Mythical Card Creator: Myriad Ghosts Night Parade at the Start - Section 17

Should I strive for perfection and upgrade existing cards, or focus on reinforcing them?

Lin Chen had to plan carefully, but the mental fatigue after crafting cards left him too exhausted to think much more. He fell asleep under the haze of incense.

Meanwhile, Chen Xiao Diao was too excited to sleep!

She quickly headed to the Public Security Bureau, which had dedicated combat rooms for active Card Masters.

Just like a child with a new favorite toy, Chen Xiao Diao absolutely had to practice with this card!

A Card Master's proficiency with their cards was crucial. Practice made perfect; the more you used them, the better you became.

Secondly, with more use, the card's star rating and spiritual essence would increase.

Most Card Masters didn't have the means to practice their cards frequently because each use consumed spiritual power. To use them often, they'd have to spend money to replenish their spiritual power at card shops.

However, active Card Masters in the Public Security Bureau received official subsidies. Replenishing spiritual power within a certain limit was completely free.

They also had access to dedicated combat rooms and many skilled colleagues who could spar with them.

The Public Security Bureau also had requirements for its active Card Masters, mandating a certain number of matches each month, with rankings to motivate them to improve their strength.

Therefore, Card Masters who joined the bureau would come to the combat rooms to practice whenever they had free time.

When Chen Xiao Diao arrived at the combat room, many Card Masters were already there.

"Well, well, if it isn't Chen Xiao Diao, the one-meter-fifty-tall, near-the-bottom-ranked Chen Xiao Diao!"

The Card Masters from the Patrol Squad, seeing Chen Xiao Diao arrive, took the opportunity to tease her.

Chen Xiao Diao's face flushed red as she retorted:

"What one-meter-fifty! I'm one-meter-fifty-five... I was ranked at the bottom because I was holding onto a green card material for a long time..."

This was followed by phrases like "Ambition isn't limited by height" and "Don't bully the young and poor,"

which made everyone burst into laughter, filling the combat room with a cheerful atmosphere.

Chen Xiao Diao had consistently ranked at the bottom in the Public Security Bureau's combat matches. This was partly because she was young and lacked combat experience, often resorting to mindless brute force.

Secondly, [Fist Fighter] was a specialized offensive card with severe drawbacks. It was physically powerful but had zero magic resistance, making it vulnerable to skills involving spirit or magic, often leading to instant defeat.

The Card Masters in the Public Security Bureau were all top-tier talents selected through rigorous evaluation.

These factors combined meant Chen Xiao Diao consistently remained at the bottom in bureau matches.

As a result, many Card Masters enjoyed teasing and belittling her.

The atmosphere in the Public Security Bureau was, in a way, similar to the military. Everyone lived with their lives on the line, facing considerable psychological pressure.

Teasing and belittling the weaker ones was a way to release that stress.

But no matter how naive Chen Xiao Diao was, she had her limits and didn't want to be a constant punching bag.

Chen Xiao Diao's rushing around and eagerness to craft cards and advance was her way of trying to prove herself.

Now that she had a blue card and had found a powerful, talented Card Master to be her brother, Chen Xiao Diao felt it was time for her to stand up!

"Is the 'King of the Bottom' here to boost our confidence again?"

"I heard you needed a passerby Card Master to help you deal with an 'Anomaly Level' eerie phenomenon?"

"Are you still at the bottom even outside the Public Security Bureau? You're something else, Chen Xiao Diao..."

She had heard these taunts too many times. Seeing the Card Masters still relentlessly mocking her, Chen Xiao Diao decided she wouldn't take it anymore this time!

"Who are you calling short?! I hate it most when people look down on me!"

Chen Xiao Diao pointed at the Card Master who was laughing the loudest, her eyes filled with determination.

The Card Master she pointed at was Li Jingde, ranked eleventh in the entire Public Security Bureau. He was used to being high and mighty.

He felt it was an outrageous insult; a rookie at the bottom of the rankings dared to call him out in public?!

In the world of Card Masters, strength was paramount.

To save face, his words carried a hint of anger: "Are you not seeing things clearly? I'm just making a few jokes, and you're taking it seriously!"

"Here we go again."

Chen Xiao Diao felt like laughing, and the resentment she had held back for so long began to pour out:

"You can joke with me; but when I get angry, it's being serious, and I can't take a joke!

So if I say something about you, why do you explode at the slightest provocation?"

Li Jingde exploded as expected and immediately started cursing: "Are you done with your lip service? You useless bottom-feeder! Let's just have a match!"

He walked onto the combat stage and continued to issue a threat: "Let me see if your 'strength' is as hard as your mouth!"

Chen Xiao Diao clenched the [Xiangguo Temple Mad Zen Demon Monk - Lu Zhishen] she had held for a long time. As if responding to her anger, it trembled fiercely.

