Chapter 22: Preparation

Lizhou. Binks Five-Star Hotel.

A small boy wearing a mask was resting his chin in his hands, watching a black bear devouring food.

“Mmm… This is delicious!” Little Chui nodded repeatedly, finding it troublesome to toss rice balls the size of his fist, so he simply lifted the whole plate and poured it into his mouth.

This was Lizhou, where card beasts often appeared. Although Little Chui was an eighth-tier Mountain-Pounding Bear, the seasoned staff were only slightly surprised.

Long Yin, seeing Little Chui so delighted, couldn’t help but curl his lips. His rosy lips arched beautifully, prompting the nearby attendants to steal glances, itching to remove his mask and glimpse his face.

A masked, pretty child and an eighth-tier Mountain-Pounding Bear—such a pair was rare even in Lizhou.

“Bring ten more plates of your special rice balls!” Long Yin lazily raised his hand, addressing the attendant.

His clear, melodious voice made the attendant’s eyes brighten, even more curious about the face beneath the mask.

Ten plates of rice balls were quickly served. Little Chui glared at the attendant who kept eyeing Long Yin, then began eating with gusto.

Long Yin offered an apologetic smile, his obsidian eyes alluring and pure. The attendant was momentarily stunned.

“Yin, I’m full!” Little Chui patted his belly and let out a huge burp.

“Then let’s go.” Long Yin swiped his silver card across the attendant’s device, waved to the utterly dazed attendant, and left with a grin.

Leaving Binks Hotel, Little Chui carried Long Yin down the street, disapprovingly saying, “Yin, you shouldn’t have smiled at him!”

Long Yin leaned against Little Chui’s neck, hands behind his head, legs crossed, and replied lazily, “It was just too boring!”

“Don’t do it again. What if we run into a villain?”

“Yes, yes, I won’t smile at strangers anymore.”

A bear paw produced a skewer of meatballs out of nowhere. Little Chui bit into both meatballs and fork, mumbling, “Strangers shouldn’t be smiled at, and neither should acquaintances. Yin, since we arrived, I’ve noticed everyone staring at you, desperate to tear off your mask. When you smile, they start drooling. It’s too dangerous. The way they look at you is like prey—terrifying!”

Long Yin sighed. As expected, this troublesome face was indeed a curse. Yet, seeing the reverent glances directed at Little Chui, Long Yin hugged the bear’s head and nuzzled affectionately. “Little Chui, you’re amazing! They’re all afraid of you!”

So praised, Little Chui nearly snorted a meatball through his nose. Huffing, he poked Long Yin’s shoulder with a bear claw. “Yin, the elders warned me to stay absolutely calm at all times. Please don’t say such crazy things to disturb me—thanks!”

Seeing Little Chui’s reddened ears, Long Yin suddenly burst into laughter, holding his belly. The clear laughter made Little Chui’s ears even redder. When Long Yin finally stopped, he patted Little Chui’s shoulder and said, “To Deman Mall!”

Little Chui pulled out a newly bought map and began searching for Deman Mall.

When the massive Mountain-Pounding Bear stood before Deman Mall, the greeter didn’t even blink, simply gesturing them inside. Little Chui scratched his head, puzzled at how humans here could face card beasts so calmly.

Long Yin smiled. “Because in this world, there are humans who can become Card Masters, and others who can craft summoning cards. Card Crafters, Card Masters, and card beasts form a cycle. With time, people grow accustomed and face it naturally.”

Little Chui nodded, half-understanding. In any case, he wouldn’t attract attention here.

“Those Card Masters are despicable!” Entering Deman Mall, Little Chui grumbled angrily, “Slaughtering card beasts, sealing and enslaving them—those people should pay!”

Long Yin was silent. The conflict between humans and card beasts could never be resolved by a few acts of kindness.

“I’m human too, you know. Card beasts are enslaved, and as a Card Crafter, I can’t shirk responsibility. I’ve made summoning cards before, and I won’t stop making them. Would you hate me for that, Little Chui?”

Little Chui was startled and looked sidelong at Long Yin. “Yin, how could you be human? You carry the aura of the Sacred Beast Elder.”

Long Yin surrendered instantly—he couldn’t truly call himself human. He lamented, “I make summoning cards, and I harm card beasts. What about that?”

Little Chui was even more surprised. “Yin, you feel guilty about it? Being harmed or enslaved by you is their honor!”

This logic was impenetrable. Long Yin realized that Little Chui would never hate him. He stomped any excess worry into the ground. In this life, Little Chui was the only one he could never hurt. They were affectionate, inseparable brothers.

“I want the latest flying device from the Deman family! To the highest tower!” Long Yin exclaimed excitedly.

