"Hmm?"
Huai Shi was baffled.
"This place is about to become a battlefield between the Dongxia Genealogy and the Yingzhou Phylogeny—no, between Dongxia and Yingzhou," Tony said. "Given my status, it's not suitable for me to remain."
"And you still claim you're not from the Astronomical Society?!"
"I only said my status makes it unsuitable for me to stay. Don't twist my words!" Tony's horse face was a mask of innocence. "You have to be responsible for what you say."
He'll just deny it to the end, won't he!
After a moment's thought, Huai Shi asked, "Do I have to leave too?"
"You're not on the Astronomical Society's list of competing teams, nor are you representing them… You claim to be from the Astronomical Society, but do you have your ID?"
"No…"
"Exactly," Tony shrugged. "Whether you stay or go is up to you. However, for a grassroots operative like yourself, this is a rare opportunity. It's best to seize it if you can. No need to overthink things."
"So, what exactly did you come here for?"
"I was just about to tell you. Please stop interrupting me, alright?"
"Fine, fine, go on."
Huai Shi picked up his teacup, eyeing Tony skeptically. He was curious to see what Tony was truly up to.
"Originally, I estimated only a few favorites to win this competition: Ye Xueya, Ruan Qingye, Bai Wu, Nanjo Kenichi… But now, with some dropping out and others meeting misfortune, only three or four remain."
Tony continued leisurely, "Ye Xueya has already advanced, so I most likely can't defeat him. Even if I stayed, I'd only be second best. But I haven't fought you yet…"
He paused, a hint of anticipation in his eyes beneath the plastic horse face. "So, before I leave, could we have a little match?"
So he just came looking for a fight?
Is that why he's so insistent on denying he's from the Astronomical Society?
Huai Shi's expression twitched.
"Is it inconvenient?"
Seeming to notice Huai Shi's depleted Source Substance, Tony waved his hand. "No problem, we can do it another way."
With that, he produced a deck of playing cards from somewhere, shuffling them expertly. The cards danced in the Horse-headed Man's grasp, creating an uncanny sight.
Huai Shi shook his head. "Sorry, I don't play."
A sly smile spread across the horse face, as if he'd expected this. "That's fine. We can just draw cards and compare for the highest."
What is he after?!
Coming all this way before leaving, just to draw cards with me?
"Ah, as a reward for indulging my unreasonable request."
He suddenly pulled a box from his pocket and placed it on the table. "I won't need it after I leave anyway. How about I give this to you?"
The box opened, revealing an ancient fan.
The surface of the fan was tattered, its ribs blackened with faint traces of insect damage. The once-white fan now looked yellowed and dilapidated, like a piece of junk.
Tony said, "If I'm not mistaken, this should come in handy in the next phase of the competition. Whether you keep it or hand it over to the Jurisdiction Bureau is up to you."
"Accept his offer," Raven's voice sounded in his ear. "With this, you can infiltrate the core shadow region of the Central District."
Huai Shi was puzzled. "Why would I go to all that trouble to sneak in there?"
"There's something there crucial for your advancement. Now, are you going or not?"
"I accept."
Huai Shi instantly snatched the box and stuffed it into his robes, his decisiveness a stark contrast to the hesitation he'd shown moments before.
Tony's horse face registered surprise. He hadn't expected Huai Shi to cave so readily and smoothly for the reward. It took him a moment to catch his breath.
I should have known. Why did I bother with all that talk…
"So, we each draw one card and compare, right?" Huai Shi scooted his chair forward. "Let's get this over with."
Win or lose, I've already got the goods. No loss for me.
"Ah, perhaps we should make it a bit more formal."
Tony pondered for a moment, then suggested, "How about this: we each draw five cards. In each round, we select one to reveal. Best two out of three wins. How does that sound?"
Huai Shi was skeptical. "That simple?"
"Yes."
A smile touched the horse face. "Just that simple."
In that instant, countless playing cards in Tony's hand suddenly flew into the air. The white cards, adorned with intricate designs on their backs, seemed to sprout wings as they scattered in all directions.
Huai Shi paused, noticing the delight in Tony's eyes. Though it was a fleeting moment, Tony's unhurried voice echoed in his ears, "If you're not quick, the cards will all fly away."
Lightning Reflexes, activate!
Huai Shi shot out his hand, trying to grab the swirling mass of cards before him. But for some reason, in that almost frozen instant, he couldn't see a single face.