Forge a path to success

Poison Otter immediately opened a pack, went through the cards one by one, and was even more puzzled: "This time it's a female martial arts cultivator themed pack."

Chu Hengkong found this even more illogical. Generally speaking, female cards are more popular than regular card packs, unless some super-meta card pack is released in the current release; otherwise, the sales of female cards are always guaranteed. This booster pack has both female characters and strength, so why wouldn't it sell?

Vande looked back and forth at the cards, a possibility popping into his head: "Could it be that they sacrificed women for power?"

"But there haven't been any new super-mainstream items lately." Poison Otter was unusually puzzled. "Could it be that my information is outdated?"

"Just ask and you'll find out."

Chu Hengkong walked out of the shop and soon found several card players who had been playing cards inside earlier. They were also discussing card decks.

"You're not buying the Dragon Township Cute Girl Bag this time?"

"I'm broke! Besides, that stuff really doesn't work..."

"We must not lose sight of the importance of strength in order to stay true to our original aspirations!"

"It's a pity that that can't be used in regular stores..."

"The bookstore is just for fun. We'll get serious when we get back to the Fifth Meridian Sequence." The young man in the lead said nonchalantly. "Besides, who plays Dragon Township Martial Arts these days? Everyone's using Demon decks by now!"

Chapter 298 Enjoying It (1)

While casually chatting about the recent meta, Kagura kept fiddling with his cards. Card players, you know, always have cards in their hands even while chatting.

Summer vacation has only been going on for a week, and the pressure of homework is still far off. It's the most relaxed time for the students at Jingsha, so the students from the Fifth Lineage can travel all the way to the Third Lineage for a trip and participate in the shop competition. The students are still discussing the previous competition: "Actually, Gulibo's card skills are pretty good. This time, it was purely because the opponent's oral skills were too strong."

"Gulibo is talking nonsense, okay? That War Plant in his hand is easier to deploy than a small potted plant," Kagura said. "It's a pity that the 'Fat Seal' got the woman. I want a Legendary card too..."

"Legendary cards aren't that powerful; they're just collectibles. Who would actually use them in a real game?"

"It's all about the collectible value. Reselling it would be worth three months of my living expenses." Kagala's hands were itching to try it. "What are your plans for lunch? How about a quick bite at a fast food restaurant?"

One student said hesitantly, "No, it wouldn't be good if someone saw us..."

"You're overthinking it. Who cares to watch you play cards?"

Within minutes, the students had found a cheap fast-food restaurant to play cards. Kagura pulled out his favorite deck, while his opponent used the "Beginner's Deck for the Heartbreakers." The two were engrossed in their game when suddenly a shadow fell over the table—a young man with silver arms watching from the sidelines.

Kagula instinctively hid his cards: "You..."

"I'd like to ask what kind of deck this is?" The young man smiled. "It looks really powerful, even stronger than the Remnant of the Heart."

The student across the table exclaimed, "This is the great, super-mainstream demon! Even my specially formed group of anti-demon warriors can't break his field!"

The young man, who was clearly also playing cards, asked: "Is there a dedicated supermodel terminal?"

"Haha, from the lower ranks to the end, they're all overpowered." Kagura showed off his hand, unable to resist boasting, "See this 'Entertainment Demon - Contractor'? This card can be Special Summoned and fill the graveyard during the opponent's turn. The Entertainment Demon in the graveyard can also be Special Summoned again using its own effect. Starting with just one card, you can level up and transform into a big monster during the opponent's turn!"

"Oh my god, you devil!"

"Your turn or my turn?"

"This is our modern extreme warfare!"

The high school students cheered, while the silver-armed man stared at the card effects that stretched for several lines, shook his head and laughed, "Cards these days are so powerful, I'm still stuck in the era of comparing attack power."

"Uncle, the competitive environment is different from animation."

The young man wasn't angry at being called "uncle." Before leaving, he glanced at the cards and said, "However, the name of this deck is a bit sensitive, so it's best not to use it."

The "Entertainment Demon" card depicted a chibi-style sea creature with multiple eyes and tentacles, resembling a fantastical demon. Kagura curled his lip: "It's just a card game, why take it so seriously?"

"Uncle, please don't bring your old tricks into the game."

"Is there something wrong with your brain to make such a big deal out of something in an entertainment setting?"

The high school students were all unhappy and made a few sarcastic remarks, only to find that the man was already far away. They were also disappointed and were about to leave after finishing this game when they noticed a new onlooker at the table—a little squirrel dressed in a Divine Guard uniform.

Kagula's forehead was sweating: "Officer, we haven't committed any crimes, have we..."

