Choosing Cards

Just as everyone was sighing, a teacher suddenly pointed at a corner of the screen, her voice bright with surprise. "Quick, look at Ye Qingxue!"

The display switched to Ye Qingxue's instance.

In a world of ice and snow, her territory had already been completed.

Icy blue light filled the entire screen. Icebergs reflected the cold light like mirrors, and every corridor in the ice crystal maze radiated a bone-piercing chill.

At the very center of the frozen world, the Snow Queen's core card had been placed securely on an ice platform in the middle of a frozen lake. Cold air spread in all directions like ripples.

"Combat power index... over seventeen thousand!" The female teacher's voice trembled.

"3S-rank cards really are terrifying." The bespectacled teacher drew a deep breath. "Combined with her 3S-rank territory, her actual combat power is probably even higher than that."

"With this, Ye Qingxue is guaranteed a spot at Qingbei this year." The senior teacher nodded, his face full of satisfaction.

"And she's only used 70 soul power here."

The female teacher added, "She still has plenty left for further enhancement. With 70 soul power, she can fit at least one more B-rank creature card.

"But a B-rank creature card wouldn't do much for her. More trap cards would be more effective. At this rate, I'd estimate her actual combat power could approach twenty thousand."

"Twenty thousand..." Someone drew a sharp breath.

To have an instance with nearly twenty thousand combat power on the first day after awakening was an achievement that ranked among the best in Rongcheng No. 1 High School's history.

As everyone discussed it, the female teacher's phone suddenly chimed.

She glanced down, then looked up at Zhao Jianguo. "Principal Zhao, Ye Qingxue has applied for cards from the school's inventory."

Zhao Jianguo nodded, his expression relaxing somewhat. "Open the storeroom and let her choose. She awakened at 3S rank, and she took third place in the city competition representing the school before, so she was already eligible. Raise her access by one level and let her pick one extra card. If Ye Qingxue gets better results on the college entrance exam, it'll definitely be good for our school."

"Understood." The female teacher stood up to leave.

"Wait." Another teacher glanced at his phone. "Su Mu applied for a card too. He's already waiting at the academic affairs office."

Zhao Jianguo paused.

A moment later, he nodded. "Right. He took first place in the city competition last semester. The school did promise to reward him with a creature card no higher than E rank. Let him choose one."

His tone was calm, but he gave no extra instructions like he had for Ye Qingxue.

The female teacher nodded and hurried out of the principal's office.

After the door closed, the office fell quiet again.

Someone sighed softly.

An E-rank creature card was just icing on the cake for other students.

But for Su Mu, it was probably everything he had to turn his fortunes around.

And for a special-themed instance with a stone as its core card, what could an E-rank creature card possibly change?

When Su Mu arrived at the academic affairs office, someone was already inside.

Ye Qingxue stood straight-backed in front of the desk, facing away from the door.

Teacher Chen from the academic affairs office was speaking to her with a broad smile, his manner so warm that he seemed like a different person.

"Ye Qingxue, you can be much bolder with your setup. The school has a special channel for its SSS-rank awakener development program. Never mind C-rank cards-even B-rank or A-rank cards can be requested through me, as long as you have sufficient reason."

"Thank you, teacher." Ye Qingxue's voice was as cool as ever, neither warm nor cold.

But the smile on Teacher Chen's face did not diminish in the slightest.

Su Mu stood at the door for a moment, then raised his hand and knocked.

Hearing him, Ye Qingxue turned and looked at Su Mu, but only for an instant before turning away again. She looked at him as though he were a stranger.

Su Mu was slightly taken aback.

Back on the field, she had been proud, but at least she had spoken to him. Now that they were at the academic affairs office, it was as if she no longer knew him.

Still, Su Mu did not pay it much mind.

Ye Qingxue's temper had always been unpredictable.

He walked in and nodded to Teacher Chen. "Teacher Chen, I'm here to choose a card."

The smile on Teacher Chen's face instantly faded somewhat, though he maintained a basic level of professionalism.

He turned, took a tablet from a drawer, unlocked it, and handed it over. "This is the list of E-rank and F-rank cards in the school's inventory. Choose from these. There are brief descriptions on it. Tell me when you've made your choice."

"Thank you, teacher."

Su Mu took the tablet and sat down by the wall.

Ye Qingxue stood beside the desk, browsing through a tablet of her own. Five or six paces separated them, and neither paid the other any attention.

Su Mu looked down at the screen.

The list interface was simple, with three tabs at the top: creature cards, material cards, and trap cards.

There were far more than three categories of cards normally. Scene cards, elemental cards, terrain cards, rule cards... those were all part of the complete system.

But Rongcheng No. 1 High School was a high school, after all, and its inventory for students was limited. Three categories were already pretty good.

Su Mu tapped directly on creature cards.

The page changed, displaying information on dozens of cards in neat rows. They had already been sorted, with E-rank cards above and F-rank cards below.

Goblin warrior, F rank, humanoid creature, health 420, attack 35, defense 15, speed 40, skill: crude weapon mastery. Note: common drop from goblin nests in Rongcheng's eastern suburbs. A social creature with a high reproductive rate.

Goblin archer, F rank, humanoid creature, health 380, attack 40, defense 10, speed 45, skill: shortbow shooting. Note: ...

Gray-furred wolf, F rank, beast, health 350, attack 42, defense 12, speed 58, skill: pack bite. Note: common drop from wolf dens in Rongcheng's northern suburbs.

Rock-armored rhinoceros, F rank, beast, health 1000, attack 30, defense 45, speed 20, skill: petrified skin. Note: common drop from rock-armored rhinoceros nests in the western suburbs.

Skeleton soldier, E rank, undead, health 600, attack 50, defense 20, speed 35, skill: bone blade slash. Note: requires an undead theme or dark-attribute terrain for support; otherwise, its stats are halved.

Slime, E rank, soft-bodied creature, health 500, attack 15, defense 10, speed 15, skill: division. Note: highly adaptable, but its survival rate decreases in dry terrain.

...

Green-faced ape, E rank, primate, health 800, attack 45, defense 25, speed 60, skills: rock climbing, basic stick technique. Note: lives in groups, capable of learning, and well adapted to mountainous and forested terrain. Has a chance of mutating in terrain rich in spiritual elements.

...