As soon as the Human Emperor Banner came out, I became the Lord of the Old Ones

Chapter 169 The Invisible Threat

Xu Yan knew what Xiong Ruyue was worried about.

The current general manager of the Kuangtie Club is not a die-hard follower of the old-fashioned and unorthodox Taoist sect.

She realized the major flaws of cardless streaming several years ago.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have actively introduced training cards, risking almost their entire fortune to carry out radical reforms to the club.

However, there are three issues to consider when selling secondhand sealed cards within the club.

The first question is how to persuade Xiong Tieshan.

After all, this stubborn and short-tempered old man was the founder of the club. Although he had offended many people in the industry, he also had a group of die-hard supporters.

Many senior members have stayed in the Kuangtie Club for training only because of Mr. Xiong.

Most of them are super strong men with broad shoulders and thick waists.

They have considerable influence among manual laborers and the lower strata of society.

If we can get Xiong Tieshan's endorsement and thus their approval, it will be much easier to break through the current situation.

Secondly, there's Xu Yan's skill and the quality of the second-hand sealed cards.

It should be noted that Xu Yan came from the depths of the wilderness and had only stayed in Rolling Stone Fortress for two months.

If there's really a problem with the secondhand sealing card he provided, he can easily slip away, but the Kuangtie Club can't hide forever.

From Xiong Ruyue's perspective, no matter what, she had to ensure that Xu Yan's secondhand cards were truly good value for money and completely safe.

Third, and most importantly, if the Kuangtie Club really starts distributing second-hand sealed cards on a large scale, it will inevitably have a huge impact on the sealed card market in Dawn City.

If the overall situation in Dawn City is indeed as Xu Yan predicted, with a prolonged economic downturn and more and more people switching from brand new cards to second-hand cards, Xiong Ruyue estimates that one or two, or even all three, of the three major spirit card clubs will definitely be unable to survive.

When the time comes, with a large number of members and orders lost and their cash flow about to dry up, who knows what irrational things they might do in their anger and frustration?

These three problems must be solved with strength.

The better the Kuangtie team performs in the Dawn Cup, the more closely Xu Yan's card-making skills and cardless strategy are combined.

Xiong Ruyue had more and more reasons to persuade Xiong Tieshan, banks, media, sponsors, and the new generation in the cardless social circle who, like her, were seeking change in order to survive.

The stronger the Kuangtie team is, the more the three major clubs will have to think twice before taking any risks.

If the Kuangtie team performs poorly, and their carefully planned underhanded tactics, which lasted for half a month, only last one round before they are all eliminated tomorrow, they will still be a huge joke.

What's the point of discussing those fantastical futures?
"Well..."

Xu Yan grinned, his eyes radiating confidence. "I'll say it again, I can't guarantee that the Kuangtie team will make it into the top eight. However, if our opponents think we only have a few tricks up our sleeves, they're sorely mistaken!"

The second round of the Dawn Cup continued the following day.

With half of the players eliminated in the first round, the rest area at the competition venue was noticeably sparsely populated today.

The remaining contestants were all tall, strong, and highly motivated elites.

Their guardian spirits, like raging flames, cast their gazes toward the glittering "Dawn Cup" with an air of unwavering determination.

The intensity of the match increased significantly from the very first game compared to yesterday.

Even ace players like Wei Fang, Carlos, and Chu Zhifeng dared not be careless, and delivered a series of brilliant and extremely gorgeous classic moments, captivating the audience and eliciting cheers from time to time.

Hou Zhijian of the Kuangtie team made another appearance, creating a mini-climax. As the highlights of the first day's matches spread and public opinion fermented, the Kuangtie team was pushed into the spotlight.

Even underground casinos in the black market have opened betting odds on the Kuangtie team's matches.

Of course, most people don't think the Kuangtie team can continue yesterday's miracle.

Their greatest advantage is simply their ability to surprise people.

A whole night is enough for the opponents to study them thoroughly.

Even if you're incredibly lucky today, winning just one more game is a stroke of good fortune.

Three wins in a row?

Even the most reckless gambler wouldn't bet a single penny on such a minuscule possibility.

Hou Zhijian's performance once again surprised everyone.

In fact, his performance yesterday could only be described as "mediocre," and he did not display the powerful cardless flow technique like the Xiong brothers.

His opponent today was clearly a level stronger than yesterday.

Therefore, he was the least favored before the competition.

However, as he stepped onto the stage, he revealed a mysterious smile and inserted three sealing cards into the card reader.

This move startled his opponent slightly.

After that, he seemed lost and disoriented throughout the entire match, completely led by the nose by Hou Zhijian.

Hou Zhijian summoned only two guardian spirits, "Giant Sword" and "Great Rock Turtle," just like yesterday, forming a standard deck that was both offensive and defensive. Although it was safe, there was nothing unexpected about it.

His opponent, however, kept a close eye on his card reader, fearing that he might summon a third guardian spirit at the most crucial moment.

Hou Zhijian did indeed wave his arms slightly several times, as if he were about to summon a guardian spirit, making his opponents feel threatened and causing them to misjudge and fall victim to his attacks.

Ultimately, the opponent, who was under immense mental strain, exhausted his physical strength too quickly and lost focus. His guardian spirit reached its limit of disorder and loss of control early on, allowing Hou Zhijian to steadily and methodically deplete his "health bar".

Just like yesterday, it was still an ugly game.

But even the ugliest victory is still a victory.

While ordinary viewers, with their high expectations, were dissatisfied with their opponents' poor performance, the commentators and experts in the VIP seats saw more in the picture.

The new tactics of the Kuangtie team have triggered a chain reaction.

This indirectly increased Hou Zhijian's perceived threat level.

As a sparring partner for the Kuangtie team, besides being skilled in multi-card strategies, does he also possess the decisive melee combat ability like the Xiong brothers?

Are the "Giant Sword" and "Great Rock Turtle" he summoned truly bronze battle spirits, or are they merely deceptive "illusionary jellyfish" like Xiong Chenghu did yesterday?
Besides that, what is the third sealed card that he just inserted into the card reader?
Is it another bluffing attempt with a black iron civilian card, or an even more despicable and shameless secret weapon?

Chaotic thoughts, like deadly venomous snakes, relentlessly gnaw at the mind of the opponent.

Hou Zhijian's every feint required his opponent to be on high alert and expend a lot of energy to deal with it. Before they knew it, they became impatient and their movements became distorted.

One wrong step leads to another, and by the time everything collapses, it's too late to regret it.

(End of this chapter)