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I Rely on Drawing Cards to Set Up a Persona
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Web Novel (CN)
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Rating(4.2 / 5.0, 121 votes)
5    61% (74 votes)
4    18% (22 votes)
3    10% (12 votes)
2    5% (6 votes)
1    6% (7 votes)
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Support Book (#ad)
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One entry per line
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Year
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2022
Status in COO
Status in Country of Origin. One entry per line
148 Chapters (Completed) + 12 Extras
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Completely Translated
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One entry per line
English Publisher
One entry per line
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Release Frequency
Every 3.7 Day(s)
Activity Stats
[Graph]
Weekly Rank: #2864
Monthly Rank: #1477
All Time Rank: #3655
Reading List
[Graph]
On 2716 Reading Lists
Monthly Rank: #2765
All Time Rank: #3556

Description

Links are NOT allowed. Format your description nicely so people can easily read them. Please use proper spacing and paragraphs.

A distinguished guest was welcomed to the palace of the Arilance Empire.

This lord was said to be a noble emperor.

After hearing this, the people of the empire scoffed. Whose emperor would wander around in despair? This man must be a liar.

The emperor of the Arilance Empire was a tyrant.

The people of the empire placed their bets, speculating on the date when the liar would be beheaded by the emperor.

Three months, five months…..

Months have passed, yet the liar had not been beheaded. The people of the empire could barely remember it anymore.

One day, the blue sky was suddenly covered with dark clouds. Holy archangels and black-winged demons stood together, headless hors**en rode on abyssal dragons, and thousands of troops came from a distance.

——They had come to meet their emperor.

That day, almost everyone in the city saw the powerful foreign race at the head and the thousands of troops kneeling on one knee before the liar in the palace, with their right hands clenched over the left side of their chests.

——The world is ignorant, only the emperor shines with the sun and the moon.

——I offer my heart and loyalty to my lord.

The people: ……

No way, was this for real?

*****

For some reason, Qiao Xingnan pretended to be the emperor of a great nation.

Who would have thought that he would be brought back to the palace by the idle tyrant?

If his identity were revealed, his life would not be guaranteed.

Qiao Xingnan warily covered himself, trying to rely on his card draw system to maintain his act and secretly build a nation.

[Useless butler who will scold you x1]

[Useless drunkard who will steal your money x1]

[Equally useless but good-looking elf x1]

Qiao Xingnan: …

Bah! How can he pretend with this?

System Note: The host can try to upgrade. Maybe there will be a surprise, or there may not be, lol 🙂

*****

The cards of the Chaos Card Pool were a disgrace to the entire Starfield. They were eccentric, incompetent, withdrawn, and possessed the darkest side of the cards.

They had been abandoned and returned to their initial state.

Sinking into the darkness of the Chaos Card Pool, they became the loneliest of beings.

Then, later, a man appeared and said:

——Will you follow me?

What’s the point of following?

The man would soon abandon them.

The cards in the Chaos Card Pool had long been accustomed to this.

Without expecting it, from that day on, they were dragged out of the abyss by their emperor.

Thereafter, light shone into the darkness.

Associated Names
One entry per line
我靠抽卡凹人设
Related Series
N/A
Recommendations
Daily Disposable Persona (4)
The Virtual Character I Personally Raised Wants to Marry Me (2)
Transmigrated into a Female-Oriented Card Game (1)
Recommendation Lists
  1. TBR (GL/BL) 5
  2. I like big books and I cannot lie
  3. Finished PT.2
  4. Waiting for right mood pt 2
  5. BL European Romance

Latest Release

Date Group Release
03/29/25 Chrysanthemum Garden c160
03/29/25 Chrysanthemum Garden c159
03/29/25 Chrysanthemum Garden c158
03/29/25 Chrysanthemum Garden c157
03/28/25 Chrysanthemum Garden c156
03/28/25 Chrysanthemum Garden c155
03/28/25 Chrysanthemum Garden c154
03/28/25 Chrysanthemum Garden c153
03/28/25 Chrysanthemum Garden c152
03/28/25 Chrysanthemum Garden c151
03/27/25 Chrysanthemum Garden c150
03/27/25 Chrysanthemum Garden c149
03/27/25 Chrysanthemum Garden c148
03/27/25 Chrysanthemum Garden c147 part2
03/27/25 Chrysanthemum Garden c147 part1
123…21
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19 Reviews sorted by


8oni
New 8oni rated it
April 24, 2025
Status: Completed
I really like this novel.

