Luo Sheng held onto his anger, though it didn't show on his face. He chose to remain seated, calmly observing.
"Anything can be a commodity for the right price—even people. This is the age of a market economy, and I guarantee my offer won't disappoint you," said Uncle Paul casually.
He took another sip of his coffee before sweeping both cups to the side. Then, with a practiced hand, he pulled out a heavy case from beneath the sofa and flipped the latches open.
Click.
The case revealed stacks of crisp, red bills that filled the air with the scent of freshly printed money. It was real.
This seemed to be Uncle Paul's trump card. He smiled as he said, "If you sell me that card, I'll pay you 5 million. That's more than enough to buy five fully upgraded Bronze 10-star cards. Your [Alice] card wouldn't fetch more than 500,000 on the open market. Only in our hands can it reach its true value. Surely, you can't say no to such a generous offer."
Luo Sheng glanced at the overflowing cash, the heat from the bills still palpable. In the past, he might not have been able to resist. But things were different now—he could earn such sums on his own.
Still, he couldn't help but ask, "Why bother spending so much on my card when the marketplace is full of similar girl cards? This money could easily be used to upgrade an ordinary card into something top-tier."
Uncle Paul chuckled, as though the question was naive. He replied, "There are many things in this world you don't understand. You're young and haven't seen enough of it yet.
"Do you know why someone would pay ten times the price for a mask worn by a beautiful woman? Why worn stockings or intimate clothing can fetch a hundred times their worth? Some people even buy used diapers, and these items drive underground markets. You might not see it, but that doesn't mean it isn't real.
"This world is crazy."
Uncle Paul's words were unsettling. Luo Sheng struggled to process the grotesque logic behind such markets. He blurted out, "Used diapers? That's disgusting."
Paul scoffed and continued, "It's all about demand. There are wealthy collectors with peculiar tastes, even entire custom-built display rooms for their... treasures. It's not so different from other desires.
"Take this for instance: other people's children are always cuter, other men's wives always seem more attractive, and other people's possessions are always the best. It's human nature.
"Your [Alice] card is a perfect example—a card owned by a young, self-made card master who has beaten heirs of wealthy families. To collectors, that's irresistible. It's like a king's queen in ancient times—always coveted."
Uncle Paul explained these twisted transactions with an air of moral indifference, as though it was all perfectly reasonable.
Luo Sheng recalled the rumors about a celebrity injured in a card duel. Now, with what he'd heard today, a disturbing picture began to form in his mind. There was a vast, dark network of interests at play here.
He stood abruptly. "I'm sorry, but I can't agree to this. Alice is not a commodity. She's my partner and is priceless. No amount of money can buy her."
Uncle Paul's expression shifted. The warm smile he'd maintained earlier twisted briefly, tinged with malice, mockery, and menace. But he quickly masked it with a friendly demeanor.
"No matter. Such refusals are common. We're used to it. I hope we can cooperate in the future. Stay safe," Paul said, his tone detached and insincere as he sipped his coffee.
Meanwhile, Xia Xingri, standing behind Paul, gave Luo Sheng a sinister grin, his gaze predatory.
"We'll meet again. Let's hope next time you're more cooperative."
Luo Sheng ignored him, his hand gripping tightly at his card pouch, fingers wrapped around his [Mecha] card. It wasn't until he left the café that he finally exhaled a sigh of relief.
But he knew he couldn't relax just yet.
His first move was to enter the Card Master Tower, pretending to browse while covertly checking if anyone was tailing him. He also spent 500,000 yuan on a Bronze 8-star [Holy Light] card for emergencies. Its healing effect was 30% stronger than the 7-star version and could instantly restore him to full health.
In addition, he purchased two 100,000-yuan [Ice Shield] material cards to strengthen his defense card. These were all precautionary measures.
As he browsed his phone, he looked up information on underground card-trading organizations and sent a detailed message to Su Tianchen, his mentor, about what had happened.
Su Tianchen called him back immediately: "Get back to school right away. You'll be safer in the city for now."
Without hesitation, Luo Sheng summoned his bike and sped toward the school, pushing the throttle to its limit.
(Chapter End)