My Avatar is Becoming the Ultimate BOSS

When the Train Demon arrived in London, the local time was 7 PM on July 25th.

The sky had just turned dark, leaving only a sliver of sunset's afterglow over the Thames River. Right at the hour, Big Ben chimed three solemn tones of "dong dong dong," echoing throughout the entire city.

The brightly lit train carriage illuminated the weeds on the tracks, as Black Cocoon was the first to push open the door and step out.

He stretched and pulled at the muscles in his arms, "It was unexpectedly tiring."

At that moment, a dark red text notification box popped up in front of Black Cocoon.

[Main Quest 3 (Phase Four) Updated - Assist the Ghost Train Corps in capturing the rampaging Evil Exorcist 'Red Lantern.']

"Just as expected..." Black Cocoon shrugged and closed the panel. He had guessed the content of this timed mission a few days ago.

"Then see you tomorrow morning, Mr. Black Cocoon." Ke Qirui exited the carriage with his hands in the pockets of his trench coat, "I'll contact you using my phone before the operation begins."

"Okay."

Black Cocoon casually replied, then raised his hand, extending a restraint belt to latch onto the eaves. He distributed his body weight evenly across the constraints, swinging lightly upward like a paper figure being drawn by the restraint belt, disappearing under the blood-red sky.

Su Zimai looked up, watching him leave, then turned her head to exchange a glance with Ke Qirui.

"Captain, can we really trust him?" she asked.

"What are you saying? Aren't you the only one here who trusts him?" Ke Qirui patted her on the head.

Xu Sanyan walked out of the carriage, "Finally got rid of that big bug?"

"Rather than complain, why not think about what good food London has?" Lin Zhengquan followed out, standing on the platform.

Ke Qirui smiled faintly, "In times like this, of course, our Maimai will lead the way. She's the foodie here."

"Let's go." Su Zimai dropped her head, silently opened Xiaohongshu on her phone, and as she walked towards the exit of the abandoned train station, she said, "It's rare to come to London; we have to try all the good things, and it's on the captain!"

"Oh, so the captain's wallet isn't a wallet anymore?" Ke Qirui, with a cigarette holder between his lips, turned his head to look at her.

"No, it isn't."

"I get it; our Maimai only feels for her brothers."

"Neither of my brothers is like a human; caring for them is like asking for trouble."

"Here we go, classic Maimai saying one thing and meaning another."

"Shut up. From now on, Captain, remember your role. You're a big, mobile wallet."

"Alright, alright, Maimai can eat whatever she wants."

....

...

At the same time, in another corner of London.

A pleasure boat was slowly moving forward on the Thames River, with Xia Pingzhou and Ayase Origami sitting on the deck, quietly gazing at the Westminster District in the evening.

Xia Pingzhou looked up at the distant giant Ferris wheel, sifting through his memories related to "Red Lantern."

It was two years ago when Xia Pingzhou had just joined the Exorcist Association that a young exorcist named Kaki Ichimin latched onto him.

Kaki Ichimin enthusiastically invited Xia Pingzhou to join his team, refusing to be discouraged even when repeatedly rejected, always laughing off Xia Pingzhou's cold responses and turning to his teammates with a smile, muttering:

"What's with those looks? Even Zhuge Liang needed three visits; I don't mind making a few more."

Back then, Xia Pingzhou still had a complete family, coupled with outstanding talent. He'd been welcomed with open arms upon entering the Exorcist Association, with no particular ambitions or pressures, just wanting to coast through life.

So after multiple refusals couldn't shake off Kaki Ichimin's determination, he simply accepted Kaki Ichimin's invitation to join his team.

Most exorcists believed that such a low-level team didn't deserve someone with Xia Pingzhou's double S-rated potential.

But when hearing these opinions, Kaki Ichimin would always pat Xia Pingzhou on the shoulder, promising to lead the team to the pinnacle of the Exorcist Association and not to listen to the nonsense others spouted.

No matter how immense the external pressure, Kaki Ichimin never considered letting Xia Pingzhou go.

After some time together, Xia Pingzhou gradually became acquainted with the team's members.

Team leader "Kaki Ichimin" was a straightforward, naïve person who said that when he was young, he thought traffic officers at the roadside were cool, always wanting to become one. As a result, his Celestial Driver naturally evolved into a traffic light that could change to red, yellow, and green.

When he shared this, the team members laughed uncontrollably, and he would just scratch the back of his head and laugh along.

Born indifferent, Xia Pingzhou outright rejected fellow double S-rated potential Ke Qirui's attempt at friendship within the association.

But he got along reasonably well with Kaki Ichimin. Kaki often dragged him out for drinks after missions, discussing life's aspirations.

Kaki Ichimin frequently praised Xia Pingzhou in front of team members as a rare genius, certain to become the strongest exorcist over time, while he aspired to be a captain worthy of such an exorcist.

The team atmosphere was harmonious until, during a mission to exterminate demons, Kaki suddenly went berserk, kneeling, bloodshot eyes clawing at his face as if trying to tear it apart.

Teammates who approached out of concern were smashed into pulp by Kaki Ichimin's traffic light, leaving the streets splattered with blood and dismembered bodies, with only Xia Pingzhou disoriented in the aftermath. Ultimately, he chose not to confront the frenzied Kaki Ichimin but rather had the Queen's Statue take him away to escape the scene.

Xia Pingzhou became the event's sole survivor.

Kaki Ichimin soon after turned into a notorious serial killer, gaining the malevolent exorcist moniker "Red Lantern."

Red Lantern always left behind a Latin inscription meaning "Salvation Society" after murdering exorcists, something that intrigued Ji Minghuan the most.

