Chapter 6: Another Healed

"Activate trap card!" Li Guanqi commanded in a deep, imposing voice, "Welcome to the Labrynth!"

"I chain the effect of Lady Labrynth of the Silver Castle! I set a Normal Trap card directly from my deck."

"I am setting—"

"Eradicator Epidemic Virus!"

"Eradicator Epidemic Virus?" Twinflower gasped. She knew this card; it could wipe out all spell or trap cards from the opponent's hand and field.

She had four spell cards in her hand!

If those were wiped out, how was she supposed to go on?

She steeled herself, gritting her teeth and saying, "But... you can't activate a trap the same turn you set it!"

"No—" Li Guanqi’s expression darkened, and he added with a touch of mystery, "Can't you hear it? The whisper of the demon."

Twinflower’s brow furrowed sharply. She looked around, wary, truly focusing her attention to listen: "Hmm... there is a strange sound."

"It is the curse of the demon!" Li Guanqi adjusted his glasses, smiling like a true villain. "The moment the Welcome Labrynth effect resolved, the equation for victory was already written!"

"What?!" Twinflower was shocked.

Li Guanqi lowered his voice. "Resolving the Welcome Labrynth effect: Special Summon Ariane the Labrynth Servant, then return her to the hand."

"At this very moment!"

"Chain Link 1, effect of Labrynth Stovie Torbie, destroy one random card in the opponent's hand."

"Chain Link 2, effect of Ariane the Labrynth Servant, draw one card, and after that, I can Special Summon a Fiend monster from my hand or set a Spell/Trap."

"Chain Link 3, effect of Labrynth Chandraglier from the graveyard, Special Summon this card."

"Chain Link 4! Effect of Labrynth Cooclock from the graveyard, add this card to my hand!"

"Four chains?!" Twinflower shrieked, three parts stunned and seven parts frazzled.

The remaining ninety percent of her was praying.

Praying that Stovie wouldn't hit her core hand cards.

"Harvest time!" Li Guanqi’s lips curled upward; he was having too much fun.

It was hilarious—this was the true joy of playing Labrynth, the satisfaction of the engine chaining together.

Recycling cards from the graveyard, Special Summoning, then Ariane’s draw-and-set.

But the most enjoyable part was—

"Stovie, go..."

Li Guanqi’s voice suddenly faltered. He didn't know what he had seen, but his gaze went blank.

He stared at the computer screen, his consciousness drifting for some unknown reason.

It was her again. That silhouette.

A noble woman dressed in a pure white gown, her skirt fluttering in a fierce gale like a blooming lily.

With a boom, the woman in white transformed into a bolt of silver lightning, charging toward the enemy.

It was so cool!

She surged past the massive ranks, brushing past a mermaid, and charged straight at the opposing duelist, swinging her sword heavily toward the enemy’s hand.

*Snap—*

A fissure tore open in the void, and the projection of a card flickered within.

*Kelbek the Ancient Vanguard!*

"What the hell!" Li Guanqi’s body jolted as he snapped back to reality, realizing he was sitting in front of his computer.

He panted heavily, his heart racing.

"That was creepy..."

He shook his head gently, muttering to himself, "What kind of hallucination was that? Am I just too tired lately?"

Daydreams should at least be normal.

Other people dream of beautiful women, wealth, status, or anime characters.

What did he dream of?

Stovie cutting down someone’s Kelbek the Ancient Vanguard?

Am I that obsessed with Yu-Gi-Oh? Or is the stress so high that even my hallucinations are this abstract?

"Hey, are you done yet?" Twinflower shouted, "You didn't hit my key card, don't try to scare me."

Li Guanqi checked the opponent's graveyard; the destroyed card was Rose Lover, not Kelbek.

An illusion is just an illusion after all.

He rubbed his eyes, steadied his breathing, and continued his play. "Effect of Stovie Torbie on the field: send this card to the graveyard, discard Labrynth Cooclock from my hand, and set Labrynth Labyrinth from my deck."

"Effect of Labrynth Cooclock in the graveyard: add this card to my hand."

"Discard Cooclock to activate its effect: this turn, I can activate a Normal Trap card the same turn it is set."

"Hiss—" Twinflower gasped, her eyes clearing instantly. She hunched her shoulders and asked, "Is it too late to apologize now?"

"Repent!" Li Guanqi smirked and shouted, "Open the set card—Eradicator Epidemic Virus!"

"Tribute..."

His voice paused, his pupils trembling slightly. For some reason, a wave of sadness welled up inside him.

"Tribute Labrynth..."

He didn't call her Stovie this time; he used the formal name of the Lady of the Silver Castle—Labrynth.

"Declare Spell cards."

"Check the opponent's field for spells and traps, look at their hand and the cards they draw for the next three turns, and destroy all cards of the declared type."

"Boom—"

"No!" Twinflower wailed in agony, watching as her hand cards were revealed automatically.

Lightning Storm, Harpie's Feather Duster, The Sanctifire Dragon, and Branded Fusion were all sent to the graveyard.

She reached toward the graveyard as if she could physically drag them back.

Only one card remained in her hand: Evenly Matched.

Li Guanqi was still immersed in that strange sorrow and took a long while to snap out of it.

He hadn't noticed what had happened and asked nonchalantly, "What's wrong?"

"Why did you stop?"

"It’s your turn, isn't it?"

In the air, the faint sound of knuckles cracking echoed.

"So you *do* know it's my turn!" Twinflower gritted her teeth, staring at him fiercely, "I’m going to kill you, you jerk!"

"Enter the Battle Phase!"

"Wait a second," Li Guanqi interrupted, "I didn't pay attention to the Virus effect earlier. What card do you still have in your hand?"

"Evenly Matched," Twinflower replied honestly, wearing a venomous smile. "You don't have any negation, do you..."

"I'm going to blow you up!"

"Thanks for letting me know," Li Guanqi said softly. "Pay half my Life Points, activate the effect of Transaction Rollback in the graveyard."

"Banish this card, target Eradicator Epidemic Virus, and gain the same effect."

"I declare—"

He smiled slightly, looking like a friendly demon.

"Trap cards."

"The effect, I don't need to read it out again, right?"

"You—" Twinflower’s face twisted instantly. The remaining Evenly Matched in her hand was revealed and sent to the graveyard.

Six cards in hand, and she hadn't managed to play a single one.

She glared at Li Guanqi, pouting, wanting to cry but feeling it was too embarrassing, so she held it in.

She didn't want to say a word. Nothing but a punch could express her current mood, but she could only stare at this bastard.

Stare until he felt ashamed.

Stare until he got the creeps.

Stare until his conscience hurt!

"Uh—" Li Guanqi felt a bit awkward under the beauty's scorching gaze, "Great, I've driven another one away from the game."

Who has a child addicted to Yu-Gi-Oh?

Consult Dr. Li (Intern); one-stop service, guaranteed cure.