Chapter Summaries

Chen Mu traveled to Amey City and found a way to earn money by repairing three-star cards. Meanwhile, Feng discovered that Ya Ya’s Silver Star Shuttlecraft handled far better than expected and learned that Yao Ke had repaired it.

• Chen Mu rode the long-shuttle train to Amey City, where passengers praised The Legend of the Mecha Master, a card film he had helped create.
• Feng used Ya Ya’s Silver Star Shuttlecraft to outmaneuver Wen Tianming, then learned from Ya Ya that Yao Ke had repaired the craft.
• Chen Mu visited a card repair shop on Amey City’s Card Street and selected fifteen three-star cards he believed he could repair.
• Chen Mu agreed to repair the cards for twenty thousand Odi each and signed a contract, giving him a potential weekly income of three hundred thousand Odi.

Chen Mu returned to Dongshang Guard City and studied three-star cards while preparing to take repair work from Feng. At the school’s card machinery hub, he inspected Huahua’s rare Loach Airflow Card and recognized its complex, adjustable airflow design.

• Chen Mu returned home and spent the weekend studying and preparing to repair three-star cards.
• Feng offered Chen Mu a million Odi to make a Shuttlecraft Airflow Card, and he agreed to hear her specifications.
• Feng and Ya Ya took Chen Mu to the school’s card machinery hub, where they met Huahua and discussed building Feng a cornering craft.
• Huahua brought out his collector’s Loach Airflow Card, and Chen Mu examined its seven independently adjustable streams of air.

Chen Mu studied and perfectly replicated the rare “Loach” Airflow Card in three days, impressing Sister Feng, Ya Ya, and Huahua with his skill. After Sister Feng paid him a million Odi, he returned to repairing cards, unaware that his achievement could make him famous at East Guard Academy.

• Chen Mu examined the “Loach” Airflow Card and identified its complex structures and three computational connection points.
• Chen Mu promised to replicate the card in three days and gave Sister Feng a materials list costing a hundred thousand Odi.
• Chen Mu completed an identical “Loach” Airflow Card despite his limited Perception.
• Huahua, Sister Feng, and Ya Ya tested Chen Mu’s card in a simulator and confirmed that it worked.
• Sister Feng paid Chen Mu a million Odi, and he returned to repairing cards without realizing the reputation his work might bring.

Chen Mu repaired more three-star cards and earned respect after Huahua revealed that he had made Sister Feng’s Loach Airflow Card. At the unveiling of Huahua’s new shuttlecraft, Fire Mayfly, Chen Mu noticed an unusual object in a nearby workshop.

• Chen Mu repaired twelve three-star cards, including an unusual defensive Illusion Card, and earned 240,000 Odi from the shopkeeper in Amey City.
• Mrs. Ning collected her restored card, a treasured memento of her father, and asked for the Card Crafter’s contact information.
• Sister Feng invited Chen Mu to see the shuttlecraft Huahua had built around the Loach Airflow Card.
• Huahua introduced Chen Mu as the expert who had made a Loach, silencing the workshop’s mockery and earning him the crowd’s admiration.
• Huahua unveiled the shuttlecraft Fire Mayfly, which delighted Sister Feng and excited the gathered enthusiasts.
• Chen Mu left the crowd and spotted an inconspicuous object among the scattered items in a nearby workshop.

Chen Mu learned Wrench’s parallel structure and adapted it into the Parallel Card, which let him complete a safer training version of the Simple Water World. As his classmates admired the maker of the “Loach,” Chen Mu stayed cautious, refused to sell more Loach cards, and wondered when the missing Devil Woman would return.

• Chen Mu examined Wrench’s flying machine and traded an energy-shield Illusion Card for Wrench’s explanation of the parallel structure.
• Inspired by the structure, Chen Mu spent two weeks making the Parallel Card and completed a five-card version of “Arrowfish Training.”
• Chen Mu began practicing against Bubble Fish in his new training world and worried about the Devil Woman’s continued absence.
• Chen Mu returned to campus to find his classmates admired him for making the “Loach,” while most of the academy remained unaware of it.
• Chen Mu declined Mrs. Ning’s invitation and turned down requests to sell Loach cards, wary of drawing danger to himself.

Zuo Tingyi began taking on the Zuo Family’s affairs and asked Hong Tao to find a Fire Mayfly for Zuo Tang. Chen Mu continued underwater training, then learned Wrench had won a match with his Energy Shield Card and might owe him nearly eight million.

