My avatar is becoming the final boss

Chapter 385 The Kimono-Clad Girl's Confession (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
On August 23, after being woken up by Enma Rin, Xia Pingzhou was wide awake.

In the dim light, he looked up at the clock on the wall. It was already past midnight, almost sunrise.

Xia Pingzhou breathed a sigh of relief, raised his hand to rub his forehead, and lost all interest in sleeping, but still silently walked towards the private room in the bar.

Although he tried his best to be as discreet as possible, even cautiously, when turning the doorknob, the girl in the kimono on the bed was still startled awake the moment the door opened, and she slowly opened her eyes.

In the darkness, Origami Ayase stared at him quietly for a while, as if watching a kitten that had suddenly slipped out of the house in the middle of the night.

Xia Pingzhou raised an eyebrow, and for a moment he could only stop at the door as if he were being punished.

He suddenly remembered that when he was still in the attic in Tokyo, he had promised her that he wouldn't run around while she was asleep.

After all, this young lady from a mafia family seems to be prone to nightmares.

She often dreams of being choked by her father, and of his furious, murderous face as he interrogates people, so seeing him when she wakes up makes her feel especially at ease.

When Ji Minghuan was a child, he read in a library that childhood happiness could heal a person's entire life, so childhood shadows would naturally linger like maggots on the bone.

In fact, Ji Minghuan often dreamed of that rainy night when he was locked in a closet, with the rain pouring down outside the window and the wind and rain pounding against the window.

He was huddled in a cramped darkness, surrounded by piles of clothes that seemed to envelop him like a pupa, making it hard for him to breathe.

He now thinks back to when he was first sent to the orphanage, and the reason he liked to lock himself in the bathroom and wrap himself up in rolls of tissue paper to form a white cocoon was perhaps due to his past experiences.

Fate played a cruel trick on him. A childhood habit of his was photographed by a nurse at the orphanage, leading his mentor to suspect his relationship with the black chrysalis.

However, looking at it from another perspective, perhaps the birth of the black pupa was also related to his subconscious, since the emergence of every superpower is closely related to the growth experience of the superpowered person.

Sometimes he likes to sleep on rainy days, and sometimes he doesn't, because when he sleeps on rainy days, he is always filled with fear and unease, while at the same time hoping that his parents will come back to find him.

So every time it rains, Ji Minghuan feels like he's become that child locked in the closet again, even though he was originally a child himself.

In that attic in Tokyo, on many nights of torrential rain, whenever he opened his eyes, he would see sheets of white paper covering the gaps in the window, blocking out the howling wind and the sound of rain.

Then, looking up, I saw the girl in the kimono sleeping peacefully in bed, a ray of moonlight falling on her serene face. Her breathing was even and gentle, like that of a doll, almost drowning out the last patter of rain.

Despite being an unreasonable person, for some reason, she noticed his fear of the sound of rain. Once, he woke up from a dream and suddenly saw the girl's dark and beautiful eyes staring at him quietly.

Amidst the pattering rain, the two silently gazed at each other in the quiet attic. At that moment, it seemed as if the wind and rain had stopped, and Ji Minghuan remained stunned for a very long time.

But this relationship will soon end. In the few remaining days, he will kill Jack the Ripper with his own hands and become a complete traitor in Origami Ayase's eyes.

For some reason, he felt a little reluctant to part with it.

Xia Pingzhou knew that Ayase Origami was not a doll without dignity; he knew perfectly well that she would not leave with him knowing that she was being betrayed and used.

But he kept seeking the answer from the restricted-level 1001. Each time, he received the same response: she wouldn't go with him; she would stay there.

As his thoughts wandered, Xia Pingzhou silently raised his eyes. The girl in the kimono was still quietly watching him in the dim light, without saying a word.

Her eyes were as empty as a doll's, but when she looked at him, she seemed like a little black cat lurking in the darkness.

Xia Pingzhou silently closed the door to the private room, cutting off the only source of light.

In the dim light, he tried to slip away by lying down on the sofa, closing his eyes, and going to sleep like a meditating monk, leaving his troubles behind. But Ayase Origami's eyes were fixed on him.

