Chapter 84: A Perfect Replica (1/2)

Chapter 84: A Perfect Replica

Translator: Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

He wasn't a stranger to the composition of three-star jet stream cards, since he'd modified the Silver Star's jet stream card. As it happened, his modifications had a lot of similarities with that 'mud fish' jet stream card, except that its composition was much more ingenious. It had more channels to distribute the flow, and had a much higher degree of difficulty to make. And it could be much more precisely controlled than the one he'd modified. His modifications would be considered very rudimentary in comparison.

”This 'mud fish' jet stream card had very limited production, with only thirty having been produced in the entire Heavenly Federation. The one I have is serial number eight. I've been looking for someone to make a copy, but there are too few card masters who are proficient in the jet stream card. It's not that the ones I find don't understand them, just that they don't have that kind of ability. There's never been anyone able to copy it.” The sense of what Hua Hua was saying showed some skepticism about Chen Mu's capability, displaying the arrogance of youth with his bird's nest hair.

Phoenix gave Hua Hua a hard look, not wanting him to offend Chen Mu.

Not the least bit cowed, Hua Hua smiled insolently and said, ”Oh yeah, is this your new lover? You must feel strongly about him to defend him like that, which doesn't seem like your style. If all the handsome guys find out that you've been thrown like this, I wonder what they'll think, ho ho.”

To her side, Ya Ya made a strange face as though she were repressing a laugh, which she finally couldn't do as she guffawed.

Phoenix's face had turned red.

Hua Hua put on a look of surprise, ”Sister Phoenix can actually blush? This big guy must really be a charmer!”

Looking carefully at Chen Mu, she saw that he was still engrossed in the 'mud fish' jet stream card and didn't seem to have heard. Phoenix breathed a sigh of relief, which then turned into a rage.

She picked up a wrench from the ground and came at Hua Hua with a murderous look.

Hua Hua jumped away like a monkey, making a strange sound and grabbing Ya Ya, who was convulsed in laughter.

Chen Mu hadn't paid any attention to what was going on next to him, with his whole mind immersed in the jet stream card in his hand. Seeing such an ingenious jet stream card was entertainment enough for him. He'd started to derive its composition bit by bit, and bit by bit, he clarified its conception.

This was how Chen Mu did things. Before he'd entered Eastern Wei Academy, his course of study had been his own solitary explorations. It wasn't worth much in his eyes to perfectly imitate some other card master's work. What he needed to study was how an outstanding card master approached a problem, their train of thought, and especially how their conception was manifested on the card.

The ingenious ideas of the card masters would always cause him to marvel. The 'mud fish' card in front of him was like that. Although it was a three-star as far as ratings were concerned, the degree of difficulty to make it far surpassed other jet stream cards of the same rating.

Only one of the cards that Chen Mu had made had exceeded its degree of difficulty: The tailless shuttle card. None of the other cards could compare with it, including those twelve cards from the simple water world.

Probably only such a large card could contain such a complex composition. As Chen Mu peeled apart its composition layer by layer, he was able to trace back to its foundational composition, which he couldn't help marveling at.

There were altogether one hundred and twelve recursive compositions on the card, plus forty-four linked compositions, making it easy to imagine how complicated its overall composition was. Never mind ordinary people, even most card masters would get dizzy looking at such a variegated and complex composition.

But that wasn't either the most crucial aspect or the part which most exceeded Chen Mu's expectations with the whole card. That would be the three junctions. Those three junctions took the form of three triangles covering the face of the card. Their composition wasn't necessarily complicated and wouldn't even attract attention, but in Chen Mu's eyes, it was the most precious hidden gem of the overall composition.

Those three nodes were the most fundamental aspect of the token composition, and he already had a certain degree of ability with the token. If he hadn't learned the principles of the token, Chen Mu believed that it would have been the most difficult hurdle with the card.

The scheme of a jet-stream card was taking shape ever more clearly in Chen Mu's mind, and those interlocking crisscrossed lines were no longer abstruse and hard to understand.

Gradually coming out of it, he saw the three jokers, and Chen Mu lightened up from that great yield he'd just realized.

The three of them stopped when they saw that Chen Mu had raised his head.

”What do you think?” Phoenix asked nervously.

”Three days' time, but I also have to give you a detailed list of materials.” Chen Mu answered calmly.

Hua Hua looked like he had heard a joke, and guffawed with a look of disbelief, ”Hunh? Three days? Man, you looked pretty honest at first glance. I never thought you could brag like this! Do you think you're Zuo Tingyi? Such boasting! Even Zuo Tingyi wouldn't dare brag about being able to make a 'mud fish' card in three days! You really do shoot off at the mouth.”

Chen Mu made no reaction to Hua Hua's questioning of him, and walked away without looking at him, dropping a phrase, ”I'll bring you back the materials list in a little while.”

Phoenix and Ya Ya looked at each other and chased after him.

Hua Hua whistled as he watched the three leaving, and shook his bird's nest head, saying to himself, ”Three days? Braggarts these days don't even make a rough draft?”

The three of them went back to the classroom, which was already empty.

Finding a pen and paper, Chen Mu sat down and stroked away. After half a minute, he handed Phoenix a piece of paper full of words.

Phoenix was startled to see so many kinds of materials on the paper, ”So many?”

”I'll do it whenever you get the materials. Have the million ready.” Chen Mu then gathered his things and strolled away under their stunned gaze.

Once he was on his way, Chen Mu thought back to that 'mud fish' jet stream card's composition. Those lines really were as beautiful as a work of art. He'd learned an entirely new way of thinking from that card. If you're willing to dig deeply among the same level of card, you can find characteristics which rival high grade works.

High grade jet stream cards may be able to emit powerful jet streams, but if you wanted to make something like the 'mud fish,' you shouldn't be concerned with the level.

Level doesn't stand for everything!