Surging Undercurrents

Several days had passed since the Demon’s Nest riot, and nothing major had happened in Shanghai City.

A few low-level secret realms had descended during that time, but such trivial matters did not require Lu Su’s intervention. The Card Master troops under the Shanghai City Card Master Association could handle them themselves.

In short, life had to go on. No matter how bad things got, they could not get much worse.

At least, that was what most ordinary people thought.

But Lu Su knew this was not merely the calm before the storm. Those Master Card Masters in the City within a City would definitely not let the matter rest.

"Finally free of the Spirit Summoning Society."

"There were pros and cons."

Lu Su rested his chin on his hand, his thoughts constantly wandering.

The advantage went without saying: Jin Ping would no longer be able to restrain him in the future.

But the downside was equally obvious. Youth could no longer obtain firsthand intelligence.

Still, the benefits outweighed the drawbacks. If the Spirit Summoning Society had not been dealt with soon, it would have grown too large to control.

Fortunately, even if the Skin Peeler and Marcus wanted to send people into Shanghai City, it would not be easy.

The Skin Peeler was one thing. Her subordinates were not all that different from Great Ming people, and unless someone looked closely, they might not reveal any flaws for a while.

As for Marcus…

Farm tools should just obediently pick cotton.

With a silent sigh, Lu Su temporarily set aside his tangled thoughts and looked at the documents on his desk.

The documents concerned the Four Districts Joint Examination. Logically speaking, it did not have much to do with him, since his current position was practically that of a Firefighter.

But Youth had graduated from Shanghai City No. 1 High School.

And he had previously promised Principal Xie that he would come watch if he had time.

"I never thought I’d see the day."

Lu Su could not help muttering before signing his name on the document.

Ning’an District Card Master Duel Arena.

Xingu took a deep breath and calmed himself.

It would have been a lie to say he was not nervous. After all, this was his first time fighting humans who possessed extraordinary power just like him.

He had never received such treatment before.

"Don’t be nervous, Brother Xingu. We’ll help take some of the pressure off you."

At that moment, a boy beside Xingu patted him on the shoulder in reassurance.

Just as Xingu was about to respond, he heard Shanghai City No. 1 High School’s name being announced from within the Duel Arena.

He immediately swallowed the words at his throat, then strode resolutely into the Duel Arena with his two classmates.

After passing through the slightly dark passageway, Xingu narrowed his eyes to adjust to the Duel Arena, which seemed somewhat dazzling under the sudden sunlight.

After briefly sweeping his gaze across the spectators around the arena, his eyes were instantly drawn to a tall, slender Youth seated on the platform.

"President Lu Su?"

As he murmured the other man’s name, the legendary experiences of this Senior could not help flashing through the boy’s mind.

In the stands, as the highest-ranked Card Master present, Lu Su naturally occupied the seat of honor.

He listened halfheartedly to the flattery of those around him while focusing his attention on Junior in the arena.

"…What a strange feeling."

Youth rubbed his chin and thought to himself.

But just as Bai Yueming and the others had not pried into his secrets, as long as Xingu posed no threat to Great Ming, Lu Su would not take the initiative to investigate the strange aspects of him.

It had to be said that ever since Shanghai City No. 1 High School produced a genius like him, the quality of students in the following years had improved enormously.

Calling it the best school in Shanghai City might have been a bit arrogant, but it was unquestionably the best in Ning’an District.

In a sense, it was a different kind of rising tide lifting all boats.

While Lu Su’s thoughts wandered, the battle below had basically been decided.

He withdrew his thoughts and raised his brows slightly. "He’s that strong?"

No wonder Principal Xie had arranged for him to appear before Lu Su.

"But…"

"Why does his Custom Card look so familiar?"

Seeing Xingu’s card, Lu Su could not help feeling puzzled.

Although he had never seen the boy’s card before today, just now he had felt as if he had encountered the card’s prototype somewhere.

That was right—he had encountered the card character itself.

Unfortunately, Xingu had already withdrawn the card. Otherwise, Lu Su could have had Little Spider appraise it.

Since each school only competed once per day, he did not see Xingu again until the event ended.

More importantly, the later matches were rather boring, making Youth unable to hold back a yawn.

