Chapter 4 [Blood Demon Mech Forest]

The Card Domain Trial arrived quickly. Over the past three days, Gu Ye had used the time to familiarize himself with Zhang Fei's skills and gather intelligence on the [Blood Fiend Mechanical Forest], giving him greater confidence for this Card Domain excursion.

Time flowed silently, like water.

In the center of Yunlin City, the [plasma solar tower] emitted soft rays of sunlight that struck the protective shield above before being reflected back down.

Each of the eighty-one cities across the nine districts of the Yanxia Federation possessed a [plasma solar tower]. It did more than just simulate sunlight; it also served to cloak and protect the city.

In the wild, a Card Master looking toward a city would only see a black hemisphere standing upon the earth, hidden within the night sky.

Before the gates of the [Blood Fiend Mechanical Forest] Card Domain, located at the city's outermost edge.

Gu Ye stood bored in the queue for Class 3, Grade 12 of Yunlin Second High School, glancing left and right.

“Old Gu, what are you doing? Stop looking around.”

Just then, a large hand slapped Gu Ye's shoulder. He turned to see a doll-like face, but the jarring part was her tall, muscular, and burly physique—the very image of a 'King Kong Barbie.' The newcomer was Ye Suxuan, Chu Ling's girlfriend and one of Gu Ye's iron-clad buddies.

Ye Suxuan's voice was coarse:

“Where's Old Chu?”

“He should be here soon. He just said he was heading out.”

At that moment, Gu Ye saw Chu Ling—whose build was similar to his girlfriend's—getting out of a car and gestured toward Ye Suxuan. As Chu Ling approached and was about to speak, a figure blocked their path, and a mocking voice rang out:

“Gu Ye, you broke loser. With your trashy white card, you actually dare to participate in the Card Domain Trial? Aren't you afraid of dying inside!”

Before Gu Ye could speak, Ye Suxuan couldn't stand it anymore and raised a fist the size of a sandbag:

“Tang De, do you want another beating?”

A flash of wariness crossed Tang De's eyes as he took a step back, but his lips curled into a smirk as he continued to taunt Gu Ye:

“It seems our great scholar Gu only knows how to hide behind a woman.”

Gu Ye said flatly, “Your master hasn't even arrived yet. Is it a mere lackey's turn to bark in front of me?”

“Beat it!”

“You!”

Tang De's face turned ugly, and he wanted to keep talking, but Ye Suxuan made a move to step forward and punch him. Seeing things were going south, he immediately ran away.

“Old Gu, why does Li Jie keep hounding you?” Chu Ling asked with a face full of confusion.

“Uh...”

Gu Ye gave an awkward smile:

“That's not important. What's important is that he should be taught a lesson during this Card Domain Trial.”

Hearing this, Chu Ling reacted instantly and asked in surprise:

“Old Gu, was your card enhancement successful?”

“Yeah!”

“What rank?”

“Green.”

The two were shocked, then said excitedly, “That's great! Then we don't have to worry about your safety during this Card Domain Trial.”

The three chatted for a while before the Principal and teachers finally arrived.

“Next, I'll say a few words, and I won't waste time on nonsense.”

“If anyone wants to give up now, step forward—especially those whose cards are still below Green rank. No one will mock you for giving up; remember, you only have one life.”

Principal Zhang Deliang spoke with earnest concern about the dangers of this trial.

After waiting a moment and seeing no one step forward, Zhang Deliang sighed helplessly.

“Begin arranging for the classes to enter the Card Domain,” he instructed the female teacher beside him.

The female teacher nodded. “The three-day Card Domain Trial officially begins now. Please enter the Card Domain in an orderly fashion by class.”

Every student carried luggage prepared by the school; these were purchased to a uniform specification to prevent cheating.

Mu Xuefei, the homeroom teacher for Class 3, Grade 12, was dressed in professional attire. After giving Gu Ye and the others her final instructions, she let them follow the queue into the Card Domain.

