The Card Apprentice

Shaking his head, Chen Mu couldn’t help but laugh. What did that have to do with him? Even if he knew, it wouldn’t be any use. The House of a Hundred Depths was a long way away from him.

Whether it was the House of a Hundred Depths or the Mohadi Domain, after going through the transit window, there would have to be an ash stratum in between.

No one knew what mechanism formed the ash stratum, but its dangers were recorded in many books. The ash stratum was without sunlight and dusky with ash, which was how it got its name. The living things in the ash stratum had a lot of vitality. Even though many had been hunted down, it had taken just more than ten years to regain their vigor. So, it was very dangerous to traverse the ash stratum.

After each discovery of a transit window, the federation would organize aces to break through the ash stratum. The cost each time was always disastrous, and the first time was always the worst. The transit window leading to the Mohadi Domain was the first one discovered by humans. The exploration of the ash stratum was established on a foundation of endless blood.

It was said that the first expeditionary team was completely wiped out. The Heavenly Federation then organized the second expeditionary team, which was also completely wiped out.

Not willing to fail, the federation government organized the third expeditionary team. The third team’s lineup was unprecedented in strength; all of the famous card artisans from the Big Six mobilized, on top of which were the military aces and some civilian aces who had long accomplished their fame. The scale of that expeditionary force would top the list throughout the entire history of the federation.

That third team finally broke through the ash stratum. When the news got back to the Heavenly Federation, the whole federation celebrated. Everyone was in high spirits, and countless people started to predict that a new era had arrived.

When the rare species and ores found in the ash stratum were sent back to the federation, the people didn’t just cheer. Driven by profit, more and more people were eager to try their hands. With the encouragement of the Heavenly Federation government, quite a few expeditionary teams of all sizes were established and set off to the transit windows to enter the ash stratum.

As the teams continually entered the ash stratum, even as vast as it was, it couldn’t block human greed. Lots of people made a windfall from the great quantities of rare materials and ores sent back to the federation. That living example greatly stimulated people’s desire for riches, and more and more firms and card artisans then joined the lively exploration movement.

Once the ash stratum was gradually all explored, those who had already been carried away by the riches set their sights on the other exit from the ash stratum, which was the same kind of transit window. What was beyond it? No one knew, but there was no longer any way to stop those people’s advance.

The first mobilized was an expeditionary team organized by the federation. That team, composed entirely of aces, was at the front, and they were also the most profitable group in the expeditionary movement. Being the first to traverse the transit window, they were surprised to discover there was a still vaster territory beyond the ash stratum.

But they had terrible luck. They met the fierce resistance of the local aborigines.

Perhaps looking back from now, that must have been a meaningful transition. At the time, it wasn’t anything more than ordinary. The level of development of the society of the aborigines in the new territory couldn’t compare with that of the great Heavenly Federation. The retrograde soldiers of the aborigines naturally couldn’t contend with highly developed card artisans. The federation’s advance was rapid, and they won every battle.

But no one had considered that the aborigines’ resistance would get increasingly intense, and regardless of life and death, they would continue to mount wave upon wave of attack. Only then did the federation discover that without their knowing it, they had gotten trapped in a quagmire! If they were to pull back and leave, the likely final result wouldn’t be so bad. But, with the lure of profit in front of them, any opposing voices didn’t even make a ripple. Moreover, the federation at that time had a lot of confidence in the power of their fully developed card system. They still assumed it was a war between different eras.

That war lasted 15 years!

The aborigines had the advantage of fighting on their own territory, which made them more familiar with the climate and geography. Supplies were also much simpler. On the other hand, although the federation had more advanced technology, the jungle fever in the field had possibly caused over 50 percent attrition. Moreover, their supply chain required traversing the ash stratum before supplies could be sent to the new domain.

