The pain transfer talent is also a good option, but what he needs more right now is the Dark Walker talent. With this talent, he can reduce his reliance on external items like infrared night vision goggles.

"You have obtained the permanent talent - Dark Walker (White)."

After the electronic sound played, Adam Carter immediately felt a cool sensation flow through his eyes, as if his vision had been slightly enhanced.

"Use the Talent Upgrade Talisman to upgrade the Dark Walker talent."

The simulation score rewarded Adam Carter with a Talent Upgrade Talisman (Green), which could upgrade any white talent to green.

He used it on the Dark Walker talent without hesitation.

"Upgrade successful!"

More of that cool sensation surged into his eyes. Adam Carter took off the night vision goggles and looked around the darkened room, discovering that his vision in the darkness was now almost the same as when he wore the goggles.

A green talent could have such an effect!

The night vision goggles were used only once, and now they could be retired.

He would resell them in the fishing group later.

Chapter 6: Yunlong Temple

The dial shattered and disappeared. Adam Carter closed his eyes, recalling everything that had just happened.

Having gone through the simulation game's verification, he could confirm that the Gang Hole was indeed effective against the Shadow Wraith, and very much so—it could tear open the Shadow Wraith and carve out a path to survival.

However, the Gang Hole itself was also an extremely bizarre artifact.

Once combined with the Shadow Wraith, it would also drive Adam Carter to a desperate situation—death was inevitable, it was only a matter of sooner or later.

Since the Gang Hole was not damaged in the simulation game, when Adam Carter left the simulation, it was still in his possession.

Adam Carter looked down at the Gang Hole in his hand, with its copper-wrapped, chiseled hole, and became even more certain that this object could not possibly have come from a yak. It was more likely a human bone!

What kind of monastery would use human bones to make ritual implements?

Too sinister!

But...

Adam Carter held the Gang Hole, his gaze hesitant—he really felt it would be a pity to throw away this artifact.

It was the only thing in his possession that was effective against the Shadow Wraith.

Throwing away the Gang Hole would not improve the situation, but keeping it would at least give him a sliver of hope when facing the Shadow Wraith.

After thinking for a moment, Adam Carter decided to keep the artifact.

Before the anomaly occurred, the Gang Hole was just an "ordinary" bone craft. When the anomaly happened, it had to be blown to activate its strangeness.

These things had been verified in the simulation world.

He had run up and down several floors in the simulation game with the Gang Hole and nothing happened.

Only when he blew it did the anomaly occur—the Gang Hole's trigger mechanism must be like this.

Previously, the simulator's comment was "the path to survival is right before your eyes." Did this mean that after leaving that apartment building, he would immediately be out of the Shadow Wraith's range of influence?

Was his decision to walk out along the right-side alley the correct one?

Yes or no, he would know after running the simulation again.

But before that, he needed to find another ritual implement as a second layer of insurance.

...

Yunlong Temple was hidden among the hills and fields of the Mingzhou countryside. Except for villagers coming to offer incense during festivals, it rarely saw visitors.

It was currently Monday, a time when few people had leisure, yet a devotee had come to Yunlong Temple.

The young Taoist guarding the Hall of the Three Pure Ones sat in a round-backed chair, scrolling on his phone. When he saw someone come to the hall to offer incense, he didn't get up to greet them, lazily saying, "Each hall has incense, candles, and joss paper—take whatever you need.

The divination sticks are on top of the merit box, shake them as you like.

The book for interpreting the sticks is there too, just look it up yourself after you draw one."

After speaking, the young Taoist started swiping his phone screen again.

Adam Carter smacked his lips but didn't disturb him. Following his directions, he took some incense and offered it to the Three Pure Ones in the hall.

In small temples like Yunlong Temple, the deities enshrined inside were a mixed bunch.

For example, in the main hall of the Three Pure Ones, the center was of course dedicated to the Three Pure Ones, but on both sides were two deities with fleshy topknots—weren't these Buddhist bodhisattvas?

They had also been moved into the Hall of the Three Pure Ones as "guests."

Adam Carter was not surprised by this.

He had once attended a relative's funeral in the countryside here, where a Taoist priest was invited. The priest wore the exact same kasaya and jeweled crown as Tang Monk from the TV series "Journey to the West," and performed a shamanic ritual—it truly opened Adam Carter's eyes.

After offering incense, Adam Carter walked up to the Taoist, showing a smile: "Daoist priest."

The young Taoist looked up at Adam Carter in confusion. "Aren't you drawing a divination stick?"

"No." Adam Carter shook his head, pulled up a stool and sat down next to the Taoist, his expression a bit solemn. "Daoist priest, I've been feeling uneasy these days, always feeling like there's something at home..."

The Taoist's expression tightened and he sat up straight. "Then you should go to the hospital's psychiatry department!"

"..."

"Nowadays, we believe in science. Faith can't cure illness," the Taoist earnestly lectured Adam Carter, which actually made Adam Carter feel a bit embarrassed.

"My master can prescribe medicine. If he were here, he could probably give you a calming remedy."