Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Synthesizing a New Card

Valley City, Central District.

Century Trade Street.

Throngs of people bustled to and fro.

Mechanical Doll servants in an assortment of clerk uniforms walked or flew along the street, hawking wares and handing out flyers.

On the outer wall of a megamall, a giant screen broadcasted a live Hero Association interview. Many people, shopping bags in hand or clutching snack boxes, stopped to watch with interest.

"Mr. Tang Yi, your screen protector is on."

At a roadside stall for phone screen protectors, a middle-aged owner in sunglasses sat on a small plastic stool and handed an old phone to the sharply-dressed customer before him.

"Oh... okay."

The handsome older man with the side-part hairstyle pulled his gaze from the giant screen, accepted the phone, and offered his thanks.

"Mr. Gu, your skills are truly unmatched. I went to several stores before, but none of those youngsters could handle my old phone model."

Tang Yi inspected the phone. The screen was as smooth as a mirror, its edges fitting perfectly. Very satisfied, he asked:

"Same price as usual?"

"We’re regulars, just pay what you think is fair." The owner picked up a half-eaten container of braised beef instant noodles from the table and smiled nonchalantly. "I just don’t get what kind of work you do. Why does your screen protector always break?"

"I suggest you just get a new phone. They all have crystal screens now, strong enough to stop a bullet. Why even bother with a damn screen protector?"

"Can’t be helped. My work requires an older model phone. Besides, if I changed phones, wouldn’t you lose a customer?"

Tang Yi smiled and paid 100 Credit Points in cash. The currency looked like semi-transparent chips, with the engraved denomination in the center emitting a faint purple glow.

The owner took the money and waved his hand dismissively.

"Fewer and fewer people are in this line of work now, so there’s little competition. For me, it’s just a hobby. I don’t rely on it to make a living."

The two chatted for a bit. The sunglass-wearing owner slurped his noodles. Chewing, he pointed to the giant screen across the street and asked casually:

"You seem pretty interested in this year’s Professional Warrior assessment?"

"Mhm." Tang Yi showed a proud smile and looked at the interview on the screen. "My nephew is up there."

"Whoa! That’s amazing!"

The owner said, quite surprised.

"Which one is your nephew?"

Tang Yi stared at the screen without answering, his gaze filled with a mix of reminiscence and relief.

He hadn’t expected it either—that the kid would be so outstanding. He’d quietly participated in this year’s assessment, taken first place, and been directly promoted to a Four-Star Hero.

Suddenly, Tang Yi thought of something else. His smile faded, replaced by a solemn expression.

’His parents’ belongings...’

’Maybe it’s time to give them to him.’

’No.’

’Not yet.’

’The matter is too important. His strength isn’t enough yet. Telling him now would probably only harm him. I’ll wait a little longer.’

"Haha, enough chatting. I have to go."

Tang Yi got up from the stool, bid farewell to the screen protector vendor, and left.

After he left,

the owner lit a cigarette and looked with great interest at the black-haired young man on the giant screen, who was chatting eloquently with a female reporter.

"The child of that pair of genius researchers from the Luocheng incident... Wang Xi? An interesting young man."

...

...

When Wang Xi woke up, he found that it was already dark outside and he was once again lying in a hospital bed.

Smelling the scent of disinfectant in the air, he sat up, still able to feel a dull ache in his chest.

’I can only say the price for lying this time was a bit steep. I really couldn’t bear it. To think I actually passed out from the pain right in the middle of a live interview.’

’Well, at least I’m still alive.’

Wang Xi first checked his body and found nothing seriously wrong. He just couldn’t remember anything that happened after he blacked out.

He rubbed his face and focused his attention on his mind. The long, narrow fissure then spat out a stream of information...

Wang Xi was taken aback.

Unassigned Experience Points: 2050

Huh?!

Over two thousand Experience!

’I can’t help but be dazed. How long would I have to grind Cards to save up such a huge amount of Experience!’

’You couldn’t get this much even if you fought projections until you passed out!’

’It seems that although the price was heart-wrenching, it wasn’t entirely unacceptable.’

’Hmm...’

Wang Xi looked thoughtful, stroking his chin.

’The lying mechanism of "Pinocchio’s Heart" should be related to three factors: the individual strength of the target being deceived, the number of individuals, and the lie itself.’

The first two were easy to understand.

He vaguely remembered that in the final moment before he passed out, he had received 10 Experience Points for lying to Yu Jiali.

Whereas a normal person only gave 1 Experience Point.

This was clearly because Yu Jiali’s strength far exceeded that of a normal person, so the feedback he received was ten times the Experience Points.

As for the third factor he speculated on—the lie itself...

’There were two million people watching the live broadcast. Even if my lame "shrimp head" lie only deceived one percent of them, shouldn’t that be at least twenty thousand Experience?’

However, that wasn’t the case.

Not even close.

This pointed to one conclusion.

’Either the lie’s impact wasn’t big enough, or "Pinocchio’s Heart" has some kind of hidden limit.’

Wang Xi had a faint feeling that both reasons might be true at the same time.

But no matter what, it proved one thing.

’—This unique Black Card, "Pinocchio’s Heart," is truly precious. Incredibly precious!’

CLICK, CLACK...

Just then, Wang Xi heard the faint sound of gears turning again.