The fighting stalemated. The aborigines were utterly cunning and never fought face-to-face with the federation. They would incessantly tear open the federation lines. The transition of the ensuing war gradually transformed the power of the two sides. Those who were wise among the aborigines had been getting knowledge about cards from the mouths of their captives, and they gradually developed their own peculiar card technology.

The federation forces didn’t know anything about that.

When contemporary historians discussed the forbearance of the aborigines, they were all full of heartfelt admiration. The natives took ten years to store up their power in secret. They took unto themselves different things from each of the Heavenly Federation academies, and the sages from the aborigines collected them together for their common enlightenment. They then took what they had learned about card technology and distributed it to each tribe without holding back in the slightest.

They grew up during those ten years and continuously improved their card system, combining it with their original skills to form an entirely different style from the federation’s.

The war was finally given up by the federation in defeat. Only afterward did the federation officially begin to recognize the independent identity of the new territory, which was called the Mohadi Domain.

The forefathers of the Mohadi Domain didn’t block the transit windows because of their victory. On the contrary, they started to advance relations and trade with the federation. Right up until contemporary times, exchanges between the Mohadi Domain and the federation were extremely frequent. But the enmity and hatred of the aborigines toward the Heavenly Federation hadn’t abated, so card artisans seldom entered the Mohadi Domain.

In the eyes of the Federation, the Mohadi Domain has always been mysterious.

On that point, the House of a Hundred Depths was similar to the Mohadi Domain but doubtlessly more daunting. The House of a Hundred Depths was said to be the realm of the flexster. The so-called flexster referred to those who moved in the dark like assassins. They were good at using all kinds of weapons, among which were rope-like, pliable things.

That was one of the biggest reasons Chen Mu had determined the demonic woman came from the House of a Hundred Depths. No matter where she was from, the demonic woman corresponded too closely to the flexsters described in the annals.

Neither the Mohadi Domain nor the House of a Hundred Depths had anything to do with him. Moreover, Chen Mu deeply understood his own heft. How could such a small player as himself guess the secrets the other five of the Big Six couldn’t pry out?

Beyond that, judging from Sue Lochiro’s description, the gold-mottled liquid-soft fungus wasn’t something he could get. Something good enough to prolong life would be precious anywhere. Going to the House of a Hundred Depths would be nonsense. Continuing to train his perception would be a lot more practical.

* * *

But Chen Mu didn’t quite know how madly his numbered cards were selling!

The fatty found his door, along with someone else.

Chen Mu opened the door. “What are you doing here, old brother?” Although he had only known the fatty for a short time, Chen Mu actually got his temperament pretty well. He was a classic type who didn’t get up unless it was worth it. Coming to find him meant something was up. Could he be sending more materials? Chen Mu couldn’t help but feel shaken with the unprecedented production when he last made cards.

The fatty was smiling bitterly and not talking. But he was looking at Chen Mu as though he had seen a monster.

After a while, he blurted out, “What kind of freak are you, buddy? I’m afraid your later achievements will at least make you a grand master like Luo Qi! I don’t know how I had such luck to have any doings with you.”

Chen Mu couldn’t wrap his head around the fatty talking in such a mindless, emotional way. “What’s up? Has something happened?” Still, it was very much in line with the fatty’s profiteering ways to show such respect to Luo Qi.

“Nothing has happened. I just came to divvy up the money.” The fatty’s expression was still showing a bitter smile.

Seeing the fatty’s expression looking like he would squeeze out bitter water, Chen Mu couldn’t help but ask in concern, “Haven’t they sold well?” He had little involvement with the marketing of cards and wasn’t much in the know. But he did know the cost of the materials he’d consumed was considerable. If those cards hadn’t brought a good price, he would have been surprised.

Speechless, the fatty looked at Chen Mu to be sure he wasn’t being put on before bitterly pulling back his gaze. He couldn’t help but curse. “What a freak you are!”

Chen Mu really couldn’t get his head around that and could only wait for what came next.

The fatty pulled out a money card and held it in front of Chen Mu. “This has your cut, which is 360 million Oudi altogether.”

