My avatar is becoming the final boss

Chapter 370 Old Friends, Reunion, Hunting the Seven Deadly Sins (Seeking Monthly Tickets at the End of the Month)
On August 19, 2020, the green train stopped at Haifan City at dusk.

The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the car window into the carriage, casting a warm glow on Xia Pingzhou's face.

He was taking a nap with his eyes closed, but his consciousness was slowly returning. He could hear the sound of the tide and the faint sounds of people coming from the direction of the sea.

"Time to wake up... You're all sleepyheads. Can't you learn from me? I only close my eyes once every few days." The hacker said disdainfully while playing on his phone.

His voice broke the silence that enveloped the carriage.

"That's why your dark circles are so heavy," Xia Pingzhou retorted before even opening his eyes.

"You electronic pet, you deserve to be killed." Enma Rin also woke up.

Only Ayase Origami was still fast asleep, leaning on Xia Pingzhou's shoulder. She had gotten up too early today, which didn't fit her schedule, so she had to catch up on sleep on the train.

"The original plan was to meet at Haifan City at 7 p.m. tonight, but the group leader said there's no rush today," the hacker said. "So we can wander around Haifan City, but be careful not to stray too far from that antique shop, or we might run into the Lake Hunters."

Hearing this, Xia Pingzhou finally opened his eyes.

He glanced at the hacker who was engrossed in his phone, then at the kimono-clad girl sleeping with her head on his shoulder.

After a moment of hesitation, he slowly turned his head to look out the window.

As the sun sets, a shimmering sea comes into view through the car window, along with a city nestled along the coast. Looking out, the hillsides are covered with rows of tiled houses, their rooftops bathed in the red sunlight.

Simply dressed fishermen are gathered at the port, and fishing boats sail from the golden sea and dock at the pier.

This is Sea Sail City, and further away, atop those mountains, lies the demonic force ruled by the Nian Beast Lord. Of course, the fourth Nian Beast is also among them.

Walking on the streets of Haifan City now, Xia Pingzhou not only had a chance to run into people from Lake Hunter, but also a chance to run into Gu Qiye and his group, which was what gave him the biggest headache.

Given Gu Qiye's intense, almost anthropomorphic sense of justice, even if he himself had become a top-tier wanted criminal no different from the White Raven Brigade, he would probably still try to send them to prison when he sees the members of the Brigade again.

Prior to this, Gu Zhuo's case had also created enmity with the White Crow Brigade at a Tokyo auction house.

In his eyes, these bastards had beaten his son half to death, and if he encountered the White Crow Brigade again, Gu Zhuo would probably want to kill the leader of the White Crow Brigade.

Therefore, Xia Pingzhou began to pray in his heart that the White Raven Brigade would not run into the monstrous father and son on the streets of Sea Sail City.

Otherwise, the situation will be very difficult to manage.

Of course, this refers to Gu Qiye before her younger brother died, and Gu Zhuo's case before her son died.

Xia Pingzhou was unsure whether the two of them still had the will to fight against the troupe now.

Perhaps they've become so consumed by grief over losing their family that they're no longer interested in talking to the White Raven Brigade even if they brush past them on the street.

Nevertheless, there is still a possibility that the father and son were so deranged that they sought revenge against the White Raven Brigade.

Therefore, Xia Pingzhou had no choice but to make plans in advance.

To avoid having his head taken by the Terror Lightning Man and the Terror Clock Tower Man before Unit 2 even reached its scrapping deadline for killing the Ripper, an accident had already occurred.

If that had happened, he would have been wallowing in self-pity, wondering how the young lady would view him after killing the Ripper. But in the end, it was Ayase Origami who went after Gu Qiye and the Gu Zhuo'an family to seek revenge.

It's just too absurd.

"The train has arrived at 'Haifancheng' station. Passengers who need to disembark, please take your belongings with you and disembark in an orderly manner under the guidance of the train staff. Before disembarking, please make sure you have your ID card and mobile phone with you..."

A woman's voice echoed in the carriage, and Xia Pingzhou, who was half asleep, finally came to his senses.

