Chapter 1726 Playing Cards <TOC> Chapter 1728 Days of Companionship
Translator: SumTLMan
“This is close-up magic,” Shirley remarked, surprise flickering in her eyes. Performing close-up magic isn’t a walk in the park, for the intimate proximity with the audience heightens the risk of having the magic “unmasked”. Hence, it demands from the magician an exceptional technique coupled with a meticulous attention to detail.
In truth, close-up magic was Shirley’s personal favorite. The intimacy and strong interaction it provided with the audience was something she deeply relished, enjoying the thrill of deceiving them right under their noses.
With that in mind, Shirley observed even more intently.
The magician remained poised and calm, addressing the most esteemed guest present, “Next, I’d like you to pick a card, but don’t reveal what it is. Once you’ve seen it, feel free to place it back into the deck in front of you.”
Following the magician’s instructions, the guest did as told. Under the watchful eyes of all present, it would be tricky for the magician to cheat. He promptly began shuffling the cards in hand.
Soon after, the magician produced a card, asking, “Was this the card you picked earlier?”
The room erupted in laughter. “No, it wasn’t,” came the reply.
Wearing a facade of disappointment, the magician shuffled again and pulled out another card, “How about this one?”
“It’s not that one either,” voices began to tease, noting a hint of frustration appearing on the magician’s face.
While the audience found humor in it, Shirley observed something different. To her, although the magician’s face showed signs of concern, there was a certain calmness hidden deep within his eyes.
For the third card, the magician was still off the mark. However, no one laughed this time. The card the magician had drawn was the Eight of Spades.
Previously, the magician had drawn cards twice. The first time he drew the Eight of Hearts and the second time, the Eight of Diamonds. At first, they didn’t think much of it, assuming it was merely a coincidence. But when the Eight of Spades emerged on the third draw, it was evident that something was amiss.
“Well, since it wasn’t any of these three,” the magician said, casting a disheartened look at the three eights. He sighed deeply and randomly pulled another card from the deck, “Perhaps it’s this one?”
——The Eight of Clubs.
When the person who had previously drawn cards saw the Eight of Clubs, a look of astonishment flashed in his eyes, because he had drawn the very same card earlier!
The magician performed a neat little trick, showcasing a technique, and played with the audience’s emotions. The act ended on a dramatic high, taking them on a roller-coaster ride, compelling the audience to erupt in ceaseless applause.
Upon witnessing this scene, Shirley initially wondered if the designs on the back of the cards played a role, like the magician marking them. But on close inspection, she couldn’t find any hints.
How was this possible? Without invoking transcendent powers, how did the magician achieve this?
Being a magician herself, Shirley had a vague idea. It could involve changing the suit or number of the card, the subtlety of the hand movements, the mystique of positioning, adeptness at reading the room, and most importantly, psychological suggestion.
However, the exact method the magician used remained elusive to Shirley. Still, she didn’t intend to ask Angel about it. As a professional magician who respects her craft, she understood how unsporting it would be to reveal the secrets behind a magic act. Instead of getting a generic “Ah, I see” response, she’d rather decipher the mystery herself through careful contemplation and study.
The magical displays continued without a break. The magician moved from table to table, showcasing different acts at each.
These included card mind-reading, card divination, and the art of making cards vanish… among other techniques. Each appeared utterly unfathomable. Yet, none of these tricks involved the use of transcendent powers.
Shirley’s excitement and fascination grew as she watched. She had already discovered some tricks of card magic on her own. That rustic yet incredibly dazzling technique left Shirley in awe.
She used to wonder why playing cards became a standard tool for magicians? Now, she understood completely. Even though the magicians in the illusion performed only a few card tricks, behind these tricks, one could discern the unique artistry of the cards and get a glimpse of its profound depth.
Just watching this illusion, Shirley was already eager to try her hand at card magic. She didn’t need someone else to teach her how to perform card magic; with her wit, she could develop new tricks on her own.
When the illusion ended, Shirley was still immersed in the world of card magic, taking a moment to come back to reality.
Shirley looked at Angel, a gleam in her eyes, “While I might not yet understand the mysteries of card magic, I now understand why it exists. It’s truly magical!”
