The Card Apprentice

It was already the third day of high-speed stealth transit.

Chen Mu’s prediction wasn’t off, and the other three establishments hadn’t filled in the gap left by the Cang Jiang Military Force, only sending a small number of card artisan scouts. The Spinulosa Disk’s outstanding reconnaissance capability gave the Wood Brigade the ability to discover those scouts from a long distance and thus avoid them. Judging from their expressions and movements, they lacked sufficient alertness, probably because they felt that there wouldn’t be any unexpected situations in that place.

There were plenty of small towns in that area, so that it wasn’t really what would be meant by deep forest, and there also weren’t any ferocious wild beasts.

That was doubtless a good thing for the Wood Brigade. Without any ferocious wild beasts, that also meant that they didn’t need to fight them, and that their likelihood of exposing themselves was a lot lower. Staying hidden had become the Wood Brigade’s most important current matter, and most of the credit for that was thanks to the Spinulosa Disk. Chen Mu hadn’t thought that the card appliance that he had made in his previous spare time would actually become so useful.

During that time in the Snow Silkworm ravine, and especially after they had wiped out the Downstream Alliance, when the surrounding environment was perfectly peaceful, no one would dare to disturb them. The work of surveillance during that time mostly depended on surveillance card artisans. Of course, one important reason was that Chen Mu’s card appliance skills weren’t so capable then as now.

Seeing how well the Spinulosa Disk was working, Chen Mu made six more of them. And furthermore, he made some advances with the communications shuttle car, which increased the scope of the Spinulosa Disk to double what it had been.

Going through such a long period of high-speed marching was an utterly arduous affair. Apart from those grade-seven card artisans for whom it was pretty normal, the Wood Brigade card artisans were looking pretty exhausted. But each of them was gritting their teeth and holding out, all being quite clear about their current situation.

“A city has shown up ahead, Boss!” Sang Hanshui couldn’t hide the excitement in his voice. His nerves were always on edge during those three days. He had never doubted the boss’s abilities, but there was basically no resolution to the situation at that time as he saw it. Still, although the situation was really awful, he wasn’t afraid. In any case, if they couldn’t do it and he lost his life, he would be rather relieved by that point.

It wasn’t only him, but what everyone said of the boss was all skeptical. By not escaping far away, but on the contrary going in the direction of where the enemy was, how could they escape?

During those three days, the expressions of all the card artisans were always uptight to the point of collapse, but all the troops constantly maintained their battle formation.

When the city appeared, that also meant that they had already rushed to behind the united armies of the underworld. At the least, they were safe for the time being!

The news of a city appearing in front of them immediately went through the troops, and they were abruptly jubilant.

– The boss really did it!

The mayor of the town of Yuhua was in his manor basking in the sun, and contentedly humming a little tune. As the mayor of the little town with not quite three hundred thousand in population, he didn’t have that many governmental affairs to deal with. Still, he was normally quite diligent, and didn’t dare to slack off in the least. But he had given himself three days’ break that time; not only him but all of the civil servants in the town had gotten three days off.

The Cang Jiang Military Force had been travelling through there for the previous while, making a disturbance that created the chaos of chickens flying and dogs jumping. That included everyone with him, all of whom were trembling in fear and being extremely cautious. They were in fear that they would perform one poor service, and then get torn apart by Master Yan Yu. For a mayor who was used to a slow-paced life, it made him feel that he had aged quite a few years. And just because of that, he had given all the civil servants three days off so that they could adjust.

But then there was the sudden sound of rapid footsteps which broke his calm, and he heard his subordinate clawing at his throat and yelling, “Mayor, mayor! Things are bad!” His voice was thick with panic.

The mayor felt rather furious, it being so hard to be able to relax. Won’t that gang let him stop for a while? Wasn’t it a vacation? What was that guy bothering him about?

“Mayor . . . mayor . . .”

“Why all that noise!” The mayor didn’t open his eyes, and directly rebuked him, “Didn’t I give you time off? Why aren’t you staying home. What are you doing running over to me? You people just go and look for work when there isn’t any. Isn’t there supposed to be nothing to do when you’re staying home? If you insist on messing things up, and then something happens and you can’t resolve it yourself. If you insist on bothering me . . .”

“No! That’s not it! Mayor . . .” His subordinate rushed to explain.

“So what is it?” The mayor very unceremoniously cut him off, “You people have a reputation for this kind of thing and I’m telling you, don’t consider me old, I’m not confused! The next time you want to mess things up . . .”

“It’s really not us, mayor!” The subordinate had a great sense of grievance, as he rather stammered to say, “Out . . . there are people outside!”

“Someone’s here? Who?” The mayor asked very leisurely, “You are scared off by someone coming? Now tell me what good are you!”

The subordinate rushed to respond, “Card artisans!”

