6: These are not what I want

Using a massive amount of the easiest-to-make trash cards as offerings to leverage that endless card library, in exchange for a chance to glimpse a treasure.

A chance to choose.

A possibility of winning a gamble.

To put it bluntly, it was drawing cards.

To make a huge gamble with a quantity unimaginable to others.

He spent twenty hours a day, without fail, crafting fourteen thousand four hundred gray cards.

The remaining four hours were used for basic sleep to maintain his bodily functions.

Occasionally, he would even cut into his sleep time to go buy medicine.

Other physiological activities like eating and using the restroom were all conducted while continuously crafting cards.

One day, fourteen thousand four hundred cards.

By today, it had been exactly five years.

In total, twenty-six million two hundred eighty thousand cards.

He used this astronomical number of “fuel” to refresh day after day.

Just to find the one… key card he needed!

His professional talent told him that card definitely existed.

His rationality told him that the probability of finding it this way was outrageously low.

But he had to gamble, and it was worth the gamble.

The reason he needed to continuously drink [Mental Stabilizers] was that his mental power simply couldn't support him having over fourteen thousand gray cards every day.

What’s more, there was also a special, dark blue card permanently residing in his deck.

He carefully took out a card from his close-fitting pocket.

The material of this card was completely different from the gray cards; it was a deep, profound blue, and in the center of the card face, a continuously rotating “X2” symbol emitted a faint glow.

[Multiplication Card]

[Effect: Your next card's effect activates twice.]

This card was his inner demon.

He got it on the night he awakened his profession.

Then, he thought of a brilliant combination.

And began his five years of crazy life.

To maintain its coexistence with tens of thousands of trash cards, as a Level 0 professional, his mental power hovered on the brink of collapse every day, sustained only by cheap potions.

Now, everything was ready, all that was missing was the final core card.

Once that card was in hand, combined with this [Multiplication Card], his deck would truly be complete.

Lin Yu put away the [Multiplication Card] and focused his thoughts on the [Card Innovation] skill.

Should he start?

He glanced at the electronic clock on the wall: 00:01.

He decided that tonight's sleep time would be compressed from four hours to three hours and forty-five minutes.

Just one day, he wouldn't die... probably.

He had been delayed for a little while by Lin Yao and the others today.

He had to make up for it.

Lin Yu picked up A Small Pebble again, his eyes devoid of any ripples.

He once again immersed himself in that endless cycle.

One minute, twelve cards.

One hour, seven hundred twenty cards.

Lin Yu's movements didn't stop until a sliver of moonlight streamed through the window, outlining the mountain of empty medicine bottles piled up inside the container.

He finally put down A Small Pebble in his hand.

Today’s crafting quota was fulfilled.

He stood up and stretched his stiff limbs. His bones creaked under the strain.

Before him was the result of over twenty hours of labor today: fourteen thousand four hundred [A Small Pebble] cards, neatly stacked into a new small mountain.

This was his daily routine for five years, and also all of his “gambling chips” for today.

Lin Yu focused his thoughts on the translucent panel, landing on the [Card Innovation] skill icon.

It was time.

He chose to activate it.

[Do you wish to consume 14400 [A Small Pebble] cards to perform a Card Innovation?]

“Yes.”

He silently affirmed.

Buzz—

There was no earth-shattering roar, only an extremely suppressed resonance.

The next second, the pile of freshly crafted cards before him, still carrying a hint of residual energy, seemed to be wiped away by an invisible hand. They transformed into the tiniest specks of light dust at the same moment, neither burning nor turning to ash, simply dissipating silently into the air.

The entire process was eerily quiet.

The fresh small mountain of cards disappeared, revealing the ground beneath, which had been pressed dark.

At the same time, before Lin Yu’s eyes, a torrent interface composed of countless cards unfolded.

Fourteen thousand four hundred and one cards.

A chance to choose.

Lin Yu was expressionless.

He stretched out a finger and gently swiped upwards in the void.

The torrent of cards began to scroll upwards at an astonishing speed.

His movements were so fast that only afterimages remained, and countless streams of card information flashed past his eyes.

Most of them were gray trash cards.

Occasionally, a different color would flash by.

A hint of green.

[Blessing Card: Caress of the Breeze]

[Effect: Your movement speed is permanently increased by 1%.]

Scratched off.

Lin Yu's finger didn't pause for a moment.

This level of boost was meaningless to him.

The cards continued to scroll rapidly.

Another different card appeared.

[Blessing Card: Tenacity of the Tardigrade]

[Effect: Grants you a talent [Normal Attack +1 HP once].]

Scratched off.

Perhaps for a professional, this was a good sustain and growth talent. But it wasn't what he wanted.

What he needed wasn't something that merely added icing to the cake.

What he needed was a core that could change everything.

Another several thousand gray cards scrolled past.

Suddenly, a brilliant golden light flashed.

[Field Card: Sanctuary of Mercy]

[Effect: Create a sanctuary that lasts for 1 hour. Forcibly convert all creatures within the domain, including monsters, making them temporary friendly units.]

Golden legendary card.

A strategic card powerful enough to drive any guild or military force insane. During a beast tide siege, this single card might be able to save a city.

Lin Yu's movement paused for zero point one second.

Then, he scratched it off without hesitation.

Very strong.

But not what he wanted.

There was no place for this card in his plan.

Choosing a card would increase his mental burden and affect his card drawing quantity.

The torrent of cards continued.

Soon, another golden card appeared.

[Minion Card: Undying War Soul]

[Effect: When this minion is killed, all its attributes gain a permanent +10 growth, and it returns to your hand.]

A minion card with infinite growth potential. Given enough time and resources to “cultivate” it, it could even grow into a god-level existence.

This was a dream partner for any summoner-type professional.

Scratched off.

Another flash of purple.

[Enchantment Card: Mask of the Soul]

[Effect: Choose a minion card. You can temporarily possess it for the next 10 minutes, gaining all its skills and 70% of its attributes.]

Scratched off.

The cards continued to scroll upwards, their speed increasing.

Lin Yu's eyes were already bloodshot, and his mental power was rapidly depleting. Reviewing such a massive amount of information at once was a huge burden on his brain.

Yet, he seemed tireless.

His will, forged through five years of monotonous labor day after day, had been polished as hard as the most unyielding diamond.

Another golden card.