Chapter 9

"Is it you?"

The figure revealed a bit of its face.

"It's you?"

Lu Ming recognized him.

Shanzhu, this guy was a local thug who hung around the outskirts. In the past, when Lu Ming went out, he was confronted by him and had to pay protection money several times. He never thought this guy would dare to come here.

This is the city center!

"Aren't you afraid I'll call the police?"

Lu Ming was very calm.

"No."

Shanzhu said anxiously, "I'm not here to collect protection money."

"Then what are you here for?"

Lu Ming sneered.

"I'm here to sell something."

Shanzhu looked around furtively at the door, making sure no one was paying attention, then quietly extended the item in his hand to Lu Ming.

"This is..."

Lu Ming's heart skipped a beat as he glanced at it.

What Shanzhu had taken out were actually two card fragments!

A card fragment, naturally, is just a part of a card.

Many cards are destroyed or damaged due to battles or experiments, becoming fragments.

Although card fragments are incomplete, they still show some patterns, so many card makers study these patterns to learn and improve their skills!

Of course,

More importantly, when a card is damaged, the encryption is also destroyed, so one can even learn some card-making techniques from the card!

Therefore,

Card fragments are a common way for many civilian card makers to study and improve.

And the two in his hand...

Although only about one-tenth of the card remained, the texture of the card still told them that this was definitely not an ordinary card.

Especially the barely visible mark on the back of the card—16+.

Damn!

This is a legendary adult card!

"Where did you get this?"

Lu Ming asked in a low voice.

Such pure adult cards are quite rare.

Lu Ming wasn't particularly interested in this area, but many adult cards use techniques that surpass ordinary cards, especially encryption techniques!

This is what Lu Ming was interested in.

Perhaps,

There is something he wants inside.

"Of course, I found it while scavenging."

"Recently, there was a big battle outside, and many people died. Many cards were destroyed, but I know what to touch and what not to touch."

"I didn't dare to touch those powerful and valuable cards."

"I only picked up these fragments of adult cards, hehe... even if they find out, they won't come after me."

Shanzhu was quite proud.

Scavenging was his specialty.

For most people, if they lost something valuable, they would search the world and even go to great lengths to find it, but a fragment of an adult card?

It would be too embarrassing!

The Card Makers Association strictly prohibits the circulation of such items!

Lu Ming thought about it and realized it was true.

"How much?"

Lu Ming asked in a low voice.

He knew that this guy was talking so much to raise the price.

"50,000."

Shanzhu chuckled.

"Are you crazy?"

Lu Ming's eyes widened, "These are just two fragments."

"But they look like high-grade cards."

Shanzhu explained.

"Impossible."

Lu Ming pursed his lips, "A card fragment is just a part of a card. No one knows what techniques the remaining patterns might have, or if there's anything at all."

"Then how much will you offer?"

Shanzhu didn't expect the once timid guy to be so assertive now.

"1,000."

Lu Ming pursed his lips.

Shanzhu was confused: ???

Is this how you haggle?! Cutting 50,000 down to 1,000? That's too much!

"Impossible."

Shanzhu was furious, "If it's 1,000, I might as well sell it to those chain stores directly!"

"Then go ahead."

Lu Ming's expression was calm.

"Uh."

Shanzhu was speechless.

They, as scavengers, preferred not to be exposed in a large environment, especially with such items, which could easily attract attention. They could only sell to small shops.

Especially—these two were fragments of adult cards.

They couldn't sell them at all.

"10,000, the lowest I can go."

Shanzhu gritted his teeth, "You can't let me come here for nothing."

Lu Ming thought about it. He had earned a bit recently, and 10,000 was still within his means. Moreover, he was quite interested in high-grade cards.

Soon,

The deal was made for 10,000.

Shanzhu took the money and left excitedly.

Lu Ming officially closed the shop, ending this busy day.

But,

He couldn't sleep. His attention was on the two new card fragments. After all, these were fragments of high-grade cards!

"Maybe there are some advanced techniques."

Lu Ming was somewhat excited.

He took out the cards and carefully observed the patterns on the back.

The originally invisible black card surface, due to being a fragment, showed the patterns faintly.

Lu Ming took out paper and pen and carefully copied the patterns.

However...

He couldn't understand them at all!

"What's going on?"

Lu Ming was puzzled.

In his mind, if there were advanced techniques, such as intersecting patterns, he could practice a few times and might succeed.

He was looking forward to such techniques.

But now...

He couldn't understand them at all!

Too difficult?

No, no, no.