The little squirrel hopped onto the table, picked up a devil card, glanced at it, and said with its smile undiminished, "We have detected traces of external contamination here. We ask all citizens to cooperate with the Divine Guard team and come to the bureau for a brief investigation and to give a statement."

Kagura's jaw nearly dropped; he threw the card away in shock: "I'm corrupted by heretics?!"

"Sir, I'm innocent!" "We were just playing cards occasionally, we really didn't have any dealings with any criminals!" "My family pays our taxes on time, please let us go..."

Inside the meeting room, several terrified high school students were screaming and crying, fearing they would be chopped down by the Divine Guard at any moment, much to the annoyance of the Squirrel Team members. A wall away, Trek was casually sprawled on the conference table, examining the confiscated cards.

"This is the third case this week," Trek said with a worried expression.

“The concentration is very faint, so it’s hard to detect.” Vande stared intently at the card. “But it does have demonic power; it’s not one of those cheap imitations.”

"That Inspiration Mushroom tactic?" Chu Hengkong looked towards the other end of the conference table. Old Octopus Fulatari, who had also been brought over as an advisor, was carefully examining the demon cards.

"Similar, but the principles are different," Vlataari asserted. "My Inspiration Mushroom Ritual uses information as a gift and action as a reward, emphasizing mutual benefit. The starting point for the design of this ritual is 'safety.' It cannot draw power from the user and will not affect the user himself—unless, of course, he gets manure thrown in the mushroom field."

But cards are different; they explicitly use power as a medium! The power within cards manipulates the user's thinking, causing them to ignore risks and prioritize pleasure. The more demon cards are used, the more addicted the card game becomes. And the emotional fluctuations generated during the game become 'sacrifices' for strengthening power, even forming a 'connection' with the demon's true form.

“Establish a connection, gain power.” Chu Hengkong and Fan De looked at each other. “That sounds familiar.”

"Yes, this is actually the most traditional demon contract ritual!" the old octopus said solemnly.

Chu Hengkong was all too familiar with the Fantasy Demons. When he first arrived in Huilong City, he fought demon contractors every day. In the opening battle, he even defeated Kaning, who was a contractor of the Ambitious Demons. After killing so many, even a novice like him became familiar with them. But as he examined these cards, he couldn't reconcile them with the distorted limbs and strange thoughts of the contractors in his memory.

"I didn't see those students contorting their bodies."

"Contractors of the Fantasy Demon usually exhibit obvious physical deformities because the demonic possession distorts their ghostly bodies, thus affecting their physical forms," ​​Vande said. "However, this doesn't apply to those above the level of the Mad Demon. They have a strong control over their ghostly bodies, and unless you're really serious, you can't see any abnormalities at all. That Ambitious Contractor you killed before, he should have looked like a human normally, right?"

Chu Hengkong recalled Kanin's refined and gentlemanly attire, and then linked it to Olek's boyish appearance in a suit, realizing that Vande was right. He casually took out a large book and began to appraise the cards.

[Card-based contract medium]

[Rating: 3 (4)]

【Origin: The Secret Realm of Senluo - Jingsha City-State】

[Effect: Provides double the pleasure when participating in games and other recreational activities; improves thinking speed and reaction ability during these activities; and intensifies emotions.]

[Curse:]

1. This relic serves as a contractual medium between the Entertainment Demon and the Addiction Demon. Positive emotions generated from entertainment activities such as games will become the power of the Entertainment Demon and the Addiction Demon.

2. This relic is corrupted by heretical forces; its power will continuously weaken while possessed. Upon reaching level 4, the relic will randomly become a contractor of a fantastical demon.

[Missing You: Hehehe. It's just a game, why take it so seriously?]

Chu Hengkong was very glad that his girlfriend hadn't come along. The Disaster Knight's young lady was fiercely opposed to evil, and she would probably flip the table on the spot if she saw this thing. He showed the appraisal documents to the two people across the table: "Looks like they are two Madness-level."

The old octopus tugged at his whiskers: "No. 'Indulgence' is an old-school fantasy, but I know 'Entertainment' inside and out. It's just a slightly stronger delusion. Even if I only have one octopus under contract now, I can easily blast him off!"

"Judging from their style of operation, it seems more like entertainment is taking precedence..." Vande muttered. "Never mind, we'll ask them slowly after the arrest. Captain Trek, what's your intention this time?"

Trek remained listlessly slumped on the table, muttering, "This is the third one this week..."

Vande glared back, but his intimidation was no match for the thick skin of a civil servant, and it had no effect whatsoever. Seeing this, Chu Hengkong put Vande back into his pocket and said, "These cards were produced by the Fifth Meridian Sequence."

