Compared to the noise outside the shop, the inside was remarkably quiet.
Tartaglia had already completed his top-up.
The 1.2 billion Mora wasn't brought by Tartaglia alone—members of the Northland Bank had accompanied him, hauling several carts full of it.
After all, not all Mora could be in large denominations. Smaller denominations took up too much space and couldn't all be carried via a Vision.
Venti watched from the side, his eyes red with envy.
How can someone be like this?
What, this isn't his money, but he can use it for himself?
Damn it all!
Bitter wine burned his throat, and his heart ached. His expression was complicated as he muttered, "Twelve million primos…"
Tartaglia rolled up his sleeves. He was about to go all out.
Lu Heng had said that a single gold card didn't make someone truly strong. If compared to ordinary people, sure, it was powerful enough—but against real powerhouses, it was far from enough!
Tartaglia's dream was to become the strongest among the strong.
Three… no, five—at least five gold cards were needed to make him stand among the elite!
"Shall we begin?"
Lu Heng wore a faint smile.
What he loved most was watching people with dreams pull cards.
Getting something good naturally brought boundless joy.
But the despair of those who failed was equally entertaining.
The turning point of fate, the moment when the silver became gold—even the usually indifferent Venti felt a flicker of anticipation.
While waiting in line, he had already seen others pull cards. Most were ordinary folks, pulling once or twice, hardly exciting.
But now, Tartaglia was going all out with 1.2 million pulls!
What would the result be?
"Watch me."
Tartaglia tapped the 100-pull button while saying, "Let's start small, then save up for something good later… Huh?"
The 100-pull went through, and golden light shimmered.
Tartaglia froze for a moment.
Venti's eyes lit up. "A hundred pulls—that's a million Mora… and it gives a five-star gold card?!"
Seeing his excitement, Lu Heng chuckled lightly. "It's all about luck. Sometimes you get nothing, sometimes you strike gold."
"Hah."
Venti opened another bottle of wine and quietly observed. "Destiny?"
Tartaglia handed the gold card to Lu Heng.
After appraising it, the card revealed an exquisite little toad, its back adorned with mysterious patterns.
[Breakthrough Pill]
[Rank]: Five-star gold
[Type]: [External Item Card]
[Attribute]: [Breakthrough]
[Description]: The sea of cultivation has reached its limit, yet the breakthrough remains elusive… Seek all living beings in the world, borrow the power of immortals to fight for a chance!
"What's this?" Tartaglia was confused.
"This is a pill used to break through cultivation realms." Lu Heng briefly explained the concept of cultivation, then added, "But unfortunately, you probably can't use it."
"Ah, right!"
Tartaglia wasn't a cultivator. This thing was practically useless to him. Taking it would surely boost him, but it'd be a waste—like using a five-star card as a three-star.
Not taking it? Then it was as good as nothing, which was even more frustrating.
"Keep it. Maybe you'll pull a cultivation manual later," Lu Heng said with a smile.
"True!"
"Besides, a hundred pulls for one gold card isn't bad." Tartaglia cheered up again. Getting a gold card in a hundred pulls—what did that mean?
It meant his luck today was fantastic!
He had to take advantage of this luck and keep pulling!
Lu Heng clasped his hands, his smile deepening as he listened to Tartaglia's muttering.
Now, Tartaglia was sharing his same dilemma.
The feeling of someone else suffering the same frustration was oddly comforting.
Tartaglia tapped the 10,000-pull button. Venti watched in awe.
A single tap, a hundred million Mora gone—could anyone handle this?
Lu Heng watched too.
This 10,000-pull yielded nothing.
A mere purple card was nothing in the face of 1.2 million pulls. Tartaglia didn't even care.
"No worries!"
"Starting with a good omen—I believe today's the day for something amazing!"
Another 20,000 pulls. Nothing.
"Is this really the same luck as before?"
Lu Heng sipped his tea. One thing was certain—Tartaglia wasn't getting another breakthrough pill anytime soon.
30,000 pulls. 40,000 pulls.
"This isn't right!"
Tartaglia scratched his head.
He tried a few more hundred-pulls and ten-pulls.
By now, 50,000 pulls were gone, and aside from the first card—nothing!
"Maybe it's just the calm before the storm," Lu Heng reassured him.
Hearing this, Tartaglia felt slightly relieved. He remembered Lu Heng saying the same thing last time, and then he'd gotten something good.
"Lu Heng, bless me…" Tartaglia muttered.
"?"
Lu Heng's lips twitched. Since when had this guy started copying the superstitious folks outside?
"If this really works, then…"
The golden light that burst forth made Lu Heng shut his mouth.
"No way?!"
Venti's eyes widened, then he turned to Lu Heng. "Bro, can I use this trick too? Hook me up with some backdoor luck?"
"This is Tartaglia's fate, nothing to do with me," Lu Heng denied, shaking his head.
If praying to myself actually works, maybe I should get a statue made.
Hang it up, set out some offerings, and pray to it before pulling cards… Wait, doesn't that sound like worshipping the dead?
Too creepy.
Lu Heng took the gold card for appraisal.
[Ancient Bloodline—Crimson Calamity Toad]
The card depicted a toad with a crimson back, pale belly, and faint purple lightning crackling across its body, poised in a hunting stance.
[Rank]: Five-star gold
[Type]: [Pet Card]
[Attribute]: [Growth] [Combat Support]
[Description]: A powerful toad with an ancient bloodline, capable of controlling thunder and lightning.
"A pet card?"
This wasn't Lu Heng's first time seeing one, but its rank was unusually high. He hadn't even seen a four-star one before—this was the first five-star pet card to appear.
"This thing's actually five-star?"
Tartaglia immediately equipped it. A palm-sized Crimson Calamity Toad appeared in his hand.
It breathed steadily, its throat puffing slightly, its crimson back occasionally flickering with purple lightning.
"It's a growth-type."
Lu Heng explained, "Right now, it's nothing special, but its potential is definitely five-star."
"What can it do now? Can it electrocute someone?" Tartaglia poked the toad.
"Don't underestimate spirit beasts," Lu Heng said. "Right now, it's around one-star strength—enough to zap a few people to death."
"How do I raise it?" Tartaglia asked.
"Put it in the decomposer along with equipment or cards, then select 'Convert to EXP' to feed it. Of course, that's not the only way. If you're in a hurry to level up equipment, you can just raise it normally. Three meals a day, whatever—it's not picky. Unlike regular toads, it'll eat anything alive."
"Got it." Tartaglia nodded, relieved.
The only downside was that the Crimson Calamity Toad needed time to grow.
But that was fine.
By the time he grew stronger and the toad reached its full potential, he'd essentially have the power of two Archons!
Yes!
The only catch was the massive resources required to raise it. But from a long-term perspective, this was an investment with no loss!
Tartaglia had already envisioned it.
In the future, when facing an enemy, he'd simply toss out the Crimson Calamity Toad.
"Go, Crimson Calamity Toad—I choose you!"
Summoning an Archon-level combatant with a flick of his wrist—what a sight that would be!
He might not be the strongest in all of Teyvat, but among mortals, he'd be the ultimate summoner!
"Shall we continue?"
Lu Heng's voice snapped Tartaglia out of his fantasy.
Today, his goal was to upgrade his equipment to the next rank!
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T/N:
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