Card Apprentice Daily Log

Chapter 2634: Too Critical?

Date: Unspecified

Time: Unspecified

Location: Myriad Realms, Card World, Southern Region, Southern Capital, Guild Association Mall, Warehouse No. 234, Limitless Celestial Domain, Gainover Manor

"Yes, I believe it’s authentic. The information here aligns with what I’ve gathered from the inter-realm network while double-checking the intelligence I received from my old allies and comrades," Corey Park said with a nod.

I nodded in acknowledgement and was relieved to learn that Corey Park was not blindly trusting her former allies and comrades. Otherwise, I would have had to seriously reconsider having her lead my operations in the Dark Realm and look to someone else, such as Moon Frost, since Slay showed no signs of awakening from her slumber anytime soon.

Considering she was using my primordial calamity daughter gem and cursed bloodline to forge her new body, I believed it would take a while, as her racial ability and my cursed bloodline were fighting for dominance. I knew for a fact that the cursed bloodline would win, since the energy used to forge her new body from the thousand-plus curses was being channeled through it. She had no choice in this regard as she possessed none of her own.

The victory of the cursed bloodline was a done deal; the real problem lay in its ability to subdue her racial ability. Otherwise, forging Slay’s new body would fail, resulting in her death. Because of that, I didn’t dare rush the process. After all, Slay was a crucial part of my plan to secure Card World from the threat of Devil Merchant Code inter-realm transportation function once and for all.

Not that I was in any hurry. I had no intention of making a move until I heard Cuth Diya’s report and I personally made sure that Muth Diya had no plans of rebelling at the time being. Until then, I planned to win over the Froslings and turn the Winter Valley, one of the thirteen deadliest places in the Dark Realm, into my own backyard.

"Are you two free right now?" I asked the two Coreys. When they nodded, I continued, "Then I can begin helping you acquire the trait I promised."

Now that my plans were moving forward on their own, I had to ensure my pawns kept pace and were in the right place at the right time. Otherwise, all of my planning would amount to nothing.

"Really? Great," Corey beamed with joy, clearly thrilled that I was finally taking time from my busy schedule to help her gain the trait I had been promising her for a while.

Corey Park also seemed to be in a better mood. She hadn’t expected everything in the Dark Realm to remain the same upon her return, but the thought that some of her allies and comrades had sold her out troubled her more than the fact that most of them had joined the "seven princes of the hell" faction after her death. She respected their choice, knowing they had done what was necessary to survive.

However, those who had waited for her return while silently feigning suffering and struggle to both their comrades and her, only to sell her out to Belphegor, were another matter entirely. That was something she could neither stomach nor forgive. She was furious; if not for her desire to give them the benefit of the doubt, she would have already rained down her wrath upon them. Corey Park’s anger was as intense as her patience. She truly hoped she was mistaken and that none of her old connections had betrayed her before she even set foot in the Dark Realm.

"Good, but first help me clean up this mess," I said, pointing at the manor. With Corey’s help, I quickly dismantled it and rebuilt a new warehouse. Seeing us at work, the demigods who had been watching stepped in to help, and the new warehouse was erected in no time. Though it resembled the other warehouses, it was constructed using materials conjured through elemental rule power.

Elsewhere, I could afford to be arrogant, but this was my city. Here, I had to lead by example. Otherwise, I couldn’t expect others to do what I myself wasn’t prepared to do. Therefore, I was very conscious about my actions here.

"All done. Now can we get to my gaining a new trait?" Corey asked as we hovered above, looking down at the newly built warehouse.

Seeing her eagerness, I instructed her, "Head to the TSR building and prepare a card lab. I’ll be there shortly." I intended to catch up with the demigods watching over the city first. Although they were from the Southern Royal family, they were working for my sake. Otherwise, there would have been no reason for the Southern Royal family to station a team of demigods in a third-tier city like Sky Blossom City.

"What now? Didn’t you—" Corey protested, her face twisting in displeasure, but I cut her off immediately. "Just go. I’ll be right behind you."

"Fine, but if you don’t come soon, I’ll send Baem to fetch you," Corey warned before taking off. Lil’ Baem hissed at me as well before turning to follow its master. Though the hiss felt a bit stern, I chose to assume it was a farewell rather than a challenge.

Not willing to lower myself to the level of an overgrown reptile by being petty toward it, I turned to the card demigod guards from the Southern Royal family. After some small talk, I asked whether they had noticed anything suspicious.

"No matter how insignificant it might seem, if it made you take a second look, I need to know," I told the team of demigods, while the western princess and her guards watched me, clearly thinking I was being overly critical. If they had even half the enemies I was facing, they would be just as paranoid as I was. Gideon Grim, Sansa Baylor, and others like them possessed abilities more than sufficient to give anyone a headache. I had to be this critical. Otherwise, those I care for would get hurt.