He smoothed his messy hair, leaned to one side, propped his forehead up with his hand, took a deep breath, and pulled his wandering thoughts back. Then he whispered to Ayase Origami:
"arrive."

As Xia Pingzhou spoke, he raised his hand and scratched a strand of hair on the kimono-clad girl beside him.

Origami Ayase woke up quickly and slowly straightened her head from his shoulder. She stared blankly for a while with her hair drooping before slowly opening her eyes.

When it was time to get off, the Bloodline, who had been sitting in the next carriage the whole time, finally appeared. She walked out from the crowded throng, sat on the armrest of the Ripper's seat, and raised her crimson eyes to look at the group.

"You guys seem to be sleeping quite well?" Bloodline put one hand on his hip, took a deep breath of fresh air, and grinned gloomily. "I almost went on a killing spree because of those bastards on the train who were glued to their phones. Can't these people just be quiet for a second?"

"So, why do you insist on sharing a carriage with the regular passengers?" Xia Pingzhou asked her casually.

"I don't know, maybe I'll run into someone I want to see..."

The bloodline tilted his head and said casually.

Xia Pingzhou looked up at her. The centenarian vampire had a slight smile on her lips, and her pale golden hair looked pure white in the sunlight.

"No wonder she's such a long-lived, love-chasing old lady," the hacker said. "Speaking of which, she's chasing after a little boy."

"If 1001 were really alive, he would be at least a hundred or two hundred years old by now, what little boy?" Bloodline retorted.

"Heh, all I know is that little boy in the hospital gown in the London pub the other day, he didn't even look as old as me," the hacker scoffed. "Old woman, just admit your peculiar fetish."

“Actually, that boy looks much younger than 1001, but they look very similar.” Bloodline pondered for a moment. “I’m not sure if it’s him, but people can’t grow backwards, can they?”

"Then you still want me to investigate?" The hacker narrowed his eyes.

“It’s never a bad idea to investigate,” the Bloodline said. “Even if I told you not to, the leader would have made you do it, wouldn’t he?”

"Please, the Salvation Society isn't that easy to investigate. The leader only recently learned about this organization. I don't even know if continuing to investigate will cause any trouble..." the hacker said speechlessly. "But that organization is related to the leader's sister, Uncle Bai's son, and your 1001. It's not right for me not to investigate."

"Just do your job as an electronic pet, and stop complaining so much," Enma Rin said coldly, as she put the scabbard into the tennis racket bag and slung it over her shoulder.

"Did you hear that? Electronic pet."

Xia Pingzhou lowered his head, took a bite of his biscuit, and casually echoed a comment.

"Fine, fine," the hacker muttered listlessly. "Now even the Little Cat Casanova has a higher status in the Phantom Troupe than me. I'd like to see what you'll do without me."

"Stop acting cute." The Bloodline reached out and patted his head, teasingly saying, "Let's go, the commander is waiting for us."

The group quickly got off the train, exited the quaint train station, walked through the bustling crowds, and then strolled along the long street up the mountain. The setting sun surged in like a tidal wave, bathing the entire street in golden afterglow.

Along the way, the Bloodline crossed his arms and told offensive jokes, while Enma Rin listened with a blank expression as she looked at the sea, her sword sheath in hand. The Hacker, meanwhile, silently played on his phone with his head down.

Xia Pingzhou and the young lady bought some street food and shared it.

After a while, they stopped in front of an antique shop located in a secluded spot. Looking up, they saw a faded line of words on the wooden signboard: "Old Wu Antique Shop".

"Is the regimental commander inside?" Xia Pingzhou asked casually.

"Oh, and by the way, the guild leader's Skywalker has also reached Tier 3," the hacker said. "Little Cat Casanova, how about you challenge the guild leader to a duel?"

“I don’t have time,” Xia Pingzhou said slowly. “Besides, the leader isn’t just a pure exorcist; he’s also a superhuman. His superpowers are a great counter to me. If he promises not to use his superpowers, I can play along with him. Otherwise, it’s not fair at all.”

