There would be another installment at midnight tonight, with bonus highlights included~
Looking in surprise at the excited Chen Mu, Lei Zi teased, "It's rare to see you this eager. Tsk, tsk, have you been chasing girls?" But he immediately felt that suggestion was downright absurd. "A blockhead like you? I doubt any woman would fancy you."
Chen Mu paid no mind to Lei Zi's teasing. Women? He had never even considered them. He knew Lei Zi shared his attitude on that score. How could two penniless lads like them win any woman's favor?
Although Chen Mu wished he could sell the Card Films immediately, he did not go with Lei Zi to investigate the situation. Lei Zi could handle such matters on his own.
Sure enough, Lei Zi returned in less than half an hour. Before he even came through the door, his excited shouting rang out. "Blockhead, Blockhead! Get to work! Get to work! Ha, we're going to strike it rich again!"
The moment Lei Zi visited those little shops, the shopkeepers, already frantic from waiting, crowded around him.
Card Films-they needed Card Films! They waved their money, every last one of them shouting himself hoarse!
Making "Encounter" was already like driving a light carriage down a familiar road for Chen Mu. He deftly gathered a pile of materials and set to work on the spot.
This time, he worked with particular gusto. In his eyes, those unfinished Card Films were piles of raw materials that would soon be heaped before him. Heh, this stroke alone is worth a piece of starpoint stone. Add a few more strokes, hahaha, and that's a pinch of yellow insect bone powder...
Under the light, stars practically shone in Chen Mu's eyes as he fought valiantly against the unfinished Card Films before him. Behind him, Lei Zi drank Clear Cloud Flow and leisurely hummed a tune, looking every inch the overseer.
This order was enormous: a full hundred sets of Card Films, with a profit of seven hundred thousand. That worked out to three hundred and fifty thousand apiece.
Ah, what a happy life. Holding a bottle of Clear Cloud Flow, Lei Zi took a contented sip and glanced at Chen Mu, who was bent over the desk, his pen flying. He could not help marveling at how wonderful life was.
More than two hundred sets sold at a single school-those sales had far exceeded anyone's expectations. There certainly were plenty of rich people in this world. Still, he knew sales were already nearing their peak. Once these hundred sets were sold, he had decided to stop producing "Encounter."
As long as he kept "Encounter" scarce and in demand, his next Card Film would never lack buyers when it came out, provided its quality held up.
Looks like it's time to prepare the next Card Film, Lei Zi mused as he drank his Clear Cloud Flow.
Looking at the equipment and Card Film before him, both smoking yet again, Zuo Tingyi could only sigh. The "Encounter" Illusion Card he was using as a test subject was one he had just bought. The price of "Encounter" had now been driven up to twenty-five thousand per set. According to the shopkeepers, the maker had announced that this would be the final batch of "Encounter" Card Films. Spurred by that news, the price of "Encounter" immediately soared straight into the sky.
A hundred copies was a negligible number compared with the multitude of girls across East Guard Academy who were fanatical about "Encounter." By the time Zuo Tingyi bought this copy, its price had already reached thirty thousand Odi. To him, however, that was pocket change, hardly worth mentioning. Never mind thirty thousand-even at three hundred thousand, he would have bought it without hesitation. He had also picked up a set for his younger sister, to make amends for ruining hers last time.
With the timely arrival of these hundred sets of "Encounter," compounded by the earlier incident involving damaged school equipment, the school's cracking team had no choice but to disband with their tails between their legs. The affair also became one of East Guard Academy's biggest news stories of the year.
But Zuo Tingyi had not given up.
He refused to believe that a mere One-Star Illusion Card could stump him! Although the earlier equipment damage had left him in an embarrassing predicament, he clearly had no intention of stopping there. For someone capable of making Three-Star Illusion Cards to fail to crack even a single One-Star Illusion Card was an utter humiliation.
Had his opponent been a grandmaster, he could have accepted it. Yet the other party was completely unknown. Blockhead-he had never heard that rustic name before.
Zuo Tingyi's normally handsome face was so dark it looked as though water could be wrung from it.
Is this really a One-Star Illusion Card? He simply could not understand why such a tiny One-Star Illusion Card possessed so much destructive power. So far, eleven machines in his laboratory had been written off, with direct losses exceeding a hundred and fifty million Odi. These One-Star Illusion Cards were like a swarm of sensitive creatures fiercely hostile to outsiders. The moment they detected a threat, they would perish together with their opponent.
What an extraordinary Illusion Card!
This had gone completely beyond everything he had learned. Now that matters had reached this point, he felt it necessary to seek help. There were several exceptionally skilled card makers in his household. Surely they could unravel the mystery for him.
Pocketing the remaining One-Star Illusion Cards, Zuo Tingyi prepared to seek out Card Maker Meida. Although his card-making skills were not the finest, his knowledge was undoubtedly the most extensive in the household.
He had barely stepped out of the laboratory when the servant who had been waiting outside hurried over.
"Young master, the master asks that you come to his study."
Zuo Tingyi paused. The study? That was where his father received important guests, and Zuo Tingyi was rarely permitted inside. It seemed his father had something quite important to discuss with him this time.
Outside the study, Zuo Tingyi straightened his clothes slightly and took a deep breath before knocking three times.
"Come in." A deep voice came from within the study.
Pushing open the door, Zuo Tingyi entered.
"You're here." Zuo Tianlin's expression did not change, but the stern lines between his brows suddenly softened a little. Zuo Tianlin had a square face and a powerfully built frame. Even seated there, he was as solid as a small mountain, exuding an authority that needed no anger to make itself felt.
"Yes, Father." Zuo Tingyi stood respectfully with his head lowered. Although he had only caught a fleeting glimpse, he had still noticed the gray at his father's temples. For no reason he could name, his heart ached.
Sitting behind his desk, Zuo Tianlin studied his son. Only after a long while did he speak. "The exchange students from Star Academy have arrived at your school?"
"Yes. They've been here for two months," Zuo Tingyi answered truthfully. Though puzzled, he knew his father had more to say.
Zuo Tianlin seemed to be pondering something. After a few minutes, he raised his head and asked, "What do you make of this?"
Although Zuo Tingyi was still inexperienced, he was extremely intelligent. The way his father phrased the question caught his attention.
Zuo Tianlin fixed his son with an intense gaze.
Zuo Tingyi immediately understood that there was probably far more to this than met the eye. After some thought, he said, "Given Star Academy's standing and strength, it certainly is strange for them to hold any sort of exchange with our school." He abruptly raised his head, a hint of alarm appearing on his face. "Father, do you mean... they're after something? But... what does East Guard Academy have that's worth scheming for?"
(End of chapter)