Chapter 35
Chapter 35
Ning Zhu had been frequently going to Laboratory 14 during this period.
But she really didn’t know that Li Jin was in Laboratory 13.
The laboratories were arranged by serial numbers. There were hundreds or even thousands of labs in the entire building. The fact that the two of them ended up as neighbors was already quite miraculous. Even more miraculous was that they had not run into each other for a full half month.
The administrator would not casually hand out access cards to other students. He first asked Li Jin from Laboratory 13. After Li Jin replied, only then did he issue the access card to Ning Zhu.
Ning Zhu was very familiar with the place and quickly arrived at Laboratory 13.
The layout of card-making laboratories was mostly the same—each was a clean, orderly white room.
The walls were specially made, waterproof, fireproof, and bulletproof… in short, extremely versatile. Even if a card-making failure caused an explosion, it could be effectively contained within this room.
The room was small, only enough to hold a single workbench.
The workbench was fully equipped, not only with card-drawing tools, but also detection instruments, and even small devices for processing card materials.
When Ning Zhu entered, Li Jin was sitting at the workbench. He wore protective glasses—dark-tinted, a single curved lens that extended from his brow ridge downward, covering most of his face and revealing only a straight nose bridge and tightly pressed thin lips.
He was making a lightning-element card. The materials for this type of card included many conductive components, and he also had to draw spiritual rune patterns capable of gathering lightning element energy.
Because the rune patterns would attract electric current, the ink flowing from the pen tip occasionally flickered with piercing electric light.
Ning Zhu only took one look before quickly averting her gaze.
Without protective goggles, it could damage eyesight.
“Very soon.”
“No rush.”
Ning Zhu found a pair of protective goggles nearby, put them on, and looked back again.
Li Jin’s hand was very steady. The pen tip moved smoothly and naturally, while the constantly flickering electric currents followed a rhythmic pattern.
Bai Ze said, “It’s an [Ice-Lightning Card], a pretty good dual-element card.”
Ning Zhu listened with curiosity. She really hadn’t seen any ice element, but thinking about it, it made sense. Li Jin was a Celestial Balance card master, and his perception of ice elements far exceeded ordinary people. He must have fused it smoothly into the lightning element.
Bai Ze continued, “At least three-star—”
As soon as it said this, it let out a surprised sound: “His hand shook. What a pity, it can only be two-star now.”
Ning Zhu blinked but couldn’t see where Li Jin had shaken.
However, Bai Ze’s judgment was unquestionable. It was practically a living detection instrument. No—it was even better than one; it could estimate the rating before the card was even finished.
Li Jin put away his pen and placed the card into a small box.
Ning Zhu asked curiously, “Don’t you need to test it?”
Li Jin said, “Later.”
He removed his protective goggles, his dark eyes landing on Ning Zhu. “What is it?”
Ning Zhu didn’t waste time. With a serious expression, she asked, “Senior, have you heard of someone named Miao Feng?”
Li Jin replied, “He was the previous White Aries system director.”
Ning Zhu let out a breath of relief. As expected of someone from a card master family—Li Jin knew much more than she did.
“Then do you know he was the previous Star God Card master?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know that ten years ago he suddenly killed his own teammates and defected to the Zodiac Society…?”
“I know.” Li Jin paused, then his eyelashes trembled slightly as he said, “My mother died in that incident.”
Ning Zhu: “!”
Li Jin didn’t elaborate further, only asked, “Why are you suddenly bringing him up?”
Ning Zhu opened her mouth. The words reached her lips but she couldn’t bring herself to ask further. She only said, “Miao Feng… is my little uncle.”
Li Jin: “……”
Ning Zhu swallowed dryly. The atmosphere felt tightly strained, and she couldn’t help but feel a sense of guilt.
Li Jin’s mother… was killed by her little uncle…
No. Was she killed by Miao Feng?
She couldn’t bring herself to ask.
Li Jin was very calm. He did not show any emotional fluctuation from bringing up these old matters. He analyzed, “He is your relative, and also the previous Star God Card master. And the [Star God Card] is inherited only when the card master dies. So you want to know whether he is alive or dead?”
Ning Zhu said, “It’s not just that. I’m more worried whether there’s some kind of conspiracy behind all this.”
“You suspect that you obtaining the [Star God Card] was arranged?”
“Isn’t that the case? How could the [Star God Card] so coincidentally appear on my way home? And the previous Star God Card master just happened to be my uncle… he…”
Was Miao Feng dead?
Did he die at the moment she picked up the [Star God Card]?
What had he been doing all these ten years?
Why did he suddenly die?
Li Jin said, “He should not be dead.”
Ning Zhu abruptly looked up at him.
Li Jin continued, “If this were a conspiracy, then he would not have died so easily.”
Ning Zhu couldn’t help but say, “But the [Star God Card] is ownerless!”
Li Jin replied, “Under circumstances where no cost is spared, what a card master can do is far beyond your imagination. He may have found another way to lift the binding of the [Star God Card].”
Ning Zhu was no longer completely ignorant. She had read through all the forbidden card-related books in recent days.
She understood what Li Jin meant.
The abilities of legal card masters are restricted by law and morality.
But the Zodiac Society disregards law and has no morality. They can extract large amounts of human blood to create certain cards, even stripping organs or lives… thereby obtaining terrifying power.
Some forbidden cards were things even Bai Ze had never heard of.
It often sighed, “Human imagination is far beyond what card spirits can compare to.”
Ning Zhu’s face turned pale as she murmured, “What exactly does he want to do?”
Li Jin comforted her, “No matter what he wants to do, you are no longer the Star God Card master now.”
