My exclusive card pool

Chapter 256 Cooperation with the Shining Foundation
Suddenly, darkness enveloped their vision, and everything in the magnificent palace blurred and faded away.

Wang Xi's consciousness rapidly sank.

Projection hosted

World: Fairy Tale

Exploration: 32.7%

"Legend Level: 65 (You saved Beth, the Red Queen of the Wonderland Chessboard Kingdom, and became the Archmage of Poker County. Your fame has spread, and many call you the 'Giant Slayer.')"

"Retirement Preview: As the chief archmage, you accompany and escort the Red Queen Beth to the capital of Barn to discuss important matters with the royal family."

"At the Royal Palace of Barn, you met Prince Anto again, who was delighted by your arrival."

"Anto introduced you to his sister, Princess Lucy, and even gave you a tour of the palace."

"During this process, you encounter King George, Queen Mirror, Prince Snow White, and the White Queen's entourage. The atmosphere becomes quite tense due to the feud between the two sisters, the Red and White Queens."

"At this moment, Prince Snow White suddenly challenged you to a duel, citing the death of the Wind Giant..."

You can't refuse.

"Unfortunately, Shirayuki, who is known as the number one knight of the chessboard kingdom, is too powerful. Even if you used all your trump cards, you still lost miserably."

"In the end, you were beheaded in public."

"The courtiers gasped in surprise, and the White Queen and Prince Snow White laughed and looked down on you... The Red Queen Beth, amidst her shock and anger, showed a rare look of sadness."

"Your remains were eventually collected by Bluebeard and secretly fed to his dogs."

"Ok?"

Wang Xi opened his eyes from the recliner on the balcony, a strange expression on his face.

"I was killed in public by Snow White... the prince?"

Although the projection was lackluster, he himself was already a three-star gold-framed champion. If he couldn't win even after using all his trump cards, just how strong is Bai Xue?
Wang Xi pondered for a moment.

'It seems I need to boost my strength again before descending upon the fairytale world once more; at the very least, I can't die.'

Just as Red Queen Beth had predicted, the trip to the capital of Barn would not go smoothly.

The White Queen seduced the eldest prince, Snow White, ostensibly because he killed one of the Seven Giants, the Wind Giant, which provoked Snow White to take action. In reality, it was mostly a show of force against the Red Queen.

'Since things have come to this, let's draw the cards first.'

Wang Xi shook his head and gave the instruction in his mind.

"Consume 100 energy points (48660 remaining)"

In his mind, the purple orb of light obtained from killing the Wind Giant suddenly emitted a blinding light.

hum-

"Ha, hmph, I am the son of the mountains, I am the giant of wind! We follow the brave and fearless Snow Prince, crushing all enemies..."

"What was that cold yet scorching light? It hurts! How did I get airborne... Damn tin giants, damn humans, damn red-skirted false king's lackeys! I'm not reconciled!!"

The deep, resonant roar of the green-hatted giant echoed in Wang Xi's ears.

next second.

A purple card appeared out of thin air in front of him.

As he reached out and took it, Wang Xi raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Giant's Grip (Function Card)"

"Quality: Purple 1-star (Epic/Cannot be upgraded)"

"Originating from the Wind Giant, one of the Seven Giants, this is a natural ability of the Children of the Mountains, who are born with terrifying power... Legend has it that adult giants can even wrestle with dragons."

"Upon use, you will permanently possess this talent ability, gaining 'Giant Strength'. Your physique will be greatly enhanced, granting you immense strength. (This card will disappear completely after use.)"

"The power of giants!"

Wang Xi was a little surprised.

This is also a permanent function card, similar to "Dragon Scale Resistance" and "Petrifying Eye," which allows him to possess the innate abilities of a powerful creature despite his human body.

"Wow, amazing..." Wang Xi couldn't help but exclaim, a smile playing on his lips. "Now he truly has 'natural superhuman strength'."

He immediately activated the "Giant's Grip".

A flash of purple light appeared.

The wild card disappeared from his hand.

After the purple light adhered to the body surface and then quickly disappeared, a scalding torrent instantly exploded from within the body, rushing wildly along the limbs and bones.

He groaned, feeling excruciating pain all over his body.

The bones and muscles seemed to be infused with an invisible force, emitting subtle yet dense crackling sounds.

I feel like I've undergone a complete transformation.

