Chapter 68: The Softest Inquiry

One year later.

The Cardless World finally broke free from the Federation’s virtual network and set foot in reality. The wasteland that had been sold to a mysterious faction was rebuilt over the course of a year, and today, at last, a grand plaque was unveiled, marking the official founding of the House of Cards.

Naturally, the inauguration attracted congratulations from all the great powers. The Card Maker Guild, the Card Warrior Guild, the Mechanic Guild, the Wanderers’ Alliance, and the leaders of the major families all attended the event, giving ample respect. Even Sasaki, the head of the Sato family—who had opposed the project from the start—came. Of course, the other representatives suspected that Sasaki had come to make trouble. Despite the satisfaction he felt, Sasaki had, in fact, come precisely to disrupt the ceremony.

Zang Long, the public face of the House of Cards, immediately became alert upon seeing Sasaki. Though on the network Sasaki was his superior, here he dared not reveal the slightest clue. Handling the guests from each faction with ease, Zang Long noticed Sasaki’s cold expression, but he was inwardly pleased. He had to admit, Zang Long was a talent. No wonder the boss had chosen him to launch the House of Cards’ first appearance in the Federation’s reality.

After greeting all parties, Zang Long turned as if only now seeing Sasaki, greeting him with a broad smile. “Ah, the House of Cards welcomes the master of the Sato family. Your presence truly brings us much honor.”

Sasaki snorted coldly. “I came to see what this so-called best House of Cards in the Federation can offer. To boast so shamelessly—do you really think the Federation’s card makers and their powers are nothing but decorations?”

At these words, the faces of several major representatives changed slightly. How deep was the grudge between the Sato family and the House of Cards? Sasaki was determined to embarrass them. While they, too, found the House of Cards’ boasts a bit much, if the organization could mass-produce those miraculous cards, perhaps it really could dominate the Federation. The big names exchanged glances, curious how Zang Long would respond.

“Master Sato, why do your words drip with such sourness?” Zang Long replied with a hint of sarcasm, then slapped his forehead in feigned realization. “Oh, I remember now. Everyone received a gift of invitation except the Sato family. I was so busy I must have forgotten. Let’s make it up to you. My card makers just finished a new set—a complete set of twelve cards, freshly made, and not yet ranked for star level. I’ll have them brought out as a token of apology. Would that suffice?”

The implication was clear to all: the House of Cards was mocking the Sato family for having nothing but energy cards to show.

Sasaki’s expression darkened further, a sneer on his lips. “Who knows what kind of rubbish these cards are? You mean to apologize with them? Are they even worthy, Master Zang Long?”

Indeed, were they worthy? The Sato family could casually toss out a seven-star energy card; surely, the House of Cards must have at least a Hall-level card maker behind them. Ordinary cards would not impress Sasaki in the slightest.

The exchange was sharp, each word barbed, making the other leaders feel a twinge of sympathy for their teeth.

Zang Long, as if expecting this, replied, “I’ve long heard Master Sato is broad-minded and discerning. While we can’t mass-produce advanced energy cards, these cards won’t offend your eyes. Your words just now remind me—since everyone’s here, why not let everyone witness the truth of our cards?”

With that, he clapped his hands. A stunning beauty, clad in a high-slit cheongsam that revealed creamy white legs, appeared, carrying the cards with a captivating smile. Yet, upon closer inspection, it was clear she was no mere hostess but a Hall-level Card Warrior. To have such a figure act as a ceremonial attendant was a grand gesture indeed. In fact, every server gliding through the hall was a six-star Card Warrior, a testament to the House’s extraordinary power.

Then, twelve more Hall-level Card Warriors emerged from the back. The assembled dignitaries were left speechless. Since when had Hall-level Card Warriors become so commonplace? The shock did not end there. As each one displayed one of the twelve cards from the hostess’s tray, the great powers were stunned into silence. Only now did they realize they had vastly underestimated the House of Cards. How much more power was still hidden? It was clear this entire display was meant to awe and intimidate them.

Seeing that his purpose was accomplished, Sasaki turned away in apparent fury, leaving as though he had been utterly humiliated. In the eyes of the crowd, it made sense: he had come to disrupt, but instead lost face. Anyone would be angry. That’s what everyone thought, failing to notice the smile that flickered in Sasaki’s eyes as he turned. Zang Long had done splendidly today; his sacrifice of face was well worth it.

Now, all those great powers in Texas would be three parts wary, seven parts eager to ingratiate themselves. Even after seeing those twelve cards countless times, Sasaki was still awed—they would overturn the Federation’s card-making world, of that he had no doubt.

Longyin transplanted the Cardless World from the Federation’s network into the real world at age nine. It was a year of great significance. After over a year of preparation, at last, he had true strength—his own strength—no longer so fragile and easily bullied, no longer at the mercy of every great power’s whim.

The Ji family had fallen, the Crown Prince fled, but Longyin knew he had only solved some immediate problems; bigger challenges lay ahead, and more awaited him. He was even busier than before.

So the days went by, busy and bustling, and in the blink of an eye, Longyin grew from nine to twenty. Yes, twenty. After moving the Cardless World into the real Federation, he stayed in Dexin for thirteen full years. Over the next three years, he focused on breaking through card maker ranks. At seventeen, when he should have been reporting to the Federal Comprehensive Card Academy, he touched the bottleneck of Hall-level card making—a breakthrough that unexpectedly took three years.

No one truly knew all that Longyin accomplished in those thirteen years, not even Yuan Shaolin or Little Hammer, who were always by his side. When Longyin stood before them as a Hall-level card maker, he seemed unfathomable, forever beyond understanding.