So he sat down on the edge of the bed, leaning against the wall to catch his breath.

"It's all Ripper's fault. She suddenly woke me up and then wanted me to chat with her in the middle of the night, and told me not to wake you up," Xia Pingzhou said.

"That's what Jack said?"

"Hmm." Xia Pingzhou said expressionlessly, "Don't rush, I'll assassinate her tomorrow."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a sound of a scabbard striking the wall came from the next room.

"Bang—!" The resounding crash echoed, and cracks appeared on the wall, even the movie poster for "Kung Fu Hustle" stuck to it showed a crack. Stephen Chow's face and neck were separated from each other on the poster.

"Look, she's confessing without even being asked."

Xia Pingzhou didn't react much, only speaking calmly. Ayase Origami stared into his eyes.

"What did Jack want to talk to you about?" Origami Ayase thought for a moment, then lowered her eyes and asked.

Xia Pingzhou thought for a moment.

"Can't I say?" the girl in the kimono asked in a low voice.

“Of course she could, but she’s eavesdropping in the next private room.” Xia Pingzhou gasped. “I can already picture a terrifying schoolgirl ghost clinging to the wall.”

“Regardless of Jack.”

“Okay…” Xia Pingzhou nodded. “Actually, Ripper told me that she was a depressed and lonely little girl who suffered from childhood trauma. She had nightmares every day, heard terrible sounds coming from the Skydrive, and was so scared that she trembled. She also said that you are her best friend and she hoped that I would not make you sad, otherwise she would chop me up and feed me to the pigs. Indeed, the most vicious heart is that of a woman.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than the sound of a scabbard striking the wall came from the next room.

The next moment, cracks appeared on the wall, along with a notch about the size of a scabbard. Stephen Chow's head on the poster had disappeared.

"Look, this person has confessed again without being asked."

Xia Pingzhou pointed to the wall and said expressionlessly.

"Jack, you're a bad guy."

Origami Ayase spoke calmly and expressionlessly. She rested her head on the pillow, glanced sideways, and used a piece of paper to cover the opening in the wall that had been poked open, blocking out the sliver of light seeping in from the next private room.

Xia Pingzhou sat quietly on the edge of the bed, looked at the crack covered by the paper, then turned his head and met the eyes of the girl in the kimono in the darkness.

"Hmm... If I were really killed by Jack, would you help me get revenge?" he asked casually.

Origami Ayase yawned and nodded. She was actually very sleepy, her eyelids were almost drooping, and she was only barely responding to Xia Pingzhou.

"That's good." Xia Pingzhou said, "Are you sleepy now? If you are, take a nap and I'll wake you up in a bit; if you're not sleepy, would you like to go for a walk with me?"

"a bit sleepy."

"Then go to sleep."

"I'll lie down for a bit, then I'll be able to get up soon," said Origami Ayase.

“Okay, then I’ll rest for a while too,” Xia Pingzhou said.

At that moment, the girl in the kimono suddenly tugged at his hand, "Don't go... talk to me."

Xia Pingzhou was about to get up from the bedside, but then sat down again. "That's fine too."

"So, what are we going to do next?" The girl in the kimono thought for a moment, then tilted her head. "Assassinate Jack?"

Xia Pingzhou was slightly taken aback.

He originally wanted to say, "Sure, let's go and kill Enma Rin together. That way, we'll all be traitors, and no one will owe anyone anything." But he was worried that Enma Rin's scabbard would just blow up the whole wall, so he decided not to be so foolish.

"You'll find out then," Xia Pingzhou said expressionlessly. "I won't tell you now."

"The kitten is so mysterious," Origami Ayase whispered.

"Speaking of which, is your father dead? Or is he still alive and well?"

“He’s dead.” Ayase Origami was silent for a moment, then said softly, “The captain told me that he was shot by his enemy.”

“This is the Japanese underworld. I thought your father would die by some kind of seppuku,” Xia Pingzhou said. “After all, his daughter became a villainous witch and even went to an auction and wiped out the underworld family.”

