Card Chapter 14: Ugly Behaviour (Patreon)

On the other side of the mountain, Jiang Nanxi and the three‑tailed fox walked quietly through the dim forest.

Little by little the fox halted, its tiny nose quivering as it sniffed the air.

Sensing something unusual from the fox, Jiang Nanxi also stopped.

“What is it?”

The fox did not answer at once; it kept drawing in the scent that floated on the breeze.

After a long while it padded to Jiang Nanxi’s feet, tugged at the hem of her trousers with one paw, and pointed into the darkness with the other.

Jiang Nanxi frowned. If it were only an ordinary demon beast, the three‑tailed fox would not act so solemn.

They had already been inside the mountain for some time, and with the fox’s help Jiang Nanxi had slain several centipede fiends on the way.

She knelt and stroked the fox’s head.
“Is there an elite monster over there?”

The fox shook its head, then gestured anxiously again.

Its behavior puzzled her even more. If it isn’t an elite demon… then what could it be?

Thinking hard, Jiang Nanxi’s expression grew grave.

“Someone’s hurt?”

The fox bobbed its head rapidly—the answer was yes.

Jiang Nanxi straightened at once and gave calm instructions.

“Three‑tailed fox, you lead the way.”

Following behind the fox, Jiang Nanxi kept turning the situation over in her mind.

From what she knew from her father, secret realms under the Association’s control were normally blanketed with surveillance.

As senior‑high trainees, they had been watched from the moment the two Card Crafters at the entrance let them in.

If—judging by the fox’s reaction—someone had been injured, yet no rescue team had shown up…

Something is wrong.

She had no time to think further: they had already reached the source of the scent of blood.

A tree so thick two people would have to join arms to encircle it had been sliced clean through by some invisible blade; the heavy crown now lay at an awkward angle on the ground.

Lying beneath it was Lin Yue, Jiang Nanxi’s classmate from the first round of ranking matches against Russell—unconscious, his life or death uncertain.

Jiang Nanxi hurried to his side and called softly:
“Lin Yue… Lin Yue…”

When he gave no response, she slowly reached out and felt for his breath.

“Thank goodness—he’s still alive.”

The faint warmth against her fingertips let her exhale in relief.

But not knowing where he was hurt, she dared not move him.

Straightening, Jiang Nanxi’s tone was heavy.
“What on earth happened?”

In her memory Lin Yue was, apart from Russell, Du Heng, and herself, the strongest student in the class.

Those centipede fiends shouldn’t have been able to do this to him.

And where were the Card Crafter Association stationed in the realm? Why had none appeared?

If only Russell were here, she thought.

With his Pidgeot, he could leave Yoriichi Tsugikuni behind to guard the injured and fly out for help.

But Jiang Nanxi had no flying mount. Leaving the three‑tailed fox to guard Lin Yue while she went alone for aid was far too dangerous.

While she searched for a solution, rapid footsteps sounded in the gloom ahead.

“Who’s there?” Jiang Nanxi called, body tense.

The three‑tailed fox also dropped into a fighting stance.

Under their gaze, a stumbling figure burst from the trees.

“Du Heng…?”

Seeing who it was, Jiang Nanxi lowered her guard, but the boy’s tattered clothes and miserable state raised fresh doubt.

“Du Heng, what happened? Why do you look like this?”

Du Heng panted, answering in broken gasps:
“R‑run… there’s a monster!”

Jiang Nanxi’s brows knit tighter.
“A monster? If we run, what about Lin Yue?”

What do I care if Lin Yue lives or dies! Du Heng raged inwardly, but he said:

“That thing even crushed my Green Zombie. If you want to stay here and die, I’m not staying with you.”

In fact, Du Heng’s Green Zombie had been killed and was on cooldown; without Jiang Nanxi he doubted he could survive long in this place.

Jiang Nanxi could not know his true thoughts. She answered solemnly:

“I’m not leaving. I’ll stay with Lin Yue and wait for rescue.”

Raised by a father who was a gold‑rank Card Crafter, she could not abandon a classmate.

Du Heng clenched his teeth.

“You’re ready to throw your life away for a useless cripple?”

Jiang Nanxi only shook her head.

“If you want to go, go alone.”

Stupid woman! If I could leave alone, would I be wasting time persuading you?

Du Heng cursed silently.

Just then a shrill roar echoed from the forest behind him.

Du Heng’s legs buckled and he fell to his knees, but survival instinct drove him to crawl to Jiang Nanxi’s side.

She ignored his sorry state, eyes fixed on the darkness.

“Huff… huff…”

With heavy breaths, the “monster” Du Heng feared stepped into view.

The creature’s body was swathed in scarlet flesh; its blood‑soaked hands ended in a pair of chilling blades that gleamed in the gloom.

At once the three‑tailed fox cast an illusion—
but again it failed.

Clearly the monster was mindless, immune to such basic illusions.

Jiang Nanxi’s face darkened. After several fights, the fox’s shortcomings were growing painfully obvious.

If I survive this, I must find a way to fix that.

The monster gave her no time. It attacked first.

A crimson blur whooshed toward the fox; the left claw, flashing cold light, thrust straight for its face.

The fox dodged with an agile leap—
and in that very leap exposed a fatal opening.

Dragging its right claw through the soil and carving three deep gouges, the monster slashed upward—

The three‑tailed fox… shattered.

It lasted barely a heartbeat.

Jiang Nanxi was unlucky: every enemy they had met ignored the fox’s illusions. Under normal circumstances the creature should not have been so weak.

But reality offered no “if.”

As Jiang Nanxi reeled at the fox’s death, a violent shove from behind hurled her toward the monster.

She turned in shock.

Du Heng.

His face was twisted with frenzy, muttering:
“I can’t die—I mustn’t die—I’m going to be a Hall‑rank Card Crafter.”

“Yes, a Hall‑rank Crafter, I’ll surpass Russell!”

“Jiang Nanxi, I’ll remember you. When I become Hall‑rank, I’ll avenge you!”

With that he turned to escape.

Watching his mad retreat, Jiang Nanxi closed her eyes in despair.

Just as she awaited death, a calm voice drifted from mid‑air:

“How ugly of you, Du Heng.”