Blinding incandescent light flooded the entire bedroom. Jiang Ming squinted slightly, stared into the Labrador's eyes teeming with desire, and spoke.
“I know you want to replace me, but you are far too impatient.”
The Labrador remained unmoved. It continued to recline on the bed, its gaze laced with mockery.
Seeing this, a sharp glint flashed across Jiang Ming's eyes. Recalling the previous rules, a hypothesis formed in his mind. He shifted his feet, stepping aside to reveal the door and the roaring flames behind him.
“Perhaps you have more pressing matters to attend to, don't you, guardian deity?”
The moment those words left his mouth, the dog's expression shifted drastically.
It cast a glance at the grotesque arm in Jiang Ming's grasp, revealing a look of pure craving. It then looked at the raging inferno outside, a hint of profound struggle surfacing in its eyes.
After a bout of internal conflict, the dog reluctantly slid off the bed and walked past Jiang Ming to exit the bedroom.
Jiang Ming watched it stride into the sea of fire within the living room, only to witness a miraculous scene.
Wherever the dog stepped, the flames were instantly suppressed before vanishing entirely…
After it patrolled the area once, the blazing inferno consuming the entire living room disappeared, leaving behind only charred ruins.
Jiang Ming watched its every move, a look of profound realisation flickering in his eyes. He scanned the living room one last time before shutting the bedroom door.
…
“Hiss, that really hurts!”
Inside the bedroom, Jiang Ming was disinfecting his wounds. He painstakingly reattached his scalp to his head and wrapped it securely with bandages.
He had no idea if this was the correct medical procedure, but he was no professional. As long as it stabilised his condition temporarily, it would suffice.
Even though tonight had been incredibly perilous and he had nearly lost his life, he had obtained a wealth of valuable information.
Take the Labrador, for example. Based on the rules, the events of tonight, and the entries within the black diary, Jiang Ming finally understood the dog's purpose and its true role in this household.
Without a doubt, the dog was truly the household's guardian deity.
It could see the malevolent wraiths that humans could only perceive in the dark, and it could treat those malevolent wraiths as mere toys. This was evident from the diary entry where Xiao Jiang transformed into a dog.
Furthermore, when his cognitive perception had been warped by the malevolent wraiths earlier, it was a single dog bark that snapped him out of it.
Therefore, the dog's duties must also include protecting the residents, and perhaps even protecting ‘Mother's' bedroom.
As for why the dog only helped Jiang Ming once, and merely indirectly at that, without intervening again later…
It was bound by the rules, yet not entirely restricted by them. This perfectly explained the dog's immense reluctance to go out and protect the living room just moments ago.
The rules mentioning feeding it dog food and avoiding harming it were all centred around the fact that the dog was a guardian deity.
However, it was currently half human and half dog. As for when it would fully transform into a human, Jiang Ming was uncertain. He could only hope it would not happen by tomorrow morning.
As things stood, the dog transforming into a human was likely the greatest peril in this Rule-Based Anomaly. As long as he resolved this issue, he should be able to make it through.
“Uncle Li, oh Uncle Li, please don't let me down.”
Jiang Ming muttered under his breath. He then looked at the malevolent wraith's arm on the table. Plump white maggots writhed within the rotting flesh, while green cadaveric fluids dripped from the desk onto the floor. There was also a distinct bite mark on the forearm.
Staring at the arm, Jiang Ming sank into deep thought. Shortly after, an idea formed in his mind.
The living room had been scorched pitch-black by the raging fire. The originally soft and comfortable black carpet was completely incinerated, exposing the eerie, blood-red patterned floorboards beneath. They resembled distorted faces screaming in absolute silence.
Despite being scorched by the flames, the walls had not blackened. Instead, they exhibited a delicate lustre, looking like meticulously polished human skin: smooth and icy cold.
As for the tables and chairs, the fire had only burned away the black cloth on their surfaces, revealing silvery-white tabletops underneath.
