C1 King Card!
"Damn it, working overtime every single day!" Matthew grumbled as he made a beeline for the bus stop. Glancing up, he exclaimed, "Crap, there's the bus." He scrambled aboard, unaware that this ride might just alter the course of his life.
After losing yet another round of King on the bus, he silently cursed to himself. The frustration of today's inexplicable overtime gnawed at him, adding to his irritation. An orphan from a young age, Matthew had always been somewhat of a loner, with gaming as his sole passion. It was in the virtual world where he found solace and a sense of difference. Catching sight of his King emblem, a wave of relief washed over him.
Lost in thought, he was jolted back to reality when the bus suddenly lurched, its front end lifting as if drawn by a colossal magnet. To an outside observer, the bus would appear to be performing aerial acrobatics, flipping end over end at an alarming speed.
Chaos reigned inside the bus. Matthew clung to the seatback, his arm muscles standing out in stark relief. The little boy next to him was tossed about like a toy in a washing machine, his head banging against the window and ceiling, blood splattering wildly. After struggling to hold on for a few moments, Matthew succumbed to unconsciousness. Just before blacking out, he thought he heard someone say, "What's happening? Is there a glitch in the game entrance?"
Matthew was sure he was a goner, but fate had other plans. A golden card slipped from the pocket of a man ahead of him and landed on Matthew's bloodied head.
"Ding!"
"Reboot initiated, host body confirmation in progress... Eligibility verification... Approved..."
"Loading sequence commencing, 1%, 2%, 3%... 100%, loading complete!"
Matthew murmured to himself in confusion, "What in the world is going on here?"
Matthew's body convulsed, and miraculously, his wound began to fade away.
Upon regaining consciousness, a soothing voice echoed in his mind, "Welcome to Honor of Kings!" Damn, I must be gaming too much, Matthew thought to himself, slowly opening his eyes.
"Where am I? Is this where you end up after death?" He surveyed his surroundings, which appeared to be an enclosed space with walls exuding an indescribable sense of mystery. Feeling his body, he was surprised to find no injuries, despite vividly recalling his arm being nearly severed. "Does this mean I'm in a spiritual state now?"
As Matthew grappled with his confusion, the same dulcet voice chimed in again, "Honor of Kings program activated, content loaded... Please check back shortly." It was then that Matthew noticed a floating button in his peripheral vision. Concentrating on it, a virtual panel materialized before him:
Name: Matthew Cardholder
Gender: Male
Level: 1/100
Gold Coins: 100
Number of Cards Owned: 0
Dungeon Experience: None
Card Pack: 0
Additional Attributes: Luck +2
...
The rest were yet to be unlocked...
Instinctively, Matthew reached out to touch the panel but grasped at thin air. His mind, influenced by countless web novels, realized he might have experienced the fabled "transcendence" and landed in Honor of Kings—a game he excelled at! He had never felt such anticipation for the future, laughing uncontrollably with excitement. Anyone suddenly transported into their favorite game world would be equally ecstatic.
Giving himself a firm slap, he muttered, "Get a grip!" Once composed, he scrutinized his panel. "What in the world is this card pack? Didn't I just get welcomed to Honor of Kings? Could it be a fusion of Hearthstone and Honor of Kings?" The image of the Lich King battling Lu Ban flickered in his mind, sending a shiver down his spine.
"Identity confirmed. You will now enter the game. Please be ready," the sweet voice of the system prompt continued to bestow benefits upon Matthew.
After a slightly uncomfortable bout of dizziness, Matthew found himself standing in what seemed to be a waiting hall. Why wasn't this Novice Village? He had been all set to clutch a small dagger and take on some wild boars. There were only three people in the hall, and Matthew guessed they were players like himself. Two stood in the middle with stern expressions, exuding a 'keep out' vibe. After some thought, he decided to approach the more approachable-looking young man to ask about the situation. To his surprise, before he could even reach him, the young man came running over with excitement.
"Hey, hello, hello... My name is Xu Guobin, did you also choose 'Yes' to come in?" The young man asked, clapping Matthew on the shoulder.
"Uh, no, no, I don't know how I got here."
"Oh, oh, oh... I see. Let me tell you, I was playing Honor of Kings, and after finishing a match, my phone screen went white. A line of text appeared saying, 'Do you want to enter the game world? Yes/No.' I immediately clicked 'Yes,' and then..." The young man rambled on. Matthew had encountered such overly familiar types at work, the kind who would share their ex-girlfriend's life story within minutes of meeting. He wasn't good at handling these people, so he made an excuse and slipped away. At least now he was certain he had arrived in Honor of Kings. Next, he needed to figure out how to play the game.
Wandering around, he spotted a building resembling a shop. Remembering his 100 gold coins, he entered with anticipation, mumbling to himself. It appeared empty. On the counter lay various 'card packs.' Familiar with Hearthstone, Matthew immediately deduced this was a card shop. He tapped on the lowest card pack, and a caption popped up before his eyes:
[Beginner Card Pack: Produces 1-2 Hero Cards, highest quality green, priced at 100 gold coins. Purchase? Yes/No...]
"Good grief, Hearthstone really isn't a pay-to-win game, but a beginner card pack costs 100 gold coins, and that's all I have!" He bit the bullet and chose 'Yes.' A splendid golden card pack materialized in Matthew's hands.
Matthew felt as if he were back in the days of card drawing. He gazed at the card pack, closed his eyes, then looked again, repeating the process several times before finally clicking to open it. A single card burst forth from the pack.
Only one? He flipped it over with resignation, and a golden glow washed over him...
[Card Name: Arthur]
[Card Type: Tank]
[Quality: White]
[Usage: Summons the Hero Arthur]
[Remarks: Never betray! Born from the sword!]
King of card types? Intriguing. He chose to use it without hesitation. "Never betray!" A golden Arthur materialized, or rather floated out—a miniature Arthur.
"A card type king? Interesting," Matthew mused as he decided to use the card immediately, exclaiming, "Never Betray!" A golden Arthur emerged, floating out, yes, floating—a miniature Arthur.
"This one's way too tiny," Matthew remarked, pinching the shield that was barely the size of half his palm as he lifted Arthur. "Congratulations, you've acquired Hero Arthur! Please use him in the dungeon," the system prompt belatedly announced. It seemed that little Arthur had an attribute panel too, so Matthew opened it to take a look:
Name: Arthur
Star Level: 1 Star
Level: 1
Combat Power: 20
Owner: Matthew
Time Remaining: 1 hour
Note: Never Betray! Born from the Sword!
...
Wait, what's this about remaining time? Shoot, it's limited. So Matthew decided to use his first card to initiate a conversation. However, Arthur only had one thing to say: "I will never betray."