Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Ning Zhu was the last one to enter the 【Scene Card】. She vaguely managed to glimpse the card’s surface information.

The card was huge. Unlike the 【Luggage Card】, which displayed information clearly on the front, this one had a faint line of small text in the upper left corner.

Card Name: Green Meadow

Card Type: Scene Card

Ning Zhu only had time to read that much before she stepped onto a stretch of green grass.

The scenery before her suddenly opened up.

One second ago they had been on the bumpy, shaking 【Somersault Cloud Express】, and now they were looking at a blue sky and a vast green meadow.

The space inside the 【Scene Card】 was very large. Even after more than a hundred people entered, it still felt spacious. Everyone was panicking and discussing frantically.

“What the hell?! Why would anyone attack the Express?!”

“I saw on the school forum that a Star God has appeared in the world, and some evil organization that’s been lurking for a long time has gone crazy… Could it be them?”

“You mean the Zodiac Society?”

“What is the Zodiac Society?”

“Have none of you checked the school forum?! It’s the most evil organization in the Card Master world, bar none!”

Clearly, Ning Zhu wasn’t the only one who had never logged into Spirit Card Academy’s school forum. More than half of the hundred people present didn’t even know it existed.

Even those who had logged in only had a very one-sided understanding. Someone said, “Anyway, they’re a bunch of lawless lunatics who enjoy hunting Card Masters for fun.”

In the short time it took for this chaotic conversation, Ning Zhu had already entered the 【Scene Card】. She immediately warned, “Someone’s chasing us in!”

As soon as she spoke, the freshmen who had squeezed in early thinking they were safe panicked again.

“What?”

“What did she say?”

“Isn’t the Scene Card supposed to be absolutely safe?”

“How reliable is that teacher anyway?!”

With a sharp *whoosh*, an ice spike flew over. A nearby student couldn’t react in time and was hit.

Their lower body was frozen solid — they couldn’t move at all.

Several students’ faces changed drastically. Some even started wailing, “I want to go home! I want to go home!”

The next instant, gunshots rang out.

After several *bang bang bang* sounds, the strong smell of gunpowder spread, followed by the scent of blood.

Fresh blood stained the white school uniforms. The shot freshmen didn’t even have time to scream. Their eyes widened blankly as life left their bodies.

Their lower bodies were frozen, so they couldn’t even fall over.

The scene happened so suddenly that the freshmen froze for two or three full seconds before erupting into terrified screams.

“Murder… they’re killing people!”

“No! I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die here!”

Screaming gave way to chaos.

“Run!”

Someone shouted, and the group of teenagers who had been clustered together immediately scattered and fled.

Taller students knocked over shorter ones. Those who had already been scared sick and vomited repeatedly on the Express were now staggering.

Ning Zhu was pushed around and nearly fell.

Fortunately, her physical condition was excellent. The daily 5km runs hadn’t been in vain. She reacted quickly, not only avoiding the fall but also swiftly pulling herself out of the crowd to escape the stampede.

“Ah!” Yuan Xiaona screamed.

Ning Zhu’s eyes and hands were quick — she pulled her up.

After getting up, Yuan Xiaona didn’t even glance at Ning Zhu before rushing forward again.

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

More gunshots. It seemed more people had fallen.

The beautiful blue sky and green meadow of the 【Scene Card】 had turned into a bloody slaughterhouse. The students who had come with beautiful dreams of their new school had become lambs waiting to be butchered.

Ning Zhu felt something was off. She asked Bai Ze, “Why didn’t 【Foresight】 trigger?”

Bai Ze said indifferently, “Do you think this is some random cat-or-dog ability? It’s not that easy to trigger. Besides, you’ve already triggered it twice. If you trigger it again so soon… heh, even the first-generation Card Master wasn’t as ridiculous as you.”

Ning Zhu didn’t have time to argue. She ran very fast and quickly reached the front of the group.

But was blindly running useful?

Ning Zhu’s mind spun rapidly. No matter how large the 【Scene Card】 was, it still had boundaries. The situation outside was probably even worse. When she entered, she had caught glimpses of several black shadows…

Several!