“Yes.” Trek nodded.

"The students are also tourists from the Fifth Meridian, so the troublemaking devil must also be from the Fifth Meridian."

“That’s right,” Trek continued, nodding.

Chu Hengkong understood perfectly: "As the captain of the third team, it's not appropriate for Mr. Cui Ke to go to the fifth line of command to enforce the law impartially, both morally and logically."

Trek sighed deeply, "This is so inappropriate!"

"Official business is indeed difficult to handle." Chu Hengkong changed the subject. "I've heard that the Flying Swallow Amusement Park over there is quite famous. I'm actually planning to take my girlfriend there soon..."

Trek pulled four crumpled tickets from his pocket and handed them over with a smile: "What a coincidence. I'm on good terms with the captain of the fifth team, and I just swiped four tickets from her last week. These are perfect for you."

Chu Hengkong took the ticket and couldn't help but laugh. Fan De jumped onto the conference table and yelled, "Old Cui, aren't you being a little shameless? Is this appropriate?!"

"Uncle Trek, I have my reasons too~ To be honest, whether it's overstepping my authority or not is a minor issue; the problem is that I'm really not suited to investigate this matter." Trek crossed his legs. "My work style is too forceful~~"

"You're going to bring up violence with him? Sending that murderer will only lead to bloodshed!"

"It's alright, it's alright. I think Detective Chu is both brave and resourceful, exactly the kind of person best suited to handle these kinds of tricky situations." Trek clenched his fist. "Go for it, go for it!"

Chu Hengkong didn't take it seriously, put away the Vande and left. The old octopus tried to sneak out, but after seeing Trek's gaze, it silently stayed.

“I’m quite familiar with ‘Entertainment’,” it admitted without being asked, “It was also a member of the library back in the day.”

Trek's face betrayed no emotion: "And now?"

The old octopus chuckled bitterly: "Now... I've lost count of how many 'entertainments' this is!"

Trek nodded, let the old octopus leave, and then examined the card closely.

When Chu Hengkong returned to the bookstore, Captain Ji was fighting with the giant seal for dried fish. She peeked out with a fish in her mouth and asked, "Mmm? (How's it going?)"

"We're planning to go to the amusement park tonight."

"Great!" Ji Huaisu cheered.

Chapter 299 Enjoying It (2)

The five major lineages of the city-state of Jingsha each have their own characteristics. The third lineage, named Poetry and Literature Canopy, is naturally famous for its literature and art. The fifth lineage, Yuqianling, sounds like a botanical garden, but it is actually Jingsha's most famous entertainment venue.

Yuqianling is located in the upper-middle part of the Jingsha Mountains, at a higher altitude than the third ridge. It is named for its lush vegetation and abundant crops. Its territory has a ring-shaped structure, with the outer layer being a densely populated residential area with tropical greenery, and the inner layer being a bustling area that resembles a desert oasis.

For a long time, the Fifth Lineage was filled with luxury hotels, opera houses, and (legal) clubs. After all, given the empire's technological blockade, no matter how abundant Jing Sha's material wealth was, his entertainment options were limited...

But after the new captain of the Fifth Meridian took office, the situation in the area was completely transformed. This new captain was full of ingenious ideas and had a strong drive to act. She established connections with Paradise, Dustless Land, and even Asura Island, purchased various entertainment facilities from the major dust islands, and recruited many talents to manage them. In the Fifth Meridian, she built an unprecedented large-scale entertainment facility - Flying Swallow Amusement Park.

This amusement park occupies most of the bustling area, integrating the commercial and political centers of the Fifth Order, and has been extremely popular since its establishment. Today, Flying Swallow Amusement Park has become one of the synonyms for the city-state of Jingsha. Considering the constant warfare throughout the Shendong Realm, there are very few places to indulge in entertainment; currently, it can even be said that Flying Swallow is the most renowned theme park in the Shendong Realm.

"...The above is excerpted from the excellent essay 'My Hometown Flying Swallow' by a high school student from the Fifth Pulse Sequence," Fan De said. "What the essay didn't mention is that the amusement park is extremely difficult to enter, and tickets are hard to come by."

It put the magazine containing the excellent essays back into the frame, and the cable car rattled and swayed in the wind tunnel.

The physical distances between the ley lines are quite vast, and the citizens of Thornsa travel using "wind tunnels." These pale green breezes float between the major branches of the divine tree and are public passageways created by the divine power of Thornsa. Locals travel through the wind tunnels in ropeless cable cars, reaching adjacent ley lines in less than an hour—far faster than an airplane on Earth.

