Chapter 226: 226 One Starting Line_1
"Collecting all the small cards allows for the exchange of their Match Cards? Has Mount Flower gone mad?"
Other associations were exceedingly surprised by Mount Flower’s sales model.
Inside the Mountain Ghost Association, Luo Juerao did some calculations. "Doesn’t that mean that as long as one is willing to collect cards, an association could directly get their hands on their card set?"
What was Mount Flower relying on to dare to release this? The four great kings were obviously strong, apparent to anyone with discerning eyes, so why would they still dare to release them?
Tan Heming, however, discerned the underlying meaning behind this move. "That means their Card Makers can ensure that by the start of the new competition, they can produce better cards to replace the old ones."
What kind of Cards would be better than the four great kings? Or perhaps, A-Rank Cards with different mechanisms? They would possess the strength of the four great kings but also be able to counter each other.
Luo Juerao looked at Tan Heming, his mouth agape, somewhat shocked. "Brother Ming, are you sure? A-Rank Cards aren’t cabbages, you know?"
SSR Cards are even harder to make. Last year, Mountain Ghost only produced one, and it wasn’t of much use.
Tan Heming gazed at the letters ’SSR’ and spoke slowly, "SSR Cards... Could she be advancing to S Rank?"
Luo Juerao was startled. "Brother Ming, are you talking about Wen Jiang?"
His Brother Ming only paid this much attention to Wen Jiang.
Tan Heming also began to hesitate. "...Is she really that confident?"
Regardless, the information revealed by Mount Flower was still astonishing. To personally guarantee the creation of an SSR Card—who would dare ensure such a thing?!
"Wrong," Tan Heming stated. "At this stage, it might just be a marketing stunt released by Mount Flower. Since they say one hundred sets can be exchanged for this opportunity, it means they’ve only released one hundred sets of small cards. Some people will also want an A-Rank Card Spirit, so it’s impossible for one person to collect all one hundred sets."
Luo Juerao truly admired Tan Heming, who could deduce so much in just a few sentences, but he also felt it was unlikely. "Making SSR Cards is probably still not feasible. But for Mount Flower to use this as a marketing stunt is bold. What if the Empire investigates?"
On a larger scale, this is false advertising. If you don’t have the ability, that’s commercial fraud. The Empire could definitely pursue it.
However, Mount Flower did have an S-Rank Card Maker, so one couldn’t claim they lacked the ability. The problem might only arise if someone actually managed to collect all the cards.
Tan Heming chuckled. "It seems more like a stunt for commercial activities, but..."
Thinking of Wen Jiang’s performance, Tan Heming sighed. "I feel like she might actually be able to produce an SSR Card."
Based on his current, albeit superficial, understanding, Wen Jiang wasn’t the type to make grandiose, empty promises. Mount Flower couldn’t possibly guarantee the creation of an SSR Card; only she could make such a guarantee. If she said it, she should be able to deliver.
Luo Juerao frowned. "I know she’s very capable."
He was now thoroughly convinced of her general skill, yet he added, "But she hasn’t yet reached S Rank, Brother Ming. Aren’t we discussing something a bit too fantastical? SSR Cards really aren’t that easy to make."
Tan Heming questioned Luo Juerao in return, "Do you know how many A-Rank Cards she has made now? The Moon Palace Card Set plus the four great kings makes nine. Have you ever seen a Card Maker like that before? I believe she can do it."
Because she could do it, Tan Heming felt he couldn’t wait any longer.
He suddenly stood up. "I want to go talk to Sheng Hongying."
Luo Juerao was startled. "What do you want to talk to Shadow God about?"
"Mount Flower lacks an opponent for training matches," Tan Heming said, sharing what he had learned. "Now that Dong Shao has announced his retirement, no one has thought about this. I can arrange for Mountain Ghost to have a training match with them."
Luo Juerao was even more surprised. "Brother Ming, they haven’t even found their fifth teammate yet. Where would they find the time to play a training match with us?"
Tan Heming said earnestly, "That’s why we book in advance. It’s never wrong to get on good terms with Mount Flower."
Luo Juerao: "..."
Watching his Brother Ming’s serious face, Luo Juerao found it hard to associate him with the strict and uncompromising team captain he was known to be outside. The Mountain Ghost Association often said Tan Heming was oblivious to worldly affairs and never took the initiative to engage with fans. So, when he actually took the initiative to build relationships with other associations, even personally arranging training matches, Luo Juerao thought the higher-ups would be moved to tears if they heard about it.
As he was about to leave, Tan Heming added, "Oh, and by the way, we should also buy a few sets of Mount Flower’s card peripherals. Let’s try to collect as many small cards as we can."
Luo Juerao was somewhat confused. "Have the A-Rank Group study Mount Flower’s cards?"
"Studying Mount Flower’s cards is useless," Tan Heming explained. "Their cards will be updated and iterated, and the usage rights cannot be transferred. On the battlefield, cards cannot be used unless the user is the stipulated purchaser. Therefore, obtaining old cards isn’t very useful. Collect the small cards diligently. Following Mount Flower’s model this year, they’ll likely do this every season. If we accumulate them bit by bit, and one day actually gather one hundred sets, that represents an opportunity for an SSR Card."
Luo Juerao was dumbfounded; he hadn’t expected Tan Heming to be thinking so far ahead.
One hundred sets, he thought despairingly to himself.
But he still decided to listen to Brother Ming. "Then I’ll... try my best."
Mount Flower’s sales model broke the mold. When other associations looked to follow suit, they were faced with a stark reality.
A-Rank Card Spirits aren’t something to be released lightly. Mount Flower had undoubtedly released more than just one set of small cards. If someone casually acquired a few sets, they might be able to exchange them for the four great kings and Su Daji immediately. This would mean their new cards would be thoroughly analyzed. Even if they couldn’t be used, it could still cause a fair amount of trouble.
This was to say nothing of the fact that their cards had more mechanisms than the A-Rank Cards on the market. Other associations that wanted to imitate them didn’t even have the capability to keep up. So, this kind of markdown sales model from Mount Flower wasn’t something they could or dared to replicate.
Fans, on the other hand, were overjoyed. Both the signed and standard editions were sold at the same price, making it essentially a matter of luck. In the past, fans might not have been able to get a signed edition. Now, if they were fortunate, they could obtain one and then buy a standard edition, allowing them to sell the signed edition at a high price. This model by Mount Flower essentially created opportunities for those looking to profit from the price difference, attracting even the less-interested bystanders.
Imagine walking into a mall, originally indifferent to cards, but then discovering that buying a card could result in obtaining a signed version that could be sold at a high price to fans. Only 500 a set—not expensive at all.
Fans wouldn’t have any complaints either. Previously, they could hardly ever get their hands on limited editions released by the major associations.
Why? They couldn’t match the Scalpers’ lightning-fast hands.
In the hands of Scalpers, some rare limited editions could be flipped for sky-high prices. An SSR limited edition peripheral once reached a price of 8.88 million this way.
Now, everyone was at the same starting line. It all depended on whether you were a Eurocrat or an Unlucky Individual, and that alone was a cause for pure joy.