The Card Apprentice

Chapter 90: The Slightest Difference

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Hong Tao was feeling pretty good having discharged his responsibility. Walking along the street, he activated his communications card and called Zuo Tingyi.

When he saw the serious look on Zuo Tingyi’s face, he had to laugh, “That’s an ugly expression, Tingyi.”

Zuo Tingyi made no response, but said very directly, “If you have something to say, say it.”

“Ha ha.” Hong Tao smiled, pleased with himself, “There’s finally a little progress with Tang Tang’s fiery mayfly.”

Zuo Tingyi’s expression softened a little, apparently because of hearing something about Tang Tang, although he added something which really pissed off Hong Tao, “You’ve become a little bit less efficient than you used to be.”

Hong Tao was really angry as he stared at Zuo Tingyi, “If you say it’s so easy, why don’t you do it yourself. Hrumph, I should have known to let you make the ‘mud fish’ jet stream card yourself, instead of going through so many people.”

“‘Mud fish’ jet stream card?” Zuo Tingyi was dubious.

“The fiery mayfly requires this jet stream card, but it’s rather difficult to make. I got Man Siying, but she couldn’t make it. Then I had no other way than to go to the young kid who had made the ‘mud fish for Phoenix Lin. I hadn’t realized that the sponsorship section would have such an awesome card artisan.” Hong Tao sounded as though he thought that inconceivable.

“Man Siying wasn’t able to make it?” Zuo Tingyi’s expression became earnest right away.

Hong Tao nodded, “That’s right. I specifically went to Man Siying, since I’d heard from the start that the kid wasn’t making the ‘mud fish’ jet stream card anymore.”

“Very young . . . sponsorship class . . .” Zuo Tingyi seemed to be mulling something over.

“No way!” Hong Tao gave a very sympathetic look, “By rights, isn’t the sponsorship class full of garbage? How could they have such an ace? His ability didn’t seem deficient compared to Man Siying. It seems that he just came this year, since I haven’t seen him before. The guy must have gamed the advancement exam.” Then Hong Tao suddenly remembered that he still had Hua Hua’s “mud fish” card. “I can’t talk any more, I have to return the “mud fish” card.”

“You have the mudfish card?” Zuo Tingyi quickly looked up.

“Yep.” But it’s a collector’s item. What? Are you interested in it?” Hong Tao asked a little surprised.

Zuo Tingyi said immediately, “Send that over to me now!”

“Now?” Hong Tao looked a little stunned.

“That’s right. Now!” Zuo Tingyi felt that he had gotten onto something, but he quickly changed his mind, “No, I’ll come to the school. You stay, and I’ll be there right away.” He shut off the apparatus as soon as he said it.

“So much fuss over a card.” Hong Tao was grumbling to himself.

* * *

Chen Mu and Man Siying weren’t talking, just silently walking along the road. Chen Mu was considering his issues, while Man Siying didn’t know what to think.

When they were just about to Chen Mu’s villa, Man Siying stopped. Chen Mu’s feet stopped as well, and he looked at her.

“I’m am really very happy to see you this once. You’d better leave. It’s too dangerous for you to stay here, now that you’ve offended the Zuo family. Go. Leave Eastern Shang-Wei City, and don’t come back. Take good care!” Man Siying was speaking softly and with concern, then she gave a sweet smile, “I’m really grateful for last time!”

Watching the beautiful girl in front of him, and hearing her good wishes and concern for him, Chen Mu was deeply moved, but didn’t say anything more than to look at her deeply, and nod slightly, “You take good care as well.”

He then quickened his pace and ran toward the villa.

Watching Chen Mu’s back retreating, there was a little longing in Man Siying’s eyes.

After about twenty minutes, Zuo Tingyi had found Hong Tao. The two of them were putting their heads together in one of the school’s coffee shops.

“What’s up with all the rush?” Hong Tao was very much in the dark.

“The card?” That was Zuo Tingyi’s response. How could he not be interested the card that Man Siying couldn’t make? And that wasn’t even the crucial issue. It had gotten Zuo Tingyi’s attention when Hong Tao was talking about that newly arrived sponsorship student.

Because of Star Academy having come that year, a lot of people of questionable background and entered Eastern Wei Academy, and most of those chose the sponsorship section!

They were destabilizing factors as far as Zuo Tingyi was concerned.

Zuo Tingyi had talked over the affairs of the Star Academy with his father, and they both surmised that the Star Academy wouldn’t have come and made such a stir only to leave and never come back. It was a tactical retreat, and they would certainly be coming back to Eastern Wei Academy. But neither his father or he knew what their objective was.

There were certainly still people planted at Eastern Wei Academy looking for their opportunity, and those were the ones who needed to be watched. Of course, Zuo Tingyi wasn’t wanting simply to find them, and he wouldn’t be taking any drastic measures. There was no need to stir up the powers behind them at that time, since he wasn’t brain dead like Wu Tuan.

