"My mother is dead, so no one knows my secret.
She abandoned me like an orphan to the Plain City's branch family. I grew up as an insignificant child among many others.
If not for my performance at the academy and the recognition of my talent, which made the family see my immense cultivation potential, I wouldn't have reached my current status.
If my secret were revealed, the entire world might descend into chaos. So, is that weighty enough as a guarantee?"
Xu Yourong spoke calmly of her past, her voice serene as if recounting someone else's life.
Then she looked to Luo Sheng for his response.
He, however, feigned ignorance. "Hmm? Did you say something just now?"
"Huh?" Xu Yourong squinted her eyes suspiciously.
Luo Sheng replied nonchalantly, "Maybe it's just the wind; I didn't quite catch that."
Before she could question further, Luo Sheng quickly added, "Enough chatting. Let's focus on solving the issue of the World Fragment. This polluted zone is dangerous, and I'm sure your family would worry about you. Right, Miss Xu?"
With that, he summoned his motorcycle, gently helped her onto it, and revved the engine to its fullest. The roaring sound filled the air as they sped northward.
------
"Are you pretending not to hear me because you don't want to get involved... or because you want to protect me?"
Xu Yourong's eyes lingered on Luo Sheng's sharp profile in the rearview mirror as she asked.
"..." Luo Sheng ignored her entirely, focusing on riding the motorcycle.
Xu Yourong found his attitude both amusing and frustrating. Though her face remained calm, her thoughts were another matter entirely.
"Not sure whether to call you foolish or clever..."
She rested her head lightly against his solid back, mulling over this peculiar man. A man who had learned her deepest secret yet tactfully chose to 'forget' it or act oblivious. Wasn't that fascinating?
Was he a clever fool or a foolish genius?
Luo Sheng, oblivious to her mental gymnastics, simply thought it wise to feign ignorance.
As her smooth arms tightened around his neck, Luo Sheng coughed awkwardly. "Uh, could you loosen your grip a bit? I'm still driving here!"
Xu Yourong slightly eased her hold, though her legs still clung firmly to his sides like a vice.
"Miss Xu, I'm driving!" Luo Sheng exclaimed, exasperated.
"Your speed is too fast; it's unsafe," she retorted.
"..."
Luo Sheng sighed inwardly. "I'm driving safely here, Miss Xu! Not flirting!"
-----------
Along the way, they passed numerous corpses of card masters, their mutilated bodies strewn about. From the scars and wounds, it was clear they had been overwhelmed by invading creatures.
The card boxes they carried were shattered, and their cards had been reduced to fragments.
At one point, Luo Sheng encountered a scouting party of invaders: a Bronze Six-Star Yak Warrior and two Bronze Four-Star Goat Archers. He swiftly dealt with them, muttering, "Feels like I'm in a zoo. Are we in Planet of the Apes?"
Xu Yourong offered a logical explanation:
"These invaders possess consciousness, which is rare but not unheard of. The destruction of Dragon City years ago was caused by such sentient extra-dimensional creatures.
Their coordinated efforts annihilated Dragon City, prompting the remaining city-states to tighten their defenses against dimensional invasions. I suspect the Dimensional Alliance has discovered that the invaders are challenging the world's gray veil—the laws of this dimension.
Every expansion of their dimension signifies progress in eroding the gray veil. If left unchecked, their success will lead to the subjugation of this world."
Her analysis was chillingly insightful. Luo Sheng fell into deep thought.
"Why would they invade? Don't they have their own world?" Luo Sheng asked.
"Because we are the primary dimension, and they are secondary. To elevate their world, they must defeat ours.
Alternatively, a mysterious force may compel them. In this universe, the weak are often consumed, so they must wage war to survive and ascend."
Her rationale was terrifyingly plausible. Luo Sheng found himself reluctantly admiring her intellect.
-----
"We're here," Xu Yourong announced.
Luo Sheng halted the motorcycle and saw a structure resembling the academy's card pool. It emitted an eerie glow, indicating the presence of a World Fragment.
Atop the structure sat a stunning figure—a mature woman with dark goat horns, small bat-like wings, and flowing blue hair. She wore a black lace dress with white gloves and thigh-high boots, exuding an aristocratic allure. Her aura was captivatingly regal yet undeniably sensual.
"Beautiful, isn't she?" Xu Yourong teased.
"Amazing," Luo Sheng replied absentmindedly, quickly adding, "But wait—if she's a mage, how did you fail to defeat her? Your deck specializes in assassins, doesn't it?"
Shifting the topic deftly, Luo Sheng displayed his veteran instincts.
Xu Yourong rolled her eyes. "She's not just a mage. In addition to her ice illusion magic, she's a formidable melee combatant—stronger than the Wild Boar General we just encountered."
"...What?" Luo Sheng blinked. "Since when do succubi moonlight as warriors? Is this a side hustle?"
Xu Yourong chuckled softly. "If she relied solely on illusions, she'd be easy prey. But her thick health pool makes her a nightmare for assassins like me."
The succubus queen was no ordinary foe. Adding to the challenge, she commanded an army of creatures, including Wild Boar Warriors and Goat Archers, numbering fifty to sixty.
Luo Sheng frowned deeply. This was a daunting task.
Xu Yourong, noticing his hesitation, encouraged him. "With proper planning, this can be done. I have faith in you."
"Let's hope so," Luo Sheng muttered.
"Show me your deck. I'll help devise a strategy."
Luo Sheng hesitated but then relented, trusting her after she had revealed her greatest secret.
He laid out his cards:
White Cards: [Open Door], [Piercing Arrow].
Bronze Four-Star: [Crooked Tree], [Deep Meditation].
Bronze Five-Star: [Golden Duo], [Black Mask], [Charged Shot].
Bronze Six-Star: [Mental Recovery], [Performer - Dongfang Muqing].
Bronze Seven-Star: [E-Type Jack Mech], [Holy Light], [Angel's Shield], [Racing Bike], [Mental Recovery] x2.
Bronze Eight-Star: [Bio-Mechanical Princess - Alice], [Thousand Shields], [Ice Shield], [III Steel Mech].
Bronze Nine-Star: [Awaiting Bride - Bai Moxue], [Shadow of War - Hecarim].
Bronze Ten-Star: [Blizzard], [Fire Witch - Acoley].
Additional cards: [Grim Reaper Workaholic], [Yak Warrior], [Wild Boar Warrior], etc.
(Chapter End)