The Mysterious Card Maker: Starting with Zhang Jiao's Deification

In the restaurant of San Gui B&B.

Su Wanqing and the others sat around the table, not chatting, only the sounds of bowls and chopsticks could be heard.

When Lin Fan and Da Niu pushed the door open and came in, the people at the table glanced at them, then moved aside to make room for the two of them.

"Sit down." Su Wanqing looked up at Lin Fan, scooped up a spoonful of egg drop soup, and brought it to her lips.

As soon as Lin Fan sat down, he asked, "Miss Su, when do we depart?"

Lin Fan wanted to finish quickly so he could use the remaining time to find Zhou Chen. If Zhou Chen had also joined the Myriad Spirits Society, that human-demon symbiotic organization...

Lin Fan dared not think any further, after all, the Wanling Club had its eyes on him, and if that were the case, how would he face Zhou Chen?

Su Wanqing put down the soup spoon, picked up a tissue to wipe her mouth, and instead of answering Lin Fan directly, she glanced at everyone before speaking.

"Everyone's here, so let me tell you about tomorrow's arrangements."

The others also put down their bowls and chopsticks, waiting for Su Wanqing's instructions.

"Xiao He, you guys follow the original plan and find the entrance to the secret realm first, then enter the secret realm early tomorrow morning," she continued.

"The missions in the secret realm will continue as usual. Don't slack off just because I'm not here. If there's an emergency, contact me immediately and I'll be back as soon as possible."

"Understood, Sister Su," the group replied in unison.

"Da Niu, you, Mr. Lin, and I will go to Puling tomorrow."

When Da Niu heard Su Wanqing mention him, he swallowed the food he hadn't had time to chew, coughed a few times, and then replied, "Okay, Miss Su."

A young team member sitting next to Su Wanqing looked up at the two of them and asked in a low voice, "Sister Su, haven't we been to Puling several times already? Are we going again?"

"You've already eaten, why don't you eat again? This time, when Mr. Lin goes there, he might find some things we haven't noticed before."

The young team member shrank back and didn't dare to say anything more.

Just then, the proprietress came out of the kitchen carrying a plate of sliced ​​fruit. Seeing the fruit plate in the center of the table and listening to their conversation, she couldn't help but ask.

"Are you going into the mountains tomorrow? Are there any treasures in the mountains? A lot of people have been going into the mountains these past few days." The proprietress rubbed her apron with her hands and looked at Su Wanqing with a face full of curiosity.

Su Wanqing picked up her water glass and took a sip, but didn't rush to reply.

When no one answered, the proprietress moved closer and lowered her voice even more:

"And what is this 'secret realm' you're talking about? I've lived here for over thirty years, and this is the first time I've ever heard of it."

The people at the table glanced at Su Wanqing, and seeing that she didn't seem inclined to speak, they ignored the proprietress and picked up their bowls and chopsticks again to continue eating.

The proprietress wasn't in a hurry to leave. She noticed the way the team members were looking at Su Wanqing, so she moved closer to Su Wanqing and said in a somewhat ingratiating tone.

"Little girl, tell me about it. So many people have already gone, it won't make a difference if my family of two goes too. If there's something to make money from, please take me with you."

Seeing that Su Wanqing remained unmoved, the proprietress moved closer and asked, "What's inside that secret realm? What kind of burial goods are there... no, no, I mean antiques or something?"

"There's nothing valuable in it," Su Wanqing said. "Most of it is...dangerous stuff. You might even be in mortal danger if you go!"

"What's there to be afraid of in danger? These days, what's scary is not having money. Besides, my husband is a truck driver, so he can protect your safety on the way there."

As she spoke, she turned around and called out towards the kitchen, "Honey, come out here for a moment."

The kitchen curtain was lifted, and a middle-aged man poked his head out, wearing a pink apron tied in front of him and holding a large iron ladle in his hand.

"What are you doing?"

"Come here," the landlady beckoned to him.

"Wait a minute!" The man went back into the kitchen, and when he came out, the iron spoon in his hand was gone.

He wiped his hands, his gaze lingered on Su Wanqing for a moment before quickly shifting away. He seemed somewhat reserved, unlike the landlady who was so outgoing.

"My husband is a card dealer." The proprietress patted the man on the shoulder, her tone tinged with pride.

"Although they're not as skilled as the card masters in the city, they're fine for dealing with ordinary filth. Come on, boss, show them what you've got."

The man looked somewhat embarrassed; his lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but the proprietress's glare silenced him. "Hurry up, don't dawdle!"

Urged on by the proprietress, the man took out his card. With a flash of green light, a hawk appeared in their eyes.

"My husband's Eagle Card can see everything happening around here. It can give timely warnings when something strange is about to attack, and it's also excellent at tracking. If you take us with you, you're sure to be safe..."

Before she could finish speaking, the eagle, under the watchful eyes of the group, soared into the sky, circled twice, and showed no sign of stopping.

The proprietress looked at the man beside her, bewildered. "Why did you make him fly so far? I haven't finished introducing them yet!"

"It... hasn't been out for too long, it's getting a bit playful." The boss chuckled dryly and scratched the back of his head.

Da Niu stood next to Lin Fan, looking up at the increasingly smaller black dot in the sky, and said expressionlessly, "What if it doesn't come back?"

Lin Fan explained to Da Niu, "No, they have a mental connection with the cardholder. As long as the card isn't too high in terms of its 'twisting value,' it won't break free from the cardholder."

"Oh, I see. These summoning cards are such a hassle. They're definitely not as convenient as weapon cards or function cards," Da Niu complained.

"Everyone has a different opinion," Lin Fan could only reply.

"What is that?" The boss stood there, his brows suddenly furrowing, as if he had seen something.

"What's wrong? What has the eagle discovered?" the proprietress asked nervously. "Could it be some strange thing heading our way again?"

"It's eerie, but it's not coming this way." The boss closed his eyes and began to sense it.

"What's going on? How did he discover something strange?" Da Niu asked, puzzled.

"You wouldn't believe it, but this is how we discovered these strange traces by sharing the vision of a hawk," the proprietress said, raising her head with an air of arrogance.

"So, there are only benefits to us traveling with you. Besides, at worst, we can just ask for less stuff."

The proprietress still thought that "secret realm" was some kind of treasure land.

For skilled card players, it's indeed the fastest way to make money, but for the boss and his wife, it's a deadly place; once they go in, they might never come out.

"Boss lady, the secret realm is full of strange things. Are you sure you want to go?" Lin Fan said.

"What? Really? You're not kidding me!"

"You can check the Card Association's website; they have information about these things!"

"Don't think I don't go online, although I don't usually pay attention to these cards..." The proprietress looked at her phone and was immediately stunned.

"This secret realm is truly... full of eeriness! Our leader can handle one eeriness, but this nest of eeriness..."

The landlady stopped speaking, and the courtyard fell silent for a moment.

But this peace was soon shattered by the boss's words.

"There's something in the woods to the north!"