Wang Xi calmed himself and took a deep breath.
He performed a second draw.
Amid a flash of light, the sleazy laughter rang out again:
"Whoa! Hehehehe!"
Wang Xi hastily cupped the brand-new Card in his hands.
But his pupils constricted—
[Knock Your Horse (Skill Card)]
This Card wasn't just similar to the last one—it was completely identical.
Even the sleazy laughter that accompanied it was nearly identical, dripping with mockery.
Wang Xi's heart sank.
'This goblin Card Pool has spat out two duds in a row. Is there any point in continuing?'
'What if I get another useless duplicate? It'd be a total waste of Energy!'
'But I've already spent 200 Energy!'
'A full 200!'
'That's equivalent to over twenty thousand Credit Points in the Mountain and Sea Federation!'
He thought it over and over but just couldn't stand it. If he gave up now, he'd probably be up all night, his mind plagued by the goblin's mocking "ehehe" laugh.
'I refuse to believe this!'
Wang Xi gritted his teeth and performed the third draw.
The last ball of white light flew out of the Card Pool. The sleazy laughter assaulted his ears like a demonic curse, making his heart pound with dread.
'Not again, please not again...'
In his mind, a miniature Wang Xi clasped his hands together, chanting frantically.
Suddenly.
Clutching the new card, Wang Xi burst out laughing.
"Oh, brilliant! Just brilliant!"
—[Knock Your Horse (Skill Card)]
He grabbed the three identical Cards and flailed his arms and legs. The front of each Card bore the same image: a grinning, green-skinned monster with a long nose and pointed ears, holding a wooden club.
"I'm totally wiped out!"
Wang Xi's smile was twisted; he wanted to cry but had no tears.
It took him a long while to calm down.
'Whatever, forget it. There's still one more Card Pool.'
He shook his head, preparing to put away the three dud Cards.
But just then, the dark fissure in his mind opened a sliver.
[Three identical Cards detected!]
[New function "Synthesis" unlocked!]
Wang Xi froze.
He noticed a vortex of swirling gray mist inside the fissure of Kaos, seeming to wait for him to place his Cards inside.
His professional intuition told him that he could toss three or more Cards in to synthesize them.
"I'll give it a try!"
Surprised, Wang Xi immediately tossed the three [Knock Your Horse] Cards into the vortex.
VMMM—
The three Universal Cards were sucked in and began to spin. They intertwined, merged together, and then flashed with light.
DING!
A brand-new Card appeared before him.
[Hitting Humans and Knocking You Down (Skill Card)]
[Quality: White Two Stars (Non-upgradeable)]
[When injured, cowardly goblins flee to their dark, damp caves to lick their wounds. Their venomous whispers persist for days, sometimes longer. Even in death, their grudges do not fade.]
[Upon use, you can strike a target with all your might using a blunt weapon. It is more effective against humans and horses. Each use of this Card consumes a certain amount of stamina.]
Wang Xi's hand started to tremble.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
'Three One-Star junk cards synthesized into a Two-Star junk card. Goddammit, it's still junk!'
What was even more infuriating was that Wang Xi felt like the Card was mocking him. The goblin was a coward in life, but a foul-mouthed grumbler in death, its curse leveling up from One Star to Two Stars on the Card itself.
Not very harmful, but extremely insulting.
'If this Card could be upgraded infinitely, would it curse its way all the way to god-tier?! Damn it!'
'Next Card Pool!'
Wang Xi stuffed the worthless little Two-Star Card into his pocket and resolutely marched toward the next "battlefield."
100 Energy was instantly consumed, and the Card Pool belonging to "Randall Guard Captain, Richie" began to spin.
Three balls of white light swirled around, and one shot out on its own.
"The angle at which a horseshoe strikes the earth determines whether a charge tears through the enemy ranks or breaks the horse's leg... Those fools who only know how to beat their mounts with spurs deserve to be thrown from the saddle and die by the enemy's blade."
Richie's stern voice rang out.
In the next moment, a Card materialized in the air before him.
He reached out and caught it.
[Equestrian Mastery (Skill Card)]
[Quality: White One Star (Upgradeable)]
[The battle-hardened Guard Captain is an expert in this art. If not for his humble origins, he might have long since become a distinguished Knight.]
[Upon use, you will master basic equestrian skills, allowing you to make a horse start, stop, turn, back up, jump, and switch gaits.]
"A Passive Skill Card."
Wang Xi held the Card and breathed a sigh of relief.
At least this wasn't another piece of junk.
While not a Combat Card like Swordsmanship or Fighting, it would still improve his overall capabilities. Plus, it was quite practical here in this Fairy Tale Otherworld.
'Let's go again!'
Encouraged by his luck with this Card Pool, Wang Xi continued to draw.
The second ball of light soon flew out, accompanied by Captain Rich's deep, resonant voice:
"When lying in ambush, don't be hasty with the trigger. The perfect moment is when the enemy's silhouette covers the fletching on the third Crossbow Arrow..."
[Crossbow Mastery (Skill Card)]
[Quality: White One Star (Upgradeable)]
[Before his promotion, the Guard Captain was an Elite Crossbowman in the Randall Military Camp, distinguishing himself in numerous battles.]
[Upon use, you will master basic Crossbow Skill, allowing you to fire a Hand Crossbow with precision.]
"Crossbow Skill!"
Wang Xi was delighted.
He'd been worried about his poor aim with the crossbow. During his recent close-range sneak attack, the Arrow he had aimed for the back of the goblin's head had struck its lower back instead, and the creature had almost escaped.
With this Card, while he might not be a perfect marksman, he at least had basic ranged combat capabilities. If that scene were to play out again, his arrow would have definitely been a headshot, killing the goblin instantly.
