The Card Apprentice

On the peak of the mountain there sat a thin middle-aged man dressed all in white. He was silently watching the clouds roiling among the mountains, and looking very enthralled.

That was his homework, starting at dawn each day, always waiting until noon when the mist would disperse.

Below the peak a city would appear and disappear, with a streak rapidly flashing by in the air from time to time. Those were all card artisans coming and going from the city, though none of them would dare to enter the realm of that mountain peak.

That was in the North Facing Island, and apart from Moon Frost Island, it was the only place that would dare to use the designation “island.” The Norh Facing Island occupied a huge area, and although it wasn’t like Moon Frost Island, it did include seventeen districts and thirteen hundred and fifty large cities. That had also allowed it to jump to being designated the biggest power apart from Moon Frost Island. Its helmsman was that man in white on the peak, who was the number two on the Black Line Star Listing, Cang Lan.

As the second on the Black Line Star Listing, he was impressively well-known, and even Moon Frost Island of the Heavenly Drum Village District wouldn’t dare to casually provoke him. Who could forget that Yang Shanfei had given Moon Frost Island such grief as the ninth on the Black Line Star Listing?

Cang Lan had earned his reputation before Yangshan Fei did, and unlike Fei’s solitary nature, Cang Lan had aces under him as thick as clouds, among countless card artisans. In particular, he formed the Cang Jiang Military Force which was known far and wide, and which hadn’t been defeated up until then. That being how he was, who would dare to provoke him? Even Jia Yingxia who was hosting the alliance sent someone to him with an invitation even though he wasn’t going to participate.

The reputation of the Black Line Star Listing was all about killing. Before he was thirty, Cang Lan criss-crossed the Heavenly Drum Village District challenging everyone, even challenging Jia Yingxia to battle by himself. No one knows who won that battle, but Cang Lang was badly injured and remained in a coma for a month, while Jia Yingxia was also shut-in healing for a long time.

By the time he was thirty-two, Cang Lan had started to establish the Cang Jiang Military Force, which then fought all over. And by the time he was forty, he had conquered the Northern Facing Island. In the early days he would ignore the orders of the Federation government in public opposition to it, which made him a big man of the underworld.

After he snared Yan Yu, the tenth on the Black Line Star Listing, his reputation was at its peak, making him the king of the underworld. Seeing that, the other aces on the Black Line Star Listing all followed suit, establishing their own military forces. The big guys of the underworld kept rising, leaving the Federation government with the will but without the power; even the actual overlord of the Heavenly Drum Village District, Moon Frost Island, couldn’t do anything about it. Ever since Cang Lan established the North Facing Military Force, the region had really already left the grasp of Moon Frost Island.

They didn’t want to collide with that newly trending cutting-edge big power, on top of which that region was were Moon Frost Island’s power was the weakest, and they simply got out. Cang Lan then became the true lord of that vast land!

A very short man appeared behind Cang Lan. He was only a meter and half tall, with a doll-like face. On first sight, one would never imagine that the man who looked like a midget in front of them was actually the notorious Yan Yu.

Although Cang Lan was listed as the number two on the Black Line Star Listing, that was because he had gone against the Federation government; he wasn’t evil in himself. On the contrary, he was self-disciplined, and the army under him was disciplined. Under his rule, the people’s lives were rather lavish. But Yan Yu wasn’t like that, and his temperament was hard to gauge. Before being taken in by Cang Lan, who knows how many card artisans died in his hands. What angered people the most was that the liked to kill sadistically!

He was the most notorious card artisan at the time in the Heavenly Drum Village District.

When Cang Lan took him on, those under him were all quite discouraged. But no one had imagined that after Yan Yu entered the Cang Jiang Military Force, he would actually be tamed. His own strength was without parallel in the Jiang Liang Military Force where no one apart from Cang Lan could beat him. He was also good at leading the soldiers with a sly style that gave people lots of headaches.

The Cang Jiang Military Force became the first army to have two from the Black Line Star Listing top ten, from which they leapt to being the number one army of the underworld!

“The news has already come out, big brother.” Yan Yu bowed to the ground, speaking with lots of respect. He had a voice like a child’s, which was a little sharp.

“What do they say?” Cang Lan’s voice was deep as though it had some special kind of magnetism.

“Yu Jiaran, Shi, and Meng Chen all promised on the spot.” Said Yan Yu.

“Mmmm, that’s good. I’ll relax now with the four sides joining hands.” Cang Lan said placidly.

“Big brother.” Yan Yu hesitated before saying, “I haven’t understood why you want to join forces with them. As long as the information from the front lines is reliable, that Wood Battalion is absolutely a gold mine. This time, Moon Frost Island is busy looking after itself, and wouldn’t dare to fight with us. Why should we carve out any of these things for those three houses?”

Hearing that, Cang Lan said with a laugh, “You shouldn’t be too greedy. Do you think we’re the only ones who got that information?”

“Humph, even if we aren’t, who would dare to fight with us?” A severe look flashed though Yan Yu’s eyes.

“Ha-ha!” Cang Lan laughed aloud, “You’re still so greedy. Desperate risk takers are all over the place, and we don’t have to become their target. With the four of us joining forces, the others won’t have the will to fight. If it were us alone, it would be hard to say. Once the fighting starts the killing is hard to stop.”

He suddenly gave a slight sigh, as his gaze returned to the distance, “The current situation is very delicate, such as has never happened in a hundred years. If we’re the least bit careless, we might throw the whole game. And furthermore, we won’t be participating in the Heavenly Drum Village District alliance. Once they complete the alliance, we’ll be the weak power. It will be hard to turn things around by depending on only our own power!”