While there are some things I wish to see (for example, the prev Chaos Card Master getting his ass kicked or Mo Ye's name get cleared up and so on) this is a good read.

All the cards are adorable (Zero my baby you are a star alright, I love you) or hot (*cough* Widi *cough*) and they just really feels alive, I wish there is a side CP I ship so many but nothing happen except for the main couple!!!

Anyway, solid 5/5 from me.
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LeniSnow
LeniSnow
March 7, 2023
Status: --
The premise is interesting and the characters are likable. I don't see any major problem if you're used to reading novels like this. It's MC centered so every single thing in their novel revolves around the MC's halo. Reminds me of rpg card games, you level up as you go, so I read it for the nostalgia. MC is oblivious so it's already 100 chapter and romance is non existent, I don't know why this is bl except that they needed a tool man which is ml.

As long as you... more>> won't care too much about plot holes, you'll be fine. The ML is your snob to other people except those who interest him which was no one except MC. MC is your character who thinks he will be killed by the ML if he knew he is lying so he keeps lying and doesn't take any other hint because of idk his insecurity and low self-esteem, I guess. Regardless, it was entertaining.

My only obstacle in reading this is that every scenario/lies the MC make isn't believable (for me, because I'm a logical thinker) he is a scriptwriter so the character backstory he gives to his card and to himself screams of chunibyo. It feels like if he didn't have an MC halo and the ML it's interested in him, he would have been dead by chapter 1 already. Side characters calls his bluff but they're side characters for a reason, just to be slapped even though they were smart. I also don't understand why he keep mentioning how powerful his empire is, as if that is what a powerful empire would say when they're in an uncertain territory, for me that would just scream trouble and a con man. Since he was apparently on a mission to find his relatives. I like it but these just keeps getting stuck in my head. <<less
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Archive444
Archive444 rated it
June 7, 2023
Status: c87
This is a pretty interesting read. The MC has to pretend to be emperor from a country far away, and I get the feeling that in the future, his 'empire' will become a real one. The basic gist of the novel is mainly kingdom building and the romance comes very late since both the ML and the MC are a bit oblivious. But overall, it's a good novel.

If anyone doesn't want to wait, I have more MTL'd chapters here. Just join my discord with this code: sFdg94SJRh
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KartKid111
KartKid111 rated it
July 13, 2024
Status: c142 part2
This is an interesting, gacha-based novel that follows the theme "fake it till you make it."

The MC doesn't face many difficulties, as most are resolved by plot armor and similar devices. If you're looking for a serious novel where the MC struggles and occasionally loses, this isn't for you. However, if you want a light read where everything goes smoothly for the MC, this might be the one.

Our MC, as stated in the synopsis, is pretending to be an emperor of a powerful but far-away empire. Initially, many people don't... more>> believe him, but with the system's help, they gradually start to doubt their disbelief and eventually accept him.

He is, of course, not an emperor. But due to his situation at the novel's start, he has to act as one.

Regarding plot armor, most of the 'villains' are portrayed as somewhat s*upid and one-dimensional. Their personalities and attitudes aren't thoroughly explored, and the author excuses this by making them simple-minded.

Spoiler

One of the 'villains' of this novel are the foreign races. If the MC's emperor persona is so convincing, shouldn't a normal foreign race that detests humans be wary yet curious about why other powerful foreign races (the cards) follow a human emperor?

Instead of being merely hateful and jealous throughout the novel, they could have been portrayed with more depth.

A more nuanced approach would show their initial hatred and jealousy gradually giving way to curiosity about the emperor, perhaps leading to some foreign races befriending the cards and slowly becoming allies of the MC. Alternatively, they could discover something amiss with the MC (after befriending him) and set obstacles for him, giving the satisfaction of solving the pitfalls set by them for the readers or providing a sadistic approach of watching the MC suffer.

This would make them less one-dimensional, possibly even giving them the depth to become 'redeemed villains' and affiliated allies of the MC. Or more dimensional villains that scheme and plot against the MC while remaining doubtful of his identity, half-convinced, half-unconvinced, providing a real challenge.

Other 'villains' include a noble who believes the MC is a false emperor and spreads rumors about him. Initially, I was excited, thinking our smooth-sailing MC might face some difficulty. But no, the noble is just cannon fodder who barely disrupts the MC's plans and only appears briefly for face-slapping. (I even forgot his name after several chapters. He's really a cannon fodder to the core... kind of sad.)

