Great, we're doomed now!

Joseph Joestar said seriously, "Dio is both a vampire and a Stand user. He has a natural attraction to bad guys. There are plenty of people, both men and women, who are obsessed with him, just like Mitra. In other words, this guy is expanding his influence far faster than we imagined!"

If left unchecked, the number of victims like Abudul will increase, and we may eventually face a huge numerical disadvantage, then…

"We have no choice but to strike first!"

Bobo nodded: "You don't need to give us a pre-battle pep talk. In this battle against fate, I will always stand on Ye Shou's side, which means you guys. Until that big villain named Dio is completely eliminated, the whole world will never have peace!"

That's exactly the point.

Ye Shouchao and the two Qiaos smiled and said, "Don't worry, everyone sitting here is the most reliable person."

"...Of course I know that, I'm sorry."

Two Joes also seemed much more relaxed: "The SPW consortium has been working overtime to prepare the necessary supplies. We need to get to Alexandria, Egypt as quickly as possible, receive the ultraviolet emission device there, and then head straight for Cairo!"

With the help of the staff, the four of them quickly prepared all their luggage. As for the means of transportation, it had already been selected by the conglomerate. Now, everything was ready, and they were just waiting to step out of the room.

Needless to say, everyone has their own reasons:

Ye Shou is fighting against fate, Polnareff is both repaying a debt of gratitude and loathing the existence of evil, Joseph vows to end the spiral of destiny in his own hands, and Avdol is determined to wash away his shame no matter what!

— Destiny Coins (Stardust Expedition) +10!

Kuze Yoru, Stand name: [Prosperous Country], abilities are Holy Grail Mark and Flame Sword;

Joseph Joestar, Stand name: Hermit Purple, ability is Nen/Write;

Muhammad Abuder, whose Stand name is "Red Magician," has the ability to manipulate fire and heat;

Jane Pierre Polnareff, Stand name: Silver Chariot, ability is sword wielding;

The sword, whose Stand name is Anubis, is wielded by the Silver Chariot!

"Okay, let's go!"

Chapter 138 It's best for beautiful women to remain only in our imagination.

The Aurora Valkyrie is a large cruise ship owned by a Danish shipping company. It is a white behemoth made of tens of thousands of tons of steel. The waves of the ocean bow down under its huge shadow, crushing countless waves and leaving long tracks of pure white foam in its wake.

Because of the example of the "Pope," Joseph realized that Dio's influence in the underworld was already quite large, and even the SPW Foundation could not completely block the news. His small passenger planes and ships were definitely being monitored.

So this time he didn't choose to fly. Instead, he forged his passport and identity information, mingled with many tourists, boarded a cruise ship to Kolkata, India, entered the Middle East via the South Asian subcontinent, and then jumped to the African continent (Egypt).

Compared to human aircraft in the sky, the sense of security provided by this steel monster is undeniable. Even if a battle breaks out on it, everyone will have a lot of room to maneuver.

"Oh my! Is that a whale? This is the first time I've ever seen a live one!"

While passing through Okinawa and before reaching Taiwan, the group sunbathing on the deck witnessed a rather spectacular sight in the deep blue waters.

Bobo leaned against the railing, excitedly pointing to the distant pod of whales that bobbed and undulated on the sea like rolling hills.

Its elegant form occasionally leaps out of the sea, seemingly slow but actually creating thunderous waves. The tall water columns are like fireworks, sometimes few and far between, sometimes rising simultaneously within seconds, eliciting gasps from the onlookers.

Dozens of colossal beasts roamed freely in the endless space, oblivious to everything around them, serene and composed. The magnificent beauty of life was on full display at this moment.

"Great!"

The whale pod was gradually disappearing from sight, but Polnareff was still immersed in the awe and couldn't pull himself out of it. He held his face in his hands, looking radiant, just like a charming young girl.

"I will probably never forget this view in my entire life."

“We are very lucky. The humpback whale breeding season has just ended, and we happened to be there during their northward migration route. This kind of sight is rare.”

The well-informed Abuder laughed and said, "This cruise ship should dock in Sri Lanka before arriving in India, and perhaps there will be a chance to experience one of the world's best blue whale watching spots."

"Really?!"

"Yes, it's a great place for whale watching all year round. Not only are there the largest pods of blue whales, but you can also often see baleen whales, sperm whales, and even whale sharks. Just one trip is enough to see all the beauty of the Indian Ocean!"