Why were nearly a hundred of them being chased by just a few?

“Bai Ze, check the situation behind us.”

“Pushing and shoving, complete mess.”

“The enemies’ situation!”

“Hmm, four role cards.”

“Only role cards?”

“One 2-star 【Gunner】, one 2-star 【Mage】, and two 1-star 【Warriors】.”

Ning Zhu asked, “So the attackers didn’t come in themselves? They just threw in four 【Role Cards】?”

Bai Ze replied, “That 【Gunner】 and 【Mage】 are quite troublesome. The 【Mage】 has decent accuracy. Once you’re frozen by it… well, never mind. Its accuracy actually sucks, but the students are too chaotic. They push and shove each other while trying to escape, and end up tripping over their own companions before getting frozen.”

Bai Ze’s tone was cold and carried a hint of mockery as he spoke.

Ning Zhu suddenly stopped, turned around, and ran back.

Her reverse action was too abrupt. Several students couldn’t help but look at her.

But none of them turned back. No one wanted to get shot!

Ning Zhu ran fast and quickly saw the situation behind clearly.

There really were only four role cards. They all looked like humanoid stone statues with expressionless, featureless faces. The 【Mage】 released freezing spells, the 【Gunner】 raised its hand to shoot, and the 【Warriors】 charged into the crowd, slashing at the lagging students like chopping vegetables.

The front only smelled of blood, but the back was a scene of carnage.

The fallen students died with their eyes wide open. Their young faces still carried the despair of their final moments.

The nauseating stench of blood hit her. Ning Zhu felt her stomach churn after just one glance. If there had been anything in her stomach, she would have vomited.

Damn Zodiac Society!

Having seen their cruelty before, Ning Zhu was now burning with rage. Her whole body trembled uncontrollably.

“There are only four 【Role Cards】!” Ning Zhu shouted loudly.

However, the panicked students couldn’t hear her at all.

Most of those falling behind were thin and small. Before receiving their admission letters, they hadn’t even known what 【Spirit Cards】 were. Due to various coincidences, their bodies had sensed spiritual energy, triggering minor special incidents. The Special Affairs Bureau reported them, and Spirit Card Academy sent out the admission letters.

These confused teenagers had thought it was like *Harry Potter* coming to life, dreaming of attending their own wizarding school.

They never expected to encounter such a terrifying attack just on the way to school.

Children who grew up in peaceful times had never even seen someone kill a chicken. How could they endure this?

Among the students falling behind, there were more girls. At sixteen, boys grew quickly — some were already over 1.8 meters tall, while some girls were only 1.55–1.6 meters.

A girl who looked about 80–90 jin was tripped by a companion. A 1-star 【Warrior】 swung its long blade, aiming to cut her in half…

Ning Zhu charged forward. Her card ring flashed as she sent a 【Armor Card】 flying toward the girl.

The girl’s shoulders shook, tears streaming down her face, full of fear and helplessness.

**Bang!**

The 【Warrior】’s long blade smashed into the 【Armor Card】. The girl was completely unharmed!

Ning Zhu cast another 【Armor Card】 on herself, protecting her head. Like a mad little calf, she rammed straight into the 【Warrior】.

【Role Cards】 were not invincible.

A 1-star one had very low defense.

Ning Zhu didn’t have any 【Weapon Cards】, or she wouldn’t have needed to use her head.

**Bang!**

“Ah!”

The sound of heavy impact and the girl’s scream rang out at the same time.

The girl Ning Zhu had saved got up and tried to pull her back, but she couldn’t. She could only watch helplessly as Ning Zhu slammed her head into the statue.

That 【Warrior】 looked as hard as stone. A human head ramming into it…

Would definitely split open and bleed!

Yet an astonishing scene occurred.

It was practically a miracle. The girl widened her eyes in disbelief.

Ning Zhu headbutted the 【Warrior】, and the seemingly indestructible stone statue shattered with a crash.

Ning Zhu’s head was completely fine. She was only a little dizzy from the impact.

Bai Ze: “……”

This fighting style left the cat speechless.

One 【Warrior】 fell, and another immediately took its place. It swung its long blade at Ning Zhu.