Fortunately, although it was the Four Districts Joint Examination, the day’s schedule was not particularly long. Lu Su endured until it was finally over.

After bidding farewell to the principals present, he returned home alone.

It was not that he was putting on airs. He simply had more important matters to attend to.

Mo Yu and Miaoxuan had contacted him.

They had already assigned destinations to all the Spirit Summoning Society members under Lu Su’s control.

In the study, the young man smiled slightly at the respectful man and woman before him. "Well done."

"People have already been stationed around Shanghai City, right?"

Compared to Association Card Masters, these Spirit Summoning Society members might be inferior in combat ability, but they could still be useful.

After all, they had once been street thugs. They were naturally more familiar with others of their kind.

This could also effectively prevent Jin Ping from pulling together another Spirit Summoning Society.

Hearing Lu Su’s question, Miaoxuan gave a slight bow and respectfully answered, "My lord, they have already been arranged according to your instructions."

"Then where should Mo Yu and I go next…?"

She was asking about where she and Mo Yu would be sent afterward.

Hearing this, Lu Su lightly tapped the tabletop several times with his right index finger.

After a moment, Youth finally said, "Mo Yu will remain in Shanghai City for now."

"As for you…"

"Go back to Nandu and deal with your own business first. Then return to Shanghai City and find me."

The reason Lu Su was keeping Mo Yu behind was that he needed someone to consolidate the information reported by the Spirit Summoning Society members under him.

Otherwise, he would likely be run ragged handling it all himself.

Thinking of this, he casually asked, "By the way, have there been any reports of suspicious people recently?"

At those words, Miaoxuan and Mo Yu exchanged a look. She then organized her thoughts and said, "This was exactly what we wanted to report to you, my lord."

"The people below said they saw Yi people these past two days."

Lu Su immediately sat upright.

Youth knew Jin Ping and the others would not let the matter go.

After thinking briefly, he asked in a serious tone, "Location, numbers, and grades."

"Do you know all of that?"

Since Miaoxuan had reported this intelligence, she naturally knew the details clearly.

After only a brief thought, she stated with certainty, "The location is on the Southeast coast. There are around a dozen of them, and their grades are mostly Bronze grade and Silver grade."

At this point, the woman paused before adding, "But the people below did not dare observe them too closely, so we do not know whether there are Card Masters hiding in the shadows."

Lu Su nodded slightly. Of course, he knew Miaoxuan was only saying this to dissuade him from blaming her subordinates too harshly.

Besides, Youth had never intended to do so. He was not Jin Ping.

"I understand. If there is no other news, you may leave for now."

"Yes."

Watching the man and woman disappear from the study, Lu Su could not help furrowing his brow.

His intuition told him something was wrong.

After all, if Jin Ping and the other Master Card Masters intended to cause trouble again, they should not have sent Card Masters of such low grade.

If not Diamond Grade, then at the very least, they should have been Jade Grade.

"Or do they think no one will notice because it’s on the southern coast?"

Lu Su muttered to himself.

Since the Demon’s Nest was near the northern Coastline, the Shanghai City Card Master Association had focused most of its attention there recently.

This had left the possibility that other places were not being monitored properly.

Fortunately, they now had the Spirit Summoning Society members to fill in the gaps.

After thinking for a while, Lu Su ultimately decided to go take a look himself.

Of course, before that, he needed to notify his own Teacher and Yan Wenlai.

Inside an Abandoned Factory.

More than a dozen Black people danced and sang around a bonfire in the middle of the space.

At that moment, one Black man asked another Black man with a bamboo skewer stuck horizontally through his nostrils, "Guga, when are we making our move?"

"I can barely hold myself back anymore. I’m so hungry."

"The two-legged sheep here all smell so delicious."

The black person called Guga stopped dancing and fiercely slapped the speaking black person. "Marcus, my lord."

"Said, hold back."

"Don’t rush. Two days."

Hearing Guga’s words, the speaking black person covered his face. Even after receiving a slap, no change in color could be seen there, and he stood speechless.

At that moment, a voice came from the factory entrance. "Although I can’t understand what you’re saying, I imagine it isn’t anything nice."

"So…"

"Could you please die?"

The Black people followed the voice and saw Youth standing at the factory entrance, looking at them with a faint smile.

