The Card Apprentice

Neither Bogner nor Xi Ping said anything. A decision at that level was the prerogative of the boss. It would determine where the team went from then on. They were all watching Chen Mu with bated breath.

Tang Hanpei kept drinking his tea in a leisurely fashion, not at all flustered, even looking like someone not involved with the situation.

Chen Mu’s head was lowered in careful consideration of what was to be gained and what was to be lost. After about five minutes, he finally lifted his head.

Everyone’s eyes lit up. Even Tang Hanpei put down his teacup and fixed his gaze on Chen Mu, waiting for his response.

“I am very sorry, but we can’t be directly involved in the fighting.” Chen Mu’s answer was curt.

Behind him, Bogner and Xi Ping breathed a sigh of relief, and Jiao Si finally relaxed his stiff spine.

Tang Hanpei had a composed expression, maintaining the light smile on his face as he said in a leisurely fashion, “Would Mr. Cao like to consider it a little more?”

Chen Mu shook his head resolutely. “I’ve already thought it through.”

He certainly had. If he were to participate in the fighting, he would be branded by the Federation Comprehensive Academy from it, which was essentially no different than directly entering the academy. And, if the Federation Comprehensive Academy discovered he was the one who’d assassinated Zu Ning, he would have no way out.

Moreover, he didn’t consider that the card artisans he had on hand had a whole lot of fighting strength. Given Tang Hanpei’s power, how would they even miss that little bit of fighting strength he had?

“Ho ho, the card master who could produce the numbered series of cards certainly isn’t an ordinary person. How could Hanpei be up to you?” Tang Hanpei kept his smile as before, though everyone felt a chill.

He had found out Chen Mu’s identity rather easily!

Chen Mu wasn’t so surprised. The capabilities of the Big Six were huge, as he’d profoundly experienced all along. The identity of the one who’d made the numbered series of cards was too much in question. Though ordinary people might not have been able to guess it, trying to hide it from someone like Tang Hanpei would be impossible. But for someone who’d just arrived to find out was indeed awesome! He was awaiting what Tang Hanpei would say next.

Sure enough, Tang Hanpei continued on with a smile. “Still, I don’t think Mr. Cao can refuse what I’m about to propose.”

“Please, do tell.”

“I would like to purchase Mr. Cao’s base. Oh, Mr. Cao may take away any of the materials he requires, and I’ll need whatever’s left. As remuneration, I’ll pay Mr. Cao 1.5 billion Oudi. I don’t believe Mr. Cao has any interest to remain in these turbid waters, and Hanpei can send Mr. Cao and his distinguished subordinates away from Pomelo.”

No one could help but feel moved by that. By that time, Pomelo was a bloodbath where no one’s survival was guaranteed. To be able to leave at such a time was an extremely attractive condition. While 1.5 billion would be considered an ordinary price, it was also rather low for a base having Starfish Fortifications. But Chen Mu wasn’t concerned with that. They hadn’t originally spent much on the base, and 1.5 billion would still leave a surplus.

Seeing Chen Mu pondering, Tang Hanpei tossed out another bombshell with a smile. “For such a talent as Mr. Cao to live in the ordinary residential district is something of a waste. Each of your subordinates has outstanding ability, and Hanpei would like to present each of you with passes to enter the flourishing district. Since my humble school is in the capital, however, what I can present to each of you are passes for only the capital district. But you may each rest assured; as old Jiao knows, the capital pass is also effective in the other five flourishing districts. What do you say, Mr. Cao?”

Jiao Si’s expression shifted, though it immediately returned to normal. He hadn’t thought Tang Hanpei would actually toss out such an impossible-to-refuse condition. He was afraid it was already settled for Chen Mu and the rest to enter the flourishing districts. That would also mean his original scheme to work with Chen Mu would come to nothing.

Sure enough, Chen Mu didn’t hesitate at all as he turned around and ordered Xi Ping, “Go poll how many want to go with us.” He then took a look at Bogner, who immediately caught on and went with Xi Ping to do the polling.

“Mr. Cao is a straightforward person, after all!” Tang Hanpei said, smiling as he continued to relax and drink his tea.

Xi Ping and Bogner were extremely efficient. After spending only about ten minutes, the two had computed the statistics. “There are 620 altogether, Boss. Borna and his people also hope to come with us.”

Chen Mu nodded and turned his gaze toward Tang Hanpei, who put down his teacup and straightforwardly said, “No problem.” He opened his apparatus, and a man appeared on the screen in front of him. Tang Hanpei quickly told what had happened, and the man took the orders without question.

