Apocalypse Transmigration - The Card Captor System

The heavy truck crawled back toward the camp, its engine humming in the quiet afternoon. Inside the cab, the system’s voice broke the silence in Leo’s mind.

[Host, you sure have become more shameless.]

Leo raised an eyebrow.

[You kept most of the advanced supplies for yourself.]

[And then you pretended to be generous.]

Leo shook his head.

"Like the woman said, I didn’t have to give them that much."

"I only gave them those supplies so that they’ll remember this favor later."

The system fired back.

[But Host, why did you give them all the food you took from the depots?]

Leo remained silent for a moment. He leaned back in his seat and answered,

"I don’t want to eat unverified food."

"Besides, the food I obtain from cards is more than enough for me."

"And now that I’m rich..."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"The system store is filled with supplies I can buy anytime."

The system fell silent. Then—

[Host, you were looking out for the children.]

[You may fool others, but you can’t fool the system.]

Leo’s expression grew rigid. He didn’t answer.

...

A short while later, the truck reached Leo’s usual spot. After cutting the engine, he stayed inside the vehicle. He climbed back into the living compartment, sat cross-legged on the mattress, and reached for the thick card belt strapped around his waist.

His eyes swept across the slots. The very first card he drew out brought his movements to a halt. A heavy wave of nostalgia washed over him.

Leo stared at the card in silence. The Astral Master had given it to him right before his departure from the Void Dimension. The card itself was a gleaming gold, its surface etched with mysterious, ancient glyphs.

Yet... unlike the items generated by the Card Captor System, this one stood out as a stark contrast.

There was no rank.

No name.

No description.

Leo flipped the golden surface over. The back displayed a single portrait: a blindfolded woman with flowing golden hair, her hands pressed together in prayer. That was all. No information. No explanation. Just the image.

The silence broke.

[Host, where did you obtain this card?]

The system’s voice intruded. Leo didn’t even blink while he lied,

"It dropped after I killed an alien while you were upgrading."

The system went quiet. For several long seconds, it said nothing at all. Then—

[Host, the System Store has received a new feature.]

Leo raised an eyebrow.

[A new feature has been added.]

[The host can now trade cards with the system in return for Zen Points.]

Leo narrowed his eyes. The system continued its pitch.

[This card can be traded for an enormous number of Zen Points.]

[With those points, the host can purchase many unimaginable items from the System Store.]

Leo’s expression shifted. The offer held a strong appeal. But after a brief pause, his gaze hardened.

"Putting that aside..."

"Why are you only telling me about this feature now?"

Another pause stretched in his mind.

[Host, the system is still undergoing upgrades.]

[This feature was only activated now.]

Leo scoffed at the excuse.

"As if I would believe that."

"You were worried that I would trade all the useless cards with the system."

"So you deliberately didn’t tell me about this feature."

[Host, the Card Captor System is the most honest system in the entire universe.]

[Please refrain from slandering the system.]

Leo shook his head with a resigned sigh.

"Okay."

"Then are there any other new features I should know about?"

[Negative, Host.]

The system pressed the issue,

[Host, are you going to exchange the card?]

Leo looked down at the golden surface. For a heartbeat, he wavered. Yet, the second he considered handing it over, an old memory surfaced. The Astral Master’s voice echoed in his ears.

"When all hope is lost..."

"Use this card."

"It will change your fate."

His grip tightened on the edges. Taking a breath, he shook his head.

"No."

"I’ll keep it for now."

[The system urges the host to exchange the card.]

[The host can receive the maximum possible benefit by doing so.]

Leo ignored the plea. He tucked the card safely back into its slot on his belt.

Thinking of the Astral Master and Gill sapped his desire to inspect the rest of his collection. He let out a long breath. Then—

"Enough."

"It’s time for some serious training."

Leo settled back into his cross-legged position. Shutting his eyes, he initiated the Star Soul Breathing Technique. His breaths stretched into a steady, rhythmic pattern. His mind sank into a profound calm, reaching out to sense the Zen energy lingering in the air.

Time drifted by. Minutes blurred into hours. Leo sat as still as a stone.

Above him, unnoticed, a faint light bloomed near the ceiling of the compartment. Specks of starlight materialized out of thin air, drifting downward like snow. One by one, they gathered around Leo, sinking into his skin.

...

When Leo opened his eyes hours later—

Haaaa...

He exhaled a long breath, a plume of white mist escaping his lips. For a fleeting second, his dark pupils reflected the glow of distant stars. He blinked, looking around the dim cabin.

"System."

[Yes, Host.]

"What time is it?"

[Host has been training for eight hours.]

Leo nodded. Eight whole hours... he hadn’t felt the time slip away at all.

As he shifted his weight to stand—

[Host.]

Leo froze.

"What?"

The system asked in its standard, monotonous drone,

[Are you hiding something from the system?]

Leo raised an eyebrow.

"Why do you think that?"

The system stayed quiet for several seconds before answering.

[Ever since the system completed its upgrade...]

[The system has felt that something about the host is amiss.]

A faint smirk tugged at the corner of Leo’s mouth.

"What’s wrong?"

"And besides..."

"Can’t you hear all my thoughts?"

"What could I possibly hide from you?"

The system fell silent. This time, it offered no reply.

Leo’s smile widened a fraction. He pushed himself to his feet, stretching his stiff joints until they popped. Without waiting for the artificial voice to return, he headed for the small bathroom.

"It doesn’t matter."

"First, I’m going to freshen up."

He shut the bathroom door behind him. Inside his mind, the system maintained its silence. But if the System had a physical face, it would undoubtedly be wearing a deep frown.

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