The mayor kept his eyes closed, and said with a jeer, “Card artisans? I say have you lost your brain today? What are there more of these days than card artisans? You haven’t heard the saying that card artisans are as numerous as dogs except they walk on two feet?”

The subordinate was in a big hurry, “No, that’s not it! Card artisans. Grade-seven card artisans!”

“Oh!” Grade-seven card aritsans?” The mayor opened his eyes, and said a little skeptically, “You aren’t mistaken? Grade seven card artisans who are full and have nothing to do? So, they run to this place where birds don’t shit to do what??”

The subordinate’s forehead was so anxious that he was sweating, and his two hands were gesticulating as he called out urgently, “A lot! A lot of grade seven card artisans!”

The mayor was taken aback at first before immediately laughing out, “You’re being tricked, you idiot. If you were to say one or two grade-seven card artisans, I might believe it. Ha-ha, given your gesticulations, then aren’t there a dozen?”

The subordinate’s head was bobbing like a chicken pecking rice, “More than that!”

“Ha-ha! With a face full of contempt, the mayor said, “You are ignorant. Do you think that grade seven card artisans are just roadside goods? Card artisans are as numerous as dogs but walk on two feet, but once they rise to grade seven, they don’t have to worry a bone. They don’t have to worry about a bone!” He drew out that last phrase with an envious look.

“Bone?”

The mayor laid back down in a leisurely fashion, waving his hand, “OK, move aside, and slowly think about the essence of what I just said.”

The subordinate was urgent, but before the mayor had spoken the top of his head had gone suddenly dark.

Forty or fifty card artisans suddenly appeared above his head, coldly watching him. He couldn’t help shivering and swallowed back his tongue with what he had been about to say. Those peoples’ eyes looked too fierce and scanning over them he felt a though he had been washed with ice water!

Washed forty or fifty times . . .

His face went white and his two legs shook, so that he slumped weakly to the side of the mayor’s rattan chair.

The strength of grade-seven card artisans’ perception was vast and full of power and oppression. Forty or fifty grade-seven car artisans emitting perception at the same time brought along enough pressure that it could be described as filling the heavens and covering the earth.

Just having been about to lie down, a gang of people suddenly appeared above his head, holding terrifying power. Everything lost its color, as dark clouds pressed on his head. The mayor’s weak mind was devastated in an instant until it was full of holes. His eyes then directly rolled up and he went unconscious and plopped onto his rattan chair.

Xiaobo was the first to land, with the other card artisan landing behind him. In that small yard, the forty or fifty grade-seven card artisans didn’t say a thing and remained silent. The subordinate who had persisted in not passing out, finally couldn’t take it and his eyes rolled up and he simply passed out.

“I detest trouble!” Xiaobo mumbled, as his silvery hair wafted in the air. His mask full of painted daisies was strangely evil. The Orderly Wave Wheel was as conspicuous as ever behind him.

It was really hard to get the chance to lead some troops! Xiaobo was secretly feeling fine.

The other card artisans very discreetly kept their mouths shut.

They had seen the hit man’s power with their own eyes, and in the same way, as one of that pair of demons, no one would dare to question Chrysanthemum’s authority.

There were forty or fifty grade-seven card artisans all with blank faces and icy gazes, not saying a thing. The degree of oppression created in the atmosphere immediately reached a terrifying place.

As the mayor faintly awakened, he nearly fainted again.

“Each . . . Each of you great people, I . . . I wonder how I might be of service?” The mayor stammered to ask. He responded very quickly, without asking about where they had come from, but rather directly asked how he might serve them. He knew that the two sides were too far apart in standing. His counterpart could pinch him dead as easily as killing an ant.

There was no one who would dare, and there was no one who would complain about forty or fifty grade seven card artisans on behalf of the mayor of a small out of the way town.

His counterpart’s tact made Xiaobo perfectly appreciative. Some talent!

“Good good!” Xiaobo kept nodding and said with a pleasant expression, “We are the immediate guards of Master Cang Lan, and we’ve come here for some special matter, but since the matter is so urgent, we’ve nearly exhausted our power cards, and so we’re hoping that we could come to your fine town to resupply. Of course, we aren’t about to just grab them. Master Cang Lan has always taught us that we must pay attention to the local relations. We’ll buy. Oh, we plan to buy some energy cards, if it pleases the mayor to cooperate.”

“You are most welcome!” The mayor showed sudden understanding. No wonder there were so many grade-seven card artisans, being Master Cang Lan’s immediate guards! He didn’t have any doubts! On the contrary, he criticized himself for responding too slowly. Around there, apart from Master Cang Lan, what other troops could have so many grade-seven card artisans?

That was a great opportunity to curry favor! The mayor’s mind was quietly moving, and moreover the great person in the lead had such a young sounding voice, that he had certainly earned the doting trust of Master Cang Lan!

