Section 8, Predicament

He was unable to use his perception to control the pen in his hand. He could clearly sense the intense physical properties contained in the ink flowing from the pen tip, yet he could not use his perception to manipulate these liquids and make them blend with the ink. The liquid saturated at the pen tip was like a wild horse, refusing to heed his commands.

Humming a tune, with both hands casually twisted behind his head, Chen Mu strolled leisurely.

With a sigh, Chen Mu forcefully exhaled all the air from his chest and gently placed the mysterious card in his hand into the drawer. Until he learned how to create illusion cards, he would never attempt to unravel the mystery of this enigmatic card.

The issue of basic needs has been completely satisfied for him now. If it were not for this aspiration, he would not be so dedicated to studying card theory. Just by producing energy cards, he can maintain his current lifestyle indefinitely. To be honest, he is very content with his present life

Chen Mu paid no attention to these matters, lying on the grass with his eyes half-closed, basking in the sun. The sunlight felt languid against his body, and it was simply too comfortable; he did not wish to move at all.

What exactly went wrong

The act of lying on the ground is so natural that the people around are even more convinced that this is a beggar, and they all take a detour.

Looking at the pile of discarded cards on the table, Chen Mu remained silent and sat down again. He had long since grown accustomed to failure. All along, he had been exploring on his own, and failure was a common occurrence for him. If he were to feel discouraged by failure, he would not have come this far today.

He currently has no time to be distracted by other matters. The reason he does not want to touch his savings is for this aspiration. He does not know how long he will have to explore or how many materials he will need to consume, which is why he has been enduring silently and has not purchased the three-star energy card. Although this card is mysterious, creating illusion cards has been Chen Mu's wish for many years. When he was wandering as a child, the ever-changing lights and colors of the illusion card advertisements outside those shops often captivated him, making him forget the cold that his thin clothing could not withstand.

Upon entering the East Guard Academy of He Library, one can see groups of tourists scattered everywhere. Tourists and students can be easily distinguished, as the students are always dressed in neat uniforms. However, no matter where he goes, Chen Mu is always strikingly conspicuous.

He is not a person with grand ambitions; his childhood wishes were mostly simple and ordinary, such as having enough to eat, warm clothing, and a place to live, all of which he has already achieved. The only wish that remains unfulfilled is that which lingers in his memory: the colorful holographic advertisements that flicker on winter nights.

The Dongwei Academy does not restrict the entry and exit of non-academy personnel, as it is a place of beautiful scenery and numerous historical sites, attracting a large number of visitors. The profit generated by these visitors each year is quite substantial, which is why every school council is committed to enhancing the academy's environment, making it one of Dongwei Academy's distinctive features. Although Dongwei Academy cannot rank among the top one hundred federal academies in terms of strength, it consistently ranks among the top ten in the selection of "The Most Beautiful Academy in the Federation" each year, which is a source of pride for the entire Dongshangwei and the Library City.

With disheveled, tousled hair, clothes that are both wrinkled and dirty, and wearing a pair of slippers, coupled with a face that hasn't been washed for several days, he resembles nothing less than a beggar

Unconcerned by the gazes of those around him, Chen Mu calmly lay down on the grass. Having experienced the vicissitudes of life during his childhood as a wanderer, he had long since developed an immunity to these disdainful and contemptuous looks.

Impulsiveness is the devil! Impulsiveness is the devil! Chen Mu murmured to himself, reminding himself that it was no small amount. After much effort, he finally managed to suppress his urge. For an average person, they would have likely succumbed to the temptation of buying a Samsung energy card long ago. However, Chen Mu resolutely held back; he has never lacked in self-restraint.

Her pitifully meager savings cannot withstand such turmoil more than a few times! Chen Mu couldn't help but smile wryly to herself

The image projected by the card remains the same as last time

What exactly has changed with this card? Chen Mu's curiosity suddenly intensified, and he could hardly wait to rush out to the street to buy a Samsung Energy and - Image - Book card

Suddenly, he felt a stir in his heart and deftly inserted the card into the slot of the gauge on his wrist.

Chen Mu painfully tugged at his disheveled hair

Keep pushing! Chen Mu secretly clenched his fists

At that moment, the sound of someone speaking reached his ears

Sitting dejectedly in the chair and staring at a pile of discarded cards on the table, Chen Mu found himself somewhat lost in thought. In recent days, what had been consumed was not only Chen Mu's energy but also a significant amount of money. The primary expense was for the raw materials; despite being only one-star illusion cards, nearly 10,000 Audi had already been spent.

Unbeknownst to him, he arrived at the entrance of the East Guard Academy

Chen Mu's perception was already low, and after several attempts, he had no choice but to rest and wait for his perception to recover. Over the course of seven days, he worked tirelessly day and night to create illusion cards, yet he did not succeed in producing a single one. The blow to his confidence was far more exhausting than the fatigue of his mind and body.

Walking on the sunlit street, Chen Mu's extremely poor mood due to the failure of creating a star illusion card gradually lightened as he immersed himself in books. The clear and sunny weather is also one of the favorites of the homeless, as it alleviates the worries of cold and the silent loss of life in the chilling wind

He stood up, pushed open the window, and the bright sunlight shone on his face, the warmth on his face made him comfortably squint his eyes. No matter what, it's time to take a break

Seven days have passed

Chen Mu, who had not yet entered the Dongwei Academy, felt his mood lift and, without a second thought, headed straight towards the Dongwei Academy

Chen Mu's face was marked by visible fatigue, with bloodshot eyes. In front of him lay countless cards, none of which had a complete surface pattern; all of them were discarded cards. For seven days, he had been continuously attempting to create illusion cards, yet he had not succeeded even once.

Gradually calming down, he quickly realized that his primary task at present was to learn the art of crafting illusion cards, which represented a qualitative leap for him. Although this was a simple and seemingly insignificant aspiration, for Chen Mu, who had been struggling alone for a long time, this day had been eagerly anticipated for a very long time.