Wang Xi even felt that he could shatter mountains and split rocks with the slightest gesture.

With a thought that flew through his mind, he activated his magic and used snow flames to condense a crystal-clear, blazing white ice brick in his palm.

This ice brick has been enhanced with various markings, making it far harder than alloys.

Wang Xi clenched his five fingers and grasped it tightly.

creak-

A piercing, teeth-grinding sound rang out.

At first, the ice brick remained motionless, with only a fine layer of white frost appearing on its surface. But when Wang Xi exerted his strength again, the muscles in his right arm bulged, and an overwhelming power erupted from his fingertips.

Click!

A crisp cracking sound rang out, and several cracks, centered on Wang Xi's five fingers, instantly pierced through the entire ice block.

"Again!" Wang Xi's eyes flashed with a sharp light. He took a deep breath and suddenly exerted his strength again.

Bang! !

A deafening explosion rang out.

The ice block, which was tougher than solid alloy, was crushed like inferior glass.

Countless tiny ice shards sprayed outwards, sweeping through the room with a powerful gust of wind. The curtains fluttered wildly, and scattered items on the table were blown to the floor.

Fortunately, Wang Xi raised his hand in time and used the "Fish and Dragon Dance in the Sleeve" technique to deflect the aftershocks; otherwise, the entire room would probably have been in complete chaos.

He opened his palm, and the remaining ice shards quickly burned into fire before dissipating.

Feeling the seemingly endless power within his body, almost bursting forth, Wang Xi revealed a look of joy.

'This level of physical strength is simply monstrous...'

Wang Xi even felt like he could mold tanks and armored vehicles like clay.

...

...

at the same time.

The living room on the first floor of Villa No. 27, where students reside.

Chu Yichen, Ji Xin, and Feng Lingyun, who had just finished dinner in the cafeteria, were lounging on the living room sofa chatting.

The conversation naturally revolved around the training course that was set to begin next week.

"How prepared are you?"

Feng Lingyun hugged a groundhog pillow, her tone slightly uneasy.

"Going to the 'Arena' is real, live combat, completely different from simulated battles."

"So, I asked my family for a few life-saving blue cards." Ji Xin shrugged. "Those are red-level natural disaster zones... Any student who can pass the first ten levels is a big shot in the outside world."

"To be fair, Kunwu Camp is quite generous, giving each person one free challenge opportunity per month, which is worth more than ten million."

Chu Yichen adjusted his glasses: "The first ten levels are the basic goal. I've heard that the rewards in the 'Arena' Disaster Zone are extremely generous, with an astonishingly high drop rate for Deep Blue Cards. The more levels you clear, the easier it is to get high-quality cards."

at this time.

Bang! !

A dull, resounding crash, like a giant hammer striking a wall, came from the second floor, followed by the sound of objects scattering.

The living room fell silent instantly.

The discussion stopped abruptly.

All three of them turned their gazes to the ceiling.

"What was that sound?" Feng Lingyun was taken aback at first, then, as if realizing something, he lowered his voice and asked, "Wang Xi's room..."

Chu Yichen and Ji Xin exchanged a glance, both seeing the surprise on each other's faces.

Chu Yichen shook his head: "I'm not sure, I guess they're practicing cards again."

"Our roommate, to put it nicely, is someone who is rarely seen, and to put it bluntly, he is a complete homebody."

Ji Xin sighed.

"Aside from attending classes, I'm basically glued to his room. I've been living here for almost a month, and I've only seen him a handful of times."

"Tsk." Feng Lingyun clicked his tongue. "A cultivation maniac! So hardworking, no wonder he's so strong."

...

...

A few more days passed.

Wang Xi attended classes in a routine manner.

That afternoon, he was sitting in the classroom for a theory class, listening to a teacher explain the case of the "pseudo-city" in the orange disaster area.

Buzz. My phone suddenly vibrated slightly in my pocket.

Wang Xi took it out and glanced at the screen without making a sound. The sender was Bai Qimeng.

The content is concise and clear.

"Handsome Wang, the goods you ordered have arrived in Longcheng. Please go to the Deep Blue Station on Lingxiao Avenue to pick them up when you have time."

Wang Xi was overjoyed.

The junk white cards that Bai Qimeng had ordered to purchase finally arrived. With this experience value, he could once again upgrade his deck.

Fingertips swipe across the terminal —

"Okay, I'll go get it today."

at dusk.

