Chapter 286: Our Home
Jiang Che nodded; he knew this much.
He smiled at Ding Ning, his gaze full of tenderness.
Now he had already isolated the Dark Mother Plant’s voice, keeping it from harming the residents here.
In reality, that thing was now erupting in a fit of mad rage, and it hadn’t stopped even for a moment.
Its fury was like surging waves, relentlessly battering the invisible barrier, trying to transmit its voice through once more.
It was furious that in the end, Jiang Che and Ding Ning had completely ignored it, not even sparing it a backward glance!
"That thing’s still throwing a fit right now~" he said with a playful lilt in his voice. He truly hadn’t expected Ding Ning, after learning all this, to remain so calm and composed—simply disregarding the Dark Mother Plant, no matter what it tried to say.
"Then let’s just ignore it. Let it go mad." Ding Ning laughed carelessly, holding Jiang Che’s hand. "Do you know how I’m so sure it won’t make trouble?"
Jiang Che shook his head gently. Just as Ding Ning said, he’d simply relied on his combat instincts when he agreed to the transaction.
At that moment, he’d clearly sensed that what the Dark Mother Plant said was true, and had genuinely felt its urgency.
"Because you called it a transaction." Ding Ning pulled Jiang Che closer, her face carrying the expression of a child seeking praise, eyes glimmering with lively intelligence.
"A transaction is two-way; it means what you do benefits both parties."
"If all it wanted was to take advantage of you, or to force you to do something, it would never use the word ’transaction’."
If the Dark Mother Plant hadn’t the slightest intention to beseech Jiang Che, it could never have uttered ’transaction’ to lure him.
Since it chose to negotiate, that meant that on some level it needed Jiang Che, needed to cooperate with him to achieve its goal.
"As long as it’s a transaction, there are rules and restraints. Until it achieves its aim, it won’t carelessly upset that balance."
"So, we don’t need to worry about it suddenly making a mess. As long as we follow our own plan and rhythm, we can stay in control." Every word from Ding Ning was clear and logical,
Jiang Che was taken aback. He’d always known Ding Ning to be sharp and decisive, but this time, her analysis still exceeded his expectations.
"I’m so lucky..." Jiang Che held Ding Ning’s hand, walking toward what was now their home—a small building constructed in the residential quarter, prepared especially for him.
"My wife is amazing, to be able to analyze all this." Jiang Che clung affectionately to her hand.
The house had been built entirely by Xiong Jie, but the style was according to what Jiang Che imagined Ding Ning would like.
It was a two-story house, its lines simple yet elegant.
White walls paired with deep brown window frames gave it a look of extraordinary freshness.
The balcony was filled with lovely violets; the pale purple petals were delicate and dewy, as if woven from the softest silk.
Ding Ning followed Jiang Che, passing slowly through the dungeon’s heavy, blood-soaked atmosphere.
The dungeon had once been the Red Pearl Mental Hospital; the walls, mottled and gray, still bore faded bloodstains and weird, lurking shadows in dark corners that weighed heavily on the heart.
But once through the passageway, the view softened all at once.
On either side of the road stood sturdy tree trunks, like loyal sentinels guarding this patch of tranquility.
Underfoot, a path made of smooth river stones, each pebble gleaming subtly where the sunlight touched.
Following the little road ahead, they soon saw the small house in the distance.
In that instant, Ding Ning’s steps grew light, as if all exhaustion and worry had swept away. All around, carefully transplanted and chosen trees stood tall, each selected with care.
Some trees stood with outstretched boughs, their leaves lush and green; others had odd, unique forms that added their own charm.
Together, they perfectly complemented the house’s architecture, creating an atmosphere harmonious yet enchanting.
A gentle breeze stirred the leaves, whispering softly as though murmuring tales of this place’s peace and beauty.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, scattering golden patches across the ground—a dreamy touch to the whole scene.
"This..." Ding Ning parted her lips, her voice trembling slightly, eyes misting with tears.
Back in her own domain, she’d always liked making her living quarters look like a human castle.
But in that gray, gloomy Evil Spirit Realm, no matter how lofty or resplendent her conjured castle appeared,
it always lacked a touch of reality and warmth.
The little house Jiang Che built was nowhere near as grand as her castle illusions.
The castle was towering and majestic; the little house was exquisite and charming. The castle, golden and magnificent; the house, simple and cozy.
Yet it was this seemingly ordinary house that radiated warmth in every detail—a kind of warmth that rose from the heart, enough to melt any fatigue or chill.
"Yes, this is our home." Jiang Che’s words were tinted with a smile; every inch of this place was built as he’d envisioned.
Ding Ning stepped lightly, almost skipping in her delight, as she made her way to the little house.
She took a deep breath, as if savoring the fragrance in the air.
She couldn’t actually smell it—she had no sense of smell—but she knew, the air here was surely sweet, just like it was the first time she met Jiang Che; the air, then, was sweet as honey.
Xiong Jie followed silently behind them, his gaze lingering on Ding Ning’s eager face.
Seeing her about to throw open the front door, he couldn’t help but sigh heavily.
Because the inside was nothing like the outside.
Outside, it all looked peaceful and serene; inside, there was only blood and slaughter.
In her dungeon, Jiang Che had seen Ding Ning’s conjured castle, but had never entered the real interior.
His impression of home was shaped by his days at Blood Slaughter’s home.
The rooms he’d lived in then, the cellar at home, all had a chilling, ghastly air.
Jiang Che didn’t know what anyone else’s home looked like, but he knew this was how his should be—his parents and Ding Ning both liked this kind of décor.
Sure enough, the moment Ding Ning pushed open the door, a waft of bloody murderous air surged out to meet them.
The walls were lined with all manner of ferocious weapons, spattered with blood as if just after a brutal battle.
The floor, too, was streaked with dark red stains, the dried blood pooled into disturbing patches.
The air was thick with the scent of blood. In the corners, dismembered body-part models were arranged eerily lifelike, enough to make one’s skin crawl.
The entire place was saturated with an atmosphere of death and horror, in jarring and terrifying contrast to the warmth and peace outside.
Stunned for a heartbeat in the doorway, Ding Ning’s shock quickly turned to excitement. So this was exactly Jiang Che’s style!
Back then, Blood Slaughter had truly been right to decorate his room like a prison cell!