The other thing is Useli and Su Lie. As well as the other guy, who confronted the MC in some starfield league event on the first round? Military card pool holder Qiu Shanning or something? Honestly, I forgot. But he pretty much chased the MC throughout the first round, barely mentioned, then appeared as the final obstacle for the MC to defeat and accumulate a lot of points to win the event.

I can't even call him a villain. Hes just a bag of points to skyrocket the MC to 2nd place in the starfield league event. If the author was anymore shameless, I believe the MC might even be 1st place. Now back to Useli and Su Lie. What I'm thankful of is that Useli still has a small bit of dimension to him, though still rather 2d. He's very arrogant and haughty, has some sort of brother complex and isn't downright hateful of the MC. But his persona is overall, simple, and probably only there so the author can write a bit more about the Weekly something event before getting bored and skipping through the arc after MC helped his other card pool friend.

As for Su Lie? At the current chapter I'm in now, he's barely written about aside from also being a host that completely bound to his Fengyue cardpool, loves being surrounded by beautiful people and embracing others left and right. Though one thing to note is that he often only lets one woman, card Yun Nu, into his arms. But it isn't explored much either. And I can't really call Su Lie a villain either. He barely made any splash. He was just there to attract a bit of aggro from the reader, and let the readers experience the satisfaction of MC defeating him during the weekly event arc.

[collapse]

Now, let's talk about other things our MC has 'faced' and 'overcome', aside from the villains.

He has bad luck and often draws terrible cards, but due to his ability to make full use of each card (or rather, his protagonist halo), he's able to use the drawn cards and improve upon his current situation and dilemmas for his persona.

But going to the main point, his problem is gold. And originally, I half-expected and half-hoped that there would be a business arc of the novel, about commerce and trade. It did happen, but not in the way I expected, though its not that bad of a solution. He somehow drew a businessman card to solve his gold problem. Well, its only in the middle of the novel did that happen, and that card made him more and more richer later on in the novel.

His 'bad' luck feels kinda BS, if I were to say it in a more direct approach. Though, his situation is unique, and if he were a normal host, his luck really is bad. I think a better way to explain it is that his so called luck, it's more of a plot device, adjusting to give him what he needs rather than truly being bad luck. Like Zero, in the first few chapters of acting. I believe its the protagonist plot armor kind of luck, which isn't really a bad luck. It's just for the sake of gags I suppose. Probably part of the comedy aspect in the novel.

Now, about the romance. The author introduces it very slowly (only after dozens of chapters), and while I expected a slow burn, it feels forced. But then... the friend zoning part. Perhaps the author wanted to make things funny but it only felt a bit painful for me.

The MC showed a very clear attitude about his feelings for the ML. He only thinks of him as a brother. Purely a brother. But his attitude is really ambiguous (perhaps the author was trying to transition the romance without making it too abrupt) and when he found out about the MLs feelings, he kept quiet about it.

Then one thing led to another, they got together. Which didn't really feel natural and smooth to me. It felt a bit... abrupt, despite the fact its a 'slow burn', kind of.

Many readers dislike the romance and wish the ML wasn't there. However, it's not the ML's fault but the way he's written—too two-dimensional, like many male leads in shou MC stories. He's possessive due to a barely explored deep trauma, which from what was written, sounded absolutely terrible. I detest those people who made our ML suffer. But I'm more upset that the author literally didn't explore much upon it. Like what the heck? It sounds so serious, but its being brushed off? Which lead to the two-dimensionality of our ML, a stereotypical trauma-ridden, possesive, tyrant lover with some gap moe due to his... well... way of courting the MC. Its a bit... s*upid. Very elementary and so old school that its kinda adorable. (Edit: man, I'm still so upset that our ML wasn't explored enough. He had so much potential.)

Which adds a bit of power dynamic when the MC teases the ML about it, showing MC's occasional 'bad taste'.

But if you really wanna emphasise the MCs bad taste, and make the romance more smooth...

One way I'd go about it and suggest, is to let the MC be the first one to fall in love. Its not hard to fall for a handsome and good-looking tyrant. And as for the 'bad taste' of the MC, it can be utilised for the MCs attitude towards such a tyrant as, 'I can fix him'.

Plus, the ML during the first and mid chapters of the novel, does rather have a cute gap moe that the author occasionally succeeds in writing.

It would be fun to see the MC more interested in the ML and occasionally tease the ML, but with his persona, the ML would only feel a bit confused and try to shake it off before slowly falling into the MCs pit of love.

