Card Disciple

Lei Zi bit out, “Blockhead, I know what you’re thinking. You really can do it! Believe me, when have I ever lied to you? That fifty thousand Odi is my entire capital and I intend to invest it all. Blockhead, what are you hesitating for? Let’s do this together!”

Lei Zi’s eyes were full of enthusiasm.

After staring at each other for awhile, Chen Mu hesitated and then finally nodded, “Ok, I’ll try it.”

“Yeah!” Lei Zi was just like a child, suddenly jumping around. Looking at the cheerful Lei Zi, Chen Mu’s mouth had a light smile.

Thus, the two immediately started collaborating.

Fifty thousand Odi wasn’t much for a Card Film. After Chen Mu also added in his savings, they finally managed to gather together one hundred thousand Odi.

However, they still didn’t have enough to produce a full Card Film so they decided to first make a short Card Film.

Lei Zi immediately started thinking about the script. As for Chen Mu, Lei Zi only had one request – go learn what Card Films were actually like.

Fortunately, Lei Zi knew that Dong Wei Inst.i.tute was holding a Card Film lecture tomorrow so they intended to go and take a look.

The next morning, Lei Zi came to Chen Mu’s place, valiantly resisting his two dark eye bags. His overexcitement last night had resulted in insomnia causing him to be listless and continuously yawning upon meeting Chen Mu.

“Why are there so many people?” Chen Mu wondered. There seemed to be a lot more people in Dong Wei Inst.i.tute than usual.

“Isn’t it because Star Academy is coming? These people have nothing to do so they all came to join in the festivities,” Lei Zi replied while yawning.

“Chen Mu was surprised: “Star Academy is coming to Dong Wei Inst.i.tute?”

“No way, you don’t even know such a big thing?” Lei Zi looked at Chen Mu as if seeing an alien, “Heh, truly a blockhead!”

Star Academy is coming to Dong Wei Inst.i.tute; Chen Mu was still digesting this news. In Chen Mu and Lei Zi’s eyes, Dong Wei Inst.i.tute was a sacred place. But if you put Dong Wei Inst.i.tute and Star Academy beside each other, no one would notice Dong Wei’s existence at all. In the eyes of ordinary people, “The Six Great Schools” were a legendary existence.

Three years ago, when a Dong Shang Citadel youth had managed to get into one of the Big Six, Zhong Da University1, a huge commotion had swept through the city. The boy even received a personal reception from the mayor.

The Big Six had a very strict selection system and their main enrollment targets were those from the five Major Districts plus the Capital. Towards the residents of the twenty-two Minor Districts, enrollment requirements were much more stringent. If a Minor District student was able to enter the Big Six, it meant that their talent was indeed outstanding.

The Big Six’s had always been fairly haughty, and their general policy towards the Minor Districts had always being somewhat discriminatory. However, now they were coming to Dong Wei Inst.i.tute of their own accord – this felt a bit strange.

Regardless, this means that Dong Wei Inst.i.tute would enter a period of rapid development, Chen Mu thought to himself. Using this event, Dong Wei Inst.i.tute would receive many benefits including a huge increase in its popularity and brand.

After the initial surprise, Chen Mu calmed down. Though the news was indeed shocking, it didn’t have much to do with him. He was not a Dong Wei Inst.i.tute student and will not receive any benefits from this. His life should not be impacted in any way.

Amidst that sea of people, Chen Mu and Lei Zi pushed their way though. Chen Mu had it much easier; his period of training had given his body full of strength so not much effort was spent. Lei Zi on the other hand, seemed a lot more pitiful; he was panting with his clothes all wrinkled and his shoes covered with a layer of shoeprints. After struggling through, Lei Zi didn’t even bother fixing his clothes but craned his neck looking around.

“Over here!” Close by was someone waving their arm.

Lei Zi rejoiced and grabbing Chen Mu, quickly squeezed over in that direction.

“Oh my mother, your school is now too popular. We almost couldn’t squeeze in.” Lei Zi complained.

In front of Chen Mu stood a student in school uniform, looking short and somewhat shifty2. He really didn’t seem like any sort of upright person. “Heh, indeed. They say this year’s revenue soared and the school is even considering whether to exempt us from next year’s tuition,” he replied proudly.

“That’s enough of your boasting,” Lei Zi seemed quite familiar with this fellow and openhandedly referred to Chen Mu. “This is my good brother Chen Mu.” Then turning to Chen Mu, he said, “This is my friend, Lao Shu, though we all call him Mouse3. He can be considered a local somebody4.”

As this was Chen Mu’s first time sitting in Dong Wei Inst.i.tute’s cla.s.sroom, he was curiously looking around. Most of the people here were students, but Chen Mu still found a few people like him who were taking advantage of the opportunity to sit in. The students were all chatting around which Card Films were worth seeing and the atmosphere was quite relaxed.

A female student went up to the podium and everyone quieted down.

“Everyone quiet please. Today we are playing the recently acclaimed, “The Language of Summer.” This Card Film has been popular every since it was released with an excellent story and good characterization. It can be said this is the most trending Card Film.”

Chen Mu suddenly noticed that Lei Zi’s face showed an expression of pain and his hands were tightly holding to his chair while trembling.

Suddenly, Chen Mu had a flash of insight and understood, softly asking, “This is that one?”

“Mm,” Lei Zi bit his lips, his face unsightly.

Sighing in his heart, Chen Mu did not say anything else but set his attention back onto the Card Film. This is his first time watching a Card Film so he could not help but feel interested.

Standard Card Devices can also be used to play Card Films, but now the market had dedicated Card Film players. The cla.s.sroom was also using such a player; the image’s resolution was clearer and it also had a special Sound Card slot, allowing for a high quality listening experience.

Half an hour later, the Card Film was over.

“So this is a Card Film?” Chen Mu asked Lei Zi, a bit unbelieving.

Lei Zi had returned to normal and knowing what Chen Mu was thinking, chuckled loudly, “Yes ah, now you have confidence right?”

So a Card Film was like this! Chen Mu didn’t know what to say. In his eyes, whether it was the objects or the characters, none were realistic looking. They seemed to all be simplified or exaggerated5. In terms of difficulty, this Card Film’s difficulty was much lower compared to his Inferno Dragon Mirage Card – no need to even mention Shuanghuan Card Shop’s Magic Card advertis.e.m.e.nt.

Although he didn’t know whether the production level of this Card Film was considered good or bad in the industry, Chen Mu thought that the best part of this Card Film was still the plot. He had to say, Lei Zi’s talent in this area was unquestionable. Even a stiff serious person like Chen Mu was fascinated by the story.

Chen Mu felt that if it was done more realistically, the effect would be even better.

Then he realized, if it was really done like that, the cost would be an astronomical figure! No wonder Card Films were all created using these simplified and exaggerated images.

He did not know though, that this was just one of the reasons. If Card Films were made more realistic, not only would the cost of production increase tremendously, the level of difficulty in producing would also increase. There were too few Card Creators who had this level of ability.

Following this, some more Card Film cla.s.sics were played.