Staying sharp, safe, and circumspect was more the Zuo family way of dealing with such matters.

Taking the large “mud fish” card from Hong Tao, Zuo Tingyi was clearly surprised at its heft. He’d received the most traditional orthodox card-making education and didn’t have any interest toward things like shuttle cars. He’d never touched one.

That was his first time seeing the jet stream card used by the shuttle car, and it was starkly different from the ones that he would normally make. But that shouldn’t be too much of an obstacle for him.

He began carefully to examine the composition of the “mud fish” jet stream card.

Hong Tao meanwhile was sipping his drink in a leisurely fashion, since he knew Zuo Tingyi all too well. Once a card had gotten his attention, he could lose track of eating and sleeping while he was examining it. This guy hadn’t looked up at him once for half an hour.

Munching and sipping, Hong Tao took a look at Zuo Tingyi who was so engrossed and sighed to himself. If Zuo Tingyi hadn’t been born into the Zuo family, he would certainly have made an excellent card master.

It was a shame . . .

His closest friend already had no choice but to start abandoning it, leaving his own ideals behind. When he thought of that he had to be grateful for his own good fortune; his parents had always endorsed his choice.

After an hour, Zuo Tingyi suddenly raised his head, with his usual layer of frostiness.

“It’s Chen Mu!” His tone was very cold.

What Zuo Tingyi had said nearly made Hong Tao spit out the drink in his mouth.

“No way! How could that be Chen Mu, I remember that guy’s face very clearly.” Hong Tao couldn’t accept that, as there was no resemblance at all between Yao Ke and Chen Mu.

“He is Chen Mu!” Zuo Tingyi wasn’t wavering at all, “The peculiar composition of this card is very similar to “Chance Encounter.” To know this kind of composition, if it isn’t Chen Mu, then it’s someone very close to him. This is the same technique!” Zuo Tingyi was certain, though he had some hesitancy, since if Chen Mu had other people behind him, that would make it a thornier issue.

As outstanding as he might be, if Chen Mu was acting alone, then he would be a very limited threat. But if he were subject to some greater power, or if he were to have partners, the threat would go straight up.

For two powers to do battle would have too many implications and could be too fierce.

Hong Tao had never doubted Zuo Tingyi’s judgement about cards, and he was a pretty smart fellow himself. He immediately thought of what was strange about Chen Mu, and blurted out his sudden realization, “Yes, it is possible! Why else would he have that animosity toward me? He certainly recognized me. Oh dear, if I didn’t have such sharp perception I would never have sensed it. This guy really has restraint. Ruthless! Oh, and Man Siying was so hot toward him, could she have found him out too?

Zuo Tingyi made no expression but activated his apparatus ordering those under him to find out everything they could about this Yao Ke character.

He had never realized that while he was stumbling about searching for Chen Mu, he had lost his best chance to grab him with his careful and prudent behaviors.

At that time, Chen Mu was already on the shuttle train to Amay City.

After he parted with Man Siying, Chen Mu hadn’t wasted a second, since he knew he had very little time left, and the sooner he could get out of Eastern Shang-Wei City the higher his probability of staying safe.

He had quickly sorted out his things when he got back to the villa, since he would never be coming back there. He took all of the money cards and put all of the useful cards on his person. Apart from those, he also brought some of the demonic woman’s medicine.

When he was practicing his dodging and evading, he would frequently be wounded, and he depended on that medicine, whose effectiveness was outstanding.

Having so many things, he took the shuttle train to Amay City. While it wasn’t safe, he still didn’t have the ability to travel through the outer reaches.

Zuo Tingyi had very quickly gotten the information about Yao Ke, including about the villa where he then lived. And they found a lot that was fishy in the information.

Zuo Tingyi moved quickly, surrounding Chen Mu’s villa with Zuo family card artisans with the greatest dispatch.

They came up empty.

This really messed with Zuo Tingyi’s mood. The Zuo family had used up a massive amount of manpower and materials to grab Chen Mu, and had mobilized a vast chain of connections without ever catching him. It was very difficult for him to watch him slip away again right out from under his eyes.

“Young Master, we’ve found that he boarded the coach to Amay City two hours ago. It shouldn’t have arrived yet, and if we connect with some people in Amay City, we should be in good position.” The Zuo household had a lot of intelligence channels in Eastern Shang-Wei City.

But the normally decisive Zuo Tingyi was hesitant.

Amay City was the sphere of the Ning household power, and they were more established than the Zuo household, and had more powerful control over Amay City. There were still a few powers in Eastern Shang-Wei City which the Zuo family dreaded. While no-one in Amay City posed any threat to the Ning household.

With the kind of complete control that the Ning family had, they absolutely wouldn’t tolerate such blatant provocation on their own turf.

What should he do?