Card Apprentice Daily Log

Chapter 2724: JJ’s Gambit

Date: Unspecified

Time: Unspecified

Location: Myriad Realms, Card World, Southern Region, Southern Capital, Southern Royal Palace

"If you guys reveal this to anyone, it won’t just be me getting into trouble. I’ll be charged with treason," JJ complained as he led a short blonde girl and a tall, slender girl carrying a long sword through a series of forgotten paths in the palace’s old hanging garden.

This part of the garden hadn’t been tended in a long time. The shrubs, plants, and trees had grown haphazardly, untouched by human intervention for decades, perhaps even centuries, giving it a natural and wild atmosphere unlike a garden.

There was no clear path in sight. The ground was covered with tall grass, vines, roots, and fallen leaves. The trees formed a dense canopy, making it difficult for light to pass through. Yet JJ seemed to know where he was going, as if he had the path memorized.

"Quit your whining. Lead me to the place. Honestly, it’s making me doubt whether you’re even telling the truth," the short blonde girl remarked in annoyance as her patience waned. She had a lot on her plate right now and didn’t have time for JJ’s complaints.

Not to mention, it was taking all her focus to ensure she stepped exactly where JJ had while avoiding the surrounding plants and shrubs. More importantly, the use of soul energy or rule power was restricted. To add to the difficulty, no matter how hard either of them stomped on the ground, they couldn’t leave a footprint or any trace behind. The vegetation would instantly recover as if nothing had happened.

Unlike JJ, who claimed to have taken this path hundreds of times, this was her first time. It was also her tall, slender friend’s first time, yet the latter was following along easily because of her sword sense.

That only added to her frustration.

Despite her insane level of martial arts training in the VR-universe, it was taking all she had to follow JJ’s footsteps while making sure she didn’t touch any plants or shrubs along the way, all without using soul energy or rule power. Listening to JJ go on and on, bragging about his deeds while complaining about how much trouble he would be in if he got caught, wasn’t helping.

"Hey, if I prove I wasn’t lying, you two will join my gang and not Adriene’s," JJ asked, trying to confirm once more.

It was stupid to bring it up now, but he was feeling jittery. He was risking a lot by sharing this secret with the little blonde girl and her friend. Despite the risks, he did this because he had strong reasons to do so.

Unlike Adriene and Cervos’ groups, his gang lacked a capable number two. It was embarrassing that he had to step in for every little thing in a gang entirely made up of cocky, vain, and prodigal nobles. But no one could ignore that they were stronger. At least their cards were.

The addition of these two girls to his gang would really give him the edge he sought over the other two groups. He believed so because they were insanely strong for their realm. Just like him, they could fight while ignoring realm restrictions. With them aiding him, annexing the other two groups would no longer be wishful thinking, but a given.

Therefore, even at the risk of being charged with treason, he decided to reveal his secret to the two of them. Since they were highly valued and trusted by his aunt, the Southern Princess, he believed they wouldn’t do anything that would harm the interests of the Southern Royal Family.

"Are we there yet?" the short blonde girl asked impatiently when she saw JJ stop in his tracks. She looked around the garden skeptically, as it wasn’t what she was expecting. Her friend also glanced around curiously, holding her long sword against her ample chest.

"This is it," JJ answered, stepping forward toward a flat, wide rock covered in vegetation that looked like a platform. Then, stepping onto the rock, he said, "Now will you join my gang?"

"Is this a joke—" the short blonde girl asked sharply, but paused mid-sentence when she saw JJ vanish. She exchanged a quick look with her friend and prepared to follow his footsteps, but he reappeared on the rock, repeating himself. "There, I proved I wasn’t lying. Now, will you join my gang?"

"All we saw was you vanished and reappeared. How does that prove you have a secret passage to leave the Southern Royal Palace without being discovered by the array formation covering it? How can we be sure you’re not deceiving us?" the short blonde girl pointed out, while the girl with the sword nodded in agreement.

"Fine. Follow my steps. When you’re on the rock platform, use your soul energy and you’ll be teleported outside the palace," JJ said, glancing at the two girls before vanishing again.

This path was one of the secret passages used by his prodigal predecessor, who had ruined a ruby vault to create a record vault, to secretly venture out of the royal palace to perform nefarious deeds in the name of research and transcendence. JJ, however, used these passages to sneak in and out of the palace to escape chores, classes, training, and now to recruit members into his gang.

After JJ left, the two girls followed his steps one after the other and used the rock to go outside the Southern Royal Palace without being detected by its array formation.

Soon, they arrived in a tunnel resembling the city’s sewer lines, where an excited JJ greeted them and asked, "Now do you believe me?"

"Yes, we do. But, sorry, we have no plans to join your gang. And thank you for helping us get out of the palace. See ya," the blonde said, holding her friend by the shoulder as she activated her teleportation card, teleporting the two of them out of the Southern Capital.

"No, no, no!" JJ lunged at their vanishing figures as if trying to stop them, but they had already teleported. Understanding the grave consequences of this, he cursed the two girls.

"Damn you, Aba Windsor." "Damn you, Laura Hill."