7: Jokers and Doubling

【Effect Card: World】

【Effect: Time stops for 9 seconds.】

Strikethrough.

A trump card capable of reversing the tide in any battle. Assassins could use it to achieve a decisive kill, mages could use it to chant forbidden spells, and even ordinary people could use it to escape a fatal crisis.

Lin Yu didn't even spare it a second glance.

A golden counter card.

【Counter Card: Mirror of Karma】

【Effect: After use, it lies dormant and triggers passively. When you receive any form of attack, you can reflect 100% of it back to the attacker.】

Strikethrough.

A green equipment card.

【Equipment Card: Vampire's Fangs】

【Effect: All damage you deal will restore 10% of your health.】

Strikethrough.

One after another, rare cards, epic cards, and even legendary cards—each capable of stirring up a storm in the outside world—were discarded by him.

They might be powerful, even possessing the strength to change a professional's destiny.

But Lin Yu knew those weren't what he needed.

His goal, ever since that day five years ago, had been singular.

He knew with absolute clarity which card he needed.

That card, theoretically existing yet ethereal.

Everything he had done was to turn this theory into reality.

The torrent of cards continued.

A thousand… five thousand… ten thousand… Lin Yu's finger continued to slide steadily.

Just then, his finger suddenly stopped.

His finger hung in mid-air, fixed in a perfectly still position.

The torrent of fourteen thousand four hundred and one cards also came to an abrupt halt at this moment.

On the interface, a card floated silently.

It lacked the dazzling brilliance of a golden legend, the deep mystery of an epic purple card, and even a trace of energy fluctuation from a rare blue card.

It was just a card.

A most ordinary-looking, grayish-white card.

In the center of the card face, a simple clown mask was drawn. Besides that, there was nothing else.

【Effect Card: Ghost Card】

【Choose a card you have used before and obtain a copy.】

Lin Yu looked at this simple description.

Five years.

One thousand eight hundred and twenty-six days and nights.

Twenty-six million two hundred and eighty thousand trash cards piled up.

He dreamed of this card.

At first, he would exclaim during card selection, be disappointed by repeated refresh failures, and be swayed by the occasional appearance of a golden card.

But now, only numbness remained.

A numbness that penetrated his bones, almost consuming his entire being.

He reached out his hand, his movements slow and stiff, touching the card floating in the void.

What his fingertips felt was the texture of a physical card.

Not an illusion.

He truly… found it.

The moment he held the card in his hand.

Lin Yu felt redeemed.

The string that had been taut for five years finally loosened. His whole body swayed, almost losing his balance, and he quickly used his hand to steady himself against the cold iron sheet of the container beside him.

He didn't experience wild joy, nor did he shout.

He simply pressed the Ghost Card tightly against his chest, leaned against the wall, and slowly slid to the ground.

He curled up in the corner, like a lonely soul who had finally found its home.

Time lost its meaning at this moment.

He didn't know how long he sat there.

Perhaps a minute, perhaps ten minutes.

It wasn't until his body began to protest with sharp pains due to prolonged exhaustion and intense mental fluctuations that he slowly raised his head.

Light re-condensed in his bloodshot eyes.

A light brighter and crazier than ever before.

Now, it was time to examine the harvest.

Lin Yu suppressed the excitement that was almost bursting from his chest, forcing himself to calm down.

He carefully placed the Ghost Card into his pocket, then focused his thoughts on his professional panel.

That second skill he hadn't used since his awakening.

【Mirror Copy】.

Activate.

【Please select the card to be copied.】

Lin Yu's thought, without hesitation, landed on the brand-new Ghost Card in his pocket.

【Ghost Card has been selected. Do you wish to perform Mirror Copy? The copied card will be a temporary card and will disappear after 24 hours.】

"Yes."

A faint light flashed, and an identical Ghost Card appeared in his hand.

However, the edges of this copy carried a barely perceptible sense of illusion.

He didn't know if the next operation would succeed.

Theoretically, it could.

The root of his madness lay in this theory.

He stood up, walked to the workbench, took out the Multiplication Card he had kept close for five years, and placed it side by side with the temporary Ghost Card on the table.

The dark blue Multiplication Card.

The grayish-white temporary Ghost Card.

His life was about to face its final judgment on these two cards.

Lin Yu reached out his hand, his fingertip tracing the surface of the Multiplication Card.

Use.

Buzz.

A dark blue light flashed and disappeared, merging into his body.

【The effect of your next card will activate twice.】

It worked!

His heart suddenly skipped a beat.

Now!

Lin Yu picked up the temporary Ghost Card, using almost all his strength to steady his hand.

Use!

【Please select the card to be copied.】

The panel popped up.

Select, Multiplication Card.

【Please select the card to be copied.】

It succeeded! The effect of the Ghost Card was doubled by the effect of the Multiplication Card!

The system panel popped up another prompt.

Select, Ghost Card!

【Copy complete.】

The light dissipated.

The temporary Ghost Card in Lin Yu's hand disappeared into points of light.

And before him, two brand-new cards floated silently.

One was the dark blue Multiplication Card.

The other was the grayish-white Ghost Card.

All permanent cards!

It worked! It really worked!

At this moment, Lin Yu had used a temporary Ghost Card and consumed a permanent Multiplication Card.

Ultimately, he obtained a permanent Multiplication Card and a permanent Ghost Card.

At first glance, his hand of cards seemed to have changed from one Multiplication Card and one Ghost Card to one Multiplication Card and one Ghost Card.

Nothing seemed to have changed.

But… Lin Yu's breathing quickened. He forcibly suppressed his surging emotions and began the second operation.

He picked up a new Ghost Card.

Use!

【Please select the card to be copied.】

Select, Multiplication Card!

【Copy complete.】

He once again obtained a permanent Multiplication Card.

Now, his hand of cards was: two Multiplication Cards, one Ghost Card.

Lin Yu picked up an Multiplication Card.

Use!

【The effect of your next card will activate twice.】

He then picked up the second Multiplication Card.

Use!

【The effect of your next card will activate twice.】

【The effect of your next card will activate twice.】

The effects of the two Multiplication Cards were stacked!

No, not stacked.

The first Multiplication Card made the effect of the second Multiplication Card activate twice!

The Multiplication Card was amplified!

On Lin Yu's professional panel, a status icon lit up.

【Amplification X4】!

【The effect of your next card will activate four times!】