The MC, after being taught by the card pools etiquette, can also show a strange attitude to the ML sometimes. Utilising the barely mentioned 'etiquette' of chaos card pool. The etiquette thing was only shown to the ML very late in the novel for a simple abrupt misunderstanding that is solved rather quickly, just so the author can speed through the MLs confession and make the MC go soft on the ML, then make them get together.

But I didn't really don't want that to be the way the 'etiquette' thing was handled. When I first saw it mentioned, I thought it would be perhaps, be one of the major aspects of the novel for his persona.

After all, the emperor of the 'chaos empire' would surely adhere to the etiquette of the 'chaos empire' and act accordingly. It would be of great use to add depth and realness to his persona, making it more real.

And maybe... using my suggestion, the MC would also subtly use the etiquette of his empire such as tossing ones sword or blades over to the ML to express his interest and court, but also to act as his persona. The ML won't understand at all at first, and maybe be a bit wary to MC. But the author would of course reveal it to the ML in the later or mid half of the novel.

Perhaps it would even be at a point where the ML already fell for the MC, and the reveal of the 'chaos empire' etiquette would make MCs attitude clear to the ML. And ML, already fallen, would use that as a turning point in their relationship.

This is all just my suggestion for the romance aspect of the novel. I really like MCs who pursue their love interest, instead of the love interest pursuing the MC, so my thoughts had a bit of influence on the suggestion. Just in case the author ever reads this, somehow, of course.

But anywho, the novel is already done and written. I'm just a few chapters away from completing it. I mainly jabbered on and on about the romance and how it can be improved because I really do feel like it's lacking. And I had so many ideas on how the author could go on about this, and make this more excellent as a novel.

As for why I rated this 4 stars despite all my complaints? Well, the plot and concept is really interesting. I only see this gacha-based plot in non-BL novels, and really wanted to see it in one of my favourite genres, BL.

Aside from that, the cards and other side-characters are really lovable and cute. Such as Zero in the initial-mid point of the novel before slowly not getting mentioned in the latter half, much to my dismay.

My only other complaint is that, I kind of wanted to see things in the cards perspective. Not just about their loyalty to the MC and yada yada. But I wanted the author to explore more and more about the complex relationships between all the cards.

It could be seen that their daily life in the cardpool is really lively and colorful, I want that to be explored more. Maybe like a few 'break' chapters for the readers so we can read more about their life in their perspective instead of centering all around the oh-so perfect and gentle MC? Not that I dislike it, I like the MC and his attitude towards the cards. It's just that, he's not the only character I'm interested in and want to explore. I also want the author to explore more on the other side characters, the ML, the 'villains', the 'cannon fodders' and the cards.

Especially the cards. I kind of have some side CP of a few cards aside from Mana and Lund, like Duo Le and Suo Tian. I kinda wanna know more about their relationship, even if they remain platonic. As well as Zero and his clan members who still remember and care for him despite being an N-grade card who couldn't speak or even move back then.

The main complain that I've manifested, and to conclude this review, is that...

In conclusion, the characters are too one-dimensional or, at best, two-dimensional. Their past isn't explored much. Their personalities isn't explored much. And even with the system and card pool lore, it's not explored much. This novel had a lot of potential but in the end, I can't help but feel disappointed.

But though, despite my complaints. I still like this novel. Even if my favourite side characters aren't explored much, the romance is a bit bland, and the MC has too smooth of a path, in the end, this is probably just a casual light read.

This is good for those who aren't really interested in delving too deep, and just want something to read and pass the time with.

Don't let my review affect your decision to read this. This is just my personal views on the novel, as well as my own suggestions and a few criticism. This novel is still wonderful to read, considering that although I'm dissatisfied, I still read through the latest chapter and will continue to read until the end.

Although the novel isn't a masterpiece deserving of a perfect rating, I still give it a solid 4/5 stars. It's a face-slap novel meant to be read lightly and savored in moderation. It has interesting world-building, a cute and lively system, adorable side characters, a gap-moe ML, and silly moments that make you laugh.

I recommend this novel to those who need a light read or don't want to be overwhelmed by complexities and prefer something simple to pass the time. Sincerely, thank you for reading my review. Take it as a grain of salt, its ultimately your decision whether to read this or not. I still think it's worth a look. <<less
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YoriMei
YoriMei rated it
November 10, 2023
Status: c73
A very interesting concept that I really wanted to like, but in the end it just wasn't for me. I really liked the idea of a gacha-esque system combined with a conman trying to bluff his way out and avoid death but the problem is that while the concept is interesting, the actual execution is a different story. Constantly every problem is solved by pulling a new character out of the pool with OP powers that work just for what MC needed, which makes sense because gacha games both have... more>> a meta and tons of characters; but playing a gacha game vs reading about a gacha game are two different things. Simply put, it feels like the MC has huge amounts of plot armor and simply cannot lose because he'll just pull a new card and the perfect solution will appear out of nowhere with little to no foreshadowing or explanation and kill any tension that could possibly arise. This causes a new character to appear, but we learn very little about them or what they're like before they're thrown off to deal with whatever problem there is.