The last class is over.

Without delay, Wang Xi left Kunwu Camp and took a taxi in a hovercar to the bustling city center of Longcheng.

Skyscrapers stand side by side, and skywalks gleam with light. Following his phone's navigation, he quickly found "Deep Blue Station," located in a prime location on Lingxiao Avenue.

This is a store with a minimalist yet futuristic interior design, which also functions as an offline logistics hub and a high-end card trading center.

As Wang Xi stepped inside, his gaze swept over the sparse customers conducting business in the lobby. Just as he was about to ask the front desk, a familiar yet somewhat arrogant voice rang out from behind him.

"Hey, you're here, handsome Wang."

Wang Xi turned his head at the sound and was slightly taken aback.

The person who arrived was none other than Bai Qimeng.

However, compared to her previous appearance in Gucheng, she now exudes a dazzling urban sophistication.

Bai Qimeng wore a matte black turtleneck leather jacket, matching black tight leather pants, and shiny ankle boots.

Her hairstyle was changed from a wolf tail to long, flowing hair, with a few strands of cherry blossom pink highlights, making her particularly eye-catching under the overhead lights.

She even wore some makeup.

The silver-white eyeshadow made her almond-shaped eyes look lively and mischievous, and the large aviator sunglasses pushed up on her forehead added a touch of dashingness.

"What? Speechless because you're amazed by my new look?" Bai Qimeng approached with a grin, blinking her eyes behind her sunglasses.

Wang Xi suppressed her surprise, but her eyes held a hint of a smile: "It is indeed quite surprising, you've become even more beautiful."

"You know how to talk." Bai Qimeng's smile widened.

"By the way, why did you come here in person?"

Wang Xi asked again.

He thought Bai Qimeng would at most send a trusted confidant to hand over the reins.

"I got tired of Gucheng." Bai Qimeng shrugged and said casually. "The last time I came to Longcheng was... just stopped by for a visit."

As she spoke, she took out a man-made wild card.

"Here you go." Bai Qimeng handed over the card. "There are more than two thousand original white cards in there... but the price in Gucheng has recently gone up, and those unscrupulous merchants are refusing to pay less than 8000 credit points per card, so I had to use my connections within the conglomerate to get these."

"Thanks." Wang Xi took the card. "How many credits are in total?"

"Forget about the small change, I don't need that little bit of money. Just give me 1600 million."

Bai Qimeng waved her hand dismissively.

Wang Xi said "okay," and then immediately used his phone to transfer the money.

He still has more than 300 million yuan left in his personal account.

"Finally, it's all settled." Bai Qimeng accepted the payment, smiling brightly. "Also, I brought you that 'Phantom White Jade' you left in Gucheng; it's parked outside."

Wang Xi raised an eyebrow slightly.

Bai Qimeng pouted, looking aggrieved: "Hey, that was a gift I carefully selected for you, a supercar worth over ten million! You just left it to gather dust in Gucheng? What a waste!"

Wang Xi gave an awkward smile: "Well, I was too busy before and didn't have time to deal with it."

He thanked Bai Qimeng again.

He glanced at his phone screen and said, "It's still early, how about I buy you a coffee?"

"Okay." Bai Qimeng readily agreed. "I heard prices in Longcheng are high, so if you're treating, I'll pick an expensive place..."

Not long after.

The two then sat down in a coffee shop not far from the post station.

The shop is called "Quantum Extraction," which has a very stylish feel. A basic Arabica pour-over is priced at 128 credits, while slightly more expensive options are 256 and 648 credits.

Taking small sips of her rich coffee, Bai Qimeng toned down her earlier exuberance, leaned forward slightly, and lowered her voice:
"Handsome Wang, actually, besides delivering goods and taking a side trip, the more important reason I came here this time is to carry out a mission from the conglomerate."

Wang Xi had actually guessed as well. He put down his coffee cup and said calmly, "Yes, please go ahead."

“Ms. Qian repeatedly instructed me to have a proper talk with you,” Bai Qimeng said solemnly. “We are cooperating with you in the name of the Shining Consortium.”

"Cooperation?" Wang Xi raised an eyebrow.

"It's the investment I mentioned before."

Bai Qimeng leaned back in her chair, her fingertips lightly tapping the table, her posture more relaxed: "The Kunwu Camp is starting that really exciting training course next week, right? The target is the 'Arena' disaster zone?"