'One last time! Draw!'
His Energy completely drained, the final ball of light flew out and materialized before him.
"Calluses on your palms from holding a sword? Pathetic! Taking a beating is the best training! Wrap a blunted blade in three layers of cowhide, dip it in mud, and start striking... No crying out in pain! Pain is your bones remembering how to keep you alive!"
Richie's furious roar echoed in Wang Xi's mind, as if he were training new recruits in some brutal fashion.
Wang Xi was startled for a moment, then became ecstatic.
[Randall Body Refining Technique (Technique Card)]
[Quality: White One Star (Upgradeable)]
[A Body Refining Technique passed down through the Randall military. It appears to have absorbed and adapted the core principles of several other techniques but is most suitable for regular soldiers. In theory, mastering this technique will grant the user a physique equivalent to the Centurion Level (Great Knight).]
[Upon use, you will master the Body Refining Technique. Continuous practice will strengthen your Physique, with significant improvements to your ability to withstand blows and tolerate pain. Each use of this Card consumes a large amount of stamina.]
A Body Refining Technique!
A Technique Card!
Wang Xi was overjoyed.
On the Main World's online marketplaces, a [Defense Team Basic Body Refining Technique] card sold for a million Credit Points!
Furthermore, a Technique Card was a prerequisite for the Professional Warrior assessment, putting it far out of reach for ordinary people.
Now, he had obtained a precious Technique Card from the Otherworld without spending a single cent, and he could use it to continuously improve his Physique.
This was a massive haul!
'Captain Rich is a real treasure trove!'
'That punch earlier... maybe I was a bit too heavy-handed. My apologies, from all the way over here...'
Wang Xi offered a silent, minor apology.
He held the three new cards, ready to use them. He wasn't sure if it was his professional intuition, but a new idea suddenly popped into his head.
'This new synthesis function from Kaos... it never said you need three *identical* Universal Cards...'
Wang Xi thought, a flicker of anticipation growing within him.
'No harm in trying, anyway.'
So, he tossed [Equestrian Mastery] and [Crossbow Mastery] into the fissure in his mind.
To his pleasant surprise, both Cards entered smoothly and began to spin in the vortex without issue.
'That means my theory was correct!'
But when he threw [Randall Body Refining Technique] in, the Card was ejected a moment later.
'Hmm? Is it because the Card types are different, so they can't be synthesized?'
Wang Xi speculated.
Crossbow Mastery and Equestrian Mastery were both Skill Cards, but the Body Refining Technique was a Technique Card. They weren't the same type.
With this in mind, Wang Xi immediately unequipped the [Iris Flower Swordsmanship·Parry] and [Iris Body Technique: Battlefield Fighting] Cards he had active.
He thought for a moment and first tossed in [Blueberry-flavored Sugar Coating], but just as before, the fissure spat the Card back out.
'Is the affinity too low?'
Wang Xi frowned slightly in thought.
'There's another possibility: Skill Cards are also divided into two hidden types, active and passive, and synthesis requires them to be of the same type.'
With this in mind, he tossed the two Iris-series Cards into the vortex.
This time, both Cards went in smoothly.
'Perfect!'
Wang Xi's eyes lit up.
'Synthesize!'
VMMM—
The vortex accelerated, and the gray mist billowed.
The four Cards intertwined, circling each other before finally merging into one.
Wang Xi saw a flash of emerald-green light.
He reached out and caught it, feeling its cool texture.
[Elite Soldier (Skill Card)]
[Quality: Green One Star (Upgradeable)]
[Though the fallen noble is young, his martial prowess is extraordinary, and his comprehensive strength is comparable to that of an elite soldier.]
[Upon use, you will master basic Swordsmanship, unarmed Fighting, Equestrian skills, and Crossbow Skill.]
"A Green-Quality Passive Skill Card!"
Wang Xi was thrilled.
He activated it, and the Card transformed into a green light that enveloped his body. He then drew his Longsword and made a few practice swings.
The blade whistled through the air, his slashes powerful and heavy.
His once clumsy movements were now natural and fluid; he had clearly grasped the fundamentals of Swordsmanship.
The synthesis of the four Cards seemed to have compensated for their individual shortcomings without losing their unique characteristics.
"Excellent!"
Wang Xi performed a flourish before sheathing his sword, his eyes filled with delight.
In fact, he keenly perceived an even greater hidden benefit: now that the four Cards were one, any upgrade would be a comprehensive improvement, saving him a lot of trouble.
"I just don't know how to upgrade it yet..."
As he was pondering this, Wang Xi suddenly whipped his head around to look into the forest.
A faint noise had come from that direction.
RUSTLE RUSTLE RUSTLE.
The bushes swayed as the sound of hurried footsteps drew closer.
Wang Xi ducked behind a tree to observe from the shadows.
Soon, a familiar figure stumbled onto the path, missed their footing, and pitched forward.
"Ah!!"
The young girl was covered in blood, her simple white dress stained with glaring patches of red and caked with mud.
Wang Xi's gaze hardened.
'What is she doing here?'
It was his childhood friend, Goddalir!
The next second, Wang Xi's gaze shifted past her and into the woods. A tall figure burst out, catching up to Goddalir in an instant.
Long nose, pointed ears, a bare forehead, and green skin.
It was clearly a goblin!
But unlike the one Wang Xi had just killed, this goblin was far more muscular, standing at an astonishing six-foot-two.
It shouldered a round wooden club as thick as a man's waist and wore a set of rust-spotted armor from who-knows-where. Its small, Yellow eyes were fixed on the girl as a creepy, strange laugh escaped its lips.
[Target found!]
[Weak Goblin (Pale Red/Two Stars)]