Aside from seeking vengeance against Jack the Ripper, Xia Pingzhou joined the White Crow Travel Brigade partly to figure out why Kaki Ichimin suddenly lost his mind... and now it seemed it must be associated with the "Salvation Society."

Then, time fast-forwards to today, July 25.

By the next morning, the Ghost Train Corps and Salvation Society would officially launch their operation to capture "Red Lantern."

The outcome of this operation will have significant implications. If Ji Minghuan captures "Red Lantern," it signifies a first step in grasping the Salvation Society's tail, no longer remaining cluelessly passive.

Potentially... uncovering the truth about the Salvation Society.

"Little cat... you're daydreaming again." The kimono-clad girl beside him suddenly spoke, interrupting his thoughts.

"I'm enjoying the scenery," Xia Pingzhou said casually.

Following his gaze, Ayase Origami also lifted her head to look at the Ferris wheel on the South Bank.

The sunset slowly descended from the edge of the horizon, gradually withdrawing the lingering glow from the city, casting a dim shadow over the Ferris wheel's cabins.

The wind blew over, and the kimono-clad girl's hair swayed gently like bird feathers beside her ears.

"Let's ride that," she said softly after a moment of silence.

"Sure."

Shortly after, they disembarked the cruise and entered the amusement park on the South Bank of London. After paying the attendant, they boarded the giant Ferris wheel. As the Ferris wheel began to spin, the cabin slowly ascended.

Sitting in the swaying cabin, Ayase Origami leaned against the window, her eyes looking down at the city enveloped in the dusk glow.

"It's... quite nice," she said suddenly.

"What do you mean?" Xia Pingzhou raised his eyes, gazing at her side profile bathed in sunlight.

"Traveling the world with a little cat."

"What's good about it?"

"Tokyo, Venice, London... I want to visit many more places in the future."

Xia Pingzhou remained silent for a while: "When we travel the world then... how about bringing someone along?"

"Who?"

"A white-haired girl, a bit silly, like a penguin."

"Who is she?"

"She's my... family."

The kimono-clad girl was silent for a while: "Your family?"

"Yes."

"You've never mentioned her to me."

Her voice, as always, was light and indifferent, yet tinged with a trace of loneliness.

"Because the White Crow Travel Brigade doesn't need to have a past," Xia Pingzhou lowered his head, looked at his clasped hands, "We are just a group of desperados, always on the brink of death. If we die, we'll be replaced immediately, just like Lan Duoduo."

Ayase Origami raised her eyes to look at him, then shifted her gaze away, remaining silent for a long while: "If she's your family, then I'll treat her as my family too."

Xia Pingzhou was taken aback, then turned to look outside the window: "But... maybe a month later, you'll suddenly not want to travel the world with me."

"Why?"

Xia Pingzhou shook his head, not answering.

At this moment, the sunset completely sank below the horizon, taking away the last beams of light, plunging the city into endless darkness. Soon, the street lights began to illuminate, and the whole city was ablaze with light.

When Xia Pingzhou returned to his senses, he noticed the doll-like girl sitting opposite had been staring at him the entire time, her eyes seemingly veiled with mist reflecting his face.

She seemed still to be waiting for his answer.

With a "clunk," the cabin returned to the base of the Ferris wheel, and the hubbub of the amusement park surged in from outside the window. Amidst the silence, the laughter of children gradually faded away beside them.

The sky had completely darkened, and inside the cabin, only Xia Pingzhou's quiet voice remained.

"Let's go back and rest," he said.

"Why?"

She asked again.

Xia Pingzhou tilted his head, silent for a moment, then suddenly reached out his hand toward her.

The kimono-clad girl, like a porcelain doll, remained silent for a moment before catching his hand. Xia Pingzhou held her hand and led her out of the cabin, descending from the Ferris wheel. He bought her a bunch of cotton candy by the street, and the two walked across the Millennium Bridge, spanning 325 meters, back to the hotel.

Ayase Origami didn't speak afterward, only sat by the window, quietly watching the haiku anthology.

Xia Pingzhou accompanied her, sitting on the windowsill, tilted his head, quietly watching the nighttime view of Westminster District in London, with the spire and tower of the Parliament Building illuminated by Big Ben's golden light, reflecting on the Thames River.

Unnoticed, time crept to midnight.

"Dong dong dong..." Big Ben chimed. This grand clock chimes every fifteen minutes, sounding three times at each hour mark.

Amid the resonant chimes, Xia Pingzhou suddenly asked: "Between me and Jack the Ripper... who is more important to you?"

Ayase Origami blinked, lifting her eyes from the book pages, looking at his face.

"Are you acting spoiled?" she pondered, reaching this conclusion.

Xia Pingzhou was silent for quite some time before speaking: "You've been really good to me, no one has ever treated me so well before."

"Actually, I have no parents, just an... orphan, growing up in an orphanage. Everyone hated me. To protect the one person I cared about, I always had to pretend to be strong, but I really got so tired..."

He lowered his voice: "Didn't you always want to know what my past was like? That's my past."

The night breeze blew in, lifting Xia Pingzhou's hair, and flipped the haiku anthology's pages high.

Ayase Origami raised her eyes and lowered them again, quietly looking at him. She didn't know why, but she felt that the Xia Pingzhou before her seemed to transform suddenly, shedding all defenses, revealing a vulnerable side... like a child.

It was the first time she saw a hint of apprehension and unease on this robot-like human face.

"Even if I..." Xia Pingzhou's lips moved silently, "Even if I betrayed you, deceived you... used you, would you still stand by my side?"

The kimono-clad girl didn't hear, just like a kite rustled by the wind, slowly, slowly leaning forward, cradling his head in her arms.

"You're more important... than anyone," she said softly.