Angel chuckled, “Card magic is indeed magical, but it’s merely a trick for mortals. The deck I crafted isn’t just for card magic.”
Shirley, observing the cards still hovering around her, naturally understood this. Angel wouldn’t simply give her a regular deck of cards; there must be a deeper purpose.
Angel said, “This iron box and the cards are a single entity. When you open the box, you’ll enter a special illusionary domain.”
“Illusionary domain?” Shirley looked around in confusion. She hadn’t sensed any such thing. Even Gloria raised an eyebrow. Although she could feel some subtle fluctuations in the surroundings, she didn’t detect any nodes of illusion.
“It’s a unique kind of illusionary domain. I named it——Poker Time,” Angel paused for emphasis, “You can think of it as a stage that holds the illusions of the playing cards.”
“When one opens this iron box, they automatically enter Poker Time. Upon entering Poker Time, each card within the box transforms into a node of illusion.”
Angel spoke these words as he casually picked up two cards from around Shirley.
One was a black and white joker card, while the other was a club soldier card. With Angel’s motion, both cards ignited in action; the black and white joker leaped from its card face, and the club soldier emerged, brandishing its long sword.
Darkness descended once more. Before Shirley could regain her senses, she perceived the glint of a blade in front of her.
Shirley instinctively dodged, yet still felt a chilling breeze brush past her cheek.
Amidst the shiver, the light returned. The soldier and the joker reverted back to their card form, everything seemingly returning to a state of calm. However, the slash mark on Shirley’s cheek and the bead of blood oozing from it indicated that things weren’t as simple as they seemed.
Angel placed the two cards back in front of Shirley, whispering, “Within Poker Time, you can arbitrarily combine cards. Depending on the chosen illusion, different effects emerge.”
“Healing, defense, attack, deception, traps, summoning… or merely crafting an illusory stage, the choice is yours.”
“The set we just witnessed is a combo named ‘Nighttime Assassination’ formed by those two cards.”
After Angel briefly explained the effects, Shirley was left stunned. The concept sounded intricate, but oddly… exhilarating!
Though Shirley might seem obedient in front of Gloria and Angel, this demeanor was solely due to the vast difference in their powers and statuses. Those who knew her understood that the real Shirley was quite a mischievous witch.
This Poker Time, brimming with unknown challenges, ignited the suppressed rebellious spirit within Shirley.
Furthermore, these card combinations were not limited to offense and defense. The different illusion combinations could also prove invaluable for her magical performances.
Shirley has already devised a way to toy with and manipulate… the audience using the poker of time. In fact, she’s even settled on a name for it——Poker Death Game!
Angel simply introduced the function of the poker and paused, without going into minute details. It’s better for Shirley to explore a lot on her own. Moreover, the game methods Angel researched may not necessarily be suitable for Shirley.
Angel didn’t say anything further, and Shirley didn’t ask anymore either, as she was already engrossed in her research.
Seeing Shirley’s diligent study, one could tell without Angel having to ask that she was very pleased with this deck of poker cards.
While Shirley was immersed in her study, Gloria exclaimed, “This poker deck is probably the most fascinating alchemical work I’ve seen in years. Once it’s unveiled, I reckon it’ll be highly sought after. Perhaps many alchemists will even rush to replicate it.”
Angel remained noncommittal. Often, alchemical creations choose their owner. The poker cards may suit Shirley well, but they might not be suitable for others.
“However, what intrigues me the most is the story behind these poker cards. After all, the matter of the Sleepless City remains an unresolved mystery to this day.” Gloria curiously gazed at Angel, trying to coax an answer out of him.
Yet, Angel remained silent. It wasn’t that he wouldn’t speak, but rather, he didn’t know.
Where the poker cards from the Nightmare Plane originated from, who knows? Just like why people from Pat Manor can find corresponding names in the Nightmare Plane, Angel is clueless.
Perhaps when Jon was brought to this world by the Heavenly Eye, some things had already begun to change.
Chapter 1726 Playing Cards <TOC> Chapter 1728 Days of Companionship