Origami Ayase looked up at him, raising an eyebrow slightly.

Xia Pingzhou had expected her to blame him, but she remained silent.

"I'm a witch, so what are you?" She thought for a moment, "A magical cat?"

Xia Pingzhou coughed twice, then said expressionlessly and solemnly, "I am the Demon King of Annihilation."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Yan Molin let out a cold, mocking laugh from the next private room, her sarcasm undisguised. Her ridicule was merciless, striking straight to Xia Pingzhou's heart.

Xia Pingzhou fell silent.

A moment later, he turned to look at Origami Ayase, "There's not enough paper; the soundproofing isn't good enough."

So the girl in the kimono covered the entire wall with layers of paper, filling every crack.

“Actually, it would be more convenient for us to go somewhere else. There’s no need for us to chat here.” Xia Pingzhou glanced at the piece of paper covering the wall.

The girl in the kimono looked up, feeling like she'd been tricked, and silently stared into his eyes.

"Are we leaving? Since you're not sleepy," Xia Pingzhou asked.

"Ah."

The girl in the kimono yawned softly, finally getting out of bed. Her pale legs came down, and she put on sandals. Then she used a piece of paper to smooth her slightly messy hair.

She took Xia Pingzhou's hand.

Before dawn, the two walked out of the dimly lit underground bar together. As they emerged from the alley, the sea breeze rushed towards them, and they took a deep breath of the tranquil air.

Then they drove along the coastal highway up the mountain, where the forest was quiet under the moonlight.

Looking up, a sea breeze blew through the high treetops, and the bright moon could be seen through the gaps in the leaves. The girl in the kimono walked quietly, and Xia Pingzhou walked quietly as well, listening to the loud rustling sound that enveloped the forest.

Ayase Origami also couldn't understand why Xia Pingzhou was so familiar with the paths of Kaifan Mountain.

In fact, Xia Pingzhou learned about these mountain paths from the memories of the little beast, so he wouldn't encounter a situation where he suddenly ran into a wall and had to take a detour halfway through.

Following the mountain path, Xia Pingzhou led her uphill until they reached a high cliff. This was the place where the little beast usually gazed at the sea and sky alone.

A public wooden bench has been placed abruptly on the cliff, its origin unknown.

Ayase Origami turned to look at Xia Pingzhou, who simply said, "Isn't it amazing? A chair bestowed by God." The girl in the kimono looked away from his face, half-believing and half-doubting.

Actually, an hour earlier, Xia Pingzhou had the giant soldiers cut down several maple trees with longswords, then used the longswords to carve the wood into flat, neat planks, which were then pieced together to make a long public chair.

Xia Pingzhou took Ayase Origami's hand and led her to sit down on the wooden chair.

The two lowered their eyes and looked at the sea under the moonlight. It was late at night, and the moon appeared and disappeared among clusters of mackerel clouds. The seawater lapped against the shore, making a cold, rushing sound.

Xia Pingzhou said to her, "You can sleep for a while now, and I'll wake you up later."

Origami Ayase nodded and rested her head on his shoulder.

Listening to the sound of the tide, she slowly drifted off to sleep. After an unknown amount of time, Xia Pingzhou suddenly reached out and gently scratched her hair.

"You can wake up now."

On the long wooden bench, Origami Ayase woke up and slowly opened her eyes.

At that moment, the first rays of dawn crossed the vast ocean and shone into the girl's dark pupils.

The sky was just beginning to lighten, and the enormous sun rose above the horizon, illuminating the harbor and the cliffs, bathing the entire world in a golden hue. In the distance, windmills turned slowly, and the sea breeze and the morning light caressed her cheeks. The girl gazed intently at the sunrise over the sea, the downy hairs around her ears swaying gently like bird feathers in the sunlight. Tens of thousands of hectares of maple forest swayed, like an orange tide washing over her, filling her pupils.

“So beautiful…” she whispered.

Her response was the rustling of leaves in the wind, and the sunlight streaming in, casting a long shadow behind the wooden chair.

A moment later, the young man sitting next to him broke the quiet silence.

