"Can I borrow your phone for a second?"
The city buzzed with traffic, neon lights flickering against the night sky.
A woman in a striking red dress leaned against the riverside railing, idly scrolling through videos when a crisp, youthful voice interrupted her.
"Sorry, this’ll just take a moment."
A young man named Zhou Ke appeared beside her, his expression disarmingly innocent.
The woman arched a brow, wary, but when Zhou Ke held out his hand, she hesitated before handing over her phone.
Zhou Ke took it, tapped the screen a few times, and pulled up an image—
A single coin.
The woman frowned, confused.
"Actually, I’m a street magician. Practicing a trick."
"In a second, I’ll pull this coin right out of your phone."
Her skepticism melted into curiosity.
"Alright then, little magician. Show me."
Zhou Ke’s fingers glided over the screen, and a metallic glint flashed.
The next instant, a silver one-yuan coin rested in his left palm, catching the light.
The woman’s eyes widened, a gasp escaping her lips.
Two seconds later—
Clap clap clap!!!
"That was amazing!" she cheered, applauding.
Nearby, passersby turned at the commotion, drifting closer.
Zhou Ke bowed gracefully. "Thank you for the praise."
As he moved to return the phone, a cold gust swept by.
"Achoo!"
His hand jerked slightly.
The phone slipped—
And plummeted in a perfect arc toward the river.
Splash!!!
Ripples spread across the water’s surface.
The woman’s outstretched arm froze mid-air.
Zhou Ke offered an awkward smile and pressed the coin into her palm.
She stared blankly at the single yuan.
"...Where’s my phone?"
"It turned into this coin."
Zhou Ke blinked, radiating innocence.
"You think one yuan can buy my phone?!"
"Uh… how about I cover the rest with my magic performance fee?"
Her face darkened, eyes locked on him.
Zhou Ke sensed the danger and edged backward.
Their standoff drew more onlookers, murmurs rising.
"Can you believe this?! He threw my phone in the river and tried to run!"
Her voice sharpened, the crowd thickening, necks craning for a better view.
Zhou Ke hid a smirk.
Perfect.
With a calm smile, he said, "Apologies for the scare, ma’am."
"As a magician, everything is part of the act."
"A trick never fails—you just fell for the illusion."
"Now, check your bag."
Skeptical, she unzipped her LV purse—and stiffened.
"Huh?"
Inside lay a pink phone.
She pulled it out, inspecting it.
"My phone?!"
She held it aloft.
The crowd erupted in gasps.
A child’s ice cream dripped onto his father’s shoe, forgotten.
Two seconds later—
Clap clap clap clap!!!
Thunderous applause erupted.
"Sorry for doubting you, kid!"
……
In the next few minutes, Zhou Ke performed trick after trick.
Coins vanished, roses bloomed from his palm, flames sparked from thin air—
The crowd swelled, excitement crackling.
By now, the audience was electric.
"Alright, sister. This next one’s the grand finale!"
Zhou Ke fanned out a deck of cards.
"Pick one, any one."
The woman in red tapped a card and drew it.
Seven of Clubs.
A trace of her perfume clung to it.
Zhou Ke slid it back into the deck and shuffled.
"Quick quiz—how many suits are in a deck?"
She smirked. "Easy. Spades ♠, Hearts ♥, Clubs ♣, Diamonds ♦. Four."
"And how many ranks per suit?"
"Thirteen. Ace to King."
"Impressive! Last one: how many cards in a full deck?"
"Fifty-four. Fifty-two for ranks and suits, plus the Jokers."
The crowd chorused: "One in fifty-four!"
Zhou Ke spread the deck face-down, scanning.
"Not this one… not this one either…"
All eyes tracked his hands, waiting for the Seven of Clubs to reappear.
Got it!
He plucked a card and raised it high.
"This is the one!"
The woman braced for awe.
The crowd lifted their arms, ready to cheer—
Then froze.
Not the Seven of Clubs.
Silence.
"Mommy, he messed up!" a little girl giggled, tugging her mother’s sleeve.
Zhou Ke turned the card around.
Why so serious?
The card’s face smirked back—
The Joker.
"Hey, you were close—" the woman started, but Zhou Ke flung the card skyward.
Moonlight glinted off its surface as it spun, slicing through the night.
"Remember what I said—"
Zhou Ke grinned, voice booming:
"A trick never fails!"
"You just fell for the illusion!"
The card whirled, casting fractured reflections from a distant skyscraper’s lights—
Then—
BANG!!!
