Myriad Ghosts Night Parade at the Start

Lin Chen turned around and saw a grotesque human head attached to a long neck, extending far above the temple walls. It was staring down at the two people inside the temple from mid-air.

The author, with the [DS-R1 Mechanical Guardian], is here to ask for votes and continued readership!

The author's writing is professional, with over ten years of experience as a bookworm. The aesthetic and writing style are guaranteed, so you won't regret following along! Let's witness the book's growth together!

Now, please let DS-R1 ask for votes for me.

[DS-R1 Mechanical Guardian]: "Server busy, please try again later."

Chapter 2: It's Better to Rely on Yourself Than to Pray to the Gods!

The [Head Ghost] with its elongated neck was staring intently at the two people inside the temple from mid-air.

"Damn it! This is seriously eerie!"

Zhong Yueming's heart pounded! He immediately played his card.

A holographic projection of a mechanical guardian appeared from the green-bordered card, quickly solidifying.

The [DS-R1 Mechanical Guardian] had arrived!

This was Lin Chen's first time witnessing a card summoning, and he was greatly shocked. At the same time, he was once again certain that this was not a hallucination; he had truly transmigrated!

"DS-R1, quickly use [Electronic Pulse]!"

Zhong Yueming pointed, and the DS-R1 immediately understood. It moved forward, quickly locked onto the target, and its forearm resonator fired electromagnetic waves at the long-necked ghost peeking over the wall.

The long-necked [Head Ghost] was immediately blasted apart and dissipated.

"Ew! It hit!" Lin Chen cheered, playing his part as the crowd support.

Zhong Yueming also smiled faintly, his tense heart easing slightly. "Of course. My DS-R1 Mechanical Guardian's characteristic is [Intelligent Computing Power], so its targeting ability is very strong!"

He then gave another order: "DS-R1, conduct [Intelligent Deployment] around this City God Temple."

The silver-white guardian-type mecha immediately began to move.

Zhong Yueming then shared his experience with Lin Chen: "We can't relax. Since it's the Myriad Ghosts Night Parade, there must be more than one ghost. We need to quickly search this shelter and see if there are any usable items or card materials."

Lin Chen, with his innate scholarly nature, asked what he didn't understand: "What are card materials?"

Zhong Yueming was a little impatient but still patiently explained: "Card materials, you can think of them as 'Symbolic Objects' or 'Attribute Objects,' mainly used for crafting cards.

For example, my [DS-R1 Mechanical Guardian] is made from the main card [Guardian] combined with the card materials [Intelligent Computing Core] and [Electromagnetic Resonator].

If we find other card materials, we can use the known [Card Combination Formulas] to craft cards.

In a single instance, due to the mental power limitations of a Card Master, the number of finished cards they can bring in is limited. So, to have more cards available in an instance, you need to scavenge for materials within the instance and craft them on the spot."

Lin Chen: "So, what counts as card materials? Can I pick up any random stone and use it as a material?"

Zhong Yueming shook his head: "Of course, only items with a certain degree of spirituality or energy count as card materials. Since this City God Temple can serve as a shelter, it inherently possesses spirituality, and many of its objects are definitely qualified to be card materials."

As they spoke, the DS-R1 had completed its deployment and returned. Zhong Yueming continued to order it to keep a close watch and to alert them if any ghosts approached.

The sky of the entire city grew darker, and eerie shrieks occasionally echoed from the distance.

Zhong Yueming knew time was pressing, so he let Lin Chen take the initiative, telling him to collect anything he thought was useful.

The two split up and began searching the inner hall.

Lin Chen actually had many more questions, but with the Myriad Ghosts Night Parade underway, Zhong Yueming truly didn't have the time to explain slowly.

Lin Chen decided to act as a useful tool for now, not to cause trouble, and to follow the lead of the strongest member of the team to ensure his survival.

However, the City God Temple was indeed dilapidated. After searching for a while, he couldn't find any objects that felt particularly spiritual.

