My Avatar is Becoming the Ultimate BOSS-Chapter 213 - 141: Xia Pingzhou’s Heart, Banquet, Royal Court Team

In the early hours of July 22, the Human-Snake Ship had already docked.

Xia Pingzhou closed his eyelids, and for some reason, his face was slightly itchy. When he opened his eyes, he realized it was Ayase Origami using the edge of a sheet of paper to scratch his cheek, waking him from a deep sleep. Ayase Origami slightly tilted her head, her gaze fixed on the outside of the cargo hold.

Following her gaze, Xia Pingzhou turned his head to look out the window. The first rays of dawn illuminated the grayish sea, bringing a touch of vitality to the small country’s port, where several fishing boats were docked on the shore.

"Have we arrived?" he asked Ayase Origami.

"Yes," Ayase Origami replied expressionlessly, "Little cat, don’t you want to get off the ship?"

"Why do you say that?"

"Cats like to eat fish."

"It’s not just the sea that has fish."

After disembarking, he and Ayase Origami headed straight for the local airport. It wasn’t long before they boarded a plane bound for Venice. In the first-class cabin arranged by a hacker, Xia Pingzhou saw someone who surprised him:

——Jack the Ripper.

Jack still wore a black and white school uniform today, with long black hair hanging down to her waist.

She was quietly playing with her phone. On the screen was an outdated game, "Ninja Slice Watermelon," where a swipe of her slender fingertips would explode the watermelons one after another.

"Number 2?" Xia Pingzhou murmured, turning to Ayase Origami, "What’s she doing here?"

"Why can’t she be here?" Ayase Origami said slowly, getting up to find an empty seat to sit down.

[Hacker: Number 2 said she doesn’t like being cramped with others, so she took another Human-Snake Ship.]

[Xia Pingzhou: The auction is over, why are you still monitoring me 24/7?]

[Hacker: Haven’t confirmed who the mole is, though the leader said maybe we don’t have a mole at all, just that Black Cocoon’s ability is quite special.]

Xia Pingzhou sat down beside Ayase Origami while reading the messages. The first-class cabin was empty, with only Xia Pingzhou, Ayase Origami, and Jack the Ripper present—it didn’t take a genius to know this was the hacker’s doing, considering their childish ability to prevent other passengers from booking first-class seats wasn’t difficult.

Without lifting her head, Jack asked, "Newbie, don’t you want your heart back?"

"If you didn’t say anything..." Xia Pingzhou said expressionlessly, "I would’ve thought you were holding on to it."

"How could I?" Jack the girl raised an eyebrow, "Someone might get mad at me for that."

"Who?"

"Who indeed, it’s hard to guess..." Jack glanced at Ayase Origami from the corner of her eye.

With that, a plump, pulsating heart appeared in her right hand.

As the heart vanished from her palm, Xia Pingzhou’s entire body slightly flinched. His chest seemed filled again, no longer empty but accompanied by a heartbeat. For a while, it felt like that heartbeat came from the world’s other end, causing auditory hallucinations in the dead of night.

At least the heart was back... Xia Pingzhou thought, now all that’s left is to find a way to increase strength, and then, try to kill her before Jack advances to the third stage.

After a moment of silence, Xia Pingzhou said, "I understand. You’re going to Venice to collect the new member’s heart."

The hacker previously told him via text that there’d be a new Number 5 member in Venice, replacing Lan Duoduo; and Jack’s presence on this plane naturally had an obvious purpose.

It seemed even during the troupe’s "off-time," new recruits still had to follow the rules and temporarily entrust their hearts to Jack.

"What else?" Jack the Ripper lowered her eyes, fingers sliding on the screen, "The leader is quite concerned about traitors now, not as casual as before."

"But... what if you’re the traitor?"

"Just say you want to fight, no need to make excuses." Jack glanced sideways, giving a not too friendly look.

Xia Pingzhou was unfazed, sitting quietly beside Ayase Origami. Although expressionless, his actions subtly hinted at "considering the owner’s feelings before dealing with the cat."

Since Oda Takashige’s death, Ayase Origami hadn’t been very willing to speak, even with the troupe’s closest members beside her.

Xia Pingzhou didn’t choose to disturb her recklessly. The kimono-clad girl beside him maintained a silent, plain demeanor, either staring at a haiku collection or occasionally glancing at the glasses case in her sleeve.

He thought Oda Takashige was more like family to Ayase Origami than a housekeeper, and she might be experiencing the loss of a family member for the first time in her life.

Yet when he finally kills Jack the Ripper and leads the troupe to the Salvation Society base using his clues, the second body would no longer be of any value to him... If he ever destroys this body, will she search the world for him?

Shortly after, the plane took off, Xia Pingzhou resting his cheek on his fist, slowly closing his eyes as he tuned his consciousness to the perspective of the Third Body.

The roar of the engine faded, replaced by a sense of calm immersion in seawater.

With a "whoosh," Yaguba opened his eyes underwater, gazing outside through the Crystal Ball.

In the bedroom, Cezar was already awake. He stood before the wardrobe, donning elegant attire, smoothing his white, pointed hair in the mirror, then returned to the bedside, speaking softly to the little shark in the Crystal Ball:

"We’re about to dine, Yaguba. This is my first royal gathering."

"Why? Haven’t you been to one before?" Yaguba asked.

Cezar shook his head, "No, I’ve been ill, and Father wouldn’t let me go."

"So why is it okay now?"

"Father’s sick," Cezar smiled, "Now, my two older brothers are in charge of many things."

"Then I’ll go with you."

"I think so too. I would be nervous by myself, but with you, I’m not."

After speaking, Cezar took a deep breath.