Her small frame seemed to accumulate infinite energy, and she raised her head, saying:

"Bring it on!"

The author, along with Chen Xiao Diao, requests your continued readership and votes!

During the new book's initial period, readership data is crucial. Please continue to follow the story.

Chen Xiao Diao said righteously, "Today's talent, today's pursuit; I only wish to read at the same time on the same day!"

Chapter 19: Lu Zhishen VS. Black and White Twin Dogs!

Li Jingde of Patrol Team 1, a veteran who had cleared three instances.

He challenged Chen Xiao Diao, pitting the bottom-ranked against each other in the Security Bureau.

The two had a significant falling out, and the card masters in the bureau gathered to watch the spectacle.

"Chen Xiao Diao actually dared to challenge Li Jingde!"

"Li Jingde is ranked eleventh in the entire bureau! Chen Xiao Diao, a perennial last-place finisher, is just walking into a beating."

"Even a rabbit will bite when cornered. She's being bullied, so she has to fight even if she can't win."

"Having spirit is fine, but only if you have the strength to back it up."

Chen Xiao Diao heard all the surrounding chatter, but since she had already chosen to accept the challenge, her blood was boiling!

She and Li Jingde stood on the battleground, and a spiritual power barrier rose, both to define the area and to prevent outside interference.

Li Jingde announced the rules of engagement: "It's the same old rule, a maximum of two main cards can be deployed simultaneously. Equipment, spell cards, and the like are unlimited."

This was the general rule for card master battles. Allowing two main cards to be deployed simultaneously was meant to enrich the battle scenarios and tactics, preventing it from being a simple one-on-one duel.

Controlling two cards at once also tested the card master's spiritual power more, depending on who could multitask better and command more effectively.

Before the fight, Li Jingde intended to regain his dignity and put Chen Xiao Diao in her place.

He said, "Since we're challenging each other, shouldn't there be a wager? Do you dare to accept?"

Chen Xiao Diao was fearless: "I accept! You name it!"

Li Jingde: "If you lose, you'll be my lackey for a week, fetching tea and water, always at my beck and call. You'll have to bow and scrape whenever you see me."

Chen Xiao Diao didn't hesitate at all: "Fine! Then if you lose, you'll publicly apologize to me!"

Li Jingde sneered: "You said it yourself. Since the wager is set, there's no backing out!"

The card masters watching began to rub their foreheads:

"This girl got carried away and cornered herself. She shouldn't have added a wager."

"She's really stupid. This wager is completely unequal! Even if she wins, she'll be at a disadvantage."

"She just wants to save face, she didn't think that far ahead."

"Too young, can't keep her composure."

"It doesn't matter, Chen Xiao Diao can't possibly win anyway..."

"I'm starting to feel sorry for her..."

No matter how much the others doubted, Chen Xiao Diao remained full of confidence because she had a card made with Lin Chen's help.

She knew Lin Chen's strength and believed this card would allow her to win!

The card master battle began!

Li Jingde played two cards with emerald green borders, and two giant dogs appeared on the field.

One was a mechanical pursuit dog with a silver-white, metallic body, and the other was a majestic black dog as dark as ink.

Card Name: [DS-V3 Mechanical Pursuit Dog]

Type: Hunter/Mechanical Canine

Quality: Excellent Tier · Emerald Border · Two Stars

Traits:

[Intelligent Scent] The DS-V3 is equipped with an intelligent computing model and a biological pheromone collection system. It automatically collects surrounding biological pheromones for analysis and early warning.

[Guardian] According to the Three Laws of Robotics, the mecha will unconditionally protect its master.

Skills:

[Intelligent Hunt] The DS-V3 will analyze the biological pheromones collected by [Intelligent Scent] using its computing power to intelligently deduce a tracking and attack plan.

[Electronic Pulse] The DS-V3 emits high-frequency electromagnetic waves through a resonator installed in its mouth, causing area-of-effect damage.

Bond: [Pack] Dogs are pack animals. When there are multiple canine types in the team, they cooperate tacitly, jointly hunting opponents, enhancing their attack momentum and coordinated pursuit capabilities.

Card Name: [Yin Mountain Fiend-Breaking Black Dog]

Type: Spirit Beast/Canine/Hunter

Quality: Excellent Tier · Emerald Border · Two Stars

Traits:

[Black Blood Wards Off Evil] The blood of the Yin Mountain Fiend-Breaking Black Dog possesses extremely strong yang energy and the power to ward off evil, capable of deterring malevolent spirits.

[Yin-Yang Eyes] The Yin Mountain Fiend-Breaking Black Dog has a pair of Yin-Yang Eyes, which can see through yin and yang and detect malevolent spirits.