Chapter 2122: Chapter 2122

The wax figures in the museum were only labeled with names, but their attire made it easy to distinguish their professions. Finding someone like a general to handle the current situation wouldn't have been difficult. Still, Jenkins shook his head.

"Do you take me for a fool? There's something wrong with these statues."

He glanced down at the cards in his hand.

"Honestly... I hope we don't get another 'Border Unrest' card."

With that, he played a new card: "Royal Marriage." He didn't even have to think to know which of his life experiences had given rise to this particular card.

he asked. The living statue paused for a moment before nodding. Immediately, the "Royal Marriage" card ascended, joining "Steam Breakthrough" to become a new Kingdom Influence.

"You have married the princess of the Northern Kingdom, successfully bringing both nations to the negotiating table and resolving the border dispute. For the next thirty turns, the probability of territorial, economic, and other disputes with the northern kingdom is reduced. 'Royal Marriage' becomes a new Influence."

"Did you really marry a princess?"

"She's my fiancée. We plan to marry next summer. But let me be clear, I'm not some freeloader living off her, you understand? Besides, I've only married one princess, so I only have one 'Royal Marriage' card. If the Southern Kingdom decides to wage war, or if a massive rebellion breaks out at home, I'll be out of options."

The game then moved into the third season. As the living statue examined the black card, a red "Event" card slid from its deck. Its contents would only be revealed at the end of the current turn.

"Unknown Epoch, Year One, Third Season: The Golden Autumn. This is the first harvest season. An unknown disaster lurks in the kingdom's wheat fields. You have two seasons to resolve this trouble. If it remains unresolved by the second season of the second year, the event will escalate. Due to the arrival of the harvest season, events like 'Famine' will not appear for the next four turns."

The statue tossed the card to the center of the table. Once Jenkins and the elf had a clear look, the black card also levitated into the air. But unlike the two Influence cards, "Steam" and "Royal Marriage," this one remained face down.

Of course, if Jenkins and the elf failed to resolve it, a new negative Influence would likely rise to take its place.

"I'll handle this one."

The elf spoke before Jenkins had a chance. She selected two cards from her hand and tossed them into the center of the table, where they mixed with the others.

"'Farmland Inspection' and 'Basic Elven Knowledge.' I know about these things. Can they reveal the hidden threat?"

She then explained to Jenkins, "Before I became a ranger, I served as a wheat field inspector in my homeland for a few years."

Jenkins was about to ask her age, but he'd learned his lesson about that sort of thing and wisely held his tongue.

"You have discovered the danger. During the golden autumn, a strange creature that feeds on the joy of the harvest has appeared in your nation. Choose now whether to play a card. Your choice will determine your understanding of the creature you've detected and will dictate the conditions of the ensuing battle."

The elf declared, selecting two identical cards and playing them. "Basic Mysticism."

The card's description of the ability it granted was vague, offering no specific details.

"You discover it is not a physical entity, nor even a spiritual one. It is a piece of information, an echo attached to the world, that consumes the joy of the harvest. With this detailed intelligence, you issue a decree canceling the harvest festival, thereby starving the creature and averting combat. However, due to the festival's cancellation, the populace has grown discontent. The probability of Event cards like 'Civil Unrest' appearing has now increased."

The floating black card drifted back down to the table, signifying the elimination of the threat.

The living statue prepared to flip over the red "Event" card, but Jenkins interrupted it.

"I want to play more cards. 'Compulsory Education,' 'Doctrine of the Sages'..."

"You have already resolved the event. Only cards that specifically target an event can be played."

The living statue shut Jenkins down, putting a stop to his fanciful ideas. If it hadn't intervened, Jenkins was confident he could achieve a complete reformation of the kingdom before the fifth year even began.

"Unknown Epoch, Year One, Third Season. The kingdom enjoyed a great harvest. Although you canceled the grand harvest festival, you also eliminated a terrible enemy. At the same time, the Royal Academy of Sciences successfully miniaturized the steam engine, pushing steam technology to another peak. Until the end of the game, the probability of all event cards related to steam technology will be increased."

A new "Steam" card rose from his side of the table, arranging itself alongside the first.

Seeing that neither Jenkins nor the elf had any objections, the fourth season began.

"Unknown Epoch, Year One, Fourth Season: The Harsh Winter. The arrival of winter brings a rapid drop in temperature. This winter is exceptionally cold and exceptionally difficult. However, thanks to the existence of steam technology, even if you fail to resolve this event, negative effects such as a 'Decreased Net Birth Rate' will not occur at the end of this season."

