Myriad Ghosts Night Parade - Chapter 44

After expending a massive amount of spiritual energy, Lin Chen finally opened his eyes, drenched in sweat.

He found himself standing in front of a huge hotel. Beside it stood a tree so thick it would take four or five people to encircle it, with grapevines twining around it. Inside the establishment, three large wine vats were lined up.

Two golden banners were planted in front of the entrance, each inscribed with five golden characters:

"Vast universe within drunkenness, eternal days and nights in a pot!"

The author, along with Lin Chen, is here to ask for votes and continued readership!

Despite being ranked high on the charts, we can't secure a spot.

Lin Chen sighed, "At least give me a monthly ticket before you go!"

We're in the midst of a second round recommendation slot PK, help this book surge forward!

Chapter 44: Mortal Wine House, Underworld Workshop: [Black Gold Black Shop]

"Vast universe within drunkenness, eternal days and nights in a pot."

This was precisely the slogan of Happy Forest!

A heavy, emerald green venue card landed in Lin Chen's hand.

Card Name: [Black Gold Black Shop · Cross Slope Crossroads Happy Forest] Type: Building/Hotel/Grove Quality: Excellent Grade · Emerald Border · Three Stars

Building Layout:

『Front Hall · Happy Forest Wine Shop』 [Regenerative Wine Slurry]: The wine vats of Happy Forest are buried deep underground, brewing a century-old active wine slurry that can continuously produce "Spirit Wine" ingredients. It can be combined with Methanol to create "Bewitching Wine." [Painful Drinking and Muscle Regeneration]: Consuming Spirit Wine in the front hall can greatly restore the drinker's health and heal wounds. [Flesh Fermentation]: Whenever an enemy is decomposed in the [Second Floor · Flesh Workshop], the wine vats will absorb their residual flesh and blood, producing an additional 1 portion of "Burning Saber Fiendish Wine."

『Backyard · Datura Flower Field』 [Bewitching Garden]: The backyard soil is fertile and can produce Datura flowers. When ground into powder, it becomes "Methanol," possessing rapid intoxicating and paralyzing effects.

『Second Floor · Flesh Workshop』 [Flesh to Filling]: Dragging unconscious/defeated enemies into the workshop allows them to be processed into flesh and blood. Depending on the quality, they can be made into "Meat Buns." Using them can restore a large amount of vital energy and increase malevolent energy.

As the saying goes: "In Happy Forest, one drinks nectar; at Cross Slope, bones become fragrant!"

Lin Chen's first architectural card was completed!

Three spatial anchor points absorbed the core spiritual land plots of three different venues, forming the three areas of this [Black Gold Black Shop].

The front hall was the most crucial, thus it naturally possessed three skills.

The most surprising was the [Regenerative Wine Slurry] effect, which could generate "Spirit Wine" infinitely!

Lin Chen didn't need to add ingredients to brew it himself. How was this achieved?

Lin Chen pondered for a moment and realized it was a remnant of the Black Goat cub's [Regenerative Breeding] authority!

After all, that mythical creature had dissolved within the wine cellar, leaving behind some good stuff!

Black Goat cub, your wool is truly easy to shear~

Including the remnant effect of the "Harvest" authority, the backyard could continuously generate Datura flowers.

Lin Chen only needed to expend spiritual energy for the daily maintenance of the architectural card to obtain Spirit Wine and spirit plant ingredients endlessly and at no cost!

It was inexhaustible and unceasing.

This wasn't just an architectural card; it was a constantly running money-printing machine!

Although the creation of architectural cards was immensely costly, once formed, the returns were equally substantial.

Don't underestimate this Happy Forest hotel just because it's a green card. That's because architectural cards require more spiritual energy to upgrade than other cards.

Among cards of the same level, architectural cards' effects completely crush other types!

And the benefits this architectural card could provide Lin Chen were too numerous to count.

Aside from producing ingredients, it could also synergize with the cards of Wu Song and Lu Zhishen, both of whom possessed drunken skills!

It was essentially a gas station for Wu Song and Lu Zhishen!

Have a drink inside before a fight, and their power would double instantly!

However, he'd have to post a sign in the shop later: "If you want to fight, take it outside!"

This card could also be paired with the Door Gods. As long as a statue of a Door God was enshrined within the hotel, the Door God's [Guardian Home Blessing] skill could be activated, making the hotel a territory protected by the Door Gods.

