novelraw Chapter 69 : Star Palace and House of Cards
Chapter 69 : Star Palace and House of Cards
Chapter 69: Star Palace and House of Cards
Deep in the Yunling Mountains, thousands of kilometers away from Hai City.
There was an ancient cemetery here. It was rarely visited by people; pines and cypresses stood dense, clouds and mist coiled about, and only the wind passing through the stone steles produced a wailing sound.
Su Wan held a broom in her hand, quietly sweeping the fallen leaves on the stone steps.
Her movements were very slow, yet carried a strange rhythm.
If one observed carefully, one would discover that those fallen leaves were not carried away by the broom, but were silently swallowed by the writhing shadows on the ground, then ground into powder in the corners of the cemetery, turning into nourishment that fed the pines and cypresses.
After the battle of Hai City, Su Wan had come here and taken up the position of a tomb keeper.
Suddenly, Su Wan stopped what she was doing, slightly tilted her head, and looked toward an old locust tree at the entrance of the cemetery, “Since you’re here, come out.”
The tree shadows swayed, and Qi Jiang walked out from behind the tree. At this moment, he was wearing a black trench coat, with a pair of black-rimmed glasses on his face. His temperament was completely different from that of the thief who once drifted through the streets.
After faking his death and escaping, he had completely erased all traces of the identity “Qi Jiang” from the secular world.
“As expected of Miss Su… no, now I should address you as Leader.”
Qi Jiang pushed his glasses up, a faint smile hanging at the corner of his mouth. “This place is suitable for you to exert yourself. Even if a well-equipped army came in, they probably wouldn’t even see you before disappearing.”
“Enough nonsense.”
Su Wan turned around, her gaze cold. “How did the matter go?”
“According to your instructions, the screening list has already been preliminarily drawn up.”
Qi Jiang took out a black envelope from his coat and handed it over with both hands. “No powerful elites, no wealthy magnates—only those ‘potential stocks’ struggling in desperate situations and yearning to change their fate.”
“At present, I’ve found three backup targets.”
Su Wan took the envelope but did not rush to open it. Instead, she pointed toward a stone house deeper within the cemetery. “Go inside and talk.”
The stone house was simply furnished, with only a stone table and two cups of clear tea.
The two sat facing each other, as if they were the most ordinary recluses in the world.
But what they discussed was enough to make the entire world tremble.
“I’ve already thought of the organization’s name.”
“The old system is riddled with holes and could collapse at any time.”
“If we don’t establish our own order, in the end we’ll only become dust that gets crushed.”
Su Wan lifted her teacup, gently blowing away the floating leaves. Her voice was calm and distant. “Since this world is the gods’ game field, then we’ll be the ones who observe the stars, follow destiny, and steal the divine authority.”
“The organization members’ code names will be named after the stars in Purple Star Astrology.”
Su Wan extended her slender finger and wrote two words on the tabletop damp with tea.
“My code name is 【Purple Star】.”
The Purple Star, the star of emperors, governing creation and commanding the myriad stars.
A flash of fervor and submission passed through Qi Jiang’s eyes.
“Then what about me?” Qi Jiang asked.
“【Greedy Wolf】.”
Su Wan said lightly, “The Greedy Wolf Star governs desire, excels at adaptability, is versatile, both righteous and evil.”
“This fits your abilities very well. 【Divine Thief】 itself represents plunder and adaptability.”
“【Purple Star】 and 【Greedy Wolf】… interesting.”
Qi Jiang grinned, a wild light flickering in his eyes. “Then what is our organization called?”
“Star Palace.”
Su Wan said slowly, “Taking the meaning of ‘all stars paying court, destiny guiding the way’.”
“The Star Palace’s principle: not interfering in the shifts of secular power, not participating in meaningless slaughter.”
“We only scheme for divine wars. Therefore, what we usually do is collect intelligence, screen members, and accumulate strength.”
“Our goal is to ensure that organization members become hunters in the game, not prey.”
Su Wan continued, “The Star Palace provides help, information, and even protection to all members, but everything is built on the basis of equivalent exchange.”
After that, Su Wan carefully reviewed the files Qi Jiang had brought, then handed one of them to Qi Jiang.
“Go, Greedy Wolf.”
Su Wan waved her hand. “Deliver the invitation to the person we’ve chosen.”
“Understood.” Qi Jiang reined in his smile and replied solemnly.
After Qi Jiang left, inside the stone house, Su Wan drank tea alone. Her gaze pierced through the swirling mist, as if she were seeing the storm that was about to sweep across the globe.
“The gods’ game… has only just begun.”
……
Western Continent, Monte Carlo, the gambling capital.
This was a den of dissipation for money and desire, a playground for the world’s top tycoons.
At the top floor of the most luxurious Royal Casino, a private banquet was being held.
Crystal chandeliers cast brilliant light. Men and women dressed in haute couture raised their glasses and exchanged toasts. Every single person’s wealth and background was enough to shake the economy of a small nation.
At the banquet, a man wearing a tailcoat and a monocle was toying with a deck of gilded playing cards in his hand, that signature cynical smile hanging on his face.
“Ladies and gentlemen.”
Gao Yuan snapped his fingers, and the playing cards in his hand instantly transformed into butterflies dancing through the air, drawing a round of exclamations from the socialites nearby.
“I know you didn’t come here today to watch me perform these little tricks.”
He swept his gaze around. Wherever his eyes landed, those high-and-mighty elites of everyday life now revealed an almost fawning anticipation.
“You want to know the truth of Hai City, to know what the power of the gods is.”
The corner of Gao Yuan’s mouth lifted slightly, his right hand lightly grasping at the air.
The brightly lit banquet hall instantly fell into darkness.
Immediately after, a massive holographic projection unfolded in midair.
In the image, that indescribable Demon God, with merely a single glance, reduced entire organized armies into pools of blood……
“My God……”
“This… this is real?”
“This kind of power… this kind of power……”
The banquet hall was filled with the sounds of sharp intakes of breath. Fear and greed intertwined on every face.
They trembled, yet were unwilling to look away.
“This is the future.”
Gao Yuan’s voice sounded in the darkness, carrying a bewitching magic. “The order of the old era is collapsing, and the door to the new era has already opened.”
“And the ticket is in my hands.”
Pa!
The lights came on.
Between Gao Yuan’s fingers was a silver card.
【Game of Gods Invitation】.
All eyes in the hall were instantly drawn to that small card, the fervor in those gazes seeming capable of igniting the air.
Gao Yuan sighed regretfully on purpose. “But I only have one.”
“Three days from now, I will entrust the ‘Ascension Alliance’ to hold an auction.”
“The highest bidder gets it.”
“Of course, I don’t welcome guests who rely on power to bully others.”
“What I hope to see is a fair competition.”
After finishing, Gao Yuan spun the card between his fingers, then tucked it away into his coat and gave the crowd a gentleman’s bow.
“Additionally, I’ll take this opportunity to announce something.”
“I’ve established a small club, named—House of Cards.”
“This is a circle that belongs only to the strong.”
“Here there are no national borders, no laws, only the exchange of interests and power.”
“Join us, and you’ll obtain firsthand transcendent intelligence, and even the opportunity to become transcendent.”
“I am 【Spade A】.”
“I eagerly look forward to the arrival of new members.”