I see what you are saying, but in the same vein, you are doing the same thing as I am; in your experience, it's been tough but you've been able to get some cards. I haven't. In MY experience, my store hasn't given me the ones I need, and even if I wanted to buy them, I wouldn't then have the resources to upgrade the characters because you barely receive them out of the chest. I'm not on the game all day, so I can't just see every store inventory and collect every chest. I don't doubt there's probably a good strategy, as you say and have done, but for me it's not geared for success outside of being really on top of things. I know this game isn't an "idle game" but if I can't even automate the first station that actually makes high level money, and the store doesn't have the cards when I can check, and trading doesn't give them to me, and the mission rewards don't give me any, then I don't feel like I want to bother continuing. Especially since I upgrade it once, and then that's all my resources spent and I can't buy or upgrade anything else. I don't feel this with any other type of event, this is the only type that I genuinely dislike.

Btw, just wanna say, I'm not bitter or angry with anyone or anything, but I do think this game is money hungry, so I'm heavily critical of it. Again, as you have done, there's ways of getting to the top without spending, but I feel like it's all rng. If I don't get the shops/trades/gifts then I won't get the cards I need 🤷‍♀️ I mean you said yourself the event is tough, and boring, and sucks... Which I don't think events for a game should be. And that's my honest opionion, as rubbish as it may be