“Back when we were in Bergen, didn’t you say you wanted to watch the sunrise from the cable car?” he said.

Origami Ayase nodded silently without turning her head.

“We overslept on the cable car and didn’t see it, but we’ve made up for it now.” Xia Pingzhou shrugged. “Actually… I originally wanted to wait until your birthday to take you to see it, but I was afraid I would forget. I have a bad memory.”

“…I’m very happy,” the girl in the kimono said softly.

"Really?"

"Yes, it's a good cat to take its owner to see the sunrise." The girl in the kimono moved her lips and said softly.

As dawn broke, the world remained empty and desolate, and the port was still devoid of fishermen.

After watching the sunrise from the mountaintop, the two rode a paper dragon down the mountain. The snow-white paper dragon flew through the swirling fallen leaves, carrying them down to the mountainside.

They retraced their steps along the coastal highway, wandered into deserted alleyways, and soon returned to the underground bar.

The entire bar was completely silent; it seemed the other members were all fast asleep. The two of them appeared to be a bit sleep-deprived, their eyelids practically glued to their eyes. So they went into their private room, closed the door, and sat down on the bed.

Goodnight, little kitten.

After the girl in the kimono finished speaking softly, she swayed and fell onto the bed, her face pressed against the pillow.

"Good night," Xia Pingzhou said. "But speaking of which... why do you still call me that?"

"what?"

The girl in the kimono opened her eyes from the pillow and looked up at him.

Xia Pingzhou thought for a moment and said, "What I mean is, if we follow the procedure I agreed on before, shouldn't we have a contest now?"

"why?"

Xia Pingzhou lowered his head slightly and met her eyes.

He continued, "Didn't I say that if I became better than you, we would switch positions? As long as I can prove that I am better than you now, that promise should be fulfilled."

"The kitten... has rebelled." Ayase Origami only then realized what he was saying.

"Please, what kind of rebellion is this? So you're going back on your bet?" Xia Pingzhou said. "Then I'll assume you lost."

Ayase Origami was silent for a moment, then suddenly moved her head off the pillow, leaned close to him, and whispered in his ear:
"Meow."

Xia Pingzhou was taken aback.

Immediately, she closed her eyes, pressed her pale cheek against his palm, and gently rubbed against his hand like a cold-faced kitten.

Xia Pingzhou was slightly stunned. At that moment, he felt as if a thin cherry blossom had slipped through his palm. His face turned red, followed by his ears.

A moment later, he came to his senses, his lips moved slightly, and he was about to say something when the girl in the kimono suddenly looked up at him and said first, "Just this once, I'll treat it as a kitten being affectionate."

She spoke softly, removing her clean face from Xia Pingzhou's hand.

After a long while, Xia Pingzhou finally reacted. He coughed twice and said incoherently, "Indeed, um, that's right... You've been bullying me for so long, it's only right that we switch sides occasionally."

"The kitten is blushing."

"I'm just too tired."

Xia Pingzhou turned his face away.

"Does being sleepy make you blush?"

"Speaking of which, do you still have nightmares now?" Xia Pingzhou suddenly changed the subject.

Origami Ayase nodded.

"Or were you dreaming about your gangster father again?"

"Ah."

Xia Pingzhou lowered his head and thought for a moment, "Actually, I'm like you, I often have nightmares."

"why?"

“Because my parents abandoned me when I was little, they locked me in the closet. It was raining heavily and thundering that day, and I hid in the closet and couldn’t sleep all night,” Ji Minghuan said softly. “I thought they would come back, so I looked out through the crack for a long, long time. Every time there was thunder, the room would light up, and the doll on the bedside table would suddenly look ferocious.”

Are you very scared?

"Ah."

Origami Ayase was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "Then I'll find you in the closet."

"What if I don't want to come out?" Xia Pingzhou asked, head down.

"why?"

“Because they wouldn’t let me out. They told me to wait for them inside,” Ji Minghuan said. “If you come to the closet to find me, I won’t go with you.”

"Then I'll hide in the closet with you."

"real or fake?"

"Ah."

