CHAPTER 390: CHAPTER 235: THE MOST HAIKU, THE MOST MOONLIT NIGHT, THE MOST MAIDEN

Xia Pingzhou thought for a moment and lowered his eyes to look at the other mission of Number Two.

[Main Mission 2: "Kill Jack the Ripper" time limit: September 01 (Warning: If the mission is not completed within the time limit, Number Two will be automatically destroyed.)]

"Only one month left?" he thought, "Jack the Ripper is already Catastrophe Level, and the strength of Number Two is a preliminary Quasi-Calamity. Catching up with her in a month is not a difficult task."

Taking a long breath, Xia Pingzhou turned to open the character panel of Number Two and quickly allocated the attribute points on him.

[The "Spirit" attribute of your Number Two "Chess Player" has changed: Grade A→Grade A+ (the power of your "Chess Species" will also be enhanced)]

[The "Speed" attribute of your Number Two "Chess Player" has changed: Grade A→Grade A+ (the speed of your "Chess Species" will also be enhanced)]

[Attribute points have been allocated. The current available skill points: 2. Would you like to proceed to the "Skill Tree panel" for development now?]

Xia Pingzhou tapped the prompt box, and the character skill tree panel popped up immediately.

[Branch One (Group): ...→Final Recruitment (requires 2 skill points to learn)]

[Final Recruitment: Acquire one Knight Chess Species, three Soldier Chess Species.]

[Branch Two (Courage): ...→Chess Species Second Evolution (Condition: Requires a total consumption of 10 skill points on other branches before being allowed to learn this skill) (requires 2 skill points to learn)]

[Branch Three (Soul): ...→Bridge of Humans and Demons (requires 2 skill points)]

[Bridge of Humans and Demons: Temporarily merge your Chess Species and Demon Chess Species (fusion time depends on your "Spirit Attribute").]

"I can’t learn the Chess Species Evolution from Branch Two, so I can only choose between the skills of the other two branches."

Thinking of this, Xia Pingzhou began to decide between "Final Recruitment" and "Bridge of Humans and Demons."

He scratched his chin, feeling that before completing the second Chess Species evolution, the pieces given by Final Recruitment were not of much use, serving at best as cannon fodder to charge the King.

In light of that, it might be better to try the effect of the "Bridge of Humans and Demons."

So he lifted his index finger and long-pressed on the skill name "Bridge of Humans and Demons" on Branch Three. Immediately, an icon of a bridge composed of humans and demons gradually brightened from dark, finally blossoming into a mix of black and white colors.

[2 skill points consumed, successfully learned the Branch "Soul" skill—"Bridge of Humans and Demons."]

[Hell is empty, demons are among us.]

[The next skill in the Branch "Soul" has been unlocked—"Soul Eater": After your Chess Species kills a demon, there’s a chance to absorb the demon’s attributes, thereby making itself stronger. (One-time Chess Species cannot enjoy this effect)]

Xia Pingzhou moved his gaze away from the character tree panel.

Ayase Origami changed into a light blue kimono and walked out of the bathroom. Under the clear moonlight, her skin was white and almost transparent.

"Mother..." she said softly.

Xia Pingzhou was taken aback.

Ayase Origami lifted her head and continued, "Mother, left this kimono."

Xia Pingzhou remained silent for a while, then sighed while holding his forehead, thinking that the dragon slayer eventually becomes the dragon, and those who gaze into the abyss also become the abyss, never expecting that he would also have a day where the word "mother" would hold him so steady.

The kimono girl stood motionless, her dark eyes quietly gazing at him.

As if waiting for something.

"It looks nice," Xia Pingzhou finally commented, "The blue kimono suits you better than the original one."

"Why?"

She tilted her head.

"Because your temperament is more tranquil, and blue easily reminds people of the sea, which is also very serene..." Xia Pingzhou recalled an essay written at the orphanage but was interrupted as he took out his constantly vibrating phone—it was a hacker sending a screen full of wave symbols.

[Hacker: ~~~~~]

[Hacker: High emotional intelligence: Your temperament is more tranquil.]

[Hacker: Low emotional intelligence: You seem like an AI.]

[Xia Pingzhou: I forwarded it to the lady, she has a phone now.]

[Hacker: Mercy, please.]

The hacker suddenly pulled out an AI, a pixelated little kid in overalls kneeling on the ground, kowtowing to the screen.

Xia Pingzhou turned off his phone and shrugged, "Let’s go, take the cable car."

"You haven’t finished."

"You look good in anything."

"Yawning."

...

...

Moonlit night, paper dragon soaring. It flapped its giant white wings and took the two to the Freud Mountains. It was a tranquil night; the wind blew gently, and the entire mountain forest was enveloped in a vast rustling sound.

They descended from the dragon’s back, strolling along the mountain path, stopping occasionally, and soon found the cable car they’d seen at the port.

Pulling open the carriage door, they boarded the cable car, and someone unknown started the device for them.

Amidst the buzzing, the cable car carriage suddenly lit up, like a giant lantern hanging in the night sky, swaying as it ascended along the iron line, then swaying across to the other side of the mountain.

The boy and girl turned their heads to look outside; the illuminated fjord city reflected in their eyes, forming a sea of stars.

"After the cable car ride, where should we go?" Xia Pingzhou suddenly asked, "To China, or London... or back to Tokyo?"

"Wherever you go, I’ll go."

"Then let’s go back to Tokyo."

"Why?"

"I miss it a little, just in time to see if Uncle Takayama’s cafe is still there."

"Okay."

"If Takayama is still there, would he turn into a shadow hanging under the carriage at this moment?" Xia Pingzhou asked, "He worries about you; he definitely wouldn’t let us out late at night alone to play."

Ayase Origami pondered for a moment, then suddenly curled her lips into a smile, "He should be sitting on the cable car, writing haikus with a brush while watching the night scene."

Xia Pingzhou mused, "Haikus? Can I try writing a couple of lines?"

Ayase Origami blinked in surprise, raising her head to look at him, a trace of doubt hidden in her calm gaze. It seemed she didn’t quite believe he could write a haiku.

Xia Pingzhou coughed twice:

"Most girl, most kimono, most doll."

The kimono girl retorted:

"Most kitten, most fool, most child."

Xia Pingzhou nodded seriously, "I see, this is the essence of haiku. Japanese culture is truly broad and profound."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a haiku anthology flew out from the girl’s kimono sleeve, lightly tapping his forehead before opening in front of him.

"Kitten, your punishment is to finish reading this book," she said.

"As you command."

Xia Pingzhou took the old haiku anthology, pausing slightly.

He suddenly realized that Ayase Origami said this was left by her mother, just like the light blue kimono she was wearing now. This sixteen-year-old girl could count on one hand the pieces of evidence that she was loved in this world, so she cherished and carefully kept these things by her side, and now she was sharing them with him.

He remained silent for a moment, then quietly asked, "Should we return to the hotel to rest? There are only two or three hours before we must head to the airport."

Ayase Origami didn’t respond; she just laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

"Good night, kitten."

"Good night."

In the night, the lantern-like cable car reached its destination, yet no one disembarked. Within the car, only the heads leaning against each other, were the sleeping boy and girl.