Little Chui already knew what a flying device was. During his days traveling the forest, he’d begun to understand human customs. Except for some odd traditions, he was gradually adapting to human environments.

When the flying device took off, Little Chui in the pilot’s seat was ecstatic. Long Yin reclined in the back, watching Little Chui’s animated gestures, recalling that Deman the Magnate once said, “All males love flying devices.”

Deman the Magnate—a truly legendary figure. He lived two hundred years, elevating the Deman family to its peak, then vanished for another two centuries, flying his airship everywhere, his whereabouts unknown. A strange old man, living entirely on his own terms. Long Yin envied him.

The flying device journeyed for a day and night, arriving in Dezhou at dawn. Long Yin wished to visit his little cabin, but buried the thought deep. He left the flying device at the management office—ten gold coins a day, paid ten years upfront, unwilling to shortchange anyone.

In a week, school registration would begin. Because of Little Chui, Long Yin brought him to Dexin, and under many watchful eyes, secured the highest and most expensive single dorm at Dexin Academy, enrolling in the Card Crafting School's most flexible class. Attendance was only required for card reporting; lectures weren’t mandatory as long as exams were passed—everything was permitted. This class was famously free but also famously strict—fail the exams and one was forced to withdraw.

Long Yin signed his name without concern. Behind him, Little Chui played the loyal, honest bodyguard. Signing complete, the bear hoisted Long Yin onto his shoulder, swaggering away and leaving the staff dumbfounded.

“Which family does this student named Yin come from?” As soon as Long Yin left, an employee sidled up to the information officer.

“From Lizhou. Orphan. Seven years old. Mental strength: S-grade.” That was all the information. The officer looked incredulous, freely spending gold, protected by an eighth-tier card beast—could such a person be an orphan? Even if orphaned, perhaps raised by some powerful faction. Lizhou’s waters weren’t as deep as Dezhou’s, but still complex. Such new students were usually avoided by instructors.

“Why does the Academy allow masks? With his pink lips, perfect chin, clear voice, he must be an unimaginably beautiful child. When will this silly rule change?” grumbled a female staff member.

“You’re questioning the Crown Prince’s decision?” another female retorted coldly.

Hearing the title, the first woman’s face instantly paled. “I just wanted to see what the child looks like, absolutely no disrespect to the Crown Prince.”

Another observer quickly smoothed things over. “We’re discussing the child, not the Crown Prince. That’s above our pay grade. Let’s drop it—I don’t want to lose my job at Dexin.”

At that, the crowd dispersed. The Crown Prince was a topic they shunned.

Leaving Dexin, Long Yin headed to a street in Dezhou, determined to rent—or preferably buy—a shop. The mountain of energy cards in his storage space was accumulating uselessly; better to turn them into gold coins.

Within half a day, Long Yin found a shop for rent on the outskirts. It was small but well-furnished: automatic doors, fully automated checkout, curved display counters, exclusive access to the back for staff. There was also a warehouse with empty boxes on the shelves, and a workbench stained with medicinal residue, suggesting the previous tenant sold cards but moved out due to poor business or other reasons.

The owner was a disheveled, alcohol-loving middle-aged man, reeking of spirits and exuding apathy. Unlike other landlords who boasted tirelessly, this odd uncle sat silently, drinking.

Little Chui, however, was intrigued by the man, circling him as if he liked him.

“Uncle, what’s your annual rent for the shop?”

“One million crystal coins!” The man raised his eyelids and glanced at Long Yin.

“I’ll rent for ten years. Here’s ten million crystal coins, uncle—take it!” Long Yin handed him a card. “Can I take over the shop now?”

“Heh.” The man swiped the silver card at the checkout, raising his eyebrows. “Kid, there are two million crystal coins in here.”

“The remaining million is your salary! I only sell energy cards; uncle, just help fend off nosy inquiries!” Long Yin suddenly removed his mask and grinned.

Sasaki stared at the exquisite boy before him, his once-clouded eyes now sharp like a hawk. The shop door, at the moment Long Yin removed his mask, had been closed by Little Chui.

“You know who I am?” Sasaki fixed his gaze on Long Yin, but Little Chui respectfully lifted Long Yin onto his shoulder. “Senior, we mean no harm—just happened upon you!” Little Chui had sensed a familiar aura from him, and now confirmed he was also a card beast.

“Kid, you’re a royal Mountain-Pounding Bear, barely three years old. How did you end up as a human’s bodyguard?” The uncle stopped drinking and crossed his arms.

“Uncle, you ask too many questions!” Long Yin stopped Little Chui’s impatience. “Just answer—will you work for me?”

Sasaki looked at Long Yin’s face and found himself unable to refuse. After centuries in the human world, he never expected to willingly work for a child—it was unbelievable.

“Alright,” Sasaki heard h