Ning Zhu asked, “If he can even lift the [Star God Card], would he still be affected by the [Fate Transfer]?”
“That’s different,” Li Jin explained. “One is active, the other is passive. The former requires step-by-step planning; the latter catches people unprepared.”
Ning Zhu understood.
If Miao Feng really had used some method to lift his binding with the [Star God Card], then it must have taken enormous effort.
But regarding the [Fate Transfer], he had no preparation at all.
Once Yang Huai-Zhou and Li Jin activated it, all related people could only passively endure it.
Even if he noticed something, it would take time for Miao Feng to break the [Fate Transfer].
Ning Zhu’s tightly held heart loosened slightly.
Li Jin said, “I will pass this information to the headmaster.”
Ning Zhu said gratefully, “Thank you.”
Li Jin looked at her and reminded her, “Whether it’s a conspiracy or not, you are already the Star God Card master.”
Ning Zhu was stunned for a moment, then gave a bitter smile. “Yeah… even if it’s a deep pit, I’ve already stepped into it.”
Not just stepped in—she had sunk deeply into it.
Li Jin considered it briefly before saying, “So, you need to improve yourself as much as possible.”
His gaze shifted slightly, landing on the card bracelet on her left wrist.
“Understood!”
Ning Zhu suddenly brightened again.
Since she was already in the pit, there was only one path left.
Climb out!
No matter what kind of pit it was, she would climb out herself!
She had to obtain the six-star card bracelet from the Freshman Cup!
With a suitable card bracelet, she could fully unleash the power of the [Star God Card]!
And that would undoubtedly be her trump card against the Zodiac Society!
Right—she also couldn’t neglect the Celestial Balance sequence course.
The [Ice-Lightning Card] seemed interesting, and she was becoming more and more curious about ice elements.
“Senior Li Jin,” Ning Zhu asked him, “can you help me with something?”
Li Jin: “Go ahead.”
Ning Zhu said, “The headmaster wants me to study the Celestial Balance sequence. Ahem… I still can’t sense ice elements… and I’m not very used to Professor Jiang’s teaching style. Could you help me release an [Ice Element Card] so I can try sensing it?”
Li Jin immediately said, “No problem. But we’ll need to go to the combat practice room.”
Ning Zhu felt a little embarrassed. “Wouldn’t that be wasting your time?”
“No.”
“Oh right, I have drink cards. Senior, do you want one? But this is a specialty from the Aries system…”
“Magma Blazing Exploding Tea?”
Hearing that name spoken in his cool, calm voice created a strange contrast. Ning Zhu laughed and corrected him, “It’s a new product called Magma Blazing Exploding Big Orange Tea. It has lots of orange bits—each one bursts with juice!”
“……”
“If you don’t like it, I can go buy you Shining Galaxy Glass Milk Tea…”
“No need.”
“Then do you want Magma Blazing Exploding Big Orange Tea?”
“Yes.”
Ning Zhu blinked, suddenly understanding, and lowered her voice. “Senior, you like Magma Blazing Exploding Tea?”
“…Mm.”
“Then I’ll give you both of these cards!”
“No need.”
“It’s fine, actually I prefer Shining Galaxy Glass Milk Tea!”
“……”
He accepted both cards.
Ning Zhu smiled so widely that her teeth showed.
Li Jin really did like this sweet-and-sour, stimulating Aries-system specialty drink. By the time they arrived at the combat practice room, he had already finished one cup.
The smile in Ning Zhu’s eyes deepened even more.
She thought that Senior Li Jin, who liked Magma Blazing Exploding Tea, was really kind of cute.
Chapter 41
Sure enough, not all Libra sequence Card Masters were ice-cold!
Jiang Binglun was an exception!
Seeming to notice the smile in her eyes, Li Jin said without hesitation, “Let’s begin.”
Ning Zhu immediately became serious. “Okay!”
A blue light flashed on Li Jin’s card ring as he released a 【Ice Element Card】.
Ning Zhu already had some psychological shadow toward this card, but this time she was very relaxed and felt no resistance. The moment she closed her eyes, she sensed “snowflakes” scattered throughout the entire space.
So this was what ice element felt like.
Unlike the explosive burning of fire element, ice element fell quietly and covered the ground in the blink of an eye.
It was less like snowflakes and more like ice flowers.
The color was white with a hint of cold blue, like translucent azure crystals—sparkling, pure, and dreamlike.
In a sudden flash, all the ice element disappeared again.
Li Jin said, “Your perception is very sharp. Your response speed is fast.”
Ning Zhu replied, “But with Professor Jiang… I didn’t sense the ice element at all for a full half month.”
“Why?”
“Well… it’s hard for me to focus. But Professor Jiang said I need to maintain focus in situations where I’m being hostile toward, hated, even despised, or on the verge of being killed. Only then can I display my true strength in real combat.”
Ning Zhu really didn’t like Jiang Binglun. Even after hearing Li Suwen’s words, she couldn’t let go of her prejudice against him.
Still, what Jiang Binglun said made a lot of sense.
She didn’t want to be a flower in a greenhouse. If she couldn’t even stay calm under Jiang Binglun’s hostility, then when facing the Zodiac Society—or even Miao Feng…
“You’ve already done it before.” Li Jin’s words interrupted her thoughts.
Ning Zhu blinked and looked at him.
Li Jin avoided her gaze. After a pause, he continued, “The first time was in the underground parking lot. The second time was during the first lesson of the school year. In both cases, you maintained absolute calm and extraordinary courage. You don’t need to doubt yourself—your ‘calmness’ and ‘explosive power’ are beyond question.”