The Incense Thief

It didn't have to actively prevent the control;

passively triggering after being hit also counted as breaking free.

Then what method should be used to break free?

Should he use a card from the Mechanical Intelligence series to discharge electricity? That would consume spirit power, and the materials would be expensive.

Lin Chen thought of an even cheaper and more direct method;

it came from a famous Chinese allusion—"The Awl Pricking the Thigh"!

"Strategies of the Warring States: Strategies of Qin I": "Su Qin grew sleepy while studying, so he drew an awl and stabbed his thigh."

When tired and drowsy, all he had to do was find a needle and prick himself, using pain to keep himself awake.

In summary, he needed a common Sanity Detection Bracelet Equipment Card, an Emergency Response Module, and a Detoxifying Silver Needle.

Three common, cheap white cards would be enough!

Card creation formula: Sanity Detection Bracelet + Emergency Response Module + Needle = Sober Mind Bracelet

Since they were all white cards, the card creation process was extremely quick;

Lin Chen's brush moved like a coiling dragon, and a White-grade Equipment Card was soon complete:

Card Name: Sober Mind Bracelet · Emergency Needle

Type: Equipment Card

Quality: Normal Grade · White Border · Two-Star

Equipment Effects:

The Sanity Detection Bracelet possessed a sanity detection function. After being equipped, it would continuously monitor the wearer's Sanity Value in real time.

If the Emergency Needle detected that the wearer's Sanity Value had fallen below the warning level, it would trigger an emergency response, and the bracelet would eject a silver needle to stab the wrist.

The Detoxifying Silver Needle stimulated the acupoints to draw blood, providing a simple detoxifying and mind-clearing effect.

A single white card with three effects—its quality was practically at the ceiling for white cards.

Lin Chen was very satisfied. Although he had ultimately chosen to protect his sanity through self-harm, the materials had cost less than a hundred thousand in total;

It hurt, but it was worth it!

Unfortunately, Lin Chen had run out of money. Otherwise, he would have wanted to make another one for Chen Xiao Diao.

In fact, the concept behind this Equipment Card wasn't difficult to devise. The main point was using reverse thinking.

Card Masters on the market, when dealing with mental attacks, would first think of actively resisting them and preventing trouble before it arose, preferably without suffering any harm.

They never thought that they could do the opposite and regain clarity through self-harm.

Perhaps some Battle Card Masters could think of this through actual combat experience.

But they weren't Card Masters. They lacked the mindset for card creation and wouldn't think of turning this idea into a card.

That was why no such card had appeared on the market yet.

As time went on, some Card Master would eventually think of this. Lin Chen had merely reacted quickly and seized the initiative.

The main reason was that Lin Chen had been taught all his life by allusions like "Hanging by the Hair from a Beam, Stabbing the Thigh with an Awl," so the impression was deeply ingrained in him, allowing him to think of it at once!

He could be said to have benefited from the light of cultural inheritance.

So Lin Chen quickly applied for the copyright of the Sober Mind Bracelet · Emergency Needle and put it up for sale in the card shop.

Whether anyone bought it or not, he couldn't afford to let any opportunity to make money slip away.

After finishing the card, Lin Chen waited for a long time, but Zhong Yueming still hadn't replied. It seemed there was nothing he could do to help;

In the end, Lin Chen could only rely on himself and Chen Xiao Diao, which made him feel a little lacking in confidence.

At that moment, Chen Xiao Diao also called;

Lin Chen answered. "What is it? Are you done?"

On Chen Xiao Diao's end, her voice was drawn taut, like a string about to snap:

"Brother Chen! Amber sent me a message!"

The author has brought Lin Chen here to beg for votes and continued reading!

Facing the recommendation-slot PK, this book's current monthly-ticket ranking could still be overtaken. Lin Chen therefore needed a monthly ticket that could protect his ranking and drive traffic!

This book is currently in a round of PK. If the data is poor, there will be no traffic in the future. So please keep reading until the latest chapter, cast your votes, and help Lin Chen battle the God of Wine!

Thanks to "I Am Transformation, You Are the Transformer" for the 100-coin tip!

Thanks to "The King Sleeps Early" for 1 monthly ticket, "Tribulation-Dust Emperor" for 1 monthly ticket, and "Date Ear" for 3 monthly tickets!

Chapter 28: The Incense Thief

Amber had actually taken the initiative to contact Chen Xiao Diao!

Lin Chen hurriedly asked, "What did he say?"

Chen Xiao Diao said, "He said the spirit wine will be ready in the next few days, and asked us to arrange a time to go over! Are we going?"

