said without hesitation.

“Then you risk being recruited by the Black Chrysalis. I must tell the hackers to keep an eye on you,” Xia Pingzhou said calmly.

“Bad thing…” Bloodline lay on his folded arms, closed his eyes, and said in a muffled voice.

"You guys are amazing, you just kept rambling on and on," Enma Rin said casually.

"Getting back to the original question, how did the commander know that his sister had become a puppet of the Salvation Society?" Xia Pingzhou continued to ask.

“His sister contacted him first,” Enma Rin said, “with a letter.”

"What did she say in the letter?" Xia Pingzhou asked.

“In her letter, she said, ‘Let’s play hide-and-seek, just like when we were kids,’” Enma Rin said expressionlessly. “She also said that she had become a puppet and was no longer herself.”

Xueyi and Xia Pingzhou were silent for a while, then looked at each other, feeling a sense of emotion.

Xia Pingzhou thought to himself, "Yes, Qi Yuan Liuli knows her brother so well, how could she not know? If Qi Yuanli knew that she had been turned into a puppet, she would end her 'life' as soon as she found her."

This is a game of hide-and-seek destined to end sadly, where someone has to hide, yet also wants to be found by the other.

"Did Hei Yong tell the commander about Urushihara Ruri's location?" Xia Pingzhou asked.

As Enma Rin wiped her demon sword with her eyes downcast, she said, "Yes, the leader of the Black Chrysalis Gang found Urushihara Ruri's puppet."

"This black pupa has been really active lately. Who exactly is he?" Bloodline asked in a low voice.

“I don’t know, but he himself is a clue related to the Salvation Society. The leader is very interested in the Salvation Society now,” Enma Rin said.

"It'll be quite difficult to catch him; that guy is elusive," Xia Pingzhou boasted.

Bloodline slowly raised her head. Her metabolism was too fast; the effects of the alcohol were almost wearing off. She looked up at the television, cupping her face in her hands. "Speaking of which, the fighting style of those four from Lake Hunters is really interesting, don't you think?"

"I think you want to get hit by the bronze pillar," Xia Pingzhou said dismissively.

“Boring,” Enma Rin said.

“I heard this person is the weakest among the Lake Hunters,” Bloodline continued.

Xia Pingzhou also looked up at the television screen hanging on the wall.

In the high-definition restored video, a figure dressed in a long robe and mandarin jacket waved a folding fan, and then a huge Bagua formation appeared in the sky, causing a celestial phenomenon. From the center of the Bagua formation, a rain of fire fell from the sky, scattering and sprinkling across the forest.

The demons of the entire forest vanished in an instant, leaving no trace.

Xia Pingzhou looked away from the television and poured himself a glass of iced orange juice.

He said, "So, is the leader really such a vengeful person? I thought he had no feelings for the members and that we were just pawns in his game."

“I don’t think the leader is that resentful. To him, Lan Duoduo and Oda Takikage are just replaceable members,” Enma Rin said.

"Then why did he take action against Lake Hunting?" Xia Pingzhou asked.

"Because the leader wants the antiques stored in Zhou Jiuya's Tonggu Compass." Yan Molin said, almost emphasizing each word. "That's how bandits are. They only allow themselves to steal other people's things, but they never allow others to steal our things, otherwise they will definitely pay back a hundredfold."

“Oh, I understand now.” Xia Pingzhou said expressionlessly. “Actually, I’m also quite curious. If we kill Zhou Jiuya, how valuable would the antique in his compass be? Maybe enough for each of us to live on for twenty lifetimes.”

“I suggest you correct this. It’s enough for you, but not enough for me…” The Bloodline smirked. “My life spans hundreds of thousands of years, unlike yours which are at most fifty years.”

"It's rare to see someone who voluntarily calls themselves an old freak," Xia Pingzhou said sarcastically.

Bloodline yawned. "Anyway, that Zhou Jiuya is really annoying. This time, we have to teach him a lesson."

“It’s alright. If you’ve lost, 1001 will come to your rescue,” Xia Pingzhou said. “If they’re really as powerful as you say, they might wipe out Lake Hunter with a wave of their hand.”

"You really know how to bring up the most sensitive topics." Bloodline was silent for a moment, then curled her lips into a self-deprecating smile. "But... I hope he still remembers me." With that, she left the bar first and walked towards one of the sleeper compartments. "I'm going to rest now, you guys chat."

Xia Pingzhou turned his gaze to the side and quietly watched the Bloodline leave. He thought to himself that when the Bloodline betrayed him, it was highly likely that the Bloodline would follow him, after all, he had so many clues about 1001.

Just then, the Ripper suddenly spoke, interrupting his thoughts, "Speaking of which, have you decided which demon you want to contract with after you advance to the third tier?"

“I’m very interested in the Seven Deadly Sins of the Norse mythology, especially that raging demon. The hacker showed me their information,” Xia Pingzhou said. “It’s perfect as my contracted demon.”

“I see… Then you can ask the captain’s opinion after we get to Mount Kaifan,” Enma Rin said. “However, normally he wouldn’t allow you to do such a thing; I’m hoping he’ll let you have some fun. My sword is itching to be chopped down a couple of demons of the Seven Deadly Sins to relieve my boredom.”

“Okay, then we can go together.” After saying that, Xia Pingzhou stepped off the bar first. “I’m going to sleep now. See you tomorrow.”

After he returned to the private room, he closed the door, turned on the light, and looked up at the ticking clock. It was already 8 a.m. on August 19th.

He was already tired, so he found a pillow, lay down on the bed, took out the gloves that Ayase Origami had given him from his pocket, looked at them under the bedside lamp, and then fell asleep.

After falling asleep, Xia Pingzhou first went to the Spiritual Library, where he rested against the bookshelves and chatted with the red dragon Welsh for a while to prevent the giant dragon from developing depression.

After that, he slowly fell asleep amidst the dragon's heavy breathing.

Before long, a cold voice broke the silence, waking him from the darkness.

"Restricted-level ability user, number 1002 - Ji Minghuan, your mentor is visiting. Get up quickly and prepare for the meeting."

Ji Minghuan's eyelids trembled slightly. He opened his eyes and saw his mentor's solemn face.

The tutor walked in from behind the open door and sat down at the empty long table.

"What's wrong?" Ji Minghuan sat up, crossed her legs, and asked, "Why do you look constipated again?"

“Just a few hours ago, we… deployed Zeus.” The mentor paused for a moment, then said in a low voice, “Ji Minghuan, do you want to know what happened?”

After he finished speaking, he raised his head and looked at Ji Minghuan's face through his glasses.

"You've deployed Zeus?" Ji Minghuan was slightly taken aback, recalling the boy who had suffered a mental breakdown, while at the same time, the image of an ancient Greek giant vaguely appeared in his mind.

He thought to himself, "That's a mythical feat! What figure in the world today would be worthy of the Salvation Society sending Zeus? Could it be the White Raven Brigade... or perhaps, the Nian Beast?"

(End of this chapter)