The air felt thinner in Chengdu that morning—not in atmosphere, but in meaning. Lin Wei sat at the edge of his hotel balcony, staring at the pale skyline as if it were watching him back.
He had climbed to Rank 9.
He had earned the title "The Gambler."
But now, every move he made came with a hundred new eyes—and none of them human.
The Infinite Card shimmered again.
Status Update: Board of 108New Rank Confirmed: #9Title: Tier 4 – The GamblerKarma Alignment: Harmonizer – Balanced PositiveObservers Watching: 17Unknown Spectators: 4
Seventeen official observers.
And four who weren't even recognized by the system.
He had reached the edge of something ancient—older than credit, older than karma scores, older even than this world's memory.
Later that evening, the card vibrated once more.
Invitation Received: Hidden Conclave – Tower of StarlightCoordinates: ObfuscatedTransportation Type: Temporal Fold ShuttleEscort: Observer Unit – Type "Liang-Class"**
"Liang-Class?" he muttered.
Just then, a shadow flickered at the window. A man—if you could call him that—appeared in an immaculate black robe trimmed with silver filaments. His face was covered by a porcelain mask resembling a calm, meditating monk.
He bowed.
"Mr. Lin Wei," he said with a voice like flowing ink, "I am Liang-17, designated Observer. The Board requests your presence. Your recent actions have... stirred the long-slumbering."
"Is that a compliment or a threat?" Lin Wei asked.
"Yes," said Liang-17 cryptically.
The Tower of Starlight
The tower didn't exist on any map. It wasn't on Earth—not exactly.
It floated above a fractured landscape of stars and symbols, suspended in a time-space lock that defied logic. One step through the gateway and Lin Wei felt light-years older and seconds younger, all at once.
Inside, thirty figures stood in silence—each from different walks of life, different nations, different powers. Some glowed with karmic purity. Others were veiled in darkness. And at the center, on a throne of zeroes and ones, sat an entity of light:
The Observer Prime.
A booming thought echoed in his mind:
"Lin Wei of Chengdu.Gambler of Karma.You have upset the equilibrium."
Wei remained calm. "Then perhaps equilibrium needed disturbing."
Some gasped.
Others nodded with approval.
Observer Prime raised a digital hand.
"You have survived three tier trials. You have bent systems without breaking them. You have confronted the Crownless King and forced a retreat—without bloodshed."
Wei said nothing. He knew they weren't praising him.
They were measuring him.
Observer Prime continued:
"We present your next opportunity:Title Advancement Trial – Path of the Seven Choices."
A soft chime echoed through the tower.
Seven glowing tiles appeared in front of him, each bearing a symbol:
A Sword – Strength through domination.
A Scale – Judgment and fairness.
A Coin – Absolute financial manipulation.
A Phoenix – Rebirth through sacrifice.
A Mask – Hidden identity and shadow strategy.
A Tree – Growth and influence through long-game choices.
A Mirror – Self-reflection and path redefinition.
Liang-17 whispered, "Choose wisely. This determines your karmic nature—and how the world will see you."
Wei stared.
He had money, power, and strategy. But what he lacked, still, was clarity.
And so…
He stepped onto the Mirror.
Instantly, everything vanished.
Inside the Mirror
He stood in his old apartment. The one before the card.
Dusty windows. Pile of instant noodles. No heat. No future.
There, on the worn-out bed, sat his younger self.
The one who struggled to pay rent.
The one who still blamed his father's death on corruption.
The one who thought money could fix everything.
"You look ridiculous," his younger self said. "All that power, and you're still alone."
"I'm not alone," Lin Wei replied. "I'm observed."
"That's worse."
Silence.
Then the younger version added:
"You got what you wanted. Infinite money. So what's next? You going to buy time? Buy people's love? Buy back the father we lost?"
Lin Wei looked him in the eyes.
"No," he said. "I'm going to buy balance. Not for me—for everyone."
"Even if they don't want it?"
He thought for a long time.
"Yes. Because systems don't ask. They just break. I want to fix them before they do."
The younger self stood, slowly nodding.
Then faded.
Mirror Trial Complete.Title Earned: The Equilibrium Architect.Karma Alignment: Pure Balanced.Tier 4 Solidified.New Abilities Unlocked:
Universal Karma Forecast – See global karmic trends and anticipate critical collapse points.
Emotional Sync Pulse – Temporarily link with individuals to feel their intent—truth from heart, not mouth.
System Token Generation – Create temporary "Karma Credit Tokens" usable by those without cards.
Back in the tower, the Observers watched in silence.
Then, Observer Prime rose.
"Lin Wei. You are no longer a player of the game.You are a designer of the next board."
The tower shook.
One by one, the figures bowed.
Even Liang-17 did.
Wei simply nodded. "Then let's design a better one."
Somewhere Else: Unknown Location
A man with no name, seated in a room made of darkness and gold, laughed.
"He chose the Mirror?" he whispered to himself.
The Crownless King closed his book.
"Good. Because mirrors break just as easily as people."