• Zuo Tang told Zuo Tingyi how much she liked Lin Feng’s Fire Mayfly, and Zuo Tingyi promised to get her one.
• Zuo Tianlin praised Zuo Tingyi’s progress and told him to begin taking over the family’s affairs; Zuo Tingyi learned he would have to leave school soon.
• Zuo Tingyi asked Hong Tao to find the maker of Lin Feng’s Fire Mayfly and buy one for Zuo Tang.
• Chen Mu struggled through underwater Bubblefish Training while the Devil Woman remained away.
• Feng and Ya Ya told Chen Mu that Wrench had won a match using Chen Mu’s Energy Shield Card and could owe him nearly eight million in prize money and bets.

Hong Tao sought a maker for the Loach Airflow Card so he could reproduce the Fire Mayfly for Zuo Tingyi, but Man Siying failed to craft it and asked to meet the original maker. Meanwhile, Chen Mu rejected Wrench's offer of eight million and continued training, planning to leave Dongshang Guard City once his perception surpassed five meters.

• Hong Tao borrowed Huahua's Loach Airflow Card after learning that Lin Feng's classmate had made the card used in the Fire Mayfly.
• Hong Tao asked Man Siying to reproduce the Loach card, and she agreed while criticizing the Zuo Family's treatment of Chen Mu.
• Wrench offered Chen Mu eight million from his winnings, but Chen Mu refused the money and turned down Wrench's attempt to befriend him.
• Man Siying failed to reproduce the unusual Loach card and asked Hong Tao to take her to meet its maker.
• Chen Mu's perception recovered to 4.9 meters as he trained and resolved to leave Dongshang Guard City after breaking through five meters.

Chen Mu, posing as Yao Ke, agreed to make Hong Tao a Loach Airflow Card and was forced to advise Man Siying, drawing attention to his disguise. As they left, Man Siying recognized him as Chen Mu and warned him to flee the Zuo Family.

• Hong Tao asked Yao Ke to make him a Loach Airflow Card, and Chen Mu agreed to avoid provoking an investigation.
• Man Siying said she also wanted guidance on the Loach, and Feng Zi'ang ordered Chen Mu to exchange ideas with her.
• Chen Mu left with Man Siying, while the classroom buzzed about their encounter and he resolved to escape soon.
• Man Siying recognized Chen Mu by his back and revealed that he had protected her at the academy during a Card Film screening.
• Chen Mu asked how she had identified him, and Man Siying explained that seeing his back confirmed her suspicion.

Hong Tao’s report about a Loach Airflow Card led Zuo Tingyi to identify its maker as Chen Mu, who had already fled Dongshang Guard City for Amey City. Zuo Tingyi learned Chen Mu’s destination but hesitated to pursue him into the Ning Family’s territory.

• Hong Tao told Zuo Tingyi that a new Sponsored Class student had made the Loach Airflow Card, and Zuo Tingyi hurried to examine it.
• Man Siying urged Chen Mu to leave Dongshang Guard City, and Chen Mu returned to his villa to prepare to flee.
• After studying the card, Zuo Tingyi recognized its structure from Encounter and concluded that its maker was Chen Mu.
• Chen Mu boarded a long Shuttlecraft bound for Amey City before Zuo Tingyi’s men could find him at his villa.
• Zuo Tingyi learned that Chen Mu had left for Amey City, but hesitated to send people into the Ning Family’s territory.

Chen Mu discovered the Devil Woman’s Green Line wriggling beneath his skin during the train ride to Amey City, then endured a sudden wave of unbearable pain. After a kind passenger helped him recover, he recognized her as Mrs. Ning, whose card he had repaired, and arrived in Amey City still intending to leave as quickly as possible.

• Chen Mu spotted the Green Line moving beneath his skin and feared what it might do to his body.
• The Green Line triggered intense pain that left Chen Mu curled up and unable to respond.
• Mrs. Ning comforted Chen Mu until the pain passed, and he thanked her while concealing the cause of his illness.
• Chen Mu recognized Mrs. Ning’s keepsake as the Three-Star Illusion Card he had repaired and revealed that he was its card maker.
• Mrs. Ning invited Chen Mu to her home, but he declined because he planned to leave Amey City quickly.
• The Shuttlecraft train arrived at Amey City's underground station.

