Ch 12: The Malevolent Monster Just Wants To Farm

Qinghuan: “…”

Jiang Lin’s subtle yet pervasive pressure lingered around him, suppressing any rebellious thoughts he might have had. Fine, I’ll do it myself.

He huffed, picked up the small brush and knife, and began to prepare his own food.

Qinghuan wasn’t particularly skilled at this, but grilling wasn’t that difficult to begin with. Given the well-prepared seasonings and the fresh, high-quality meat, the results were bound to be tasty. The only distinction was between “incredibly delicious” and “just delicious.”

Qinghuan’s current grilling skills produced meat that was simply delicious.

But compared to the raw meat he was accustomed to, this was an extraordinary delicacy.

Qinghuan ate happily. At first, he still paid some attention to Jiang Lin’s movements, but before long, he was completely absorbed in figuring out how to cook the meat just right.

He didn’t even notice when Jiang Lin left.

When Qinghuan had eaten his fill, he realized that Jiang Lin was nowhere to be seen.

He paused, then grabbed a nearby demon and asked, “Where is the White Bone King?”

The demon replied, “The lord has eaten his fill, so of course, he’s gone back to sleep.”

The demon’s face was full of longing. “Have you seen the lord’s house? It’s so beautiful and comfortable. If I had such a lovely house, I’d want to stay in it all the time too.”

Qinghuan hadn’t expected that Jiang Lin had no ulterior motive and had simply invited him for a barbecue. Why did he feel a little disappointed by that?

But… a house?

This was the second time Qinghuan had heard this term from other demons.

Inevitably, his curiosity was piqued.

After asking around for directions, he learned that Jiang Lin’s house was nearby, within the valley. Qinghuan decided to take a look.

This time, he moved even more stealthily and quickly found the “house” the demons had been talking about—it wasn’t that his eyesight was exceptionally good, but rather that Jiang Lin’s meticulously crafted courtyard stood out too much in the otherwise wild and natural valley.

Qinghuan’s eyes widened as he gazed at the neatly arranged and beautiful fence. Unable to resist, he moved closer and jumped onto a tall tree.

From there, he could see the entire house.

He saw the large tree in the courtyard and the square wooden house within.

Beyond that, he couldn’t see much more.

But it was enough to leave him deeply impressed.

Qinghuan had never imagined that a place to live could be so elaborate.

He suddenly understood the envy in the words of the two little demons from earlier.

Indeed, who wouldn’t want to eat such delicious food and live in such a beautiful house?

He sat in the tree, lost in thought for a while before returning, feeling somewhat despondent.

He believed he had been discreet, but little did he know that his actions were entirely within Jiang Lin’s expectations.

The next day, Jiang Lin kept his promise and began to help everyone build houses.

The fifty-some demons, large and small, had gradually come to understand the significance of having a house.

For the married couples, it was especially meaningful, as it meant living together under one roof.

Some of the closer friends, like the cat demon, the rabbit, and their buddy Doghead, came hand in hand to Jiang Lin. They asked if they could build one big house together and live there as a group.

Jiang Lin was momentarily surprised, then smiled and said, “It’s your own place to live. As long as you’re happy, you don’t need to ask for my permission.”

The cat demon, touched, replied, “You’re so kind, my lord. You’re the most powerful and gentle lord I’ve ever met!”

She had completely forgotten about the White Bone Spirit’s previous terrifying nature.

Jiang Lin watched as the little demons hopped away happily, unable to suppress a smile.

Even the system couldn’t help but reflect, “I used to think that a life full of ups and downs and grand adventures was the only interesting kind. But watching this, it seems like farming and improving life has its own charm.”

Jiang Lin helped the demons plan out the terrain, suggesting that the smaller demons form a small community. This way, they could enjoy a lively atmosphere and stay informed of any news.

As for the elder ape demon, who led his own tribe and had a strong sense of territory, Jiang Lin designated a separate area for them to build their houses.

About ten days passed this way.

By now, a fifth of the demons under Jiang Lin’s leadership had their own homes. During these ten days, Jiang Lin also discovered two culinary talents: the pheasant and the cat demon.

The cat demon’s culinary skills likely stemmed from her deep love for and desire for delicious food. She had an innate sensitivity to ingredients and flavors, as well as a natural feel for cooking temperatures. By the fourth day, her barbecue was already better than Jiang Lin’s.

As for the pheasant, she was practically a life-skills expert and a perfectionist. While she might not have had the same sensitivity to flavors as the cat demon, she paid great attention to the combination of seasonings and the freshness of ingredients. Her cooking was not only delicious, but she also instinctively knew how to garnish dishes with flowers for presentation.

When it came to house-building, the pheasant was even more popular—she always had natural suggestions for details that made the houses look better.

Jiang Lin was amazed, thinking: It’s really White Tiger Ridge that’s limiting the pheasant’s potential. If she were in a civilized society, she would definitely achieve great things.

As for the others, Jiang Lin hadn’t found any other special talents yet, but strong and hardworking demons were common.

With these two capable demons, Jiang Lin felt confident enough to leave the tasks of cooking and house-building in their hands.

He gathered the demons and informed them that he would be going into seclusion for a while and that they should follow the pheasant and the cat demon’s instructions in his absence.

Worried that some demons might cause trouble, he gave the two a leaf from Qingluo, infused with his own power, for protection.

In reality, Jiang Lin was overthinking it—by now, the demons of White Tiger Ridge were very loyal to their lord. Although they didn’t quite understand why he had chosen the two as leaders instead of the strongest among them, they were only slightly puzzled and had no intention of causing any trouble.

Jiang Lin handed over his stock of seasonings to the two, along with some plant seeds, and then retreated to his courtyard and set up a barrier.

Although he claimed he was going into seclusion, in truth, he left a clone behind while his true self had already left White Tiger Ridge.

—Having stayed in this world for so long, mostly confined to White Tiger Ridge, he figured it was a good time to explore and learn more about how this world had developed.