These tabletops were brightly coloured, resembling finely sanded human bones. Every inch exuded an icy, bizarre aura. They shimmered with a spectral glow, as if possessing a life of their own, silently whispering forgotten tales.
Furthermore, the house itself had undergone some eerie mutation. It seemed to have come alive!
Ever since stepping out of the bedroom, Jiang Ming had felt a constant, prying gaze watching him from all sides. Yet, a careful inspection of his surroundings revealed nothing out of the ordinary.
In addition, he felt as though the living room had become somewhat ‘crowded'.
“There seems to be a rule stating not to lift the black cloth. So, does this count as a rule violation?”
He then turned his gaze to the rest of the living room. Various areas suffered different degrees of fire damage, but strangely, a few specific spots remained completely untouched.
One was the door to ‘Mother's' room. It bore absolutely no signs of being burned, which was incredibly peculiar.
After all, the fire had initially sparked right in front of ‘Mother's' room, yet it remained completely unaffected.
The bedroom and the main door were similarly unscathed. The final untouched item was the black curtain blocking the window.
“It seems these are the most exceptional areas in this house.”
Jiang Ming thought to himself before turning around and heading toward the kitchen.
The kitchen's glass door had been blackened slightly by the blaze. Gripping the handle firmly, Jiang Ming pulled it open, only to find the interior empty.
Unbothered, Jiang Ming placed the malevolent wraith's arm on the cutting board. He turned on the tap, cupped the clear water in his hands, and washed away the blood on his face and eyes, as well as the cadaveric fluid lingering in his mouth.
Right then, sensing a subtle shift, Jiang Ming turned to look in another direction.
A luminescent white figure materialised before his eyes. Seeing this, a faint smile involuntarily crept onto Jiang Ming's lips.
“Excellent. I guessed correctly. You really did show up.”
The White One-Eyed Abominations seemed somewhat fearful of Jiang Ming, instinctively taking a step back.
Noticing this reaction, Jiang Ming spoke.
“I admit I was a bit impulsive earlier. However, I sought you out this time because I hope to make a deal with you.”
The White One-Eyed Abominations remained unresponsive. Undeterred, Jiang Ming continued.
“The item of trade is this hand. In exchange, I only need you to do me a favour at a crucial moment.”
“As for what that favour entails, I haven't decided yet, but I assure you it won't be too demanding.”
A conflicted look flickered within the White Abomination's single eye. Jiang Ming decided to up the ante.
“If you feel the favour is too dangerous when the time comes and you cannot accomplish it, you are free to refuse.”
“The decision rests entirely in your hands.”
After a brief moment of contemplation, the White One-Eyed Abominations agreed. Jiang Ming handed over the rotting arm.
Deep craving and sheer delight swirled in its single eye. It nodded at Jiang Ming before taking the arm and leaving the kitchen.
Jiang Ming rinsed the cutting board and walked out of the kitchen. By then, the monster's figure had long vanished without a trace.
“Just as I thought. The flesh of the entities lurking in the dark holds an immense attraction for them. No wonder the dog had that exact same look in its eyes earlier.”
Just as Jiang Ming was preparing to return to the bedroom, he suddenly halted his steps. He looked toward the fully intact vending machine. Its exterior had been scorched black, but that was completely irrelevant.
Exerting every ounce of his strength, Jiang Ming flipped the vending machine around. He reached his hand into the dispensing slot. After a bit of rummaging, he indeed grasped an object. He pulled it out for a closer look:
Item: Kitchen Cleaver
Quality: Exquisite
Description: A mystical cleaver originating from a certain martial arts world. It was forged from peerless dark iron, smelted from the weapons of numerous martial arts masters. Personally crafted by Fatty Tang, the number one blade smith under the heavens, it can slice through iron as if it were mud and cleave a falling hair in twain.
Note: The previous three masters of this blade all suffered tragic fates, failing to achieve their desires. Do you truly believe you will fulfil your goals?