It's not as if the story is bad and the gacha concept is interesting, but for me I just simply can't get into the story and feel bored every time I try to read it. Thus, I must stop here. <<less
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ylial
ylial rated it
April 11, 2023
Status: Completed
Entertaining to read! Had my laugh so much XD however, this can be better if this has a solid story building. Star Field Card Pool - system that manages different card pools. There are different types card pools such as beast card pool, lightning, chaos card etc. The chaos card pool is composed of different races. Since the chaos cards are deviant, most of their owners discard them to be recycled. R/N: I super love all the cards 💕

MC - has a very low luck and has picked up the... more>> chaos card pool. He already transmigrated with the original person pretending as emperor. So his only choice is to maintain that vest, else he will be killed by the tyrant. But lies lead to bigger lies so our MC needs to make that lie a reality. This is the hilarious part. The MC is really silly and he knows that his lie is somewhat unbelievable but others have no proof so he just lives with it.

ML - attracted to eyes of our MC. He doesn't believe the MC but he doesn't plan to kill him to pull out the person behind MC. He thinks that there's a conspiracy behind it. Eventually, he falls in love with him and wooes him in a very very childish way. He also wears vest and makes silly things to attract the MC and I find some of those annoying.

Near ending went downhill so I skim Fr c137. Slightly disappointed <<less
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alice-in-underland
alice-in-underland rated it
April 2, 2025
Status: Completed
Thank you to the author and translators for bringing this novel to my attention! I enjoyed the story, but I can certainly see how it wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea.

I'm familiar with this author's style after reading their puppet/puppet-maker novel, and the strengths and weaknesses of their writing is very similar to that particular novel. In terms of strengths, the found family dynamics within the Chaos Card Pool and MC were very lovely to read; as a gacha-fan, I even felt that I was pulling cards myself--especially when the... more>> "extended art" was described. I found myself getting excited to see which cards would get drawn and how the Chaos empire would "expand". MC is a very gentle and caring person (and a bit of a Long Aotian/Mary-Sue protagonist) --I can see why all the cards come to enjoy his rainbow farts, especially when he genuinely shows care for them and their individual desires/needs.
Spoiler

I also love the way the Chaos Star Pool cards are so eager to help MC even if they aren't drawn yet! The scene when MC binds with the Chaos Star Pool and starts building a palace and cities for the exchange students was very fun! I loved the way the drawn cards' personalities reflect the cities they most wished to see. It honestly feels like the author could pick any of these characters to write a spin-off on, and it would be so interesting to unfold!

Towards the end of the novel as everything starts to wrap up, I became very fond of the ML's very innocent care towards MC. Although his instincts push him to more extreme thoughts, ML approaches MC with a funny sense of purity that's only reserved for MC. Very sweet!

[collapse]

The weaknesses can be pretty glaring: 1) Like others have noted, the plot outline is rough and at times, flimsy. Many factors are in play, so I feel like it was hard fir the author to focus. In general, this novel feels like 2.5 novel ideas crammed into 1 story that is vaguely tied together by chance. 2) ML is a cardboard cutout that honestly feels like he's from an entirely separate novel. If you don't mind that, it's not a terrible issue; it did just feel like this didn't need to have a romance at all. 3) If you're not nosy or curious about who will show up next like I am, this is pretty lackluster novel (in a 3.9-4.2 star way). There are plenty of merits and fun things to read, but I wouldn't say this is the best executed novel out there that I've read so far. As the polarizing reviews note, I will say again this is not a novel for everyone. I will though, vouch for the author, as it seems like the two novels from them I read so far were written in 2022, and they're still writing and growing thus far. Looking at their full activity, the author has been active since 2018, so much time to improve! I see a lot of potential in the writing, world-building, and characters, so do keep an open mind!