Chen Mu escaped an ambush by seven Zuo Family Card Adepts at the station, using a sudden killing and the panicked crowd to defeat them. He left Amey City’s station alive, reflecting that choosing brute force over his Tail-Shedding Shuttle had saved him.

• Chen Mu spotted seven suspicious figures guarding the station exits and sent Mrs. Ning away before slipping into the crowd.
• Chen Mu killed a Card Adept at the Second Passage with the Tail-Shedding Shuttle, triggering panic across the platform.
• Chen Mu struck the group’s leader with a full-force collision, causing the man’s Wrist Device to explode and kill nearby passengers.
• The explosion drove the crowd into greater chaos, allowing Chen Mu and the five surviving Card Adepts to be swept toward the exits.
• Chen Mu escaped the station and realized his physical attack had been faster and safer than using the Tail-Shedding Shuttle against the leader.

After Chen Mu was captured by Ning Dong’s group in Amey City, Mrs. Ning recognized him and pleaded that he be treated leniently. The Ning Family imprisoned him for a week, then offered to release him after he repaired two hundred cards.

• Chen Mu was surrounded after leaving the station, accused of causing the disaster, and taken to the Ning Family estate.
• Ning Dong brought Chen Mu before his father and aunt, Mrs. Ning, who recognized him as the person who had repaired her father’s Myriad-Change Shield Card.
• After hearing Ning Dong recount the incident, Mrs. Ning asked the family not to be too hard on Chen Mu and left disappointed.
• Chen Mu spent a week imprisoned, reflecting on the deaths connected to him and practicing the Body-Strengthening Exercise.
• Ning Dong offered to release Chen Mu if he repaired two hundred cards and returned all of Chen Mu’s belongings.

Chen Mu was taken to the Ning Family’s card-crafting facility in Amey City and assigned two hundred unpaid card repairs before he could leave. After learning how the facility worked, he resolved to become stronger and use its resources to advance.

• Chen Mu checked that his belongings, especially the Mysterious Card, were safe, then examined the stone cell as Ning Dong explained how Ning Family disciples cut its walls with Wave Blades.
• Ning Dong took Chen Mu by Shuttlecraft through Amey City to a building where Ning Peng was waiting, then left Chen Mu in his care.
• Ning Peng warned Chen Mu not to probe others with Perception, showed him his well-equipped room, and explained that he had to repair two hundred cards before regaining his freedom.
• Chen Mu read the facility’s rules and learned that it operated on Contribution Points, while his required two hundred repairs would earn him nothing.
• Chen Mu accepted that his weakness had cost him his freedom and resolved to grow stronger by making use of the facility.

Chen Mu concealed the Mysterious Card and visited the Commission Hall, where he learned he could accept any commission but would lose contribution points if he failed. He took a commission to repair a Myriad-Change Shield Card and left with free materials, still facing the challenge of earning enough points to improve his skills and gain freedom.

• Chen Mu disguised the Mysterious Card as an ordinary Three-Star Energy Card and set aside his worries about the vanished Green Line.
• At the Commission Hall, Li Li explained that Chen Mu could not take professional rank assessments and would lose half a commission's reward in contribution points if he failed.
• Chen Mu found that repairing ten Three-Star Illusion Cards paid only five contribution points, then chose a seven-point commission to repair a Myriad-Change Shield Card he had repaired before.
• Li Li told Chen Mu about free materials, the libraries, and weekly Card Crafter gatherings, and he thanked her.
• Chen Mu visited the Self-Service Materials Supermarket and left with a large bag of free materials after rejecting the costly supplies.

Chen Mu spent his third month strengthening his card-crafting skills and studying his perception, which had kept him from making four-star cards. While crafting, he discovered that speeding up his spindle-shaped perception vortex produced more perception threads, and he decided to investigate the ability cautiously.

• Chen Mu identified perception and gaps in his card-crafting knowledge as the main obstacles to his progress.
• Chen Mu used the Self-Service Materials Supermarket and library while crafting cards daily, training his body, and improving at Arrowfish Training.
• Chen Mu continued practicing three-star cards and found that Planning Card theory helped him understand their structures and variations.
• Chen Mu noticed that his perception threads were snapping as he crafted and experimented with making his spindle-shaped perception vortex spin faster.
• Chen Mu found that the faster vortex produced more threads, easing the resistance beneath his pen, and stopped to plan a careful exploration of his perception.