Wang Xi chuckled lightly: "Your conglomerate has excellent information network."

Bai Qimeng smiled noncommittally and continued:
"The conglomerate has high hopes for your potential. Therefore, the offer is quite generous: if you successfully pass the twentieth level of the arena during this trial, the Shining Conglomerate will reimburse your entrance fee to the 'Arena' once a month until you graduate! That is, the cost of 1000 million credits in magic stones."

She paused and then said:

"If you can pass the 30th level, your reimbursement limit will double! It will become 20 million credit points per month! In addition, you will also receive an extra... well, a Deep Blue Card from our consortium's inventory."

Level 20, Level 30...

Wang Xi looked thoughtful.

He had inquired about it from his senior, Zhao Leng'an.

Generally speaking, it's quite good if a high-ranking warrior can pass ten levels, and twenty levels is the "Grand Master" level.

As for the thirty levels, only seasoned "Taiko" like Mr. Gu could possibly pass them.

The fact that the Shining Consortium offered this condition shows that they have a very high expectation and investment in him.

Wang Xi picked up his coffee, took a small sip, and asked casually, "Then... what if I pass all forty levels?"

"Ok?"

Bai Qimeng almost choked.

She put down her cup, her beautiful eyes wide with surprise:
"Level 40... Handsome Wang, aren't you getting a little too cocky?"

She looked Wang Xi up and down, as if she wanted to get to know him again.

Wang Xi met her gaze and smiled: "Just asking out of curiosity, it won't hurt you... What if, I mean, what if I actually make it through?"

Bai Qimeng's surprise gradually faded, replaced by a seriousness and thoughtfulness characteristic of a businesswoman.

She hesitated for a long time, then finally nodded:
"The consortium did prepare a contingency plan. To be honest, the board members didn't think a new Kunwu camp student could pass level 40 so quickly."

"Pass forty levels—" Bai Qimeng raised her eyes and looked at Wang Xi: "The consortium will reimburse you 5000 million credit points every month! At the same time, you are allowed to designate three Deep Blue Cards from the treasury!"

Fifty million...

As expected of a conglomerate, they've really gone all out.

Wang Xi smiled and asked again, "I understand. What about the fifty levels?"

"puff--"

Bai Qimeng was genuinely choked this time, but fortunately she managed to cover her mouth in time.

She wiped her mouth awkwardly with a handkerchief, staring at Wang Xi with a speechless look: "Fifty levels?! Brother, even in the entire Central Continent, you can count the number of 'Grandmasters' who can pass fifty levels on two hands..."

"Just tell me, what will be the reward?"

Wang Xi said with a smile.

Bai Qimeng took a deep breath: "One hundred million! Every month! Plus a purple card!"

"However... Purple cards are too precious and scarce. Even the headquarters of the conglomerate don't have many. They can't be assigned to any system at will. We need to wait for suitable resources to appear or acquire them from special channels. The time frame is uncertain."

Upon hearing this, Wang Xi seemed to be deep in thought.

He asked the crucial question: "What are the conditions? What do I need to give up?"

Bai Qimeng smiled and said, "It's very simple. Become a contracted spokesperson for the Shining Consortium! The contract will take effect from the moment we officially sign it and will last for three years after you graduate from Kunwu Camp."

"During this period, you will need to cooperate with the consortium in some necessary promotional activities that are within your budget. More importantly, during the contract period, when you need to deal with the resources you have acquired, the Shining Consortium has the right of first refusal and the right of agency, under the same conditions."

"You can rest assured that the price the consortium offers you will definitely not be lower than the market price."

She lowered her voice even further: "The conglomerate's top management originally proposed a five-year endorsement deal... I had to use all my persuasive skills and reason with my mom to convince her to reduce it to three years! Isn't that fair?"

Wang Xi listened quietly.

Three years...

This condition is not too demanding.

Although the Shining Foundation is a commercial organization, it has a huge foundation and influence in the post-disaster world, and can provide continuous resource support and platform endorsement.

For him, this can be considered a help.

The other party not only possesses keen intelligence but also offers progressively more attractive cooperation terms, demonstrating their sincerity. Moreover, with Bai Qimeng as a personal acquaintance, communication will be relatively smooth.

He looked up into Bai Qimeng's expectant eyes and finally revealed a bright smile.

"Okay. I agree to this cooperation."

(End of this chapter)