Who said this card is outrageous?

Thinking about this, Zhang Che was no longer as panicked as he had been at the beginning.

"Could you invite me in for a seat?" Ruan Ruoshi asked directly, her tone soft and weak.

"Of course, please come in." Zhang Che quickly welcomed the person in, and then followed the same procedure as last time, having them sit down and having water poured for them.

After Ruan Ruoshi waited for Zhang Che to sit down opposite her, she picked up her water glass, took a sip, and then revealed the purpose of her trip.

"Mr. Zhang Che is a resident of this area, so he should know about that 'scoundrel thief,' right?"

Because the thief acted like a lazy, good-for-nothing scoundrel, the nearby residents gave him this nickname in private.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Che's heart skipped a beat, but he still maintained an indifferent expression: "Of course I know, that guy even broke into my house to steal things."

"Oh?" Ruan Ruoshi narrowed her eyes slightly.

Zhang Che shrugged, speaking casually that firstly, the loss wasn't significant, and secondly, he was preparing for the third-tier card maker exam at the time and didn't have time to deal with such trivial matters, so he didn't report it to the authorities.

Ruan Ruoshi nodded upon hearing this, showing no surprise on her face. The case file indicated that the man's targets were not fixed; basically, anyone except those who were extremely poor could become his targets.

Someone like Zhang Che, who lives alone and whose family seems well-off, is likely to be at the mercy of the other party.

Wait, something's not right!

Ruan Ruoshi suddenly realized that she seemed to have heard something terrible.

"You said you're preparing for the Level 3 Card Maker exam?" Her tone was somewhat serious, and at the same time, she couldn't help but feel that she had indeed been working too hard lately, and her reaction was a beat slower than usual.

“That’s right, and I’ve already passed the test.” Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Zhang Che took out his Tier 3 Card Maker professional badge from his pocket.

The silver badge gleamed in the sunlight. He waved it in front of Ruan Ruoshi before putting it back in his pocket.

This was both a boast and a warning to Ruan Ruoshi that she was no longer someone to be trifled with.

Chapter 60 Zhang Che's Plan to Catch the Thief (Please continue reading!)

However, after Ruan Ruoshi confirmed the authenticity of the badge, she did not show the surprise or fear that Zhang Che had expected. Instead, she suddenly stared intently at his face for a long while before slowly speaking.

“After the last interrogation, I actually removed Mr. Zhang Che from the suspect list.” She spoke slowly, as if she was thinking as she spoke, “because at the time I felt that a first-level card maker who had just passed the assessment could not possibly be capable of killing a suspected third-level superhuman.”

She paused as she spoke, and her gaze immediately sharpened.

"But if what Mr. Zhang said is true, and that you were preparing for the third-tier card maker assessment a long time ago, it actually proves that you did have the ability to commit the crime at that time!"

An extraordinary individual preparing for the Tier 3 card maker exam indicates they already possess the ability or confidence to create Tier 3 cards, and making a few Tier 2 cards shouldn't be a problem.

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Che started sweating profusely.

Damn it, you should have said earlier that you didn't suspect me anymore! So I was just a clown just now? Not only did I fail to achieve my goal, but I also increased the suspicion against me.

Depend on!

Zhang Che had never felt so helpless, but fortunately he still had one last bargaining chip—Ruan Ruoshi couldn't even produce any evidence that could prove he was related to the murder case.

Suspicion is one thing, but without evidence, there's nothing she can do.

With this in mind, Zhang Che suddenly felt more confident.

His mind raced; although he had thought about so much just now, only a few seconds had actually passed in the real world. On the surface, Zhang Che did not show any abnormality because of Ruan Ruoshi's words. He simply smiled lightly and spoke slowly.

“I’m not the only Tier 3 card maker in Binhai City, and there are countless Tier 2 cards.” His tone was calm, but his meaning was clear: “If you want to judge me for something wrong based on this reason, then I have to question the capabilities of the Public Security Bureau and you, the police officer.”

