Who told him to make the cards!

Who told him to make the cards!

Author: Risheng Sheng

Summary:

"As far as I know, that genius card maker created a perfect shuttle all by himself. What makes you think you can beat him?"

Chen Zhi pointed to the two full moons in the night sky.

"I rubbed a moon."

"???"

Chapter 1 Mining Area

Mornings in the Black Stone mining area are like nights.

The location is remote, surrounded by high mountains, so sunlight can't get in and dust can't get out.

In the morning, rows of old miners' lamps in the mining village always light up before the sky.

Inside the dimly lit, cramped little house, a twilight-like light seeped in through the gaps in the corrugated iron sheets, and dust began to dance.

Chen Zhi lay on the iron bunk bed, his eyes wide open, admiring the dance of dust.

He had been awake for a while, but hadn't gotten out of bed.

Every morning before getting up, Chen Zhi would listen to the sounds outside.

The sound of water flowing in the drainage ditch, the roar of the tractor... even the rustling sound of dust being blown away by the wind.

These sounds help him assess the conditions of the nearby mines and decide whether or not to go down into the mine that day.

Although he no longer has to risk his life in the mines, it's a habit he can't break overnight.

Chen Zhi's hearing is much better than that of ordinary people.

Perhaps it's because he's a time traveler?

But to be honest, the outfit was pretty terrible.

He has been here for seven years.

They were trapped for seven years.

This is a world of cards.

Card masters held a high status.

But it has nothing to do with him.

He was a miner.

Legend has it that in ancient times, human ancestors discovered fire and saw "patterns" swaying in the wind in the firelight.

Curious and inquisitive, they attempted to replicate the patterns onto the stone slab, and successfully conjured a flame.

Thus, the first card was born.

Afterwards, people saw even more different patterns in the wind, water, minerals, and life. They discovered that everything in the world has its own unique rhythm, just like the lines on a person's palm and the veins, which contain the power of nature.

They named these rhythmic patterns "Laws and Principles," and studied and utilized them to this day, eventually developing a small tribe into the card-based civilization we know today.

It is said that in the city outside the mining area, the skyscrapers, the cool shuttle cars, and even the entire city itself are made of cards.

As an Earthling, Chen Zhi had long been fascinated by this.

The allure of extraordinary power to men is comparable to that of an eighteen-year-old girl.

But he couldn't get out.

The identity of a miner is too anthropomorphic, almost like that of a slave in the old days.

Once you sign the contract, you'll have to work here for the rest of your life.

According to the old miners, it wasn't like this in the early days.

They used to have high incomes, with food and drink provided in the mining area, and they could go home to visit their families every few months.

But everything changed after Ding Mao, the new mine manager, arrived ten years ago.

Subsidies were endlessly withheld, salaries were constantly halved, and only the workload steadily increased.

Ding Mao's management was stricter than that of a prison, and he was usually unable to contact the outside world.

Outgoing mail is subject to review, and salary transfers to family members can only be made through company-designated channels. As for going out...

Don't even think about it.

The mining contract will change the signatory's registered residence and transfer your household registration. Unless you have connections, you will be forced to serve the mining area even after you die.

Even if you escape, you won't be able to find other jobs or integrate into the city because of residency issues.

In the end, they will either be caught and brought back or starve to death.

Chen Zhi's situation is slightly better.

By studying legal principles and structural flawed cards on his own, and by constantly learning from repeated card-making failures, he managed to improve his status and become the only card replacement technician in the Black Stone mining area.

It costs less, but it's safer.

He no longer needs to go down the well every day.

But that's all there is to it.

Replacing a card and making a new card are two different things.

Just like those who develop mobile phones and those who repair them, the former are the talents, while the latter are the consumables.

At best, he's a high-end consumable item; he still doesn't have the authority to move out.

Not to mention, many miners had been deep into the mines and had come into contact with mineral veins they shouldn't have, and Ding Mao would not allow them to leave, including him.

Chen Zhi's gaze pierced through the dust and landed on the "window" on the wall, outside which stretched a golden wheat field.

It was actually a painting, but he made the frame into the shape of a window so that he could see the wind blowing through the wheat fields every morning when he woke up.

Unable to leave, Chen Zhi could only express his longing in this way.

but.

Two weeks ago, a mining accident occurred at Well No. 13.

A very serious mining accident.

Someone from higher up will probably come to investigate, and he might have a chance.

……

Chen Zhi snapped out of his thoughts, got out of bed, and washed his face.

Before the opportunity came, he was still the card repairman and had to work.

The miners are also waiting to go down the mine.

Chen Zhi put on the coat he used to wear when he went down the well, and pushed open the door to go out.

There are already people queuing outside.

They were dressed in old, tattered clothes, their faces covered in a mixture of gray and black, and mineral dust that could not be washed off.

He looks like a homeless person, but he seems to be in good spirits.

They were chatting and laughing.

Two young miners were squatting on the ground, "fighting crickets".

It's a very cheap entertainment card. Once activated, two phantom mineral bugs will appear on the card. If you touch it with your finger, they will jump. Whoever's bug kills the other's bug first wins.

"I'm betting on the one on the left," Chen Zhi said.

"Get out of the way, no buying horses." The other party refused and glared at Chen Zhi.

Because over the years, Chen Zhi has never lost a cricket fight.

This guy seems to have precognitive abilities; whichever bug he bets on, that bug will win.

Who would play with him?

Their village has a total of two or three hundred people, most of whom have been exploited by Chen Zhi.

Although the stakes were small, half a copper coin.

Even a small mosquito bite is still a bite, and losing too much will hurt.

Chen Zhi scoffed.

If you don't want to buy it, then don't buy it. Why are you being so fierce?

He turned around and set up a stall.

The stall was set up right in front of his little house.

It was very simple: a large, tattered umbrella with a rusty iron frame underneath. All Chen Zhi had to do was put the wooden board on it, lay a black cloth on top, and then set out the tools needed for patching the card, such as the "pattern needle," mineral powder, and a small card-type oven. That was all the preparations were complete.

Oh, we also need a small tin box.