Lin Chen thought that the most spiritual object would surely be this shrine. With a polite "excuse me," he took some [Incense Ash from the City God Shrine] from the shrine.

Zhong Yueming only managed to find some [Spirit-Infused Candles]. After they met up and compared their findings, Zhong Yueming frowned: "This is not enough. The materials are too few; we can't combine them into any cards."

Lin Chen took the opportunity to ask: "Then what are the [Card Combination Formulas], and how do they form combinations? Explain it to me, and I can help you think."

Seeing that there were no immediate warnings, Zhong Yueming continued: "The existing [Card Combination Formulas] have been verified by predecessors over many years; we just need to copy the answers and apply the formulas.

For example, this [Spirit-Infused Candle] symbolizes [Light Source] and [Spirituality]. It can be combined with [Insect] to summon [Spirit Firefly]. A [Spirit Firefly] is a type of flying insect that emits spiritual light, which is very suitable for scouting and illumination;

Alternatively, it can be combined with [Candle Flame] and [Nun] to summon a [Candle-Bearing Nun], who can then release [Holy Blessing Fire]."

Lin Chen: "Do you have these cards?"

Zhong Yueming: "No. I also have a Normal Grade (White) [Guardian] card, but it can't form any known formula with the current materials."

Lin Chen: "Then why don't we try combinations outside of the known ones? What if we discover a powerful new card ourselves!"

Zhong Yueming sighed: "It's not that simple. Firstly, random attempts might not succeed, leading to the materials being wasted.

Secondly, even if it succeeds, we can't guarantee that the Card Spirits formed from unknown combinations will be benevolent and controllable!"

Lin Chen was shocked: "Card combinations can also be uncontrollably dangerous?"

"Yes, the essence of card combination is the superposition of symbolic objects to summon spirituality;

However, the spirituality you summon might be malevolent! Countless Card Masters have been backlashed and turned into eerie phenomena themselves because they summoned evil Card Spirits.

Therefore, the official Card Association has various controls and prohibitions on unknown card combinations;

Especially for items like [Incense Ash from the City God Shrine], which symbolize high-risk elements such as [Gods] and [Sacrifice], combining them is highly likely to summon Card Spirits with Evil God attributes!"

"You can't just try things without applying for official approval!"

That's why Zhong Yueming chose to create a Guardian card with the [Mecha] attribute. It's currently the safest and most controllable type of card for humans.

Lin Chen began to process the vast amount of rule knowledge. After thinking for a moment, he suddenly asked:

"Then, if the material and symbolic object point to a 'Benevolent God,' would the resulting card likely be usable?"

Zhong Yueming was amused by Lin Chen's wild idea, a laugh escaping him.

"Whose apostle are you? How can you be sure you're pointing to a Benevolent God? If there were that many Benevolent Gods in our world, we wouldn't be pushed to this point by these eerie creatures!

Look, the Myriad Ghosts Night Parade is happening! Where are all these Benevolent Gods to drive out evil and slay monsters? Our world is now dominated by Evil Gods!

It's better to rely on yourself than to pray to the gods!"

Zhong Yueming suddenly became agitated, as if long-suppressed emotions had erupted.

Lin Chen could understand him. Living every day under the immense pressure of impending death from eerie invasions would make anyone resentful.

But Lin Chen caught a key question in Zhong Yueming's words: "Are there no Benevolent Gods in this world?"

This City God Temple, with its protective function, was a place for the worship of gods. Wasn't that proof that Benevolent Gods had existed?

Then why had the situation devolved into one where Benevolent Gods were absent and eerie phenomena reigned supreme?

There were two possibilities. One, Benevolent Gods had mostly perished, making them difficult to summon.

Another possibility—Benevolent Gods existed, but they had been forgotten!

Humans had forgotten what symbolic objects to use to point to deities, and the cost of failed combinations was too high. Under strict official control, they hadn't yet deduced the combination formulas for Benevolent God cards.