Ji Huaisu was leaning against the window looking at the scenery when he heard this and asked, "Are the tickets so expensive?"

"The ticket price itself isn't expensive, but there are just too many people who want to go!" Vande explained. "Many locals in Jingsha haven't been there, and tourists from other places all want to see Feiyan. The amusement park itself can't handle such a large influx of people, so we have to limit the number of tickets sold. If you go to the official ticket office now, you can only book tickets for admission three months from now."

“I’ve only been there once when I was little,” Gulibo nodded.

Chu Hengkong's focus was elsewhere: "The amusement park has become a thriving business from scratch. It seems that the Fifth Vein Captain is a clever and quick-witted person."

“This kind of person has a strong grasp of their territory. I think there’s still a lot to discuss regarding the cards!” Vande sneered.

When they first arrived in Jingsha, they were newcomers and thought the captain of the Divine Guard was just like a police chief. But after living in the city-state for some time, they have gained a deeper understanding of the power structure here.

In the city-state of the Divine Tree, the Divine Tree itself is detached from worldly affairs, with power primarily distributed among two institutions: the Council and the Divine Guard. The Council holds legislative power and a small portion of executive power, while the Divine Guard controls the judiciary and most of the executive power. The Council of the Thorn Shade often refers to the "Upper House" of the First Order Mansa Starburg, while the "Lower Houses" of the various orders tend to enact civil laws but do not interfere with the specific administrative direction of their respective areas.

In other words, apart from Fort Mansa, the power of the four major lineages is basically concentrated in the hands of the Divine Guard. They are the local troops, the judges who try criminals, and the "government" that manages political affairs. Captains of the Divine Guard like Trek even have the ability to dictate the future development of the area, making them, in effect, the most powerful people in the vast lineages.

Every captain of the Divine Guard possesses the strength of a 5-point mass. How could a ruler with both intelligence and ability allow heretical forces to run rampant on his territory?

Chu Hengkong pondered, "It seems that many demons have lived in the Fifth Lineage before, which should also be a concern..."

"Then let's kill all the demons!" Ji Huaisu said cheerfully.

"Hmm."

"Hey, A-Kong, why are you touching my head?"

"Be good."

"Damn it, are you underestimating me?!"

Van der, with practiced ease, ignored the frolicking wild animals, then turned around and exclaimed, "We're here!"

"Wow, that's amazing!" Gulibo exclaimed.

Chu Hengkong and Ji Huaisu turned their heads upon hearing this, their eyes illuminated by the light in the night sky.

Countless sparks shot upwards into the sky, exploding simultaneously as if by prior arrangement, their shimmering light bursting forth like a radiant sea of ​​flowers across the night. Red as roses, white larkspur, deep blue freesias, golden chrysanthemums in the autumnal hues… the fireworks merged into a breathtaking spectacle, a magnificent sight reflected in the night sky. The falling flames did not dissipate; instead, they gathered in the wind, forming illusory shadows.

Majestic martial arts cultivators, agile cultivators with broken hearts, soaring dragons high in the sky, and divine trees bearing all things, along with various birds, beasts, and exotic races, all roamed beneath the imposing statues, surging into the wind tunnel to accompany the cable cars. The passengers cheered enthusiastically, and even the well-traveled Ji Huaisu couldn't help but exclaim in amazement, "What a grand gesture!"

A series of fireworks illuminated the distant, verdant castle, behind which stood a giant Ferris wheel, its lights constantly shifting. Several disc-shaped theme parks, supported by massive wooden structures, surrounded the castle, with long tracks winding around them and then cutting across its center. Beneath the roaring roller coasters, children holding balloons ran and cheered.

We've arrived at Flying Swallow Amusement Park.

The cable car came to a smooth stop at the end point, and everyone practically jumped back to the ground without even waiting, even Chu Heng felt a surge of excitement. Employees dressed as large mascots handed out balloons to the tourists, thoughtfully giving Vande a mini version.

"Guests, you've come at just the right time—the grand parade tonight is about to begin, so please enjoy!"

Chu Hengkong smelled a familiar scent as he took the balloon. The large plush toy distributing the balloons was actually a demon, but so weak that even Gulibo would have a hard time defeating it. He secretly memorized it, deciding not to make a move yet, and instead looked towards the direction of the bustling crowd.

From within the crowded throng, a bugle call rang out, standing out like a crane among chickens. The sounds of gongs and drums grew louder as they approached, the footsteps as precise as a military parade. Young soldiers in red uniforms marched forward in neat square formations, the parade stretching far and wide, yet containing only one float resembling a locomotive.