"Ah hu, ah hu!"

Seeing that their hiding place had been exposed, Guga immediately made a decision.

He shouted loudly and summoned his card.

Yet the scene of his companions charging forward together did not occur.

He turned around in confusion, only to see that the tribal companions who had been singing and dancing moments earlier were now sprawled across the ground.

The culprit was a massive half-human, half-spider monster.

Seeing Spider-girl expressionlessly shake the blood from her great sickle, Guga could not help showing a trace of nervousness.

Before he could resist, the black person’s eyes rolled back, and he fainted.

It was not from fear.

It was because of Spider-girl’s Evil Eye-type skill.

However, when facing Silver grade small fry like these, Spider-girl had to hold back even when using her Evil Eye, afraid that one careless glance might kill them.

At that moment, Lu Su walked over to Guga with a puzzled expression.

He first glanced at the Black people lying on the ground, then surveyed the Abandoned Factory.

"Strange. There are really only these people?"

Everything that had happened so far seemed to indicate that Jin Ping and the others had truly only sent a vanguard force, but they were far too weak.

He had originally assumed there would be an ambush, so he had deliberately notified several high-grade Card Masters in Shanghai City.

Youth shook his head, then picked up Guga, preparing to take him back to the Association for interrogation.

These Black people appeared to be speaking their tribe’s language. At the very least, Lu Su could not understand what they were saying.

Fortunately, if he could not understand them, someone else could.

Youth had not forgotten that Luffy had understood Goryeo through Hear the Voice of All Things.

This time, he could likewise have the boy serve as a translator.

There was another method as well: crafting the rule-type ITEM Translation Konjac from a certain Blue Mech God.

But compared to Translation Konjac, Lu Su wanted the If Booth more.

Or the Precognition Notebook would work too.

With either of those two ITEMs, forget Jin Ping—even Adley would be useless.

Unfortunately, some of the Blue Mech God’s ITEMs were simply too powerful. Lu Su even felt that he would be unable to craft them even after reaching Hall of Fame Grade.

"Come to think of it, wasn’t 0-08 derived from the Precognition Notebook?"

He grumbled inwardly, then vanished from the Abandoned Factory with Gulu.

On the distant sea.

Two figures, one large and one small, silently watched in the direction of the Abandoned Factory.

Suddenly, the larger figure bent slightly and said, "Lord Chris, the person has been taken away."

"Shouldn’t we make a move?"

Chris lightly waved his hand. "There’s no need to rush."

"Besides, Bai Yueming is definitely watching Lu Su right now. Even if I act, I may not be able to keep him there."

"Let Old Dog Jin and the others cause some commotion first."

After saying that, he fell silent, merely staring coldly in Shanghai City’s direction.

If possible, Little boy truly did not want to clash with Great Ming people.

Unfortunately, some matters were destined not to be put behind them.

At that moment, the figure beside him also recalled just how powerful the killer of his siblings was.

Without Lord Chris, he even doubted whether he could last ten exchanges against him.

But although Lu Su was strong, the man did not believe that, with his current strength, he could survive in Lord Chris’s hands.

Our lord

He was no sewer rat like Jin Ping.

"Let’s go. The sea wind is strong; don’t let it chill you."

"Yes."

As the words fell, the two figures, one large and one small, vanished from the spot, leaving only the calm sea with the occasional ripple of waves.

At the Association Headquarters, Lu Su looked at Straw Hat Boy beside him and asked, "Luffy, what did he say?"

Faced with the question, Luffy scratched his cheek and replied, "He only said that some Lord Marcus had sent them. He didn’t know anything else."

Hearing this, Lu Su could not help but furrow his brow deeply.

Judging from the interrogation so far, it seemed that Jin Ping and the others truly had no other backup, nor had any high-level card makers been lying in ambush nearby.

Everything seemed to have been Marcus’s own decision.

But the Youth did not think so.

Repair the plank road in the open, while secretly advancing through Chencang?

After giving it some thought, he had already made up his mind.

Lu Su let out a soft breath, then dismissed Luffy and turned to leave the interrogation room.

"Send someone else in to question the person inside. If there are no further clues, deal with him."

"Yes."

After giving his instructions, Lu Su vanished from the sight of the card makers present.