After he thought it through, he rushed to say, “I wonder how many the master might need?”

“The more the better, of course.” Xiaobo was casually picking his nails as he spoke without raising his head.

It was some secret mission after all, and the mayor gritted his teeth to say with a flattering look, “Although this town has some stores, Master, there aren’t great numbers. Still, there is a local small business association which has a lot of inventory. Take a look Master . . .”

That Chrysanthemum great man was a little hesitant, “But, we are carrying out a secret mission, and we have to keep our whereabouts secret . . .”

“Don’t worry, master, I’ll take care of this matter. I only have to use the name of the town government for them to urgently transfer all of their power cards so that we don’t have to leak your eminence’s whereabouts!” The mayor was pleased to say.

“Good, good! You didn’t look away from your seat. You are a real talent! If you do a good job with this, of course it would be good for you.” Xiaobo then purposefully hesitated, “It’s just that, the price . . .”

“How could I make the great one spend money! Although this town isn’t rich, a trifling few power cards would be a small favor for me, and your eminence must not decline by any means.” The mayor said, very upbeat.

Xiaobo looked at the mayor very appreciatively, saying, “That won’t do. Master Cang Lan has always taught us to conduct ourselves soberly with self-discipline!”

Basking in the “great one’s” appreciative gaze, the mayor felt comfortable all over, and his brain became strangely quick-witted, “My humble thinking was too thoughtless, these power cards have been in storage for a long time, and, they would be worth ten Oudi by market price!”

Xiaobo stoked on the praise to say, “If the officials in our North Facing Island were all as capable as your eminence, then the North Facing Island would have long since unified the Heavenly Drum Village District! For excellence such as your eminence’s to reside in such an out of the way little town is really a waste of talent. After we finish this mission, I must recommend your eminence to the official in charge of assessment, Mr. Xu.”

The mayor was overjoyed, and thanked him on the spot with a salute, “The favor of your support is utterly unforgettable to me!” As for some Mr. Xu, he thought it must be something like the minister of personnel or some figure with real power, which made the mayor feel very lucky.

“Right, we also need some materials, might we thank your eminence the mayor for the trouble.” Xiaobo said unceremoniously.

The mayor took the list of materials, and was shocked. He could tell at a glance that so many materials would be for large troop to use. It looked like the guards’ mission that time was certainly no small matter!

Then just at that time, Xiaobo looked at the mayor seeming to smile without smiling, “Such a talent as you eminence certainly knows the secrecy regulations of those of us in the North Facing Island.” He feigned a sigh, “Our intelligence system has been seriously infiltrated recently. Your eminence must be on guard with those close to you. No matter who it is, if you leak our whereabouts . . .”

Xiaobo’s drew his right hand lightly across his own throat, while his gaze remained every so amiable and gentle.

The mayor’s back soaked through in that instant, as he swallowed with difficultly, and hurriedly nodded. “I understand! I understand! I’ve been basking in the sun all day, which can be quite comfortably cozy!” There were bean-sized beads of sweat on his face, with nothing comfortable to be seen.

“Some talent!” Xiaobo once again praised him.

When Xiaobo left the city leading the whole team, he had scared everyone in the camp stupid!

That little town was quite rich! That was the first thing in everyone’s mind. It felt unimaginable for such a small town to actually be able to sell so many materials and power cards. And when the Wood Brigade card artisans found out that there were that many materials after spending only ten Oudi, everyone was collectively petrified.

Xiaobo’s vile means immediately went very quickly through the entire Wood Brigade, and everyone’s gazes looked again at Xiaobo and made an abrupt substantive change.

The hit-man made people afraid with that amazing but terrifying Bomb. Every time they thought about it, it made their hearts pound. But by comparison, people wanted to face the hit man’s bomb more than they did the great Chrysanthemum!

Shady and ruthless, cunning, despicable . . .

Those words weren’t sufficient to describe the great Chrysanthemum. Think about it. If even that little town the size of a sesame seed had been forcibly squeezed for so many materials by the great Chrysanthemum, even ‘scraping the earth for three feet’ wouldn’t quite describe it. Offending the hit man would only cause pain to the flesh, but if you were to offend the Chrysanthemum, you’d be afraid that you could be sold at any time, and you might be foolishly helping him to count up his money.

Even Chen Mu was flabbergasted. That guy Xaiobo was really just too shady and had too much imagination!

He immediately decided that he would have to put those skills of Xiaobo to better use later on.

The Wood Battalion sped way up after having been supplied. They now needed to hurry up before they were discovered by the united armies of the underworld. They needed to get out of the North Facing Island as quickly as possible.

Chen Mu was very clear that what they needed then most desperately was speed! Any bit of time would be extremely valuable by then, and directly related to their life and death!