"Heh, you're quite humorous. Superpowers are also the leader's abilities, why shouldn't he use them?" the hacker asked.

"Oh, then I'll have to use my event cards," Xia Pingzhou thought to himself.

“This place looks really old-fashioned.” Bloodline shrugged. “I’ve never been interested in antique shops or anything like that.”

"Not interested? Is it because you're an old-fashioned person yourself?" Xia Pingzhou asked expressionlessly.

“Little cat, well said.” Origami Ayase yawned and said expressionlessly.

"Looks like you've been trained very well. I think some cats want to be neutered." The vampire girl smiled, but black lines appeared on her forehead.

"Can you guys stop talking so much nonsense?" Enma Rin asked coldly, arms crossed.

Xia Pingzhou exchanged glances with the people beside him, then silently pushed open the door and entered.

At that moment, the ropes tied to the ceiling swayed precariously, causing the strings of masks attached to them to sway as well. A distant copper bell rang, breaking the silence.

He raised an eyebrow, looked away from the masks on the rope, and glanced around.

The shop was dimly lit, with only a few slivers of gray sunlight filtering through a dusty little window.

Three wooden shelves stood against the wall, bearing the deep marks of time, with the paint peeling away. On the top shelf were several bronze items: an incense burner, a Buddha statue… The second shelf was crammed with scrolls of varying thicknesses. At the bottom, a small mountain of blue-and-white porcelain bowls stood, their scratches clearly visible.

The owner of the antique shop was not there. Instead, a young man in a black trench coat was leaning against the counter, looking down at a piece of porcelain, while drinking hot tea from a teacup in his other hand, which could be considered as adapting to local customs.

"You're quite late..." Qi Yuanli said without looking up.

"There's nothing we can do, the train is delayed." The hacker stepped over the threshold and walked in. "Captain, where are Anlens and the others?"

“Anlens and Tong Zizhu have already left; they’re at the inn.” Qi Yuanli put down the palm-sized porcelain piece and picked up an ancient book from the counter.

"That Zhou Jiuya is in this city right now, isn't he?" Xueyi said. "When are we going to go visit him?"

“No rush, not today.” Qi Yuanli shook his head. “By the way, Commander,” Xia Pingzhou said, “since the operation hasn’t started yet, I’d like to request something.”

Upon hearing this, Qi Yuanli slowly raised his deep eyes, looked at Xia Pingzhou, and remained silent for a moment before asking, "What is it?"

Enma Rin, holding his scabbard, stood against the wall and answered for him, "He killed a Cataclysmic Demon today, and his Sky Chaser has advanced to the third tier. Now he's still missing a Contract Demon."

"Third tier...?"

Qi Yuanli murmured softly, a barely perceptible hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. After a moment, he asked, "And then?"

Just as Xia Pingzhou was about to speak, the hacker suddenly explained:
“When I introduced it to Xia Pingzhou before, he set his sights on the Wrathful Demon from the Seven Deadly Sins, that skeleton thing tied to the cross, saying that… uh, he wanted it to be his third contracted demon.”

He paused, then said, “Commander, didn’t you say before that the Seven Deadly Sins of Norse mythology might have ill intentions and be detrimental to the White Wolf and the Nian Beast Lord? Would it be best to eliminate them to avoid disrupting the plan? Sending Xia Pingzhou and the Ripper is just right.”

Xia Pingzhou thought to himself, "Is this the benefit of being popular? I don't even need to say anything; others have already said it for me."

Although in a few more days, his popularity will only increase, and the entire White Raven Brigade will have to chase after him.

Qi Yuanli remained silent, then slowly raised his head, his deep eyes fixed on Xia Pingzhou.

"Don't go too far." He left with this simple sentence and then didn't say anything more. He just sat on the counter and quietly flipped through the yellowed ancient book.

That ancient book seems to be about the twelve beasts in the Book of the Later Han Dynasty, and the Sky Chariot of one of the people in the lake hunt is related to this.