In Lin Chen's eyes, this was a blatant Hongmen banquet—or perhaps it should be called a God of Wine Banquet!

But if they refused, it would instead put Amber on guard and let him deduce that Lin Chen had already seen through the bar's secret;

It might even provoke him into taking more intense and crazed action!

Lin Chen knew how mad the God of Wine believers were.

By agreeing directly, he could still hide his abilities, pretend to be ignorant, show weakness to the enemy, and catch them off guard!

So Lin Chen replied, "Then arrange a time with him. Get some good rest, and we'll go over together when the time comes."

Chen Xiao Diao said, "Understood! I'll arrange it with him for the day after tomorrow."

Although she was somewhat worried that, if Amber really was a hidden evil cult priest as Lin Chen had said, this trip would inevitably be extremely dangerous!

But with Lin Chen there, Chen Xiao Diao felt inexplicably reassured; it seemed that as long as she was with Brother Chen, there was nothing to fear!

Chen Xiao Diao savored this novel feeling of having someone backing her up;

She had seen it in television dramas before. This feeling seemed to be called "having someone to rely on"...

"Xiao Diao, what are you spacing out for! Hurry up and lend a hand—let's hammer these Water Corpses to pieces!"

The call from her Patrol Guard colleague broke Chen Xiao Diao out of her reverie;

"Coming, coming!"

She hurriedly summoned Lu Zhishen. The monk swung his massive iron Buddhist staff and charged to the riverbank;

One blow per corpse, smashing the heads of the Water Corpses trying to climb ashore!

They dealt with another wave of the water ghosts' assault.

A Patrol Guard working in the same group as Chen Xiao Diao took the opportunity to pull out a Spirit Replenishing Agent. While resting, he complained to her:

"How come the water in this riverside district is going berserk like this? How many Water Corpses has that been already!

Xiao Diao, it's great being teamed up with you. Your Card Spirit is unbelievably fierce! One smash per corpse—if we had to fight them slowly, we'd really be exhausted to death!"

Ever since Chen Xiao Diao had defeated Li Jingde and become widely famous, her colleagues had respected her more and more;

That colleague's praise wasn't just praise for Chen Xiao Diao—it was also indirect praise for how formidable the cards Lin Chen had made were;

Thinking of this, she forgot her fatigue and laughed happily.

On Lin Chen's side, after arranging a time to visit the shop, he kept pondering what other methods could quickly increase his combat power.

Suddenly, the Door God Card trembled violently inside the card box;

This was the signal that Qin Qiong and Yuchi Gong were actively requesting to manifest!

Lin Chen hurriedly summoned Qin Qiong and Yuchi Gong;

Yuchi Gong was hot-tempered, and his voice boomed like thunder: "Lord! A thief is attacking!"

Lin Chen was startled. "Has a ghost broken into my home?!"

He hurriedly began looking around, searching for where the ghost was;

His mental power swept through the entire area, yet he couldn't find the slightest trace of ghostly energy. He couldn't even see a rat anywhere nearby!

Lin Chen looked at the Door Gods in confusion. "Where's the ghost?"

Qin Qiong cupped his hands and replied, "Not here."

Lin Chen was even more puzzled. "Not here? Then where could it be?"

If the two Door Gods hadn't always been so stern and Upright and Just, Lin Chen would have suspected that they were messing with him!

Yuchi Gong wanted to speak, but after fumbling for a long while, he still couldn't explain it clearly, growing so anxious that he nearly died of frustration.

Qin Qiong couldn't stand watching any longer. After saying, "Forgive me," he placed a hand on Lin Chen's shoulder;

In an instant, Lin Chen's spiritual platform trembled slightly!

A scene suddenly appeared in his Sea of Consciousness, transmitted by Qin Qiong:

It was none other than the Door God Temple from the previous Myriad Ghosts Night Parade Instance!

Could the Door Gods actually connect to the Door God Temple's field of vision?

It even had the effect of remote surveillance!

It seemed quite reasonable, too. After all, the Door Gods had received the incense offerings of this place before Lin Chen summoned and turned them into cards;

The Door God Temple was practically the Door Gods' place of origin, so it was only natural for it to possess some divine mysteries.

Lin Chen continued examining the scene. In front of the shrine inside the temple, there was now a hunched black figure kneeling prostrate;

Hm? When had a devout worshipper arrived?

Curious, Lin Chen zoomed in on the scene, only to see that it was clearly a ghostly hag with a rat's face!

It had a pointed snout and greasy, gleaming whiskers, and was crawling before the shrine, greedily sucking up the incense offerings that rightfully belonged to the Door Gods!