Chen Mu was taken aback. “How could it be that much?” Up until then, the most he’d ever handled had been at the level of tens of millions. How would he not be startled for the fatty to drop a 360 million money card?

Chen Mu didn’t go to get the money card but looked at the fatty, puzzled.

Seeing Chen Mu’s expression, the fatty suddenly felt a little discouraged. He wasn’t in a good mood when he said, “Do you know how much your cards sold for? That 007 of yours sold for 350 million. Good grief, the admission fee alone brought in enough to give me pause. Deducting the materials and various expenses, this is your cut.”

“Three hundred fifty million!” Chen Mu’s brain had crashed. Of course, he had some influence on the 007, which was inspired by the bipolar thunderball card. It was one of the two four-star cards among the 22 cards. But for a four-star fantasy card to sell for 350 million? He felt that price was a little bit outrageous!

Seeing Chen Mu’s expression of disbelief, the flesh on the fatty’s face quivered as he muttered, “I didn’t expect such a price either. But it was Madam Zhi Lian who took it, so it was presumably worth the price, though I don’t get it. As for you…” The fatty thought of Chen Mu tossing him so many bombshells with his calm face, and he couldn’t help but say, “I don’t get you either.”

Chen Mu grunted his response as he took the money card.

“I’ve only sold 11 of the cards. This is the dividend from those 11.” The same bitter smile appeared again on the fatty’s face. “We have played too big this time, young brother, which is scaring your older brother!”

“What do you mean?” Chen Mu’s expression had become serious as he faintly felt his safety might be involved. He would become especially serious whenever he encountered issues regarding his safety.

“Your older brother has really rocked the federation this time.” The expression on the fatty’s face was a little complicated, showing some concern along with some pride. Someone of the stature of Madam Zhi Lian had come, which had really caused his face to surge. The fatty’s expression then turned dignified. “But, if we keep playing like this, your big brother’s heart won’t hold out. You might not know I’ve nearly been driven crazy lately. It was a good thing I quickly saw what was happening and hid as soon as I could. Otherwise, my gosh, everything would have vexed me. I wouldn’t be able to take any more of it. Moreover, young brother, there are already quite a few people secretly investigating. We got to know one another at the banquet, where a lot of people saw us, even though they still haven’t been thinking that way as of now. But once someone starts paying attention to you, it won’t be easy to hide.”

There was a lot of concern in what the fatty was saying. Chen Mu remained silent, knowing what the fatty said was right. If the numbered series of cards was really so hot as he’d said, there certainly would be people devising every possible means to exploit them.

“I still haven’t auctioned that folding Yanbo card.” The fatty pulled out that card and held it in front of Chen Mu. “Your older brother doesn’t have a strong foundation, and I can barely stand the influence of one 007. If another even more awesome card were to appear, that would exceed what I could take. Although your older brother is plenty greedy, I still know which wealth I can covet and which I can’t.”

What the fatty said was unexpected, and it rather stunned Chen Mu to see fatty presenting the folding Yanbo card.

“The numbered series of cards has already given me enough to eat; if I were to get any stronger, it would be more of a curse than a blessing for me. Take this card for now, young brother, and don’t release it for a while. Given its value, it would be enough for you to recruit a first-class card artisan. You won’t lack for spending money having the numbered series of cards. While it’s natural for we business people to seek wealth, our lives are also important,” the fatty earnestly instructed.

Chen Mu couldn’t help the respect he felt for that obese man. With such profits in front of him, how many people would be able to control themselves like the fatty did?

Taking the folding Yanbo card, Chen Mu nodded and answered him seriously. “Mmmm.”

“We’ll stay with our original plan for the remaining cards in the numbered series.” The fatty then pointed to the man beside him, who hadn’t said anything all along. “Now, I’d like to introduce my young brother to another proposition.”

Only then did Chen Mu closely size up the man the fatty brought with him.