Ning Zhu still had 【Armor Cards】 on her, but she was too dizzy to sense the cards in time.

Even if she could, she couldn’t use that move again.

It worked once due to surprise. Doing it again would be suicide.

**Clang!**

The metallic clash of weapons rang out.

When Ning Zhu looked up, she saw Ye Jianrong’s cold but beautiful little face.

“Idiot.” Ye Jianrong’s lips moved as she spat out two words.

Ning Zhu: “……” Retracting her previous thought — not cute at all.

“Are you okay?!” The girl Ning Zhu saved rushed over, anxiously looking at her head.

“I’m fine.” Ning Zhu didn’t have time to say more. She turned and shouted, “Ye Jianrong, do you have any 【Weapon Cards】? Give me one!”

Ye Jianrong: “I don’t.”

“Then where did your blade come from?”

“I picked it up.”

“……”

While Ning Zhu was talking to her, Ye Jianrong had already swung the large blade (from who knows where) at the 【Warrior】.

Ye Jianrong wasn’t tall or particularly strong, but she clearly had training. Her grip on the blade was steady, and her legwork was solid.

She was a full twenty centimeters shorter than the 【Warrior】, but she used the height difference well to dodge attacks. Unfortunately, the 【Warrior】 attacked very quickly, so she couldn’t destroy it right away.

At that moment, the 【Mage】 raised its hand and hurled an ice spike over.

Ning Zhu immediately jumped aside. This obviously interfered with Ye Jianrong, who was fighting the 【Warrior】.

It was already difficult for Ye Jianrong to withstand the 【Warrior】’s attacks. With the 【Mage】 interfering, the situation looked bad.

Ning Zhu asked again, “Where did you pick up the weapon?!”

Before Ye Jianrong could answer, a girl spoke up, “I… I have a 【Weapon Card】!”

Ning Zhu looked over. It was a girl with messy hair and black-framed glasses. Her round little face was stained with blood and dirt.

“Can I borrow it?”

“It’s a 【Bow and Arrow Card】. Can you use it?”

“……”

Of course Ning Zhu couldn’t. She was the type who missed every shot at the amusement park archery range. She shouted, “Ye Jianrong, can you use a bow?”

If Ye Jianrong could, they could switch weapons.

Ye Jianrong dodged the 【Mage】’s ice spike with difficulty while blocking the 【Warrior】’s blade. “No.”

The round-faced girl said herself, “I can.”

Ning Zhu was anxious. “Then use it!”

The round-faced girl was almost crying. “But I don’t know how to use the card ring. I can’t release the weapon.”

Ning Zhu made a quick decision and reached out. “Give me the card!”

The round-faced girl took out a dull-looking card from her pocket. Ning Zhu looked at it—

Card Name: Bow and Arrow

Card Type: Weapon Card

Card Star Level: 0-star

Note: A shabby bow and arrows. Good luck, Card Master.

Maker: A future card-making genius who wishes to remain anonymous.

Ning Zhu: “……”

If she had a choice, she really wouldn’t have time to read the card info.

But without reading it, she wouldn’t be able to release it properly.

After seeing it, her mentality nearly collapsed.

Could this bow and arrow even be used?

Whatever. Treat a dead horse like a living one.

Ning Zhu first placed it into her card slot, then visualized the front and back of the card in her mind. The card ring flashed, and a shabby, broken bow and arrow appeared in her hand.

“Here!” Ning Zhu tossed it to the girl.

The girl caught it. “Thank you!”

Although the bow and arrows were very low quality, the girl’s shooting posture was surprisingly standard. Her hands trembled as she aimed at the distant 【Mage】 and shot.

The archer girl panicked. “I missed.”

Ning Zhu saw it too, but her voice was full of encouragement. “Super amazing! Keep shooting it!” Missing was fine. The important thing was to disrupt the 【Mage】’s freezing spells.

Encouraged, the archer girl’s hands stopped shaking so much. “Okay!”

At this time, Ye Jianrong finally had a moment to speak. “There are weapons on the chairs to the left.”

Ning Zhu looked left. Sure enough, there were several wooden chairs, like the ones casually placed in parks for people to rest.