Ruan Ruoshi did not show any surprise at Zhang Che's rebuttal.

What she just said was actually just her imitation of He Zhenghai's investigation methods in an attempt to trick Zhang Che. Unfortunately, she seemed to be a bit unskilled and not only failed to obtain any useful information, but was also outmaneuvered by the other party.

She remained silent for a moment, having already made up her mind.

Extraordinary beings are extraordinary beings; they inherently possess certain privileges in this world. Not to mention that Zhang Che is a third-tier card maker, whose combat power surpasses that of most lower-level extraordinary beings.

Without solid evidence, she couldn't do anything to the other party, and continuing to pester them would only make the situation more awkward.

After thinking for only a few seconds, Ruan Ruoshi stood up and bowed slightly to Zhang Che.

"I misspoke just now, please forgive me, Mr. Zhang Che." Her words were sincere, and her movements were perfect, without a single flaw.

Looking at the female sheriff in front of him, who was about the same age as him, Zhang Che didn't know what to say for a moment. Besides, she was, after all, a young woman; he, a grown man, couldn't very well continue to make things difficult for her, could he?

So he could only wave his hand to indicate that he forgave the other party: "Alright, alright, don't do it again."

Ruan Ruoshi sat back down on the sofa, but showed no intention of leaving.

"Is there anything else?" Zhang Che asked.

Ruan Ruoshi hesitated for a moment before speaking up: "Mr. Zhang Che, I would like to buy a few cards from you."

Zhang Che paused for a moment, then raised an eyebrow.

Actually, Ruan Ruoshi had this idea when she came last time. She saw Liuwei at Zhang Che's house that day, and the little white fox really suited her aesthetic.

Moreover, when she went out this morning, Uncle He also advised her that she could try getting a pet to relieve stress.

However, owning a real pet is a bit too much of a luxury for her profession and personality. For example, there is no one to take care of it when she is away on fieldwork, but she is also worried about leaving it at home all the time.

So after meeting Zhang Che, Ruan Ruoshi set her sights on summoning cards.

Summoning cards save time and effort; they can be kept like pets during normal times and released to help in battle at crucial moments, achieving two goals at once.

As for the issue of the continuous consumption of mental energy by these cards, Ruan Ruoshi has no need to worry. Her extraordinary profession is originally a specialist in mental energy, and in this respect alone, many card masters of the same level may not be able to compare with her.

Even with multiple Tier 2 blue cards, she can maintain their existence for a long time.

The only problem is that most of the lower-level extraordinary cards are rather rigid, and only the Six-Tailed Fox that I saw with Zhang Che last time met my requirements.

“Of course, no problem.” Zhang Che smiled. “Does Miss Ruan have any specific requirements?”

He readily agreed, but he had his own plans: guests are guests, so of course he wouldn't refuse them. Besides, given the current situation, what if he really offended them if he refused?

However, the more important reason was that after this brief confrontation, Zhang Che suddenly thought of a new idea—could he use the power of the Public Security Bureau to help him find the thief's whereabouts?

He is now almost certain that the thief is likely in cahoots with the masked man he killed.

Therefore, for your own safety, you must deal with it as soon as possible.

However, the thief's skills were simply too good; Zhang Che couldn't find a single clue.

[Sixth Sense] Although it possesses a certain precognitive ability, it is ultimately only a second-tier card. It is too difficult to find a third-tier superhuman who is hiding somewhere.

Moreover, that person most likely still had the same metal tag from before.

If he were to rely on himself alone, who knows when he would be able to find that guy? That's why he turned his attention to the police department.

However, this thought only flashed through Zhang Che's mind. He still needed to refine the plan further. The most important thing at the moment was to deal with Ruan Ruoshi.

Ruan Ruoshi was somewhat surprised. She hadn't expected Zhang Che to ask her what her requirements were. She wondered how many card recipes this guy had mastered.

However, she still answered her request seriously.

