The Five-Element Card Game (The Card Player), Chapter 155: The Vacancy

Wu Hui woke two days later. He and Li Xiaoyue were lying together on the same bed, evidently placed there for the convenience of those caring for them.

He had no idea who had changed his clothes—most likely Wang Xiaodie.

Li Xiaoyue seemed to have improved as well. When Wu Hui opened his eyes, the girl had all four limbs wrapped around him. He shook his head and pried her arms and legs loose.

“Get up.”

His head still hurt a little. To overdraw his strength three times in such a short span and suffer no lasting consequences was already fortunate.

After waking, he reported the situation to his elder sister. The two of them had been out of contact for more than ten days. Of course, while Wu Hui was unconscious, Wu Tong had led the other girls in watching his sleeping posture over video calls.

“Awake?” Ren Yin sat on the sofa, with Wang Xiaodie lying across her lap and acting spoiled.

Wu Hui did not particularly want to ask what Ren Yin was doing. He had a feeling that, like his elder sister, she was developing some strange hobby. Still, as long as she did not practice it on him, there was no problem.

“Mm.”

“Most of the equipment on Smiling Face was damaged or shattered. Some of it was given to Round Spider, while the rest was recovered by Guan Shanting on behalf of the Judgment Court. To thank us for sharing everything, the Judgment Court sent over a few things.”

Since no one knew how long Wu Hui would remain unconscious, the Judgment Court had plenty of matters to deal with as well. To avoid unnecessary complications, Ren Yin had chosen the items for him.

At present, what Wu Hui lacked most were powerful disposable trump cards. He had already used up everything he possessed before. Thus, Ren Yin had selected a six-star Metal Five Elements Card from the Judgment Court’s warehouse.

Gold: Weapon-Slaying Edge

Rank: Six stars

Type: Attack

Effect: Turns countless sword auras into an edge capable of destroying all things.

Ren Yin, Li Xiaojing, Wang Xiaodie, and the others had gained something as well. The Yin-Yang Two-Energies Art taken from Smiling Face was to be left for Li Xiaoyue. It was especially suited to someone with mental abilities.

The losses had actually been immense. Compared with them, the gains were hardly worth mentioning.

“I’ve been wondering whether I should join the Judgment Court,” Ren Yin said. “The advantages of having a faction behind you are considerable. Though we have Sister Tong now, still…”

The Judgment Court imposed certain restrictions on its members’ freedom of action, while Ren Yin was reluctant to join the somewhat sinister Butterfly organization.

Perhaps it would be better to join a first-rate force that was not quite at the pinnacle—perhaps the Library or the Hundred Flowers. Although factions with Level Eleven or Twelve players in residence could not compare with the Judgment Court, they were hardly weak.

Of course, no matter which faction one joined, enjoying its benefits also meant shouldering the corresponding responsibilities.

Although Wu Hui was temporarily relying on the Butterfly organization, he clearly possessed no real loyalty toward it. In the future, he would probably establish an organization of his own—something relatively loose, mainly intended to facilitate trade and mutual assistance among its members.

A secret organization, in other words. Its nature would probably be closer to the Chessboard.

There were only four forces in the world with Level Thirteen players at their helm: the Chessboard, the Judgment Court, the Butterfly, and Palman. There was also one Level Thirteen player who operated alone, wandering wherever he pleased. His whereabouts were an absolute mystery.

Some even suspected that he was already dead.

Most Level Thirteen players kept a low profile and rarely appeared in public. Only the Chief Judge often moved about openly, which made him the most famous of them all. Many people even believed him to be the strongest player in the world.

That was a rather dubious claim. Since the Level Thirteen players had never truly fought one another, there was no way to determine who would win. Their abilities also countered one another in various ways. There was certainly no definitive answer as to who was strongest.

At that moment, Dayun City was carrying out the aftermath of the disaster.

Nearly half of the players who had remained behind in the city had died. Among the Judgment Court’s Level Six players, only one had survived, though quite a few Level Fives were still alive.

Fortunately, half of the city’s original main force had been sent to Evergreen City. Now that they had been recalled, they could barely maintain order. Even so, countless vacancies needed to be filled. Under such circumstances, Zhao Xingluan and Ma Fuxiao, who had joined the Judgment Court, were quickly entrusted with important positions.

Round Spider buried his accomplishments beneath a veil of obscurity, merely compiling a detailed report on everything that had happened in the city and submitting it to his superior.

His superior was Bird-Eating Spider.

Recently, Bird-Eating Spider had been so busy in Evergreen City that he was nearly vomiting blood. As the head of the Spider Branch in Jiangyang Prefecture, he had to gather an enormous amount of intelligence while frequently taking action to purge internal traitors from the Butterfly organization.

There was already an absurd amount of intelligence to collect around Evergreen City. Now Dayun City had produced this fresh disaster as well, making the whole situation unbearably aggravating.

“Ah, I need to recruit new people. When will your brother, Wasp, reach Level Five?”

Bird-Eating Spider asked Wu Tong, who sat nearby with her legs crossed, playing a romance game. This was a lounge in the Insect Cocoon Company accessible only to high-level players. It contained every amenity imaginable, along with a large staff of attendants.

Bird-Eating Spider had originally intended to rest for a while. But after looking at the piles of chaotic work, then glancing at Wu Tong enjoying her game beside him, he cursed under his breath and left.

Wu Tong was a member of the Bees. Unlike the schemers of the Spiders, who had work to do all day long, she was not constantly occupied.

The Bees were highly competitive as well, however. Their internal rivalry was fierce: anyone who defeated a superior could take that superior’s place. As a result, everyone who had not yet been eliminated was an outstanding figure within their current rank.

After joining the Bees, Wu Tong devoted most of her time to improving herself. As a veteran powerhouse who had been famous for many years, she was rarely challenged.

Still, Wu Tong calculated her points.

By next year, she would probably reach Level Ten. At that point, the challenges within the Bees would become even more intense.

There were not many Level Ten players among the Bees. Their leader, the Queen Bee, was only Level Eleven, though she was considered one of the stronger players at that level.

The Queen Bee was currently stationed in Evergreen City.

For next year’s joint competition, the Butterfly organization had sent the Queen Bee, while the Judgment Court had dispatched Iron Hand.

Although Palman’s main forces were stationed far away, sooner or later it would send a super-player to safeguard the interests of its faction.

Super-players from forces outside the three major organizations would also arrive one after another. Until all these powerful figures established a balance, Evergreen City would be extraordinarily dangerous. That was why Wu Tong had sent Wu Hui and the others away to hide for several months.

Judging by the commotion outside, someone had probably started fighting again somewhere. What a headache.

The combatants were one of Palman’s Hand squads and the Nine-Colored Alliance, which was composed of a group of mid- and high-level players.

Palman’s Hands were all-round teams with complete functionality: support, ranged combat, magic, close combat, reconnaissance, and everything else. The captain of this particular squad was Thumb. Wielding a nano-material blade, he exchanged blows with two figures—one black and one white—before retreating.

The woman in black held a gigantic two-meter-long bladed weapon, while the man in white wielded a pair of long spears. Together, they successfully suppressed the strongest member of the Hand squad.

A gunshot rang out. In the distance, a man wearing a blue top hat exchanged fire with Index Finger. Both sides were wounded and fell back.

A bloody giant axe came crashing down.

Working together, a burly red-haired man and a young woman dressed in bright yellow drove back Ring Finger, who had been attempting an assassination.

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