"Ahhh, I can't wait!"

Bobo pondered for a moment: "Forget it, we don't have the luxury of doing that now. If we get off the ship and show our faces, we'll attract assassins. Let's stay on the ship."

“Then let’s go on the way back.” Joe put his arm around Bobo’s shoulder and gave him a thumbs up. “After we’re done fighting Dio, we need to relax. We can go hiking in the Alps, see the Northern Lights in Iceland, go on an adventure in the Amazon rainforest… let’s just travel around the world!”

"That sounds good!"

Bobo said excitedly, "I'm going to take lots and lots of pictures and bring them home to show off to Shirley and my parents!"

"Hahaha~"

Ye Shou: "..."

The only black-haired boy with an Asian face in the group could only offer a polite but awkward smile upon hearing these words, but it would be too much to ask him to actively join this "flag-waving" conversation.

"The sun is getting stronger, let's go back."

Although it was 1986, the cruise ship already boasted a wide range of entertainment facilities, including restaurants, casinos, dance halls, saunas, and gyms. The top deck even had an outdoor swimming pool. The only drawback was that, due to the limitations of the era and technology, communication with land was severely restricted; only radio and early versions of satellite phones were available.

This is why it's possible to travel directly to India. Compared to land, cruise ships, with their enclosed spaces, fixed personnel, and lack of means to transmit information to the outside world, are undoubtedly safer.

Moreover, given the transportation conditions in Southeast Asia at that time... it was still better to travel by sea.

But it may be precisely because of poor communication that people living affluent lives choose to abandon all worldly troubles during their rare holidays and enjoy a period of idyllic life in the capitalist world, where at least no one will bother them.

For those who need to release stress and find pleasure in self-harm, this can also be a wonderful trip.

Even if you gamble, solicit prostitutes, do drugs, or engage in more extreme activities on the high seas, as long as you abide by the rules on board, you won't violate the laws of any country—of course, everyone is a "respectable person," and they generally do certain things according to their respective circles.

Where wealth is concentrated, there is never a lack of entertainment; this phenomenon has a history far older than that of the Titanic.

The four members come from different backgrounds, and Ye Shou and Joseph are used to it. However, they are both self-disciplined. One likes to go to saunas to practice Ripple, and the other likes to go to bars to teach bartenders how to mix premium tequila.

Abudel has seen all sorts of people and has a wide range of interests. During his free time, he likes to read or meditate, and occasionally, on a whim, he will give a fortune reading to any passenger he encounters.

Only Bobo was truly enjoying himself. He loved both fine wine and gourmet food, and chatting with passionate and fiery young women was something he excelled at. This French man was deeply imbued with romance.

So bars and nightclubs became his favorite places, and he would occasionally go to casinos to play slot machines.

Until one day, he discovered that someone was inducing minors to take drugs. Bobo, who was mocked after he said a few words, accidentally beat three people so badly that they could not get up and would probably have to live with a sack for about six months, causing a lot of trouble.

It was eventually discovered that the minor had actually had experience before; it was just a small gathering, and Bobo ended up being the one who was "in the wrong."

After friendly negotiations between the support staff and the other party, the SPW Consortium paid a sum of money to settle the matter peacefully. If the consortium had not also held shares in the cruise ship, the matter might not have been resolved so easily.

—Of course, this did not affect the lives of the four. Bobo did not think he had done anything wrong, and Joe also said he didn't care.

Some say that Europe and the United States in the 21st century are too incompetent in controlling drugs, and even deliberately condone the proliferation of drugs, which makes people lament the decline of morality.

In reality, human nature has never been "ancient." This phenomenon became rampant in the mid-to-late 20th century. A major label for hippies was "drugs." Politicians in Europe and America were not worried that these addicts would die suddenly; they only regretted that they could not openly tax drugs—and finally, in the 21st century, this wish was fulfilled.

Unlike the general public, Bobo and Joe don't show the same tolerance or even sympathy for drug addicts—despite their eccentric personalities, both of them come from traditionally conservative families.

If there were any negative consequences, it would probably be that the captain forbade Bobo from going to the dance hall again, lest he see something unpleasant and cause trouble.

This was also a punishment for his naturally active nature, so he had no choice but to go to the gym every day to burn off his excess enthusiasm, spending most of his time practicing Ripple.

