Hearing Hu Tao's question, Xiangling could only nod bitterly. After rebuilding Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Hu Tao raised her right hand and shouted: "I activate [Wangsheng Funeral Parlor]'s second effect!"
[Wangsheng Funeral Parlor]
"I send [Zombie Master] and [Goblin Zombie] to the Graveyard! Go, my pride, my soul!"
Sure enough, ever since reading the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga, even Hu Tao had learned a few summoning lines… Named by Hu Tao, [Zombie Master] and [Goblin Zombie] shot away like twin meteors into the Graveyard.
[Zombie Master] Level 4│DARK│Zombie│1800 ATK / 0 DEF
[Goblin Zombie] Level 4│DARK│Zombie│1100 ATK / 1050 DEF
Seeing Hu Tao not using her classic pile-of-bones tactic—filling the Graveyard and boosting King of the Skull Servants for a one-turn kill—the audience was surprised.
"Huh? Why isn't Director Hu using King of the Skull Servants?!"
"Probably didn't draw it?"
"Could be… or maybe she's changed strategies!"
"I like Zombies too—time to take notes from Director Hu."
Hu Tao continued her Main Phase. At that moment, a little ghost flew from her Deck and hovered behind her—it was the [Lost Ghostling] Luya had sold her. The little ghost greeted her cheerfully. Hu Tao shook its hand and said: "I activate [Lost Ghostling]'s effect! While [Wangsheng Funeral Parlor] is on the field, Special Summon this card from your Deck, hand, or Graveyard!"
Hu Tao waved to the floating spirit with a smile: "Go, little one~"
[Lost Ghostling] Level 1│DARK│Zombie/Spirit│300 ATK (+500) / 200 DEF
As Hu Tao Special Summoned it, the ghost wobbled onto the field. "Thanks to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, [Lost Ghostling] gains 500 ATK. And with another Zombie Summoned, I gain an Exorcism Counter!"
The ghost glowed faintly blue as a gravestone manifested beside Hu Tao—an Exorcism Counter.
Seeing the cute ghost, Xiangling chuckled: "That little guy is adorable Though not as cute as Guoba" Guoba happily waved his little paws at the praise.
"It's not over yet! I use [Mezuki]'s effect! By banishing it from the Graveyard, I can Special Summon another Zombie from there!"
Following her command, Mezuki's savage spirit split itself open, forming a gate to the underworld. "I Special Summon [Zombie Master]!"
From the gate emerged the gray-haired, sickly-looking youth. He glanced at [Lost Ghostling], which quickly turned its head in fright…
With [Zombie Master] revived, the spectators suddenly understood.
"Ahh! So that's it! When she used [Boundary of Life and Death] to discard Mezuki for [Wangsheng Funeral Parlor], it looked like a two-card loss…"
"But actually, Mezuki works best in the Graveyard!"
"As expected… those who can't give anything up will never change!"
"I see it now! Director! Battle!!!"
"Battttttleee!!!"
"Damn, brother, I'm fired up too!"
"You read that light novel from Yae Publishing too?!"
"Attack on Anemo?!"
"No… mine was 'Kamisato Boruto.' It's nonflammable—don't bother."
"Forget light novels—we've got Yu-Gi-Oh! manga already! Watch the Director duel!"
"Once the screening ends, let's go watch too~"
"Ok, ok~"
"[Zombie Master] is an old favorite—I know the effect by heart. She'll use it to Special Summon from the Graveyard!"
As predicted, Hu Tao activated [Zombie Master]'s effect, discarding [Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon] to revive the [Goblin Zombie] she'd sent earlier.
With her flurry of plays, Hu Tao now had three Exorcism Counters, and three Zombies on the field!
[Goblin Zombie] ATK: 1600
[Lost Ghostling] ATK: 800
[Zombie Master] ATK: 2300
And she hadn't even made her Normal Summon yet—an overwhelming advantage! Xiangling's only monster was her lonely [Flamvell Guard], with 1900 ATK—like a single stray dog on the field.
But Xiangling didn't look nervous at all. She seemed excited, as if daring Hu Tao to attack.
Hu Tao, burned by past losses, knew Xiangling's set cards were likely nasty tricks. But she wasn't shaken. She had prepared well for this.
Smiling, she declared: "Next! I Normal Summon [Breaker the Magical Warrior]!"
[Breaker the Magical Warrior] Level 4│DARK│Spellcaster│1600 ATK / 1000 DEF
A man in red mage's robes, wielding a sword and shield, appeared. He eyed Xiangling's set cards and nodded.
The spectators blinked.
"Why summon a Spellcaster instead of another Zombie…?"
"And only 1600 ATK?!"
"Did Director Hu misplay?!"
...
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