"I want a cute summoning card, preferably a spirit-type card." She thought for a moment and added, "Also, I'd like a skill card or equipment card, of the perception type."

Zhang Che silently noted down these two requirements in his mind.

"Okay." He nodded. "Come pick up the card in five days, and I'll try my best to prepare it for you then."

“Then I’ll have to trouble Mr. Zhang Che.” Ruan Ruoshi stood up and nodded slightly to him.

She had no reason to stay any longer and could only turn and leave with a heart full of doubts.

Zhang Che was left lying on the sofa, letting out a long sigh of relief...

Chapter 61: Ideas about Evolution

Not long after, Zhang Che straightened up and looked at the empty living room, a strange sense of loneliness welled up inside him.

He suddenly understood why Ruan Ruoshi wanted to buy cards from him to keep as pets; living alone could indeed make one feel lonely.

In fact, Zhang Che in his previous life was not a reclusive person. He had many friends and social engagements, and he could always find people to eat and drink with on weekends.

The changes mainly occur after the awakening of innate wisdom.

First, he was influenced by the original owner of the body; that eighteen-year-old boy was originally a quiet and introverted person.

However, his master's unexpected death, and the series of events that followed in order to survive, left him with very little time to think about the so-called "loneliness".

But now, as time goes by, the gradual merging of the two wills has made him less and less affected. In addition, he recently passed the assessment of a third-tier card maker. Even though he is not considered a top person in Binhai City, he is almost in the first tier at the bottom of the pyramid. Naturally, his anxiety about survival has been swept away.

In this way, spiritual needs naturally arise.

"The house does feel a bit empty..."

Zhang Che casually took out a few cards that were already mentally bound, flipped them through his hand, hesitated for a moment, and finally chose to activate [Six-Tailed].

As for the Nine-Tailed Fox, who should have been a better choice, he felt she was still a bit difficult to deal with. Although that fox spirit had become much more docile recently, he still felt a little uneasy every time he saw her smiling, alluring eyes, as if she might devour him at any moment.

"Meow!"

As soon as the little guy appeared, he immediately noticed his owner not far away and jumped into Zhang Che's arms with a cheer.

Liuwei's six tails swayed behind it, and its little head nuzzled against Zhang Che's chest, clearly very happy.

"Long time no see, Six-Tailed Fox." Zhang Che smiled happily upon seeing it and reached out to stroke its fluffy head.

He's been busy making cards lately, and to ensure a stable output of mental energy during the process, he hasn't been able to summon the Six-Tails for quite some time.

However, Liuwei didn't mind and continued to rub its head against Zhang Che, making comfortable "meow" sounds.

Unfortunately, the intelligence of the second-tier cards is indeed somewhat lacking. Even though the Six-Tails is much stronger than those rigid summoning cards, it still has to abide by the rules of this world.

Unless it reaches a quality close to purple like the new version of [Tidal Sea Spirit], there will be more obvious changes in this regard.

"Sigh, if only you could evolve..." Zhang Che stroked the six-tailed fox's soft, smooth fur, his tone somewhat wistful.

He had previously speculated that these Pokémon cards might have inherited the evolutionary abilities of their original counterparts.

However, these are just speculations; no concrete evidence has emerged so far. Could Agumon's "Blade of Courage" be considered some form of evolution?

Zhang Che felt that it was more like Fu Xing's own power had been activated, rather than Agumon itself changing.

However, when this question was mentioned, Zhang Che was reminded of the Pokémon universe's setting—if Vulpix wants to evolve into Ninetales, it must use an item called the "Ice Stone".

So, could I create a card similar to the Ice Stone? Maybe it could help Six-Tails evolve.

However, the area where Binhai City is located is in the southern part of the country in Zhang Che's previous life, and it is also close to the sea, so it is not so easy to obtain ice-type materials.

Based on past experience, with December approaching and temperatures dropping, there should be some ice-type supernatural creatures and materials appearing. At the very least, adventurers or city guards should be hunting ice-type materials in the rifts outside the city.