When the battling had just begun, the five flourishing districts had already started to refuse to issue passes. But passes for more than 600 people seemed to be simple to do in Tang Hanpei’s hands.

Chen Mu was finally able to size up the apparatus on Tang Hanpei’s wrist. The beige apparatus gave off an air of elegance. Unlike the high-priced apparatuses on the market that had four or five card slots, that one had only three. Besides the power card and a communications card, there would only be one card in it. Such an inconspicuous detail made Chen Mu feel how much confidence Tang Hanpei had in his own power.

After he was done with the explanations, Tang Hanpei closed the communications card and turned to face Chen Mu. “Everything’s already arranged. Mr. Cao may traverse the transit route to leave Pomelo, where there will be someone to receive you on the other end. How about old Jiao? Will you join me in the fun, or leave with Mr. Cao?”

Jiao Si said with a hearty laugh, “You go play. I’ll send off Mr. Cao first. Otherwise, nothing will come of this business, and I will have hurt my reputation in vain. But you had better be careful. You don’t want to be defeated by that bronze-faced devil, Qiao Yuan. I would look down on you.”

Tang Hanpei just smiled without saying anything, though some pride doubtlessly showed through.

An alarm suddenly broke though everyone’s friendly relations. “Alert! Alert! Unknown card artisans are approaching, 50 in number. All units prepare to do battle!”

Clomp, clomp, clomp!

Just as the alarm faded, the entire building seemed to suddenly quake as countless footsteps passed by like a torrent overhead, closing in and moving off on the floor above. The entire process was intense and orderly!

Any soldier who seemed to be sleeping peacefully was suddenly awakened by the alarm and started to methodically arrange their armor and weaponry. They then started to operate quickly and meticulously like a precise, energetic machine.

The smile Tang Hanpei was wearing after he’d entered the base disappeared for the first time, replaced by a look of excitement.

“Your subordinates’ reactions are stunning! Hanpei admires you!” He followed with some apology. “I am really sorry; I forgot to tell Mr. Cao just now that these card artisans are under me and responsible for the transfer.”

Just as his voice faded, the apparatus on his wrist sounded. Tang Hanpei gave a few orders, and the team of card artisans stopped just outside the edge of the base. But unlike the rash card artisans led by Wang Ze, that team of card artisans displayed extremely high quality. They accurately found the empty path through the lawn, never touching any card appliance devices. To be able to do that in the dark was particularly difficult, and even Bogner had a look of admiration.

Both sides were efficient. In that small amount of time, Xi Ping had already arranged all the materials they needed to bring with them. Bogner smoothly brought all the personnel together after lifting the alarm. It was actually the Origins Academy students and card masters who wasted rather a lot of time gathering.

They pulled several shuttle transport cars from the storehouse. Adding in the scholars from the Origins Academy, there were about 700 altogether, along with more than 20 transport shuttle cars, which had all started to move. Lu Xiaoru and those 20 were responsible for guarding, along with the ace card artisans form the Origins Academy. They all escorted Jiao Si, Chen Mu, and Tang Hanpei.

Since there weren’t that many of them, who was going to pay any attention to them when looking at the entire federation?

Having the number-one person in the whole world, Tang Hanpei; the headmaster of the Origins Academy, Jiao Si; and Chen Mu, who was able to kill Zu Ning, was quite a combination. Apart from large-scale armies, no smaller bands of card artisans could even approach the sidelines of such a combination.

At the time, such a huge team was extremely conspicuous, but no one came to ask about them along their way. Jiao Si alone would have been sufficient to scare off most people.

The team smoothly arrived at the Federation Comprehensive Academy encampment. Seeing that familiar place and thinking of that crazy night, Chen Mu’s heart skipped a beat.

Seeming to have noticed Chen Mu’s odd reaction, Tang Hanpei smiled. “It looks like Mr. Cao would really like to get out of Pomelo.”

Chen Mu felt a chill. His counterpart could detect even such a tiny flaw! He struggled to calm himself and to keep his voice natural. “Pomelo is now the battlefield for your honorable school, the Central Repository of the Classics, and Faya. I have little power and few people, and the best possible result is to be able to leave, of course!”

“Ha ha! We’ve both gotten what we need. It looks like this has been a happy deal!” Tang Hanpei’s hearty laughter penetrated the wind a very long distance.