If it was the former, it meant this world was already a God-forsaken Land, truly beyond saving.

But if it was the latter, a break in mythology, then he, a Folklore and Mythology Researcher, had a great opportunity!

He had to verify this with Zhong Yueming!

After venting his emotions, Zhong Yueming saw Lin Chen looking down, thinking he had overwhelmed the newcomer. Guilt washed over him.

Sigh, why am I getting angry at this newcomer who just entered the instance and is scared to the point of amnesia? I should calm down and think about how to survive this [Myriad Ghosts Night Parade].

Just as he was about to say something to ease the atmosphere.

Lin Chen suddenly looked up and grabbed him. "Then let me ask you! Have Benevolent Gods never existed, or did they exist and then disappear?"

Before Zhong Yueming could reply, they heard the mechanical warning sound of the DS-R1 from outside the hall:

"Alert! Alert! A large number of eerie creatures are surrounding Level 1 Shelter [Ruined City God Temple]!"

"Please initiate defense immediately!"

The author, along with Zhong Yueming, is here to ask for votes and continued reading!

This is crucial for the book's future exposure and recommended slots!

Now, please let Zhong Yueming speak;

Zhong Yueming: "Look, the book is being added to the new book catalog! Where are all the readers to vote and continue reading? Our book is desperately in need of support! It's better to ask for votes than to pray to the gods!"

Chapter 3: Myriad Ghosts Besiege the City, Survival Rate 0.4!

Zhong Yueming shoved Lin Chen's hand away. There was no time for casual conversation now.

He leaped out and looked at the holographic surveillance screen projected by the DS-R1.

A muffled thunderous vibration echoed from a distant dark alley, and a two-meter-tall [Ghost Yaksa] with a black face and fangs stepped out. With each stride, the bricks beneath its feet cracked.

Then, a black umbrella unfurled. Beneath the umbrella was a swollen, pale corpse of a drowned person, a [Drowned Ghost], leaving a trail of wet, sticky water and duckweed.

Following closely was a [Falling Ghost]. Its upper body was bent at an inhuman angle, propping itself up on the ground, while its lower body still struggled to drag its broken frame forward, smearing its insides all over the ground.

A [Blood-Red Wedding Sedan Ghost] with the character '囍' (xi, meaning double happiness) appeared, moving on its own without anyone pushing it. Behind it were two paper effigies of a boy and a girl.

A [Headless Ghost] with hollow eyes held a porcelain bowl filled with rolling eyeballs.

A [Skeleton Monk] with a hollowed-out skull slowly paced at the rear, a scroll of scriptures inserted into its chest cavity, revealing text that felt evil and forbidden at a glance.

Zhong Yueming was stunned. This was the Myriad Ghosts Night Parade!

How could they fight this? It felt like every single creature was an Aberrant Level or higher. Zhong Yueming would struggle to fight even one of them alone, let alone be surrounded!

Could they only hope that these eerie creatures were just passing by?

But with the Myriad Ghosts Night Parade, these creatures couldn't possibly just be out for a citywalk, could they!

He turned to look at Lin Chen, instinctively wanting to seek his companion's opinion. But he remembered Lin Chen was a terrified newcomer to the instance, with no cards on him. Asking him would be pointless; it was up to him.

As a seasoned Card Master who had survived two instances, Zhong Yueming knew he had to remain as rational as possible.

He gave a command to the DS-R1: "Help me deduce a survival strategy for how to get through this siege of eerie creatures."

The [DS-R1 Mechanical Guardian], due to its [Intelligent Computing Power] attribute, possessed the ability to deduce and calculate. It had provided useful decisions for Zhong Yueming during crises multiple times.

After all, humans could lose their reason due to various emotions, but intelligent machines wouldn't. In eerie instances, they were like a steady anchor, preventing Card Masters from being overwhelmed by the terrifying ocean of the instance.