If any eerie entities appeared, Lin Chen could simply hide inside the hotel and rely on the Door God's home-field advantage to defend it impregnably!

In summary, this architectural card combined numerous functions: ingredient production, combat support, healing and recovery, and defense and refuge.

And this was a black shop! In the future, with more ingredients, it could even advance in the direction of traps and ambushes.

The black shop transformed into a killing array, whoever enters will be mesmerized!

Its only drawback is that it consumes too much spiritual energy;

Only a Card Master like Lin Chen, with a mind as vast as the sea, could afford it.

Lin Chen glanced again at his masterpiece:

A lively tavern in the mortal world, a workshop in the underworld; The front is grand and joyful, with the aroma of wine filling the air, while behind the scenes, flesh and bone are chopped, and corpses are kept in cold storage! If you're a friend, we have fine wine; if you're an enemy, you'll become fatty meat.

Lin Chen was very satisfied, and couldn't help but exclaim, "What a perfect black shop, greeting guests with a smile and serving wine with knockout drugs!"

Another faint voice chimed in, "Yeah, this hotel is both grand and eerie!"

Lin Chen nodded in agreement, suddenly realizing that this voice sounded both strange and familiar.

He turned around and saw Chen Xiao Diao speaking!

"You're awake?!"

Chen Xiao Diao mumbled, "Mhm, I feel like I had a really long dream, like a mouse was crawling on me, making me itchy."

Lin Chen really wanted to retort: 'You weren't itchy, you almost became a sheep.'

Looking at Chen Xiao Diao, who still seemed clueless, his heart was filled with complex emotions;

Should he apologize for not protecting her well? Or promise not to let her take risks again?

But no matter what he said, it would be too sentimental and impractical.

In the end, Lin Chen said nothing, only went up and gently hugged her;

He smiled and said, "Welcome back, everything is resolved."

Chen Xiao Diao was a little confused as to why Lin Chen had suddenly become so emotional;

But being hugged felt quite comfortable. Ever since her parents died when she was very young, she hadn't received such care.

Chen Xiao Diao then asked, "If everything is resolved, how should I write my report?"

Right, she still had to report to the Security Bureau.

How should she explain this?

First, the Security Bureau would have to handle the aftermath for all the victimized Card Masters.

Second, they needed to alert the authorities to the heretical cult activities of the God of Wine and the Mother Goddess. If they didn't eradicate them completely this time, there would surely be future trouble!

Lin Chen was contemplating whether to admit that he was the one who resolved everything?

If he directly admitted to taking down the cultists, it would be like revealing his trump card!

A rookie Card Master, taking on two major cults? Who would believe that!

They'd demand he spill all his secrets!

But if his God Cards were exposed...

What would be the attitude of the high-ranking officials in the Security Bureau?

Would they try to recruit him? Control him? Or confiscate them directly?

Anything was possible...

Lin Chen wasn't sure, but he understood one thing: unless it was a dead end, the decision-making power and initiative should always remain in his own hands.

He never wanted to be a pawn on the chessboard, but a player holding various trump cards!

The authorities could cooperate with him, but they shouldn't expect him to blindly depend on them.

Before the attitude of the Security Bureau's higher-ups was clear, he should observe the situation. However, he didn't need to be overly resistant;

He could use his connection with Chen Xiao Diao to indirectly contact the Security Bureau and gauge their intentions.

Therefore, the report for this "Heretical Cult Den Destruction Incident" could be written like this:

The crimes of the culprit Amber must not be overlooked!

Hunting Card Masters, bloody sacrifices, nurturing evil offspring, summoning evil gods – their sins are innumerable!

However, the brave and resourceful patrol officer Chen Xiao Diao, seized the opportunity and commanded effectively, dispatching the Card Spirit Lu Zhishen to infiltrate with great difficulty and achieve a surprise victory!

She interrupted the birth of the Black Goat's Egg and disrupted Amber's ritual to revive the God of Wine.

This forced Amber to fight the Black Goat cub for the blood wine, resulting in one being killed and the other sacrificed;

A mutually destructive outcome, leading to a happy resolution for all.

The process is entirely factual, merely omitting a probationary Card Master who achieved merit without seeking recognition;

This way, the necessary warnings will be conveyed to the authorities, the true culprit has paid with his life, and the victims can rest in peace.

As for the credit... it all goes to Chen Xiao Diao... no, it all goes to Lu Zhishen!