I don't often suggest this, but for this novel I recommend people read the reviews before deciding to pick this novel up. If you like gacha-mechanics, a semi-OP protagonist, found family, interesting world-making, power-leveling, you very well could enjoy this novel! If you're looking for a strong/whirlwind romance or a tightly-knit/complex plot that requires heavy thinking, I would recommend passing over this one for now. <<less
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Nicha010147
Nicha010147 rated it
August 10, 2023
Status: c39
I really enjoyed this one. MC is very caring toward his subordinates and treats them like a big family. My favorite is when they act as a group to deceive others LOL
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BoriCats
BoriCats rated it
April 1, 2025
Status: c41.2
It's kinda meh.

I did have some reservation with this book as this has the same author as the Demon Butler is Still Motivated Today. Which I have problems with its execution, pacing, one dimensional characters and inattentiveness to detail despite how good the premise is.

This one also had a good premise that could potentially grow into an epic novel, I was also hoping that the author grew from his past book and had improve here. Though there were a little improvement with the main character's character, at least now he... more>> stick to one polarity instead of muddling and failing to stabilize complex characters, it still did not have any improvements with regards to other characters dimensity, plotting and creativity.

It was glaringly shallow. The author now feels like he did not know how to make deep characters and plot and focused more on face value presentation. It could be seen from the lack of details. Sometimes the author would not take care to give attention to little details that will make the story have depth. Like the wants and likes of he MC, the other characters background, even menial things as their clothes and their living arrangements. It also did not make a convincing argument to how things were solve or how things were going on.

Like how did the ML find the MC interesting? As a reader I also want to see it in the ML's eyes. I want to feel it or understand this interest from the outside and emphatic perspective. But I could not see it. Whenever the MC act, all I see is a bland person that did not invoke any interest inside me. When he acted, he was stoic, cold, prideful and close off, just typical noble behavior. But oh, despite seeing this behavior to almost any noble existing in this world, the ML was interested for some reason. I was just not convince. THen the author chuck it up with the MC eyes, but that in itself was shallow, it should be a catalyst to make the MC characters showcased his real and charming character and let the ML fell for it. But no, the execution remains unconvincing.

The characters, even thought they have some history attached to them, felt unnecessary at times. Like they were just there as tools to move the plot and took space to fill just to avoid gaps in the picture. They did not feel that deep tho, or more like they have the potential to be but as the author was really not keen on focusing or patching up details, they were just there on face value. But compare to the prior book of this author, at least it was a little bit better.

The romance was nonexistence to my disappointment. Such a waste of potential. The possible connection, chemistry or entanglements from the where the story starts and where it was moving was wasted. Im not going to go deeper here. Let's just say the author was not that good with romance other than making the necessary lines just for the sake of it, and it would be also in the later part of the story for some reason. Such a waste of oppurtunity seeing as the two main characters were not entangled with big things at the moment, they even have to spend time together most of the time and all they did was play chess, fishing, plant stuffs, etc. The worse part, they were just narrated in one line. Like they spent a month being with each other doing random stuff, but the author just write it as 'they spent together everyday in the month fishing, planting, playing chess, etc." Should I say more?

The plot too was very like the authors style, it felt like it was not going somewhere. There's only a weak main goal, survive and create an empire, but oh, it was already spoiled in the description. Tell me, where was the excitement here.

The plot and challenges were barely interesting mainly because they lacked tension and was solved conveniently. It was not the sloppily made but it barely left a taste on ones mouth.

Anyway its meh at most. But it might be okay for some. Give it a try. <<less
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Simsim
Simsim rated it
September 23, 2024
Status: Completed
One of the best and properly utilized golden fingers. MC is very smart. He knows his limits and uses the people or cards around him with extreme sincerity. Thats what sets him apart.

And ML, omg such a green flag. He is mysterious king, who has no bottom line for MC.

And it isn't initially romantic, their relationship takes step by step approach. Both test each other, like cat and mouse games and later both fall for each other. It isn't due to their power or skills, but due to gradual understanding... more>> of their relationship which deepens from collaborative relationship to friendship and then love.

But the main star of this story are the cards. The cards of the system which are considered garbage and have no one responsible for them. Those cards which are thrown away and no one seems to acknowledge them and they don't acknowledge anyone else. Else than the MC, the oddball who uses his own moral ground and never looses his own humanity. Doesn't get vain with power but always cautious. Trying to think of new ways and new tricks to make his lie believable. He weaves a web of lies and these cards deliver more than that!! A lot more than that!!

The kingdom and castle described in the story of MC, is just wow! Just visualize the words written, and it feels spectacular. The author did a fine job giving each card it's own characteristics, his own power and individual traits. Making them look much more genuine and humane. That's why it makes sense for MC to treat them like humans. Of course he has no other choice. But frankly his undeniable love and responsibility for the cards make the cards more and more love him. And it's like a full circle.