“Gu Ye, wait a moment!” Mu Xuefei suddenly called out to him.

“Sister Mu, what is it?”

Mu Xuefei looked at him with a worried expression:

“Your card...” Gu Ye knew what she was worried about, so he repeated what he had told Chu Ling and the others.

“Then I can rest easy.”

“I'm off.” Gu Ye turned and walked toward the Card Domain gate.

Li Jie, who was preparing to enter the Card Domain, saw their conversation, and a flash of gloom and anger crossed his eyes.

He gave Gu Ye several sinister looks before striding into the Card Domain gate. All the students of Yunlin Second High School entered the [Blood Fiend Mechanical Forest] one after another.

Several teachers gathered together, and one of them said melancholily:

“How many people do you think will die in this Card Domain Trial?”

“I'd say at least forty percent. Think about how many students only have white cards. These students are all commoner card Creators; being able to afford a white card is already considered decent. It's just those bottom-tier trash parents who are delusional about their own failures and want to rely on their children to soar to the top.” The teacher who said this made no attempt to hide his disdain for those parents.

The other teachers fell silent. Capital controlled most of the Card Domains, firmly gripping the production of card creation materials and most of the world's lore, blocking all paths for upward mobility. It was far too difficult for commoner card Creators to make a name for themselves.

“Sigh, such is the world. But nothing is absolute; there are always a few lucky ones who can succeed.”

“As long as they can clear the Card Domain Trial, they can obtain a white card creation material afterward.”

“I'll bet one blue card creation material that Ye Suxuan will definitely be first in this trial.”

“Playing for such high stakes? I'll match it; Yan Shuangling will be first.”

...

While the teachers outside were passionately betting, the students inside the Card Domain were being tested with passion.

After a bout of dizziness, Gu Ye entered the [Blood Fiend Mechanical Forest]. What met his eyes was a massive moon hanging in a blood-red sky. As far as the eye could see, there were only charred trees, as if a massive fire had once swept through the entire Card Domain.

Gu Ye circulated his spiritual energy, and Zhang Fei appeared beside him.

“General Zhang Feis courtesy name, for the next part, my safety...”

*Whoosh!*

The sound of breaking air suddenly rang out as an extremely fast black shadow lunged at him. Gu Ye's sixth sense screamed, goosebumps erupted all over his body, and his scalp began to tingle.

Trait [Generals Heart] activated!

Zhang Fei pierced the black shadow with a single spear thrust. Only then did Gu Ye see the shadow's true form: it was a Bronze-tier [Black Spider]. It was small and incredibly fast; below Bronze Fifth Tier, it was difficult to track with the naked eye.

“It's a good thing I summoned Zhang Fei immediately.” Gu Ye couldn't help but feel a lingering fear, cold sweat breaking out on his back.

“Points +1”

On his left wrist, he wore a monster-kill recorder, responsible for tracking their location and ranking.

Gu Ye took the [Black Spider] corpse from Zhang Fei's hand and shook his head in disappointment:

“No card creation material dropped.”

“Continue toward the exit and kill monsters.”

“Understood, My Lord.”

For Gu Ye, the most important thing about entering a Card Domain was making money. Normally, the entrance fees for these Card Domains were more than he could afford, not to mention that 80% of the harvest would be taken. Capitalists were truly heartless!

The two moved forward, and any monsters they encountered were picked off by Zhang Fei like mere minions. Zhang Fei was essentially an invincible existence within the [Blood Fiend Mechanical Forest] Card Domain.

After a day of slaughter, Gu Ye had only obtained five white card creation materials and two green card creation materials.

“This drop rate is truly touching! It's comparable to pulling cards in Genshin!”

The moon set, and the [Blood Fiend Mechanical Forest] fell into eternal silence and darkness. Inside a cave somewhere in the black forest, Gu Ye ate his dry rations in the dark while Zhang Fei kept watch at the entrance.