Chen Mu discovered that slowing his Perception vortex let his filaments extend to 6.2 meters, meeting the Mysterious Card’s five-meter requirement. He declined to advance while the Arrowfish Challenge remained incomplete, trained until his success rate reached seventy-five percent, and was interrupted by a knock just as he prepared to try the challenge.

• Chen Mu slowed his Perception vortex and discovered that fewer filaments could extend farther, reaching a maximum of 6.2 meters.
• Chen Mu entered the Simple Water World, exceeded the five-meter requirement, and chose not to enter the next round while the Arrowfish Challenge remained incomplete.
• Chen Mu focused on Arrowfish Training and found that controlling his Perception helped him sense changes in the currents.
• Chen Mu trained for fifteen days until his Arrowfish Challenge success rate reached seventy-five percent.
• Chen Mu rested and prepared to attempt the Arrowfish Challenge, but a knock sounded at his door before he could take out the Mysterious Card.

Ning Yan delivered Chen Mu a stack of cards to repair and revealed that the Zuo and Ning Families were fighting over him amid a wider struggle in Dongshang Guard City. Chen Mu passed the Arrowfish Challenge and received a lesson on using perception in close combat, leaving him eager to face the Mysterious Card’s next round.

• Ning Yan introduced herself as Chen Mu’s liaison, gave him repair work, and said the Zuo Family’s demand for his return had sparked a conflict with the Ning Family.
• Chen Mu concluded that the escalating fighting would draw attention away from him and set the news aside to focus on his training.
• Chen Mu entered the Simple Water World and evaded the charging Arrowfish with precise movements and heightened perception.
• The aged voice announced that Chen Mu had passed the Arrowfish Challenge, and the Triangle Arrowfish vanished.
• Chen Mu studied and memorized the Mysterious Card’s guidance on using perception in close combat.

Chen Mu tested his perception sensitivity, unlocked elementary-level training, and found that he could not yet access any of the Mysterious Card’s five knowledge cards. He turned to the library to study four-star cards while keeping up his training and selling a new shuttle card.

• Chen Mu scored 35 on the perception sensitivity test and discovered that the five floating cards required higher sensitivity or other unmet requirements.
• The Mysterious Card pulled Chen Mu into elementary-level perception sensitivity training, where he had to count darting energy bodies using perception.
• Chen Mu reflected that the Mysterious Card offered no four-star card techniques, then repaired two three-star cards from Ning Yan’s stack.
• Chen Mu went to the library to study four-star cards and made the Rain Shuttle Card, which could fire five energy shuttles per second in theory.
• Chen Mu left the Rain Shuttle Card with Li Li to sell for thirty contribution points and continued his packed daily training schedule.

Agulidiqi discovered the Rain Shuttle Card, a low-priced Three-Star Illusion Card with an exceptional firing rate, and bought it before selling it to Ash for a substantial profit. Ash confirmed the card’s performance, while Agulidiqi was left wondering how to find its creator.

• Agulidiqi spotted the Rain Shuttle Card in the catalog and rushed to the consignment shop to buy it for thirty contribution points.
• Agulidiqi tested the card and found that he could fire more than three shuttles per second on his first try.
• Agulidiqi contacted Ash, a High-Level Card Adept who specialized in Shuttle-Type Cards, and invited him to test the card.
• At Training Ground 09, Ash fired the Rain Shuttle Card at the target and praised its firing rate despite its limited power.
• Ash bought the card from Agulidiqi for one hundred and fifty contribution points, and Agulidiqi began thinking about finding its creator.

The Ning and Zuo Families’ conflict escalated into a costly stalemate, while Chen Mu continued training and repairing cards. After learning that a commission offered generous rewards for crafting three-star energy cards, Chen Mu decided to take it.

• The Ning and Zuo Families’ forces fought fierce battles between Dongshang Guard City and Amey City, drawing attention from major powers across the Federation.
• Ning Peng returned from the front to hire affiliated card adepts and arrange supplies of high-grade energy cards after the Ning Family suffered heavy losses.
• Chen Mu struggled with perception sensitivity training and remained unable to repair the grade-four cards Ning Yan had given him.
• Chen Mu visited Li Li to find a commission, and she explained the high contribution-point rewards for producing three-star energy cards.
• Chen Mu accepted the opportunity, confident that energy cards were his specialty.