[After leaving the Sichen Palace, Stelle saw a message Tingyun had sent her earlier. The content was simple: she was currently relaxing by the port and invited them to meet after their conversation with Lady Yukong.]
[The trio didn't waste time and headed to the port, where they immediately spotted the foxian girl leaning against the railing and gazing into the distance.]
["Sigh, Lady Yukong has assigned me the task of hosting you all again. It seems this humble girl shares quite the fate with you benefactors. The Sky-Faring Commission has reserved superior rooms at the 'Dust-Settling Inn.' Would you benefactors care to join me for some tea and rest at the inn?"]
[Upon meeting them, Tingyun let out a sigh.]
[Having just managed to pass these guests to her superior, only to have them handed back to her, the young girl couldn't help but feel somewhat frustrated. But as a professional guide, she quickly adjusted her attitude, maintaining her trademark smile: "Please follow me, benefactors."]
[As soon as they reached the inn's entrance, March 7th couldn't stop yawning. However, drawing from her experience in Belobog, she was already prepared to make a quick escape if needed.]
["To be honest, when I saw Yukong frown earlier, I almost thought a squad of soldiers would rush out and drag us to prison," March 7th whispered to Stelle, pouting. "Dealing with important figures is more exhausting than fighting monsters..."]
[Before she could finish, Stelle suddenly felt the sharp gaze of someone staring intently at her.]
[Turning her head slowly... she met Tingyun's stern expression.]
["March..." Stelle quickly nudged the still-chattering March 7th with her elbow. Only then did March realize her mistake and awkwardly rubbed her head. "Ah, I-I wasn't speaking ill of Lady Yukong, you know..."]
"Pfft, this girl is quite adorable. Though she seems a bit silly, she's at least cuter than Trish."
"Hey! Mista... I can't just ignore that comment!"
In the hilltop villa in Naples, the girl's angry voice nearly blew off the roof. As Italy's rising star in recent years, Trish had canceled numerous interviews just to accept Giorno's invitation.
On camera, Trish appeared charming and sweet, always playing the gentle girl-next-door for the media. But in this mafia boss's villa, she shed her public persona, freely expressing her suppressed "true self."
Giorno's reason for inviting her was simple: aside from catching up, he wanted to watch the Celestial Screen together.
"Besides Trish, I've invited one more person... He should be arriving soon," Giorno said, patting Mista's shoulder and gesturing for him to sit in the second chair beside him.
"The second-in-command should be Polnareff. Even if he can't make it, I won't sit in that chair. Giorno, think about it—two times two equals four, right? The number four is too unlucky. I don't want anything to do with such an ominous number!"
With that, Mista shifted his butt to the third chair in the middle.
"Giorno, who's the last person you invited?" Mista asked curiously, deliberately avoiding the number "four."
"Oh, he's already here."
As soon as Giorno spoke, the group noticed a figure standing at the villa's entrance.
It was a green-clad youth with golden hair like Giorno's. After climbing the mountain path, his chest heaved rapidly, and the strawberry-shaped earring dangling from his ear swayed uneasily.
—It was Fugo.
"Enough. Stay right there."
Mista swiftly reached into his boot, drew the pistol tucked inside, and with practiced ease, aimed it directly at the center of Fugo's face—the spot between his brows and lips, slightly above the bridge of his nose—holding his aim with deadly calm.
"Giorno, why did you invite him?"
Mista snorted coldly, keeping his gun steady while glancing at his "boss" and pursing his lips.
"Enough, Mista. Calm down... Lower your gun."
Giorno placed a hand on Mista's arm, trying to soothe him. "I invited Fugo because we need a smart mind to analyze the situation on the Celestial Screen."
Fugo was a top student at the University of Bologna with an IQ of 152—no one could deny he was the smartest among them.
Due to Sampo's involvement, everyone believed Earth was connected to the world shown on the Celestial Screen. Whether the power of the Aeons could benefit Stand users like them was something Giorno wanted to discuss with more Stand users.
To that end, he used the organization's connections to reach the American SPW Foundation and contacted a marine biology professor named "Jotaro Kujo," arranging to meet at the villa soon.
"Is Professor Kujo not coming today?" Trish asked, puzzled.
"He said he needed to pick up his daughter from prison first and would come with her," Giorno explained. "By the time Professor Kujo arrives, Polnareff should have recovered from his injuries. I'll invite them both then."
——
["Don't worry, this humble girl isn't one to gossip~"]
[To avoid further misunderstandings, Tingyun patiently explained the current chaos and crises plaguing the Luofu to March 7th and the others. Staying vigilant was part of Yukong's duties, but in private, she was quite approachable.]
[Moreover, as promised, Yukong had not only arranged premium accommodations and daily expenses for them but also instructed Tingyun that if they saw anything they liked or wanted to eat in the Luofu, they could simply charge it to the Sky-Faring Commission.]
[When March 7th heard they could buy anything on the Commission's tab, her expression instantly brightened, and she nodded excitedly.]
[Stelle teased, "Aren't you going to say 'Thank you, Sister Yukong?"]
["You say it first!" March 7th glared at her before smiling. "Ahem, when faced with such a hospitable host, it'd be a shame not to enjoy their generosity. Right, Mr. Yang?"]
"This March girl is way too easy to win over... Women really have no resistance to shopping, huh..." Usopp facepalmed, utterly speechless at March 7th's starstruck expression.
"She lacks caution, but with Mr. Welt here, it shouldn't be a problem," Zoro remarked while polishing his sword and glancing at the Celestial Screen.
"Speaking of which, where's Sanji? Isn't it time for dinner?" As the sun set, Zoro's stomach growled loudly.
"Seems he passed out from blood loss after nosebleeding too much when he saw Yukong..." Usopp sighed even harder at Sanji's weakness for beautiful women.
"That guy... Didn't he swear he only loved Kafka at first?"