"Huh?!"

He froze for a moment, then abruptly pulled open his clothes. On his skin, over his heart on the left side of his chest, a slowly rotating Gear Seal had appeared.

About a third of it was already filled with a deep black.

Wang Xi’s pupils contracted sharply.

In his mind, Kaos spat out another stream of information, making his blood run cold.

The information was brief—

If this Gear Seal is completely filled with black, Wang Xi will trigger an instant death!

Instantaneous and irreversible death.

’So that’s it. This is the real price of "Pinocchio’s Heart"...’

Wang Xi was in a daze.

’And every time I use it to lie, although I get Experience in return, it also fills the Seal with a bit of black. The greater the feedback, the more black it fills.’

’As for that heart-wrenching agony, it’s just a side effect of the Gear Seal rotating.’

Wang Xi was silent for a long time.

Then he let out a heavy breath and sighed.

"I knew it wouldn’t be that simple!"

He mulled it over and finally made up his mind.

’Until I find a way to remove the blackening of the gear, I absolutely cannot use the "Pinocchio’s Heart" Card again. Otherwise, I’d just be playing with my life.’

...

...

Wang Xi sat on the bed and took stock of his gains from this period.

He tossed the remaining Magic Stones and the eight junk White Cards from the Maze Card Pool to Kaos. The former were converted into Energy, the latter shattered into Experience Points.

Energy: 2855

Unassigned Experience Points: 2170

The haul was huge!

Looking at these numbers, the threat and gloom brought by the blackened gear were somewhat diluted by a surge of happiness.

He thought for a moment and, instead of rushing to assign his Experience Points, he first took out the three White One Star Skill Cards—"Lock Picking Mastery," "Drinking and Eating Giant," and "See Through Your Scars"—and tossed them into Kaos’s fissure to be synthesized.

HUMMM—

In the fissure filled with gray mist, three balls of white light intertwined and finally merged into one.

Cunning Villain (Skill Card)

Quality: Green One Star (Not Upgradeable)

An insidious and cunning fat man. This person is an alcoholic and a glutton, but is destitute and has to rely on lock picking and theft to get by... If caught in the act of stealing, he will mercilessly strike the victim’s wounds and take the opportunity to escape.

After use, you will gain the abilities of lock picking, gluttony, and wound tearing. This Card continuously consumes a certain amount of stamina with each use.

Wang Xi held the brand new Green Card, finding it somewhat amusing.

He always felt that every time he synthesized a new Card, it was like some third-rate writer was hiding behind the scenes, stitching together useless materials to concoct a boring story.

Like "Mud Howling Dark Frog," "Cunning Villain" was a support-type Card that could not be upgraded further.

Overall, it sacrificed the potential of the individual Cards to merge and significantly enhance their original effects.

It was alright, he guessed.

Wang Xi equipped it, then took out three more White Skill Cards: "Blueberry-flavored Sugar Coating," "Water Ball," and "Water Arrow."

The Sugar Coating had already reached "Ultimate" status, achieving White Two Stars. The latter two were still only White One Star.

After a moment’s hesitation, he took a deep breath and tossed these three Cards into the fissure in his mind as well.

’Kaos, synthesize.’

Wang Xi commanded silently.

HUMMM—

Inside the fissure, three balls of white light spun ceaselessly before quickly merging, bursting into a verdant green radiance.

Blueberry Jellyfish (Skill Card)

Quality: Green One Star (Upgradeable)

A strange jellyfish that is lazy yet irritable. It hates being disturbed while sleeping, and if anyone does so, it will stab into their body in the form of an Armstrong Rotary Cannon, then expand and explode, causing them to die from an anal rupture.

After use, you will release an arrow-shaped stream of sugar water, which can be expanded into an umbrella shape and hardened at any time. Each use consumes a certain amount of Magic Power (if you lack Magic Power, it will consume double the stamina).

"..."

Wang Xi looked at the Card’s face. It depicted a round-headed, azure jellyfish, though its shape looked a bit indecent.

He put a hand to his forehead and sighed.

What the hell were these synthesized Cards?

Overall, however, "Blueberry Jellyfish" was a decent Magic Skill Card. It could be used for offense or defense, and could even explode after piercing an enemy’s body to deal secondary damage.

’Combined with the Wound Strike from "Cunning Villain," it might even have a chance to trigger massive bleeding.’

"Ugh." Wang Xi froze for a second. "How is my Card deck getting weirder and weirder..."

He scratched his hair, casting aside the stray thoughts.

He just didn’t know if "Blueberry Jellyfish" should be classified under Sugar Magic or Water Magic.

Or maybe a little bit of both?

Wang Xi couldn’t be sure.

He focused his attention on his mind. In the darkness before the fissure, the "Ultimate" Seal that had belonged to "Blueberry-flavored Sugar Coating" was actually still there!

The enhancement trait called "Bang Bang Candy" had clearly been inherited by "Blueberry Jellyfish"... After hardening the sugar water, it could effectively increase its hardness.

Just then,

Wang Xi suddenly turned his head toward the door of the hospital room.

He heard footsteps outside the door, accompanied by faint conversation. One of the pleasant-sounding voices was very familiar.

’It’s Chu Nai.’

Wang Xi’s eyebrows rose.

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