Xia Pingzhou nodded silently, relieved to have the commander's permission.

"Let's go then, I'm already sleepy." Bloodline stretched, curled the corners of his mouth, and turned his crimson eyes to look at the sea outside the window. "I can't sleep at all on the train, those passengers are too annoying."

"Older people are just prone to drowsiness," the hacker said.

"Electronic pets really have a death wish," Bloodline smiled slightly.

After that, they temporarily left the antique shop and walked down the long street on the mountainside, slowly making their way towards the hotel.

Xia Pingzhou looked at the sea.

The sound of the tide is light and gentle, and the sea and sky meet, presenting a hazy color between azure and dusky yellow.

"Why can't I go with you?" Ayase Origami asked suddenly after a long silence.

“Because it’s unnecessary.” Xia Pingzhou shook his head. “The four most powerful demons in the Seven Deadly Sins are already dead. The remaining three demons are more suited to support roles and their combat abilities are so-so.”

He paused for a moment, then said, "Trust me, you don't need to come with me this time."

Origami Ayase nodded silently and didn't ask any further questions.

"So, you can find the Seven Deadly Sins?" Enma Rin asked expressionlessly. "If you can't, wouldn't it be a joke for us to come up the mountain?"

“Of course,” Xia Pingzhou said.

"What statement?"

“After reaching the third tier, the Queen Statue’s sense of smell for demons has become even stronger,” Xia Pingzhou said. “Didn’t I tell you before? Back in Tokyo, she was already able to help me locate demons, let alone now that she’s at the third tier.”

"If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have forgotten you were a Tier 3," Enma Rin sneered. "You're mentioning it twice, aren't you?"

“Yes… I am Tier 3, Tier 3 is me,” Xia Pingzhou said expressionlessly.

"He deserves to be cut down." Enma Rin slightly drew her sword.

Just then, Xia Pingzhou suddenly paused slightly.

It wasn't that he was frightened by Enma Rin, but rather that he noticed someone was watching him.

So he turned his head and glanced out of the corner of his eye. He saw a girl with a high ponytail, wearing jeans and a T-shirt, standing in a barbecue restaurant, looking at him sideways.

Su Zimai.

Clearly, Su Zimai recognized him too. She silently walked back into the shadows inside the store.

"What's wrong?" Origami Ayase asked.

"It's nothing." Xia Pingzhou shook his head and looked away.

On the shore of Lingxin Lake, the Lotus Leaf Demon only awoke after the Little Nian Beast crossed the lake to the other side.

"Ah Qiu...!" It sneezed violently, then looked towards the opposite bank of the lake, where it saw the Little Year Beast and the Seven Deadly Sins' Wrath standing facing each other.

At this moment, the little Nian beast stomped its hooves on the lawn, extinguishing the purplish-red flames, then raised its head and looked at the furious demon bound to the cross.

Rather than being "bound to a cross," it would be more accurate to say that this silver cross is actually part of the enraged demon's body. Demons have all sorts of strange and wonderful structures, and you can never judge a book by its cover.

"Son of the Nian Beast...is there anything else you need from me?" the enraged demon asked slowly.

“I spent some time in Europe before, and I heard from the demons there that you Seven Deadly Sins lost to the previous Lake Hunter. The previous Lake Hunter killed four of you and used some kind of power to leave some kind of rule that you have to follow on the remaining three.” The little beast picked a blade of grass and put it in its mouth.

"What do you want to say?" the enraged demon asked.

"The rule that the previous generation of Lake Hunters set for you was..." Little Year Beast paused, ""that once demons and humans were about to go to war, you had to stand on the side of humans."

"What nonsense are you spouting?" The skull on the cross remained silent for a long, long time before letting out a furious and hoarse voice, "How dare the son of the Nian beast utter such nonsensical rumors? Don't you understand how noble your own status is?"

"That's nonsense, after all, there's a proverb among humans that says, 'You can never wake someone who's pretending to be asleep'... To someone pretending to be asleep, everything is nonsense. Hmm, I, your humble servant, have experienced this firsthand." The little Nian beast sneered.