He closed his eyes, as if preparing himself mentally, then opened them and quickly walked out of the bedroom with the Crystal Ball.

"Let’s go, Yikar."

At this moment, the butler named "Yikar" had been waiting in the dimly lit hallway. The butler glanced at the Crystal Ball Cezar was holding and respectfully said, "Third Prince, there is no need to bring the Nobel Shark to the banquet."

"Yikar, I want to bring it. It will make me feel a bit at ease." Cezar lowered his head, "Otherwise, I fear I won’t be able to speak from nervousness. And think about it, if no one talks to me, at least I can chat with it."

Yikar was silent for a while, then nodded, "Alright."

With the butler’s assistance, Cezar left the Floating Castle. On the edge of the Floating Island, butler Yikar crushed an ordinary-grade Anecdote Fragment—"Moving Stairs," and a suspended staircase formed in the amber sky.

Cezar stepped onto the Floating Stairs, heading toward the Royal Palace with the butler. With each step they took forward, the front end of the Floating Stairs extended one meter, while the back end shrank by one meter.

Yaguba quietly observed the dome.

Just as Cezar had said, the Whale Terrarium only had twilight and nighttime, and at this moment it was twilight. Under the blood-colored sky, schools of fish swam like birds, waves crashed against the transparent belly of the whale, breaking into fragments of white foam.

Occasionally, one could catch glimpses through the whale’s belly of sunken ships, jellyfish, and large marine creatures at the sea bottom.

Before long, the butler led Cezar to the Imperial Palace. They crossed the stairs piled with marble.

The guards at the palace entrance nodded and bowed to them, simultaneously giving a surprised look at the Crystal Ball in Cezar’s arms, exchanging glances with each other that hinted mockery, as if laughing at this frail Prince with such a low psychological age for bringing a toy to such an important occasion.

Unconcerned, Cezar brushed past them, through the brightly lit corridors, into a lavishly decorated hall where a hundred members of the royal family had gathered. This was a monthly banquet, and Cezar had finally made it to one.

Since childhood, he had always wanted to attend the banquets with his two elder brothers, but he could never get his father’s permission.

Holding the Crystal Ball, Cezar lifted his gaze, and what came into view was an extraordinarily long and wide rectangular table, at the sides of which sat numerous lush and noble figures. As he entered, the royals cast strange glances at him.

"Isn’t that the Third Prince?"

"I haven’t seen him in a long time."

"He’s always holed up in his castle, how could you see him?"

"I’ve never seen him attend a banquet, what day is it today?"

"What’s he holding?"

"The Nobel Shark, I think it’s a birthday gift from the King to him."

"This silly Prince is really not ordinary... just like others said, kept in the castle every day, though twelve years old, only has the mind of a seven-year-old."

For a moment, murmurs filled the hall, and while holding the Crystal Ball, Cezar stepped forward gracefully, casting glances toward the First Prince and Second Prince sitting at the far end.

The First Prince, "Lorenzo," had a delicate face, slightly sunken eyes, a high nose bridge, and a gentle demeanor, like a wise scholar;

The Second Prince, "Cosimo," looked more aggressive compared to the First Prince, with handsome and sharp features, like a peacock standing out in a flock, but his demeanor projected an unapproachable distance.

The commonality was that both inherited their father’s blond hair and blue eyes, in stark contrast to their younger brother’s white hair and blue eyes.

Lorenzo offered a gentle smile, waving to Cezar from afar; Cosimo, however, took a sip of his drink, not even glancing at Cezar.

Unexpectedly, Cezar wasn’t placed near his two brothers, but rather relocated to the table corner, sitting with unfamiliar royals.

He blinked, glanced at his brothers again, found they ignored him, and had no choice but to sit quietly at his designated spot.

He placed the Crystal Ball on his lap, glanced down at the little shark inside, and seemed significantly more at ease.

"Then I’ll be going, Third Prince." The butler announced and left the grand dining hall.

"I’m so nervous, Yaguba, I wish my brothers would sit beside me..." Cezar muttered softly.

"No worries, I’m here." Yaguba replied in a low voice.

Cezar took a deep breath and slowly raised his head from the Crystal Ball. A hundred eyes were on him, most wearing fake smiles, yet their gazes were devoid of emotion or veiled in mockery, much like a bunch of charlatans.

"I want to escape." Cezar whispered, his eyes fixed quietly on the little shark inside the Crystal Ball.

"Didn’t you say this is your first time attending a royal banquet?" Yaguba said, "It would be a pity to escape."

"But I’m so far from my brothers, I just want to talk to them." Cezar paused, "This way, I can’t talk to them, and I don’t know anyone else."

"Alright, stop complaining. Are those the Royal Court Team?" Yaguba asked.

Cezar paused, glanced along Yaguba’s gaze, and saw seven figures walking from the entrance. They wore impartial expressions, exuding a murderous aura in their eyes.

Yaguba instantly spotted Li Qingping among them since only Li Qingping wore a black suit instead of the white robe marked with the "White King’s Staff" emblem like the rest of the Royal Court Team.

Li Qingping remained expressionless, like a crow among doves.

Cezar’s eyes lit up immediately, "Li Qingping!"

Hearing someone call his name in such a loud voice at this kind of occasion, Li Qingping couldn’t help but pause.

Then he raised his head, slowly meeting the Third Prince’s gaze, and pulled the corner of his lips into a smile, sitting along with the other six Royal Court Team members at the remaining seats at the table, filling the last vacancy.

"So these are the Royal Court Team?" Yaguba thought, sweeping his eyes across the six people around Li Qingping, "Time to consider how to take them down one by one."