The Card Apprentice

That also announced to Chen Mu that he should put down the fantasy card that he was making. Making money was the most important thing then, and there was still time for those other fantasy cards.

* * *

Zuo Tingyi ran into Wang Ze at the school, along with several of the exchange students from Star Academy. Everyone was familiar with Zuo Tingyi, and called out their greetings.

Seeing Zuo Tingyi made Wang Ze very happy, “Just as I’ve been anxiously looking for someone, Tingyi is delivered to my door!”

Zuo Tingyi was a little surprised to see how they were dressed, “Are you planning to go somewhere?”

Wang Ze smiled brightly, “Yep! We’ve gotten so busy at school that a few of us decided to wander around in the open area, but we haven’t found anyone who knows the way yet. Brother Tao seems to have a date with some girl student today, and without any time left I have to grab someone.” A few of the people around him chuckled.

Zuo Tingyi certainly wouldn’t have found anything suspicious about this if his father hadn’t had that talk with him, but hearing what Wang Ze said just then brought those things to mind.

Showing some hesitancy on his face, “Those outlands are dangerous. I’m something of a weakling. I wonder if you’d like me to bring along some card artisans?”

One of the scholars beside Wang Ze interjected, “Tingyi needn’t worry. Although we can’t be considered aces, we aren’t lacking in strength compared to ordinary card artisans, and we would naturally assure your safety.” Although he talked mildly, what he said displayed so much heroic self confidence that it made one look askance. Zuo Tingyi knew that scholar, whose name was Ou Jiang.

“Since that’s how it is, then I will entrust my safety to you.” Zuo Tingyi responded with the same equanimity.

Once they were on their way, they were all using jet stream cards to fly. Wang Ze was leading Zuo Tingyi by the hand, and even though he was carrying an extra person, there was no sign of any strain. Zuo Tingyi felt inwardly startled that those scholars from Star Academy were really so extraordinary with their power after all, with not a one having only ordinary skill.

They flew in perfect formation, looking after one another, with no hint of any of them being either rash or unseasoned. They all had the expression of calm veterans. Any one of them pulled at random could have been put alongside the very best of those from the Eastern Wei Academy.

Taking point was Yin Jiuchen, very genteel in his bearing, wearing glasses, and looking like a very proper student. And yet he was fierce in his fighting ability. When Hong Tao brought him up last time, he still wasn’t quite sure. But now seeing him with his own eyes he was stunned.

Yin Jiuchen had a very placid expression, flying at the front of the entire team, continuously brandishing the moon-white rippled blade in his unoccupied right hand.

Up until then, they hadn’t run into even any slight resistance, and by rough estimate, they had already gone perhaps 300 kilometers from Eastern Shang-Wei City.

Zuo Tingyi noticed that one of the students was continually recording with a topographical card. As though noticing Zuo Tingyi’s suspicion, Wang Ze laughingly explained, “From the first year that we entered school, a professor demanded that every time we visit any place, me must always record the topography of that place.”

Zuo Tingyi’s look turned into a cry of admiration, “That is certainly a good habit!” while sneering inwardly, now finding every move these Star Academy exchange students made to be extremely suspicious. Taking the measure of the surrounding terrain, Zuo Tingyi suggested, “Let’s take a break, the ferocious wild beasts will become more numerous up ahead, and we can’t be too careful.

Wang Ze nodded his head with pleasure, “Tingyi is the most familiar with this place, and we will do whatever you suggest.”

The group rested for a bit before resuming their penetration. But before long, Wang Ze suggested that they turn back, which took Zuo Tingyi completely by surprise.

Could he have gotten this all wrong?

* * *

“Copper, are you sure that these Iron Men are going to be well received?” Chen Mu was skeptically referring to the cloddish Iron Men in the first scene of the “Legend of Master Shi” card play, which as far as he was concerned didn’t have the slightest bit of aesthetic appeal.

Copper’s expression became full of aspiration, and he said from his sleep, “Don’t you know that every boy dreams of a flight to the stars . . .?”

Chen Mu’s hairs stood on end, as he hurriedly interrupted Copper, “Oh, then if you think it’s OK, it’s OK, and I’ll believe you.” And then followed with, “I’ve finished a hundred sets, will you be going into the city this afternoon?”

Coming back to his senses, Copper nodded, “Right, the sooner we sell them, the sooner we can get the money. Will you be going with me?”

“I’d like to go buy some materials, since the supplies in the house are almost gone.”

The town of Burlington was quite a distance from the city proper, but for 30 Oudi apiece, they could take the shuttle bus, which would take about two hours to get there.

Once they arrived in the city, each of them went separate ways. Copper wanted to market the card plays, while Chen Mu wanted to shop for materials, himself.

While some card making materials were already being artificially cultivated, by far most of them still needed to be brought in from the open areas. Since the beginning when cards were invented, most of their materials have been minerals and moving flora. At that time, one of the most important and difficult issues involved the methods for artificial cultivation, and also which kinds of artificially cultivated materials could substitute for natural materials.

If you were to say that industrial production was blocking one important course toward the popularization of cards, then raw materials was the bottleneck which dominated industrial production. Even though one day the issue would be resolved, the industrial production of cards was undoubtedly still the raving from someone’s dreams. But the pattern could be seen from the one-star power card, where many kinds of the raw materials needed for one-star power cards had entered large-scale artificial cultivation, which had then led to the complete industrialization of one-star power card production.

This also caused the price point of a one-star power card to fall, whereas previously the price of a one-star power card was not affordable to ordinary people.

There were quite a few supply stores in Eastern Shang-Wei City. Chen Mu was familiar with their ins and outs, and quickly bought all the materials he needed.

He had originally been thinking that he would return as soon as he bought up the materials, but he suddenly thought of Uncle Hua’s shop. That suddenly appearing notion seemed to have a lot of power, and Chen Mu’s two legs were walking toward Uncle Hua’s little shop without any direction from him.

As he got closer and closer to Uncle Hua’s shop, Chen Mu’s heart started to tighten up for no reason. Uncle Hua was already gone, and so what was he nervous about? Chen Mu chided himself and made a few jokes at his own expense, but that didn’t seem to make any difference.

His heart was pounding more and more anxiously, seeming ready to jump out of his throat.

Up ahead was the last turn, and once he passed that corner, he would be able to see Uncle Hua’s shop.

Walking ahead mindlessly with his thoughts blank, Chen Mu had no idea what he was doing.

When he saw the shop, which had been closed all along, he suddenly came back to his senses, and he sighed inwardly with a bitter taste filling his mouth.

Which of his nerve wires were crossed today? Smiling bitterly to himself, Chen Mu thought he would leave when he suddenly caught a glimpse of a very striking caption outside the shop next to Uncle Hua’s.

‘The first episode of Blockhead’s new production “the Legend of Master Shi” has arrived. Hurry if you want to buy it.’