"You've been in the human world for too long, and your mind has been corrupted by the thoughts of those inferior beings," said the enraged demon. "If I told your father what you said, he would be furious... Of course, among you Chinese demons, there are even those who mate with humans, let alone you..."

"Uh... let's put aside other things for now. If humans are truly inferior beings, then they're the ones trapped on this mountain right now, not us," said the little beast. "And those cowards who betray their own kind and choose to serve the 'inferior beings' they speak of are probably even less than inferior beings." With that, it yawned and walked away without looking back.

The skull on the cross narrowed its eyes slightly, its pupils flashing with a fierce light.

At this moment, a cold wind blew across Lingxin Lake, brushing past the silver-white cross, and the little Nian beast's purplish-red fur swayed in the wind.

Even if the "Raging Demon" wasn't actually a mole planted by Lake Hunter, Ji Minghuan would definitely take it down tonight, since there's still an empty slot in Xia Pingzhou's Sky Chariot waiting for the demon to move in.

At least his second unit already possessed the strength of a Cataclysmic Being. If it weren't a Cataclysmic Being, it wouldn't be worthy of the position of a Contracted Demon.

Even if we take a step back, Ji Minghuan never intended for the demonic forces of Lake Hunter and Nian Beast to actually fight. Instead, he planned to lure them to the Hofsjökull glacier in Iceland.

In this way, on the day the operation to rescue the main body begins, they can be used to divert the Salvation Society's attention.

Once the Little Year Beast takes over the demonic forces on Mount Haifan, the only uncontrollable factor on the mountain will be these three demons from the Seven Deadly Sins.

If these three outsiders from the Seven Deadly Sins interfere, it could significantly impact the situation and disrupt Ji Minghuan's plans. To be on the safe side, it would be best to eliminate them before the war even begins.

The worst outcome would be the elimination of the "Wrathful Demon" and the "Slothful Demon," leaving only the "Gluttonous Demon."

That demon, covered in rotten flesh and almost piled up like a mud mountain, didn't seem to have any brains, and leaving it alive wouldn't fundamentally affect the situation.

Time passed quietly, and the setting sun slowly sank towards the bottom of the horizon, taking away the light that had fallen on Haifan Mountain.

On this night, the little Nian beast lay on a high cliff, using its keen sense of smell and sight to observe the movements of the Seven Deadly Sins. "Sloth" and "Wrath" emerged from their nest.

They seemed to want to descend the mountain. The "Rat Demon" in the Zodiac team seemed to have received orders from the Great Ruler, so it secretly followed behind the two.

The little Nian beast also smelled it; the Nian beast's son's body had an exceptionally keen sense of smell for demons.

Meanwhile, in the distant city of Haifan, Xia Pingzhou, using the excuse that "the Seven Deadly Sins have been found on the Queen's statue," set off with Enma Rin.

To be honest, if the White Raven Brigade's main quest hadn't been incomplete, he might have considered killing Enma Rin here, but that would have been a waste of several attribute points and skill points, making it pointless.

Therefore, we should at least wait until the mission of "hunting down one of the Lake Hunters with the White Ravens" is completed before considering taking care of the mission of killing the Ripper.

At this moment, under the moonlit night, on a long street nestled on the mountainside, Xia Pingzhou and Yan Molin emerged from a fairly modern hotel.

Under the streetlights, the two men watched the cars coming and going on the street, their faces expressionless.

"Let's go."

As Xia Pingzhou spoke, he grasped the Queen's chess piece from the black and white ring road and summoned the Queen's colossal statue.

The colossal statue of the empress bowed slightly, kneeling on one knee, and Xia Pingzhou sat on her shoulder.

"I'll put it on your tab for helping you this time." Enma Rin took out a dark red scabbard from the bag of her tennis racket.

"Okay, I'll definitely repay you handsomely later," Xia Pingzhou said expressionlessly.

The next moment, the figures of the two people and the giant statue disappeared on the long street in the night, shooting straight towards Haifan Mountain.

(End of this chapter)