The Card Apprentice

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The part that was different from the last game was that this time that old guy had used the word “challenge.”‘Game’ and ‘challenge’ were certainly not the same. It would be worth deliberating on what the difference was between the two of them.

And “Swordfish Seven.” This could mean ‘level,’ or it could mean ‘degree of difficulty for the challenge.’

He reviewed every detail from his most recent time.

When he got closer, the school of swordfish stopped. Which is to say that the swordfish perception had a certain range. Only if you were to enter the scope of their perception would it set off the so-called ‘challenge.’

They were no longer a school then. When it started there was only one swordfish charging toward him. And after he dodged it, the second swordfish came charging, which he also avoided, then the third swordfish . . .

Until he was being stabbed by the pointy swordfish heads.

All the elements came together, and Chen Mu was finally forming the general concept in his mind. This was a challenge, a dodge and evade kind of challenge, which should be a swordfish-attack dodging game. The first time there was only one swordfish, and if you dodged that, the second swordfish would come charging . . . until there was no way for you to stand it, and you manage to escape from the range of the swordfishes’ perception.

If this was the way it really was, then theoretically there should be two ways to end the challenge. One would be to stick it out until you have dodged all of the swordfish assaults. The other would be to grit one’s teeth and endure, suffering intensive pain.

Of course, the second way might be only theoretical, since Chen Mu didn’t believe that there was anyone who could sustain that kind of pain. It was his nature to persevere, and his perceptual training had also given him a great advantage. Even so, he couldn’t withstand that kind of pain.

As Chen Mu saw it, the crux of the matter was that it was too dangerous.

He didn’t come up with his inferences about the dangers by baseless imagination; they were really there. After he get out of the simple water world, he found that there were seven or eight small red welts over his body, which would be faintly painful if he pressed on them.

What was the maker of that mysterious card trying to do? Chen Mu was baffled every time he thought about that question. Although he had dug out a few of the things in the card, he had never found a clue to that mystery.

What a nerve-wracking thing it was!

* * *

Star Academy

A white haired old man, a middle-aged man, and a young woman, were standing side by side. In front of them, two corpses were laid out side by side, the corpses that Wang Ze had shockingly sent back.

“Can you tell how they died?” asked the white haired old man.

The one who answered was the young woman, her face very stern, “It was an assassin from the House of a Hundred Depths. They were killed with at least a grade six black-tu-vine poison sting. The adversary was highly skilled.” She had flowing long hair, black clothes from head to toe, and stood stock still, looking off into the distance like a pale lotus bud.

The middle-aged man’s face changed color, “How did you hear of those black bugs under the Hundred Depths? Could that news have been leaked?” He had a square face, quite dignified, except for looking shocked at the time.

The white-haired man shook his head, “We still don’t know all the particulars.” Looking at the two corpses, he sighed, “I’m afraid that quite a few people will have become suspicious by now. The situation is becoming more and more complicated.”

After thinking a while, he looked at that young woman, “The strength of those with Wang Ze there is a little thin. You go this time and see what you find and then decide.” Then he turned to the middle-aged man, “Gather up some people and go with her. I’m afraid it’s no longer practical to take advantage of secrecy, and open battles are likely to become more frequent.” The young woman looking on was silent.

The middle-aged man asked, “Should I choose students or teachers?”

“Students, mostly from the inner academy, but pick a few from the outer academy, and be sure those few are bold and cautious, but worldly.” The young woman suddenly opened her mouth.

“That’s the way it will be.” The white haired old man said categorically.

“Yes sir, I’ll take care of it.” The middle aged immediately bowed.

“Be careful. You’ll certainly run into some aces from the other academies this time, haha, don’t be too concerned, this can be considered your tempering trial.” The white haired old man turned smilingly toward the young woman, and said . . .

“Don’t worry Madame President.”

This was not any ordinary day, and it was the start of a simmering undercurrent within the Heavenly Federation.

* * *

Zuo Tingyi arrived at Mei Da’s place. He had rushed over, having just gotten the news that Professor Mei Da had taken ill.

Professor Mei Da was lying in bed, and the situation was visibly not good. His eyes were sunken, his face thin and pale, and he looked a lot older. Zuo Tingyi took it very badly. Professor Mei Da had started imparting knowledge about card making since he was small, and the two had gone far beyond the ordinary teacher-student relationship.

Finding the doctor, he asked in a low voice, “What is the situation?”

The doctor shook his head, “Not very good.”

“What really happened?” Zuo Tingyi looked very badly off. Professor Mei Da had taken good care of himself, and was quite hale and hearty, how could he have taken so ill like this?

The Doctor answered carefully, “Master Mei Da had been in constant deep thought for a while, and it seems that there was some problem lodged in his mind. He was in an anxious state, which led to a physical imbalance. Master Mei Da was studying so intensively that he wasn’t paying attention to the changes to his health, which led to a rapid deterioration. As you know, his age . . .”

Zuo Tingyi hadn’t heard the last part. His gaze had fallen onto the desk.

There was a half-burned card, and a few “Chance Encounter” card plays. A malevolent fire of sudden rage burst forth in Zuo Tingyi’s chest, as he turned his head and returned to Professor Mei Da’s room.

* * *

He went straight to find the household manager, and said to his face, “I don’t care how you do it, but you must find this f***king card master, do you understand?”

Seeing his young master’s ashen face, the household manager replied hurriedly, “Yes, sir!”

All of the Zuo family communication channels started to open up, but the household manager regretted the news that he got. They still had no way to trace out any clues, as their adversary was clearly very shrewd and hadn’t left any valuable clues at all. Finally, someone came up with an idea to simply go to the consignment market and squat there.

That plan needed a lot of manpower, which wasn’t really a problem for the Zuo household. The household manager knew very well that although the young master was normally very mild and urbane and spoke well, once he was enraged, things would get ugly for them.

Zuo Tingyi’s position in the Zuo household was second only to his father, Zuo Tianlin, and he was the only Zuo family heir. At that point, no-one could compete with him.

Each day a large crew of guys in disguises would spread into every corner of the consignment market. According to prior timing, the best time would be when the next installment of “The Legend of Master Shi” was released.

But their adversary seemed to know that there were snares waiting above and below, and never appeared. The gang of guys were all watching anxiously until they had clawed thorough their scalps, one by one raising their bile until the corners of their mouths had blisters.

How could they know that Copper at that time was embroiled in the Victoria event, and basically didn’t have the time to write the screenplay.

And Chen Mu was working over his own stuff.