Miracle Card Shop: All My Cards Can Be Actualize

Those extremists were dragged into the prisoner bus like fish in a net, getting what they deserved. Astral Tech didn't seem to care about the cameras or the reporters at all. It was as if they give zero f*ck about their image. I bet they had already recorded all the crimes those extremists committed. So that they can use it later in case some dumb human rights activist comes out of their hidey-hole.

Personally, I understand Astral Corporation's heavy-handed tactics. The robberies of their stores were no joke. The extremists literally cleaned out an entire convenience store the last time. Everything that wasn't nailed down was taken, even the drink dispenser!

I don't know where Astral Corp took those guys, but I know that when they came back, they were completely different people. Their manners, speech, the language they used – no more profanity, and they became oddly reasonable.

Too reasonable, in fact, because these extremists wouldn't normally sleep well without blaming Astral Corp for their messed-up lives, despite the fact that the bioweapon labs were built and researched by their own lousy royalty.

If I were an idiot, I might believe that Astral Corp had brainwashed them. But since they remember their friends and family, I think it was just some intense intimidation. Who knows what they faced? I tried asking them what Astral Corp did to make them as docile as sheep.

Their faces paled, and they seemed to remember something unpleasant. They quickly insisted they had just "thought it through." Yeah, right. As if I'd believe that.

From my tent, I had a clear view of the new building Astral Corp was constructing. I didn't know what it was for, but it was massive. The so-called micro-construction bots were busy from morning till noon, tirelessly building. A constant stream of trucks delivered construction materials, neatly packed in large boxes, which the microbots used up as they worked.

I watched it like a show – well, it was a show, since this wasn't something you see every day. The microbots continued for about an hour, then they were finished. And by finished, I mean the entire building, inside and out, including all the systems, water pipes, electricity, everything.

Damn... it was like living in a sci-fi movie. These microbots made short work of construction. Just push a button, and bam! A huge ass building appeared.

The building I was looking at resembled a high-end condominium, complete with a spa, gym, restaurant, pool, and even a sky garden! If I could live there, my life would be perfect. But I knew it was just a daydream.

Still, a man can dream, right? Dreams are the cheapest way to experience your ideal life. Everyone needs to dream sometimes.

Then I saw a group of men and women in formal suits, who looked like Astral Corp employees, walking towards the building and entering, accompanied by several power-armored soldiers carrying boxes, briefcases, and other items.

A few minutes later, a woman emerged from the building, escorted by a power-armored soldier. She held a loudspeaker and announced.

"Attention all refugees! Astral Corporation has a program that will upgrade your quality of life. By filling out this form, you can live in this condominium and become a citizen of Sector Alpha City!" The lady's announcement caught the attention of many refugees.

Now, now, isn't that the dream come true? Hmm... What kind of form is it? Could this be a trap to fleece us later? But then again, we refugees are all broke-ass bitches anyway, what could they possibly gain from us? It wouldn't hurt to check out the deal, would it?

With that thought, I approached the woman.

"Excuse me," I start, and the lady turns toward me with a smile. Damn... that smile. I know it's a business smile, but hey... a man can dream. "Can I look at the form?

What kind of form do you want us to fill out?" I ask, pointing at the form in her hand.

"Oh! Please, right this way. Come in and talk while you're looking at the form," the lady says, and I follow her. Ohhh, that hip, that shaking hip. While I was hypnotized by her movements, the next thing I know, I'm seated in front of her in a vast lobby on a soft cushioned seat. Ahhhh, it feels like I'm going to melt into the seat, feels so good.

"Here is the form. If you read the rules and conditions and don't want to fill it out yourself, please tell me, and I'll fill it out for you. We only need your signature," the lady says as she pushes the form and the paper with the rules and conditions for me to read.

Okay... let's see. I pick up the paper and begin to scrutinize the rules and conditions put forth by Astral Corporation.

There are a lot of things written here, but to summarize, it's a consent form stating that you agree to the laws of Sector Alpha City, the corporate-owned state. By signing, the person becomes a citizen of this place and enjoys the same benefits as other citizens, along with the tax burden. Well... that's to be expected.

On the third page, things start to get a little weird. After reading all the conditions, I conclude that, first, we will not engage in any propaganda for the Tessia Kingdom Royal family in any shape or form. We can speak about them, but only with proven facts.

For example, the king did go to the countryside to oversee development, but there's no sign of any progress after someone checked. Also, they purposely left out certain educational materials, such as tax management and financial management. This allowed the royal family to shower the masses with charity and be praised, solidifying their rule and approval.

Holy shit... does the person who wrote this live in Tessia Kingdom? They know a lot of things the royal family wouldn't want them to know! Wait... Sector Alpha City was originally the territory of the Tessia Kingdom Royal Family until King Lucian sold it to Daniel Emberweave.

Does that mean I don't need to be afraid of those shitty lese majeste laws anymore? To be honest, a lot of people didn't dare voice their thoughts because of that oppressive law. Wait... I think right now, even within Tessia Kingdom, no one has the means to enforce that shitty law anyway. It's become a total failed state.

At this moment, it dawns on me that I'm no longer under the Tessia Kingdom and the royal family anymore... Why didn't I realize this sooner?

"Okay, where can I sign?" I asked.

After a few minutes of signing, reading the conditions, and flirting with the office lady, every attempt got professionally deflected. When the process was finished, I didn't even get her number. Damn… she's so professional.

Now I'm standing at my new home. I didn't have high hopes, even though the condominium was nice. I didn't think my personal room, as a guy who didn't even have a penny to his name, would be that nice. Sure, I can use the pool and other facilities, but they aren't free. I need a membership for that; I already asked the lady.

I opened the door and checked out the room and… holy cow! The room is full of electric amenities and seems futuristic. The bathtub, shower, toilet, living room, kitchen—everything looks so advanced. The TV is embedded in the wall, and the kitchen has many electric amenities too.

There's also a corner for working and studying, with a computer embedded into the desk, built into the room so no one can steal it.

I remember that all these amenities and the room represent the standard living quality for Sector Alpha City citizens. Anyone with a certain threshold of income on the lower side gets this standard living space for free. However, this living space still belongs to the City Management Department of Astral Corp.

If I were to die or move out, this living space would be cleaned anew and given to someone else who meets the criteria to get one for free. This is part of Astral Corp's basic social security program for anyone who lives in the city.

Of course, I still need to pay for electricity and water, and any damage I cause to the pre-installed electric amenities or the room will result in a fine. The microbots will repair it after I pay the fine. It sounds futuristic, but damn, I've dreamt of living in a sci-fi vibe room for a long time!

Now I need to use the ID card to activate the room's functions. I found the slot where I need to insert the card for the room to work. The room came to life—the lights, the standby light on the TV, and the air conditioner all turned on.

Everything is nice, but the downside is that I'm no longer a refugee, so free food will only be given to me for one month. After that, I need to choose a department to work for Astral Corp. I don't mind hard work; really, I want to have a wife, build a home, and for someone like me, the best course is to take on a high-risk, high-reward job.

And there's a job that seems tailor-made for me: it doesn't require much education, has a high salary, and includes hazard pay. Astral Corp Defense Forces, here I come!

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