The past decade in Texas was far from peaceful. That mysterious power kept trying to infiltrate, forcing Longyin into dire straits several times, but with the backing of another force, he managed to hold Texas. At the same time, he accomplished bold feats—deliberately restricting the outflow of card-making materials to pressure the great powers into supporting his candidate for mayor, acquiring 56% of all material production sites, and, through his control of the Sato family and the House of Cards, securing the remainder. While the great families thought they were balancing power between Sato and the House, Texas had already fallen into Longyin’s hands.

At fifteen, Longyin fully convinced the Texas Card Maker Guild’s president to join his cause. Even if the president had hesitated, after witnessing the new card-making system—and especially his own grandson Dodge’s accomplishments—he realized he was already on board, whether he liked it or not.

Once the Card Maker Guild was secured, the Card Warrior Guild proved even easier to win over. As long as he provided them with impressive cards, they cared little whose orders they followed. After all, a Card Warrior’s greatest regret was not finding a card to their liking. When they discovered a group that could craft cards tailored to their strengths, with mysterious and formidable abilities, why would they refuse?

With two major factions settled, Longyin turned to the Wanderers’ Alliance—a more loosely organized but still formidable power. Winning them over was unexpectedly difficult; they were more loyal to their founder than he’d imagined. But when Longyin met the Alliance’s founder, he was shocked to discover it was his great-great-grandfather, Long Xi. After that, Longyin was granted authority second only to Long Xi himself. Through their interactions, Longyin realized that every member of the Long family was a little unhinged, and by comparison, he himself seemed perfectly normal.

With the Card Maker Guild, the Card Warrior Guild, and the Wanderers’ Alliance under his control, only the Mechanic Guild remained. He had thought it would be easy, but met with stubborn resistance, and learned a valuable lesson: not everyone could be brought to heel. So, with cold resolve, he expelled the Mechanic Guild from Texas. He hadn’t expected to meet An Qingming—a gentle youth who, in exchange for the safe departure of the guild, offered three conditions. Longyin accepted. To others, this seemed unthinkable, but he alone knew the value of those three terms. An Qingming possessed immense potential; even knowing he was part of an anti-card faction, Longyin had no desire to kill him.

When An Qingming left, Longyin handed him a silver card and a unique contact card, smiling as he said, “Those buns were delicious back then.” An Qingming was stunned for a long time, then looked deeply at Longyin, hidden under his black cloak, before leading his people away. Yuan Shaolin, Little Hammer, and even Uncle once asked why he let An go, but Longyin only smiled and never answered.

Over these years, the House of Cards flourished across the Federation. To outsiders, it seemed the Sato family had developed a rivalry with the House, opening branches wherever the House did, fighting fiercely at every turn. The Federation’s powers looked on with amusement, unaware that these two seemingly opposed forces were in fact one family, and that Texas, appearing so balanced, was held securely in the palm of a twenty-year-old youth.

The House of Cards drew widespread attention in the Federation. Their cards incited fierce competition, and their innovative card-making system drew the particular focus of the Federal Bureau and the Federation Card Maker Guild. Yet when Longyin deliberately aligned the House of Cards with the new power, all those watching were left helpless.

It was a masterstroke, plunging himself deep into enemy ranks—a move that even Long Xi, who had lived for centuries, could only gape at in astonishment.

In an old, weathered house—

Every year, Longyin watched Yuan Shaolin stand beneath the old tree, its boughs heavy with pink blossoms, lost in thought on his birthday. Sometimes he would stand beside him all day, sometimes sleep on a makeshift board nearby, sometimes craft cards at his side. Every year was different, but every year Longyin stayed with Yuan Shaolin. This year was no exception, especially as tomorrow, Longyin would leave Texas for the Federal Comprehensive Card Academy—making today all the more significant.

“Your Highness,” called the boy, his voice clear as running water.

Yuan Shaolin slowly turned to look at the youth, now tall enough that his head reached his own.

Longyin raised the wine in his hand and shook it. “Tonight, let’s not stop until we’re drunk.”

Yuan Shaolin gazed into those star-bright eyes, and nodded slowly. Over the years, he had grown used to such requests.

With deft, slender fingers, Longyin popped the cap off the bottle and handed it over. Yuan Shaolin took it without a word. They sat casually on the grass, leaning against the gnarled trunk of the old tree. Yuan Shaolin bent one knee, staring at the pink petals overhead, while Longyin sat cross-legged, playing with fallen petals in one hand, gripping the bottle in the other, taking a swig now and then. When the wind stirred, petals rained down in a shower of blossoms, settling on their shoulders and softening the sharpness of their presence. Two handsome men, drinking beneath a tree as flowers drifted down—a scene so beautiful it seemed unreal, dreamlike.

For the first time in twenty years, Longyin drank with such abandon—carefree and uninhibited, relaxed and content—in a way he had never experienced before. Bottle after bottle disappeared, until at last Longyin removed his mask, revealing a face of ethereal beauty. Even Yuan Shaolin, whose heart belonged elsewhere, found his breath catch at the sight. Seeing the lotus mark on Longyin’s brow, Yuan Shaolin quietly replaced the mask, and Longyin, blinking, finally gave in to Yuan Shaolin’s warning look and left the mask on. He hiccuped, then shook his head at Yuan Shaolin. “Your Highness, who could believe that someone like you once cried your eyes out… ha ha ha…”

“And I still remember how stubbornly you insisted you had no father… hic…” At this, Longyin hiccuped again, completely drunk and oblivious to Yuan Shaolin’s wide-eyed shock at these words.

“Your Highness, hic, if I hadn’t comforted you with a handkerchief back then, would you still have fallen for Dongfang Ning… hic…”

To Yuan Shaolin, these words struck like thunder on a clear day.