Kudos to the translator too, for these mind boggling and easy to read translation. Cause I noticed the author tends to describe the cards or places with a peculiar way which is delightful to read.

Overall I loved the story. And loved the dynamics of MC and ML. Their slow transition relationship which is a slow burn. And the reaction of the side characters which is genuine and even if I was there, I would be left speechless and jaw dropped. I want to live in the castle of MC and want to have a cup of tea with the elegant butler team. And I want to pinch the cheeks of MC's first card who is shy but has a stoic appearance. Want to beat some sense in the drunkard card lol!! Want to ride dragons and roar during war. Want to take a dip with mermaids and want to fly with the palace guards.

Woah! What an adventure I had reading this novel!! 🤧😁☺ <<less
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BaiBaiYue
BaiBaiYue rated it
June 5, 2024
Status: Completed
I finished reading the whole novel via MTL and I felt satisfied. It's a good novel that's neither too smooth sailing nor too complicated. It's just enough to make you feel excited about the development of the plotline as the main character gradually gains more influence through the help of the card characters.
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FujoBell
FujoBell rated it
June 4, 2024
Status: c130
I absolutely love this novel and can't wait till the last 20 chapters are translated.

The MC is smart and cares about his card subordinates and the ML is great and not overbearing after he gets to know the MC well.

... more>>
Spoiler

At the start all he thinks about is gauging out the MCs eyes cause they're golden and he's obsessed with golden things

[collapse]

But once he gets to know MC and believes he is not a liar he treats MC nicely and spoils him if he can.

MC is lying about being an emperor but eventually it's not even a lie anymore cause he builds an empire with his cards

He also starts to like ML after he is more sure he won't get killed because of his persona collapsing and so has more time to indulge in romance.

The cards all have their own personalities and quirks so I truly liked meeting new ones when the MC drew them. And they are loyal to the Cardmaster even if some don't accept him yet because of having previous crappy masters who abandoned them because they're difficult to upgrade.

Anyway I truly enjoy reading this and I think you should give it a try. It's not dog blooded and the interactions between the cards and MC are interesting. The romance happens closer to the end (ML falls first and is clueless on how to flirt) but it's mutual respect from both parties so that's refreshing.

Lastly thanks to the wonderful translator who keeps a consistent update schedule and the translation is very good 😊 <<less
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Ouryane00
Ouryane00 rated it
June 4, 2024
Status: --
The description + chap 1 was confusing for me.

Here's a simpler explanation:

MC (a scriptwriter) transmigrated into a madman. This madman became crazy because he lost his siblings.

... more>> This madman's salvation became pretending to be an emperor (so he can be powerful and find his siblings) and scam another emperor into kinda taking care of him. So MC transmigrated at the time when his body is already a guest at the other emperor's place but hasn't met the emperor yet.

When MC transmigrated, he got a "card draw system" and cards are like people/aides with each if their own powers/attributes.

Unluckily for MC, he drew cards from the "waste card pool". These cards were rejected by their previous owners and thrown away because they lacked something etc. <<less
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trumying
trumying rated it
September 8, 2024
Status: Completed
I love it! This was so interesting. At first, I was dubious of the setting - card game :/

but I was wrong. This is so interesting. I like how the MC is so smart, yet his character is genuinely kind.

... more>>
Spoiler

he starts off as a liar emperor, but at the end, he is a genuine emperor beloved by his people

[collapse]

i love kingdom building novels.

the ML is cute too. How their relationship progressed was lovely too. I love all their interaction - before and after romance (especially after being official ~cute~)

and all the side characters are so quirky and fun! Too many to state them all - maybe.. I hoped there would've been even more side stories (even though 12 is plenty ~ I want more ~)

Would definitely recommend! - If in the mood for a fun read -

Re-readability - 100 000 % 👑🐍 <<less
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Sceer
Sceer
March 31, 2024
Status: c106.1
I love BL but I wished that there was no romance at all. Everytime the ML appears with his child-like courting (but actually wanting to monopolize him), the story becomes stale.

Anyway, I’m still glad that the romance only occupies a few chapters and the focus is still on upgrading the card pool and looking for solutions on how to solidify his “emperor” status.

Compared to the ML, the MC is much more interesting. I’m sure that the author will reveal their connection much later and perhaps it will be interesting? Idk.... more>> I still wish this has no romance.

Spoiler

or maybe... a romance between two card masters instead to even their status?

