72: The secret of the continent, the divinely bestowed card god

Outside the dorm room, Sun Libang's smile remained.

Lu Yuan's heart abruptly constricted.

He activated his Source Power, ready to manipulate the card slot at any moment.

Finally, Lu Yuan stepped aside, clearing the path.

"Please come in."

His voice was calm, devoid of emotion.

"Student Lu Yuan, your courage is remarkable."

Sun Libang smiled, nodded, and walked in, his gaze casually sweeping around, lingering for a moment on the exquisite thermos that hadn't been put away on the table.

A flicker of understanding passed through his eyes, finally settling on Lu Yuan.

"It seems Yao Tianxiao thinks highly of you."

Lu Yuan didn't reply, just watched him.

He was waiting.

Waiting for the other party to reveal his purpose.

Sun Libang didn't seem to be in a hurry either; he casually pulled over a chair and sat down, his movements natural.

"Student Lu Yuan, first of all, congratulations on your advancement."

"Your performance today was splendid."

"To dare to cripple the Lin family's precious darling under the watchful eyes of the entire city is no simple feat."

"Especially that last move, decisive and ruthless—I admire it greatly."

Lu Yuan remained silent; these pleasantries were meaningless.

Seeing that the young man was unmoved, Sun Libang's smile faded a bit.

"I know you have many questions."

"For instance, who I am and why I'm looking for you."

"And also, why you, an ordinary person, possess two gold cards that even scions of aristocratic families only dream of."

"Cut the nonsense, Teacher Sun, what exactly do you want to express?" Lu Yuan finally couldn't hold back, after talking for so long without getting to the point.

Was he playing a riddle game?

"Don't be nervous, I have no ill intentions."

"At least, not right now."

Sun Libang paused, seemingly organizing his thoughts.

"Let's start with something you might know, but don't fully understand."

"About the origin of cards, about the power system of this world."

"What does the textbook say? Oh, right, it originated from a great dimensional collision, unknown energy permeated, giving birth to Card Masters, ushering in a new era, right?"

"The official statement has its reasons." Lu Yuan neither confirmed nor denied.

"Official?" Sun Libang chuckled, with obvious mockery.

"That's the Alliance's fairy tale for ordinary people."

"It's a beautified version."

Seeing that the other party truly had no ill intentions, Lu Yuan's heart stirred slightly.

"I'm listening."

Upon hearing this, Sun Libang's tone immediately became excited.

"The Seven-Colored Divine card—the heaven-bestowed card god—its fragments scattered, its brilliance evolving into seven qualities: white, green, blue, purple, orange, gold, red!"

"This, the textbook mentioned it, right?"

Lu Yuan nodded.

This was basic common knowledge of the card system.

"But did the book tell you where this so-called heaven-bestowed card god came from?"

"And what does it… represent?"

Lu Yuan was silent; what did that have to do with him?

The textbook only stated that the heaven-bestowed card god was the source of card power, an ancient divine artifact, without delving into its origins.

Sun Libang looked at Lu Yuan's reaction and smiled.

"Let me tell you something… not recorded in books."

"Those so-called dimensional walls, those randomly appearing secret realms, and the Beast Hunting Zones that Card Masters rely on for survival..."

His voice suddenly turned cold,

"They were not naturally formed!"

"They are… man-made!"

"Or more accurately, they were artificially captured!"

"Captured?"

Lu Yuan's voice, for the first time, carried obvious emotional fluctuation.

"What do you mean?"

Sun Libang was very satisfied with Lu Yuan's reaction.

Not being shocked would be abnormal.

"It means…"

The smile on his face became eerie.

"Those high-and-mighty big shots in the Alliance, their appetites are far greater than you can imagine!"

"Passively waiting for dimensional rifts to open? Acquiring those scattered resources and cards?"

"Too slow! Too inefficient!"

"What they want is more! More!"

Sun Libang's tone at this moment was mocking, "They are no longer satisfied with this!"

"They are actively engaged in interstellar conquest!"

"The targets of conquest are those alien races they contemptuously call 'extraterrestrial demons,' and even… other worlds with intelligent civilizations!"

[Ding!]

[Identity: Earth Human (Hidden) Activation 32%]

[Talent Advancement Condition Activation 20%]

...Hearing the system's prompt, Lu Yuan's eyes narrowed.

This world didn't seem so simple.

"The power of the heaven-bestowed card god is not a blessing, but a giant cage!"

Sun Libang extended a finger, pointing to the ceiling, as if seeing the endless starry sky through it.

"Its power of laws envelops the entire Card Continent, or rather, this transformed world!"

"Any alien planet that the Alliance takes a fancy to and successfully drags into this range of laws, or some powerful alien entity..."

"Its inherent power system will be forcibly distorted, analyzed, and transformed by the heaven-bestowed card god's laws! Turning into the Source Power we are familiar with!"

"Their life forms will be suppressed! Their souls will be modified! Powerful entities will be directly decomposed, sealed, and turned into cards!"

Sun Libang's voice was filled with rage, every word scathing!

"For you Card Masters… to summon and enslave!"

"The so-called Beast Hunting Zones, secret realms, are merely captured, shattered, and not yet fully digested world fragments!"

"The creatures within, perhaps once intelligent races of some world, or powerful guardian gods!"

"Now, they are merely materials for you to acquire cards and resources!"

Lu Yuan suddenly understood.

No wonder!

No wonder he always felt that the card system of this world was somewhat bizarre!

Why could Card Masters so easily enslave those powerful alien beasts?

Why could a single thought determine their life and death?

So… the root cause was this!

It was that seven-colored card—the heaven-bestowed card god! It was this all-encompassing cage of laws!

He subconsciously thought of himself.

He came from Earth.

What about Earth then?

Was Earth also one of the Alliance's targets?

Or rather… a more terrifying thought arose in his mind.

He glanced at the system panel that only he could see.

[Identity: Citizen of Card Continent / Earth Human (Hidden)]

The hidden Earth Human identity!

Could it be… Earth had also been… No! Impossible!

Lu Yuan forcefully suppressed the turbulent waves in his heart.

After a long while,

He stared at Sun Libang, his voice heavy as he said,

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Who exactly are you?!"

This question was the key.

Sun Libang so easily telling him this shocking secret could not possibly be just to satisfy his curiosity.

The fanaticism on Sun Libang's face gradually receded, replaced by an indescribable sorrow… and a hatred that almost overflowed!

He lowered his head, his voice laden with humiliation.

"Because…"

"My home planet, my homeland…"

"Was one of those captured worlds."

"I…"

"Come from a… planet that was completely conquered, enslaved, and drained of its last bit of value by the Card Master Alliance, then cast aside like a worn-out shoe."

"I am a…"

He raised his head, eyes burning with the flames of vengeance.

"Fortunate escapee…"

"Fugitive."

...