With his excellent aptitude and the guidance of two masters, Ye Shou and Er Qiao, his progress was incredibly rapid, surpassing the years of hard work of many cultivators in just a few days.

It's not surprising, considering he's a natural Stand user with incredibly strong vitality. On top of that, he's honed his swordsmanship to the extreme in the realm of "skill," giving him far greater control over his body than ordinary people. He can learn many tricks after just a few lessons, and in terms of "hardware" alone, he's even better than Da Qiao back then.

"3, 0, ... , !"

Sitting on the lat pulldown machine, Polnareff controlled his breathing rhythm while feeling the ripple energy flowing through his muscles. He wasn't pursuing speed or repetitions; instead, he was trying his best to slow down the pace, keeping the movements smooth and without any pauses while maintaining a low speed.

After finally finishing another set, Polunarev took off his mask and began to breathe deeply, pumping fresh air into his lungs.

This mask, which looks like a torture device, was prepared by Joe. It makes people feel like they are in a high-altitude area and have difficulty breathing. Wearing it for a long time will increase lung capacity and greatly improve the body's efficiency in using oxygen.

Bobo now wears this for more than six hours every day, and the time is gradually increasing. When he can wear it all day (except for eating and drinking) without feeling any pressure, he can end his practice.

According to Joseph, he adapted to the breathing mask very easily when he was young and achieved second place in the most rigorous trials, which impressed Polunarev.

Glug~ Glug~

After gulping down the specially prepared nutritional drink, Polunarev's face contorted, and he stuck out his tongue, wishing he could find a place to wash himself properly.

He's the type who always needs all the sugar and milk in his coffee; the ascetic lifestyle of the East isn't really his thing.

Just as he recovered and was about to put on his mask and do another set, a pair of beautiful legs encased in black stockings walked past him:

Straight and well-proportioned, her calves have the firmness of an athlete, but without obvious muscle lines. Together with her long and rounded thighs, they form a perfect proportion. She may not be as tall as a model, but when she walks, she has the lightness and mystery of a lynx, which is a kind of captivating beauty.

Bobo was a true French gentleman and of course wouldn't do anything impolite, but his gaze couldn't help but follow the movement, scanning up and down in three seconds, taking in the dark brown pencil skirt and red leather shoes as well.

The woman was wearing an ochre-red hooded jacket, but from behind she looked quite shapely. She had a cigarette between her fingers and walked out of the gym as if it didn't care about the no-smoking rule.

"...He's really handsome." Bobo considered himself to have a good eye for people, and that fleeting glimpse had already given him a general idea of ​​the other person's appearance.

"Forget it, I'd better not go up and chat her up."

What if things are completely different from what I expected?

Whether it's the mind or the appearance, it's best to keep it in your imagination. A mature man should learn to preserve beautiful memories in a timely manner.

But no matter what, bumping into a beautiful woman is always a pleasant experience, especially those gorgeous legs—you rarely see them even on TV!

Just then, Polnareff inadvertently glanced at something on the metal rack next to him and frowned slightly: "...Why is there a power outlet here?"

On a metal frame devoid of any wires or electrical appliances, there was a rectangular socket that looked as if it had been pasted on!

"Could it be a child's prank?"

This unexpected presence caught his attention, and he scratched his head as he reached out to investigate...

-

"Polnareff is so slow. Didn't we agree to bring him here to show him around?"

Joseph complained in the casino's lounge area, "I saw he was looking sullen and wanted to cheer him up, but he stood us up."

"After all, he's different from someone else. That person is very diligent in cultivating Ripple." Ye Shou's casual remark made the two Qiaos smile awkwardly.

Now, these kinds of jokes between them are harmless, and teasing each other is a common occurrence.

"It's not that I'm not hardworking, it's just that I'm usually too busy, hmm!" Joseph nodded as if trying to convince himself.

"Besides... I also had my own unavoidable difficulties."

He seemed to have thought of something difficult to say, but Ye Shou and Abuder did not press him for details.

In fact, there are many reasons for the decline of the two Qiaos' "skills":

Firstly, he was not a very self-disciplined person by nature, and had an unruly and unrestrained side to his nature.

He is very similar to Bobo, both of whom are born with certain talents, but the difference is that Bobo is a martial arts fanatic, while he has too many hobbies!

Secondly, he has his own family and social circle. If he persists in cultivating the Ripple, his physical condition will become vastly different from that of his wife and friends... This is not a good thing.