CHAPTER 39: 039 MEMORY_1

"Spirit Card Master, Spirit Card Master?"

Song Yingchen’s self-control wasn’t yet perfect; though his expression remained unreadable, his tensed wrist betrayed his emotions.

"It is indeed a Spirit Card Master." Meng Qi could hardly believe the information he had just read. "Strange, if Miss Wen is a Spirit Card Master, how come it was never detected before?"

Song Yingchen had already arrived at the answer.

She is not Wen Jiang.

The words floated lightly from his mouth, yet they carried a chilling undertone.

Meng Qi felt goosebumps rise on his arms and couldn’t help but hug them tightly. This wasn’t the first time Song Yingchen had said this, and Meng Qi still couldn’t stop himself from asking, "If she’s not Miss Wen, who could she be?"

Though, she indeed didn’t feel like Miss Wen. Meng Qi had encountered Wen Jiang many times, and the Wen Jiang from their last meeting was like a completely different person from the one he knew. But she was, undoubtedly, Wen Jiang. Could it be that after being bullied and hospitalized, the trauma had caused a drastic change in her personality? That would be normal, wouldn’t it? After all, medical science could explain such things. It was just her sudden transformation into a Spirit Card Master that was somewhat hard to accept.

Song Yingchen had already considered that possibility. He lowered his head, his face sinking into the shadows. "Yes, if she is not Wen Jiang, who could she be?"

His heart suddenly clenched.

Brother Chen, you raised me. I’ll be your bride in the future.

Brother Chen, if you’re leaving, can you take me with you?

You are my family. Without you, I truly have nothing.

Brother Chen, we... will always, always be together.

The words Wen Jiang had once spoken seeped from his memories. The girl in his recollections always wore the brightest smile for him.

Suddenly, those fleeting images shattered into dust, only to reform, piece by piece.

Gradually, a girl with her arms crossed emerged. She had Wen Jiang’s face, but her expression was haughty and indifferent, her pure black pupils emanating a cold impatience. This was the expression he’d seen when their gazes met in the crowd that day.

"HAAH—"

Song Yingchen suddenly threw his head back, clutching his heart. His face paled, and his breathing grew rapid.

Meng Qi was startled, nearly jumping to his feet. "Young Master, are you alright? Did you not rest well last night?"

Song Yingchen waved Meng Qi’s hand away and, just as suddenly, began to laugh. This abrupt shift in demeanor made him seem almost eerie, like a madman. He then asked, "Meng Qi, the way I treated her before... was I wrong?"

Because he had done wrong, he was now facing retribution. He had already realized that the Wen Jiang from before was gone.

Meng Qi: "..."

How was he supposed to respond to that? To call it unscrupulous, well, given his own status, he could actually understand the mindset of these nobles—they couldn’t afford to lose face. But Wen Jiang, after all, had come from the slums with Song Yingchen. When they first met, he’d seen how extremely good Song Yingchen was to Wen Jiang; she was the only girl who could be so close to him. Meng Qi had also personally witnessed how the high-pressure environment of the Song Family had pushed Song Yingchen to this state. The more outstanding he became, the more he had to tread on thin ice, and the change in his attitude toward Wen Jiang was obvious. In truth, he hadn’t changed; he just couldn’t treat Wen Jiang as well as before. Because Wen Jiang had become a blade that could wound him. Just last year, Meng Qi had heard Song Yingchen running around, trying to get Wen Jiang into a school in Imperial City. When the Song Family found out, Meng Qi personally overheard Madam Song speaking to Song Yingchen with cold sarcasm, ’No wonder you’re from the slums; no amount of teaching can make you presentable. You are now a young master of the Song Family. Stay away from those dirty things outside, lest you tarnish our Song Family’s reputation.’ Song Yingchen was an illegitimate child brought back to the Song Family. Though he seemed to lead a life of glory on the surface, it was certain he wasn’t favored by Madam Song. But Song Yingchen wasn’t the only illegitimate child in the Song Family. Sometimes, Meng Qi felt pity and sadness for Song Yingchen, but when he thought of Wen Jiang, he also felt resentment. But now, he wondered, what right did he have to pity people like them?

Meng Qi didn’t dare to make a sound. Fortunately, Song Yingchen didn’t seem to care much about his thoughts. He had asked casually, and by the time he stood up, his expressionless mask was back in place—the noble and esteemed Second Young Master Song.

After all, as one of the few illegitimate children taken back into the Song Family, his excellence and talent were undeniable.

Meng Qi, carefully trying to discern his young master’s intentions, ventured, "So, are we still going to investigate Miss Wen?"

"Of course." A cold glint flashed in Song Yingchen’s eyes. "Even if she has changed, I need to know who is helping her."

The fact that she could prevent him from tracking her indicated she must have connected with someone influential behind the scenes. Given her special relationship with him, Song Yingchen couldn’t help but suspect that someone was planning to use Wen Jiang’s affairs to target him. He had to remain calm.

「The perspective shifts back to Wen Jiang.」

She followed Ding Ruijie, familiarizing herself with the Card Association’s procedures, created an account, and handed its management over to Zero Egg.

Looking at Wen Jiang’s information, Ding Ruijie asked, "Do you plan to participate in individual competitions or team competitions?"

Wen Jiang thought for a moment. "Individual."

Ding Ruijie wasn’t surprised by this. "If you wanted to join a team competition," she said, "I would arrange for you to integrate with a team. Since it’s an individual competition, you just need to apply for a card set. We recently added a new Dual-Change Card Set, an exclusive purchase by our company. Anyone B-Level or above can apply to use it. If you’re interested in other cards, you can apply for those sets too. But remember, the card sets provided by the company are for your personal use only. You can’t transfer them to anyone else, understand?"

Wen Jiang’s smile was somewhat peculiar. "Alright, is this Dual-Change Card Set strong?"

"Of course, it’s strong!" Excitement twinkled in Ding Ruijie’s eyes. "It’s no exaggeration to say it’s a card set that can carry a player to new heights. Almost all B-Level players have applied for it. I’ve heard the inspiration for the Dual-Change Card came from Teacher Li Huijun’s ’Kun’—the Card Maker is a genius."

Currently, only Chen Runyu knew Wen Jiang was a Card Maker, and without her permission, he probably wouldn’t disclose it.

Wen Jiang replied, "That’s good." She had the original card set, which she previously couldn’t use, but now that she had joined the Mount Flower Association, she could use it freely.

But she mused, her identity as a Card Maker would likely be more sought after than that of a professional player; Chen Runyu and the others surely wouldn’t overlook this.

Indeed, it wasn’t long before Wen Jiang received a private contract offer from the Mount Flower Association, asking if she was willing to sign a Card Maker contract with them.

They offered quite generous terms, but when Wen Jiang saw that the copyright for all cards she created would belong entirely to the Card Association, she immediately refused.

She was selling the Dual-Change Card Set for money temporarily, but she wasn’t crazy. The cards she would make in the future would only grow stronger; signing this contract would only trap her.