Without another word, Ning Zhu sprinted over at full speed.

She ran so fast that the girl she had just saved was stunned. Soon the girl reacted and ran after her.

Weapons!

They needed weapons!

The girl had only run halfway when Ning Zhu returned, holding a long blade in her left hand and dragging a meteor hammer in her right.

Ning Zhu handed her the blade. “Can you hold it?”

The girl’s wrist was thinner than the hilt, but she said firmly, “I’ll try.”

Ning Zhu gave her the long blade. The girl gripped it with both hands, though her stance clearly wasn’t suited for fighting.

“It’s fine. Just use it for self-defense.”

“O-okay.”

Ning Zhu shouted loudly, “Everyone stop running! There are weapons nearby! Only four role cards entered the 【Scene Card】! Let’s work together and take them down!”

Her voice was clear and loud. On the spacious green meadow, it was loud enough for everyone to hear.

The students running at the very front only caught fragments.

“What did that person say?”

“Weapons?”

“What use are weapons?! They have guns!”

“But we can’t just keep running like this.”

“Why not? As long as we don’t get killed, rescue will come eventually. I don’t believe Spirit Card Academy would let us all die here!”

Ning Zhu couldn’t worry about them anymore. She swung her meteor hammer at the frozen students.

The freshmen screamed in fright.

But the meteor hammer only smashed apart the ice binding their legs.

“Go find weapons! There might be some on those chairs! Those with strength, follow me! Those without, grab weapons and protect yourselves!” Ning Zhu shouted while smashing ice. With several loud *clangs*, she broke all the ice.

Sweat beaded on her forehead, and her wrists felt sore and swollen.

She should have trained her arms more. Her strength still wasn’t enough!

*Whoosh!*

A bullet cut through the air.

The 【Gunner】 had begun attacking this side.

The freshman right in front of Ning Zhu was within range. The bullet pierced her forehead. She fell straight backward, the joy of being freed from the ice still on her face…

Ning Zhu’s pupils shrank violently. The hand gripping the meteor hammer bulged with veins.

She stared deadly at the distant 2-star 【Gunner】 sniping from afar and muttered, “We have to take it down first.”

The 【Mage】’s freezing couldn’t kill people.

The 【Warriors】 were being held off by Ye Jianrong.

That distant 2-star 【Gunner】 was the most troublesome one.

It had long range and high accuracy. Every shot took a life.

Ning Zhu gripped the meteor hammer tightly and asked, “Does anyone have 【Armor Cards】?”

Everyone shook their heads blankly. They hadn’t even thought of preparing something like that.

The only reason the archer girl had brought a 【Bow and Arrow Card】 was because she had loved archery since childhood and specially paid a card maker to turn it into a card.

Ye Jianrong said, “I have two.”

While blocking the 【Warrior】’s fierce attacks, she couldn’t help warning, “Don’t do anything stupid.”

The image of Ning Zhu headbutting the 【Warrior】 was too bizarre. Ye Jianrong would never forget it.

Ning Zhu said, “Give me one.”

Ye Jianrong gave her both and added, “You got lucky earlier. Don’t use your head aga—”

Before she could finish, Ning Zhu *pa pa pa* cast six 【Armor Cards】 on herself in quick succession.

Others didn’t understand what this meant, but Ye Jianrong’s brows furrowed tightly.

This girl’s spiritual energy…

was ridiculously abundant!

The girl holding the long blade ran over and asked Ning Zhu, “What can I do?”

Ning Zhu was already sprinting forward. “Go disrupt the 【Mage】.”

The girl gripped the long blade with both hands. “Okay!”

As soon as Ning Zhu finished speaking, she charged toward the continuously firing 【Gunner】.

A bullet flew toward her forehead.

**Bang!** The 【Armor Card】 deflected it.

A bullet flew toward her heart.

The 【Armor Card】 blocked it again.

This 【Gunner】 truly deserved to be 2-star. Although it was just a role card without self-awareness, it had a complete combat logic of a gunman.

Its gun muzzle suddenly turned and aimed at Ning Zhu’s arm.

There was no 【Armor Card】 there.