As though he were thinking about something, Yan Yu said, “Big Brother wants to go through the things in the hands of the Wood Battalion and establish a new coalition?”

Cang Lan showed his praise, “Not bad. Don’t forget that the White Commander still has Caesar behind him.”

“Caesar!” there was a hint of fear in Yan Yu’s eyes, along with some excitement and enthusiasm. After a moment he asked, “Which team should I take?”

“The Cang Jiang Military Force.”

Yan Yu said, “Do we need to take the Cang Jiang Military Force? Wouldn’t that be like using a battle axe to kill a chicken?”

That was the first time for Cang Lan to frown, “Do you think it’s going to be a matter of just showing up and capturing them this time?”

“Why not?” Yan Yu’s voice was sharp, “They’ve only got two thousand new troops, and with our four great iron armies united, I don’t believe that they could make any kind of huge waves.

The Cang Jiang Military Force, the Jinzhai Tribe and the Blued Steel Regiment were all old troops having gone through hundreds of battles. They had unparalleled strength, and were dubbed the ‘four iron armies’ of the Heavenly Drum Village District. That was also the first time the four iron armies had joined forces.

“Don’t forget that even Rossiji has praised him.” Cang Lan reminded him.

Yan Yu dawdled before snorting coldly, “Didn’t you also say big brother, that one person’s power isn’t enough to overturn the heavens by hand?”

Cang Lan laughed, “If that’s the way it is, let’s make a bet.

“What kind of bet?” Yan Yu’s competitive spirit was aroused.

“West Delhi isn’t far from here. If you set out today, then you should catch up to them within three days. We’ll make fifteen days the limit, and if you can capture that White Commander within fifteen days, then I’ll give you that Snake Swell.” Cang Lan said with a look of certainty.

“Really?” It was hard for Yan Yu to hide his pleasure. That Snake Swell in Cang Lan’s hands was a six-star fantasy card, and a first-rate simulation card, and is the famous card that Cang Lan had used for the longest. Yan Yu had been coveting that card for a long time, though he immediately scowled, “Then what will Big Brother use?”

“It’s as though I’ve realized something during this time, and I plan to change cards.” Cang Lan said with a slight smile.

“Ha-ha, then it’s decided. I’m leaving, big brother!” His voice spiraled off, and there was nothing more to be seen of Yan Yu.

On that very day the leader of the North Facing Island, and the second on the Black Line Star Listing, Cang Lan, and the leader of the West Facing series of cities and the number four on the Black Line Star Listing, Yu Jiaran, and the tribal Chief of the Jinzhai and number seven on the Black Line Star Listing, Shi, and the leader of the Aspia District who was number eight on the Black Line Star Listing, Meng Chen, all made statements at the same time to give notice to the world. They claimed that the Wood Battalion in West Delhi had stolen important technologies from the four houses, and that any power providing assistance to the Wood Battalion would become their mortal enemy!

That same day, the number two man in the North Facing Island, Yan Yu, set out to lead the Cang Jiang Military Force which was designated as the first army of the underworld!

At the same time, Yu Jiaran was leading the Guard Battalion under him personally, while Shi led the Jinzhi tribe and Meng Chen led the Blued Steel Regiment. They all broke camp and set out at the same time!

The four iron armies became four torrents and went straight toward West Delhi at stunning speed.

Once the word got out, the Heavenly Drum Village District was shaken!

Four among the top ten from the Black Line Star Listing had joined forces! The Cang Jiang Military Force, the Guard Battalion, the Jinzhai Tribe, the Blued Steel Regiment; the four big iron armies famous in the underworld all set out at the same time! That was the first time in the entire history of the Heavenly Drum Village District to have such a luxurious battle formation at such a large scale!

Everyone was full of questions: Where did that Wood Battalion actually come from? How could they go so far as to provoke such a massive disaster!

And among everyone’s doubts, a war challenge from the North Facing Island once again stirred the already chaotic Heavenly Drum Village District into still more chaos.

It was a perfectly ordinary war challenge on the one hand, while the content on it made everyone feel crazy.

– They heard that the Killing God was getting severe and only wanted to fight!

The one named was Cang Lan!

Good lord, the Heavenly Drum Village District was suddenly a mess! Breaking news was coming out one after another by then! The Scarlet Card Artisan Team had just been wiped out, and then a series of big affairs burst out. How could the people not be excited?

Cang Lan versus the killing god, Caesar!

If that could be made into a show, it would absolutely be the show with the highest ratings! Countless reporters came flocking to North Facing Island like crazy, desperate to know all about the inside story.

Why did Cang Lang publicly invite a war? Would Caesar take the challenge? What was behind crusading against the Wood Battalion after all? It was the first time the underworld had so clearly let their own voices come out. Were there some new big moves coming?

Relative to the excitement of the people, each of the powers became still more careful. The activities of the big houses of the underworld made the already uncertain situation of the Heavenly Drum Village District still more chaotic. But there was no one who expressed any opinion about any of that, and apart from Moon Frost Island, there wasn’t any power which could respond by itself to those four houses which had joined forces. Those guys who came from the underworld,were all ruthless, and everyone was afraid of them.

And those powers which had originally gotten some of the inside story of the Wood Battalion were whispering in the first moments, that the four iron armies of the underworld could only result in annihilation. Their whispering led to the outside world wondering about the Wood Battalion. People basically didn’t know about that strange army, and where it had popped out from after all.

Chen Mu had just led the Wood Battalion away from West Delhi, and he didn’t know that there were already four teams with terrifying power behind him and coming straight at him.

He was ignorant of the crisis coming his way.

Because he had also run into some trouble of his own.