Lu Ming looked at them many times and suddenly had a bad feeling. The encryption technique of this card might still be intact!

Even...

All on this fragment?

So he couldn't break the encryption at all?

Lu Ming searched the patterns he copied online, and indeed, this pattern was one of the most commonly used basic patterns for encryption techniques!

"Wait, if this one has complete encryption, the other one must not, right?"

Lu Ming instinctively studied the other fragment.

However, he was speechless to find that it also had encryption techniques! These two seemingly identical fragments were not from the same card!

With complete encryption, it was not something a guy at Lu Ming's level could break. With encryption, he couldn't even determine the quality or grade of the card!

"I've been scammed."

Lu Ming sighed deeply.

Indeed,

He was still too naive.

How could Shanzhu come to him if there was something good?

He was sure.

This guy had picked up a bunch of card fragments and sold them in bulk to a shop. After inspection, they found these two fragments were unusable, so they were picked out.

Then...

Shanzhu passed by here on his way back, and Lu Ming became the buyer.

"Too inexperienced."

Lu Ming quickly figured out the trick.

Little Lu Ming knew nothing about this. Being new, he lacked experience, so he paid a valuable "tuition fee."

"I've been a bit too confident these past two days."

Lu Ming calmed himself down.

He remembered that when he first arrived, he was very cautious. The recent Fruit Ninja event had earned him a lot of money, making him too relaxed.

What if this was not a scam for money but a murder?

He might already be dead!

"Be cautious."

Lu Ming took a deep breath.

The inflated thoughts of the past few days quickly cooled down.

"Since I bought the card fragments, I shouldn't waste them."

Lu Ming thought.

The patterns on the back of the card fragments couldn't be studied, but since the encryption was intact, they might still have some of the original card's functions.

After all,

With the encryption intact, some functions might still be present in the card, right?

Moreover, adult cards are generally illusion cards! He had the equipment for illusion cards, so he might as well try.

"Let's try."

Lu Ming became interested.

He found a blank card, cut out a space the size of the fragment, and carefully placed the fragment inside, forming a card.

Then, he carefully placed the card in the activation device.

Energy card inserted.

Start!

Whoosh!

Buzz—

A burst of energy suddenly spread.

"It worked."

Lu Ming became excited.

Indeed, the intact encryption still retained a small part of the function.

Whoosh!

Some scenes that made his blood boil appeared, and the world around him began to change. A pair of jade-like hands seemed to caress his body.

The feeling...

Whispers came from his ears, distant yet close, making him completely relax.

Vaguely, he seemed to see a woman of unimaginable beauty, approaching from afar, with a hint of ethereal charm, making him yearn.

The experience was unforgettable.

But,

Before he could fully enjoy it, the illusion ended.

After all, it was just a fragment.

"Is this a high-grade illusion?"

Lu Ming was amazed.

In just thirty seconds, the illusion brought all the feelings, making him feel as if he was there, even making him unconsciously immersed in it, far surpassing Zhang Xiaopang's illusion.

The feeling of blood boiling... the agitation in his heart... the complete relaxation...

Lu Ming narrowed his eyes.

This kind of illusion...

If...

Used to kill someone?

The woman gently placed her hand on his neck, snap, and the world was peaceful.

Clearly,

The person who could create such an illusion was a terrifying existence! The strong in this world were far more terrifying and desirable than he imagined!

Lu Ming's eyes shone.

Perhaps,

One day, he would become that powerful.

"Tsk."

"If Zhang Xiaopang used this card, the 10,000 would be worth it. Thirty seconds is enough for ten uses, each with a heavenly experience."

"Looks like being impotent has its benefits."

"Saving money."

Lu Ming sighed.

He looked down at the card in the activation device. With the end of the illusion, the fragment had been completely consumed.

"There's one more."

Lu Ming took out the remaining fragment.

Although this card did not have the 16+ label, the color of the fragment was the same light yellow, looking identical to the previous one.

Lu Ming still embedded the fragment into a blank card and placed it in the device for activation.

"I wonder what's inside."

Lu Ming was somewhat excited.

Although he didn't learn any techniques, it was still good to broaden his horizons.

Click.

He pressed the activation button.

Buzz—

A faint energy flashed, and a brilliant white light suddenly appeared before his eyes, filling his field of vision and then exploding, sweeping through the entire shop.

"Bad!"

Lu Ming's mind flashed with a single thought.

Boom!

A loud explosion.

Lu Ming's ears rang, and the world before his eyes crumbled in an instant.

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