[collapse]
<<less
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xiaxinghe
xiaxinghe rated it
April 22, 2025
Status: Completed
⭐️ 3.8/5

SUMMARY:

The premise is interesting, but the execution is just... meh. The story lacks depth, and many elements are introduced without being fully explored or explained.

... more>> Let’s dive in.

Main Character (MC) :

From the story, I gathered that the MC tends to micromanage, isn’t assertive, and sometimes acts in ways that contradict how the author initially portrayed him. This kind of character really tested my patience, I had to take several breaks while reading because I was so annoyed.

I kept telling myself to be more understanding. The MC is pretending to be an emperor to survive, so he can’t act alone, he needs his “cards” (supporting characters) to play along. Fair enough. I ended up thinking of him as a movie director: someone who needs every scene to be perfect.

But here’s what frustrated me, despite the author stating that the MC trusts his cards and knows they’re capable and loyal, he still micromanages almost everything. Constantly. Even when the cards tell him to relax, he insists on directing or supervising almost every move. Toward the end, he eases up a bit, which the author attributes to the MC feeling safer. But this shift lacked buildup, it just happened, without proper narrative bridging.

Now, about the MC’s lack of assertiveness... I know this is a yaoi story with late-stage romance. I even had to check the tags a few times to be sure! The ML clearly shows interest and in the end even confesses, but the MC brushes it off and avoids thinking about it. His responses made me feel like he wasn’t even into men, yet he doesn’t clearly reject the ML or set boundaries. Instead, he indulges him. It didn’t make sense to me.

If he valued their friendship, why not be honest and set clear boundaries? I couldn’t figure out what the MC saw in the ML. Even the side characters seemed confused! The romance lacked a proper build-up. It didn’t show why they were drawn to each other or why they should end up together. There was no emotional “punch” or push.

ML and Side Characters:

Grouping them together because they share the same issue: a lack of backstory. So many plot points are tossed in without context. The author focuses heavily on the present and rarely dips into the past, not even for the MC. It made it hard to understand motivations or how certain events unfolded. The story lacked the cause-and-effect that gives narratives substance.

It felt like the author wanted the MC to be the soul of the story, but without well-developed characters around him, he couldn’t really shine.

Spoiler

For example, the ML is called a tyrant... but why? Why did he kill the Pope? What’s his beef with the Empress Dowager? What happened to his dad? Even the MC admits he doesn’t know, and if he doesn’t, how are we, as a reader, supposed to?

[collapse]

That said, I did enjoy the humor sprinkled throughout the story, especially from the side characters. Mo Jin was my favorite, he always got a laugh out of me.

OVERALL:

The premise is solid, but the execution falls short. It’s a light and easy read, great if you’re looking for something low-stakes to pass the time. I can’t say it’s a must-read, but judging by the average rating, you might find things you enjoy.

Just remember, this review is based on my personal experience. What you experience may vary! <<less
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Rosalite
Rosalite rated it
September 27, 2024
Status: c149
I loved it!

I think ML is a big green flag, his childish way of courting was definitely intresting.

I liked that MC got the emperor mindset in the end.

I love all the card too but I love zero a little more lol!

There were some plot holes and inconsistency in MC's character but nevertheless an interesting ride it was.

Also I skipped the extras, so take my words lightly ^⁠_⁠^
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I_love_KimDokja4951
I_love_KimDokja4951 rated it
November 3, 2023
Status: c52 part2
Nothing to say here. Just wanna let people know that it is very, very amazing, funny, wholesome,....

Basically ♾️/10 in my opinion. So yeah would recommend.

Also if the translator see this, just wanna say thank you for translating all the chapters. Really grateful and happy that I've stumbled across this piece. Thanks for all the hard works.

To everyone reading this, have a nice day, take care!
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Eustasia
Eustasia rated it
May 29, 2024
Status: c54 part1
Giving it a 5 because I think 4.2 is too low for this story. Personally, it's a solid 4.5 for me. The premise of the novel was actually kind of confusing since we still didn't know what kind of world our MC stumbled upon. Gradually, everything was fleshed out, and I became interested in it. The idea of an MC becoming a conman to save himself and the gacha system is amusing and in a way, engaging. Well, maybe after all the dogblood novels I've come across before this one,... more>> it IS engaging lol. Anyways, I still haven't got beyond chapter 100 but this novel was enjoyable! I recommend it if anyone wants a good laugh, doesn't want to pick out plot holes, flaws and just don't want to think while reading. <<less
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