"Do you have a solution?"

Jenkins asked the elf, but she shook her head regretfully.

"The forest I call home has never known a harsh winter."

"Alright then. On my end..."

He didn't have any suitable cards in his hand either, so he played the only one he could: "Infrastructure Upgrade."

"It's the only one I've got."

The existence of this card wasn't a product of his general knowledge; it had most likely manifested because he had successfully pushed for the installation of the city's streetlights last winter. Merely understanding the importance of infrastructure wouldn't have been enough to generate such a card.

But as he played the card, the two "Steam" Influence cards floating in the air suddenly projected beams of light onto it. The card's description changed, becoming "Infrastructure Upgrade—Steam Pipe Installation."

"Influence triggered,"

the living statue said. With no red "Event" card appearing this time, it immediately announced the season's outcome.

"Unknown Epoch, Year One, Fourth Season. An unexpectedly harsh winter swept across the central continent. However, thanks to the monarchs' proactive measures and the efforts of the Royal Academy of Sciences, you managed to lay steam pipes in all major cities. Though the network didn't reach the entire nation and some citizens still perished in the cold, the people knew their rulers were working hard, and their reputation remained untarnished."

After speaking, it didn't begin the fifth round. Instead, it crossed its arms and regarded the two players across the table.

"Now begins the first year-end summary. Influences gained: 'Steam,' 'Steam,' and 'Royal Marriage.' No 'Hidden Dangers' acquired. Evaluation: Though you could not prevent the deaths of some citizens, you are still competent rulers.

The male king, through his marriage, has learned more about statecraft from the neighboring princess. The female king, while inspecting the farmlands, has received the blessing of the earth."

Two beams of light shot toward Jenkins and the elf, and both received new cards from the year-end summary.

Jenkins received two "Maintain Stability" cards and one "Military Command." Miss Silf received only a single card, but it was more potent than all three of Jenkins's combined: "Church of the Earth."

All their other cards were white, but this "Church of the Earth" card was a brilliant platinum. Its appearance alone marked it as unique. Despite this, the elf seemed somewhat displeased.

"In my time, the Church of the Earth was the main rival to the elves' own faith."

Though she didn't specify which deity the elves followed, Jenkins could guess the gist of it.

"This is a Mysterious Realm," Jenkins consoled her. "It's fine to borrow strength even from heretics."

He then turned back to the living statue.

"What's all this black smoke?"

After the year-end summary, wisps of black smoke had begun to drift from the table into every corner of the wax museum. The dark dust settled on the surfaces of the wax figures. While it didn't change their color, Jenkins could sense a definite transformation taking place.

"Your governance has produced both positive and negative effects among the populace. The positive effects have condensed into new strengths for you. The negative effects have manifested as this black smoke."

"What is this smoke?"

"A negative force born from the heart. You can interpret that however you wish."

Jenkins asked no more questions. That single sentence confirmed his initial theory about the nature of this Mysterious Realm.

Next came the second year of the Unknown Epoch. Over its four seasons, they faced "Drought," "Scorching Sun," "Pirate Invasion," and "Ruins of an Underground Kingdom." The first event was resolved by the platinum "Church of the Earth" card, which in turn created a new Influence: "Faith - Church of the Earth." The second, another mysterious event, was solved by three of Jenkins's "Basic Mysticism" cards.

The "Pirate Invasion" was even simpler. Using his lone "Military Command" card, he triggered a synergy with the "Royal Marriage" Influence. As a result, their kingdom and the northern kingdom joined forces to annihilate the pirate fleet. Thıs text ıs hosted at novel✦fire.net

The "Ruins of an Underground Kingdom" proved slightly more complex. It had only appeared because the "Church of the Earth" card increased the probability of ancient and mystical events. The living statue made it clear that while they didn't have to resolve this event, ignoring it would certainly lead to disastrous consequences. Miss Silf worried about a future "Underground Dweller Invasion," while Jenkins feared the ruins might "spawn" monsters or that thieves would emerge from it bearing Cursed Items.

Thus, they chose to proactively resolve the final event of the year. It cost them a total of fourteen cards. Jenkins contributed two "Basic Mysticism," two "Alchemy," one "Personal Combat," and one "Stargazing." Miss Silf played three "Basic Mysticism," three "Ancient Lore," and two "Explorer" cards.