"Although I won't step out of the closet at that time, I might agree to this."

After speaking, Ji Minghuan remained silent for a very long time.

He suddenly closed his eyes, imagining that stormy, rainy night, with loud bangs and deafening thunder outside the wardrobe.

At that time, in his eyes, the world was like a wild beast, baring its fangs and claws.

The boy hid inside the closet, watching the outside warily, his heart pounding and his pupils contracting in fear.

At that moment, he turned his head and suddenly saw a little girl in a kimono hiding in the wardrobe. The girl hugged her knees, turned her head, and stared into his eyes in the darkness, like a wary little black cat.

He looked at her curiously; the girl was as calm as a doll, which calmed his mind.

A moment later, the girl in the kimono gently took his hand. At that moment, the sound of rain and wind seemed to stop, and the world became quiet.

In the dim light, Ji Minghuan slowly opened his eyes. In the private room, he looked down and saw Ayase Origami quietly grasp his right hand, which was resting on the bed.

What nightmares do you often have?

He felt the coolness from his palm and asked softly.

The girl in the kimono remained silent for a while.

“My father grabbed my neck and said to me, ‘Why are you laughing like Mom? I’m the one who killed Mom.’” she whispered, closing her eyes wearily.

A hideous man appeared before her, roaring and gripping her neck tightly. She turned her head and saw her mother's photograph on the floor. In the photograph, her mother was still smiling, a kind smile, but it slowly twisted into a grimace.

"Don't be afraid, I'll kick him away." Ji Minghuan suddenly said at this moment.

The next second, a black-haired, black-eyed boy appeared in front of Ayase Origami. He jogged over, jumped up like an anime character, and delivered a flying kick to the man's body.

“He is an adult, and you are a child,” the girl in the kimono said softly.

Before he could finish speaking, the boy kicked the man in the waist. The man remained unmoved, like a mountain, and continued to furiously choke the girl in the kimono.

The boy in the hoodie tilted his head and continued:
"It's okay, then I'll kick his groin."

After saying that, the little boy kicked the man in the groin. The man screamed in pain and finally released the girl's neck.

The girl in the kimono was taken aback.

The boy grasped the kimono-clad girl's hand, pulled her up, and ran with her by the hand. He knocked over the paper screen, led her through the wooden sliding door, and ran into the courtyard of the Japanese-style house.

On that day, two rows of cherry blossom trees bloomed in the courtyard, and the falling cherry blossoms brushed against their cheeks like pink snowflakes.

"You can laugh."

The boy ran through the falling cherry blossoms, turning his head as he spoke. The girl in the kimono stared at his face, stunned for a long time.

"Why?" she asked.

"Why do you need to ask? Because you have a beautiful smile, so you don't need anyone's permission. Don't listen to that old geezer's nonsense, he's nobody."

As the boy spoke, he pointed to the screaming, distorted-faced man behind him, “Only ugly people don’t allow others to laugh.”

The girl looked at him, her eyes rising and falling, the world both bright and dark.

"Ah."

A moment later, she suddenly curled the corners of her lips into a slight smile and gave him a look.

The boy stared at her blankly. After a while, he suddenly asked:
"Hey, can you just smile at me?"

"why?"

"Because I like you."

"like?"

The girl tilted her head, puzzled.

"Yes, I like her." The boy nodded. "When you like someone, you want her to smile only at you."

“Then…” the girl said softly, “I like you too.”

The boy paused for a moment, then suddenly smiled, took her hand, and ran through the autumn air filled with falling cherry blossoms. It was as if the whole world had been left behind.

In the dimly lit private room, the girl in the kimono closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep, a faint smile still on her lips.

Xia Pingzhou lowered his eyes and quietly looked at Ayase Origami's sleeping face. She was sleeping more peacefully than ever before, and her breathing was more steady. Her hand was still gently holding his fingers.

A moment later, Xia Pingzhou let out a long breath and lay down on the bed.

He slowly closed his eyes. Listening to the girl's harmonious breathing, he had never felt so calm. Before long, he fell into a deep sleep.

(End of this chapter)