Like a switch flipped, every light on the commercial street went dark.
"What’s happening?!" Voices murmured in the blackness.
"Look! The tower!" someone shrieked.
Lights blazed to life across the skyscraper’s windows, climbing floor by floor.
Dots of white raced upward, arranging themselves—
Until, high above, a colossal image formed:
The Seven of Clubs, etched across the skyline.
The river mirrored it, doubling the illusion, as if the city had tumbled into a deck of cards.
"WOOOOOW!!!"
The crowd roared.
Hands clapped, cheers shaking the night.
Zhou Ke slipped away unnoticed.
Softly, he whispered:
"Magic… curtain call."
The ovation echoed through the streets, endless.
……
After distancing himself from the crowd, Zhou Ke stretched lazily:
"Ah, today's magic show was another success... Huh? Who are you?"
Suddenly, two men who appeared to be police officers blocked his path and flashed their badges:
"We're from the Supernatural Ability Regulatory Department of Dragon Country."
"Sorry, but we've detected unauthorized use of [supernatural abilities]. You’ll need to come with us."
th】 【No prior gaming knowledge required】【The First Cultivation + Game Design Novel on the Platform】 In a world where the righteous path dominates and crushes the demonic sects, Lu Ze unlocks the "Son of the Demon Path" system. Killing righteous cultivators now grants him power-ups. Wait—deaths in illusions count too? As a former game designer, Lu Ze decides to give the cultivators of this world a little—no, a massive—shock... Sect Elders: "What is this 'Escape from the Demon Sect' game? Why have all our disciples abandoned cultivation to play it??" Elite Disciples: "You're saying... mastering 'Demon Slayer' can help us counter demonic schemes?" Reclusive Masters: "Why did I leave seclusion? Ask that backstabbing rat who ambushed me in 'Eternal Strife' yesterday!" Rogue Cultivators & Civilians: "'Immortal Abyss Action' is addictive! You can even earn spirit stones by loot-running..." Sect Prodigy: "My Dao heart is unshakable... except for that cursed black hammer." Royal Scions: "Can skins have stat boosts? I’ll pay 10,000 spirit stones for one!!" Sect Leader: "WHO IS CORRUPTING MY DISCIPLES?!!!"
For the sake of his unrequited love, his ex-girlfriend abandoned him at the altar, indirectly causing the death of his parents. Just when he thought his life was plunged into darkness, a clueless yet beautiful girl unexpectedly took him in. Looking back, he realized how many hidden gems had always been by his side. A childhood friend who had secretly loved him for over a decade, a stunning but socially clueless school beauty, a mischievous and playful girl who lived for chaos... His ex, filled with regret, pleaded: "I was wrong—can we go back to how things were?" Before he could respond, the girl stepped in front of Ye Shuang and coldly declared, "If you didn’t cherish him, then he’s mine now." Also known as: "After Losing My Job, I Was Picked Up by a Hidden Gem," "The School Beauty I Raised," and "Oh No, I’m Surrounded by Rich Girls."
ine. During your journey, you save an abandoned baby girl and become her elder brother】 【You rely on each other, becoming each other's support】 【At the end of the simulation, you shield the now-grown girl with your life, sacrificing yourself to block numerous demonic cultivators. You die, and the light in the girl's eyes fades】 …… 【Second Simulation: You are transported to a world where steam and magic coexist】 【You immerse yourself in the study of magic, obsessed with its research. One day, while out, you encounter a half-blooded demon girl wandering the streets. You take her in as your student】 【You teach the demoness what it means to be human, show her the beauty of the world, and nurture her into a miracle that surpasses even the gods】 【At the end of the simulation, you die of old age in front of the nearly immortal demoness due to your mortal lifespan】 …… One simulation after another, one encounter after another. Xu Xi suddenly felt something was off: "Wait, you said you're coming to the real world to find me?"
e school belle recognized by the whole school, a genius girl from the kendo club. She also has a hidden identity, the youngest legendary demon hunter. Chen Shuo just transmigrated and found himself turned into a weak, helpless little vampire. He was caught by Su Xiyen and taken home at the very beginning. Since then, Chen Shuo's life creed only had two items. "First, classmate Su Xiyen is always right." "Second, if classmate Su Xiyen is wrong, please refer back to item one." Many years later, Chen Shuo, who had turned back into a human, led a pair of twins to appear in front of all the vampires to share the secret of how he turned back into a human. "It's simple, I tricked a female demon hunter into becoming my wife!"
