jdhmnovel Chapter 97
Chapter 97
Chapter 97: It's time to decompress~
1:00 AM.
Ding!
With a soft chime, the elevator doors slid slowly open.
Jiang Nan stepped out holding a burlap sack in one hand.
Inside were the remaining 1,080 Ghost Coins.
"M-Master!"
Piano, who had been waiting at the door, stared at him with an expression of utter shock.
"You...you came up this fast?!"
The first-floor lobby was the Supervisors' den, after all!
Those monsters that spent their off-hours away from referee duties lurked in the darkness, hunting for prey.
Any living thing that moved would be torn to shreds in an instant.
Even seasoned veterans had to tread carefully and take long detours.
And yet Jiang Nan...
Not a speck of dust on him. He looked as relaxed as someone returning from an evening stroll.
'Not a single obstacle...'
Piano swallowed, then let out a breath of understanding.
Right.
After all, who else in a Russian Roulette game would dare hold a gun to their own head for a full minute—and have the gun jam for a full minute?
In the face of this man's luck,
those blind Supervisors had probably all gone to take a group bathroom break.
……
"This way, Master."
Piano immediately put on a meek smile and bent forward, leading the way.
"Just ahead is the Card Room. It's a bit run-down,"
"but, for 50 Ghost Coins, you get rule protection for the night—basically a cheap inn."
However.
Jiang Nan didn't move.
He stopped, his gaze drifting to a metal door beside the elevator.
A yellowed diagram was pasted on it, with a line of text printed below.
【Price: 1,000 Ghost Coins (Buyout)】
Swish!
Jiang Nan tore off a sticky note and pressed it onto the door.
【What is this?】
In the faint light from the elevator, Piano made out the words and hurriedly answered.
"Master, that's the Safe Zone."
"All those Ghost Coins I saved up...I was planning to buy this room."
"Unfortunately...I lost it all to you."
Jiang Nan gave a small nod.
【Buying it.】
【Staying here tonight.】
"Ah?"
Piano froze, then cautiously advised,
"Master...that's 1,000 Ghost Coins!"
"You have money now, but I wouldn't recommend spending it so freely."
"You still have the loan-shark debt on you—once it's overdue, the interest will be terrifying!"
"And we won't have any principal left to turn things around..."
However.
Jiang Nan simply gave her a cold glance.
Swish!
A sticky note slapped directly onto her face.
【No problem.】
【Isn't your mortgage contract in my hands?】
【If I run out of money, I can just put you up as collateral again.】
"......"
Piano read the note, her entire body trembling.
This man...
He was so infuriating and yet so irresistible!!
Using his slave as a mobile cash machine—spend her, sell her, win her back...
This ultimate humiliation, treating her like dirt!
It was actually sending a thrill through her like nothing she'd ever felt!
"Y-Yes!!"
Piano's breath came in short gasps, her cheeks flushed crimson, the suppressed, twisted part of her psyche finally erupting in full.
"Master can do whatever he wants!"
"Piano supports every single decision you make!!"
Jiang Nan had no intention of asking for her agreement anyway.
He lifted the burlap sack, pulled out 80 coins and pocketed them,
then pressed the remaining 1,000 Ghost Coins against the metal door!
Hmmm!!
With the influx of currency, the metal door instantly let out a click.
The lock disengaged and it slid automatically to both sides.
Jiang Nan stepped inside and instinctively flicked the switch on the wall.
Snap!
Dim amber light flooded the room!
"My goodness..."
Piano, following close behind, covered her mouth.
What greeted her eyes was an extravagantly appointed European-style VIP private hospital suite!
Some of the equipment inside looked a little aged, bearing the marks of time.
But the leather sofas, the plush bed,
and the gleaming floors—all of it radiated unmistakable luxury!
Most importantly...
"There's electricity?!"
Piano gasped.
"Our luck is incredible!!"
"You know, in most Safe Zones on other floors, the wiring's been dead for ages—you'd have to light candles!"
"This place still works!"
Jiang Nan paid no attention to her astonishment.
He walked straight to the bathroom and turned on the tap.
Whoooosh...
Clear water gushed out, and within seconds, hot steam began to billow.
It was warm.
Lights, electricity, hot water...
Everything, all in order!
Completely usable as a five-star hotel bathroom from before the apocalypse!
"This is insane..."
Piano stared at the large double bathtub already filling with water, waves of disbelief crashing through her.
"Even that blonde big-wave woman's Safe Zone—if you want a bath, you have to haul and heat the water yourself!"
"This place has fully automatic temperature control?!"
"Am I an idiot?! All that time saving up money, and I kept thinking I'd buy it later to save a few coins!!"
But then...
Piano reconsidered.
She looked at the man standing there with his perfect silhouette, and a line of drool ran from the corner of her lips.
'Now it's the same either way...'
'The room is Master's, and I am Master's...'
'Round it up, and I've basically moved in too.'
'And with a beauty by his side...even better...'
Piano's gaze grew hazy, and a longing suppressed for ten years...
burst free entirely in this moment.
She stepped forward, her voice syrup-sweet.
"Master...after all that time out there, you must be weary from the road..."
"Would you like...Piano to serve you in the bath?"
Jiang Nan turned and looked down at her.
In this woman's eyes burned something barely restrained—desire straining to break past the sky.
'Perfect.'
Jiang Nan thought inwardly.
He didn't quite know why,
but the Dragon Bloodline within him had stirred once again.
That instinct known as dragon nature needed an outlet.
Rather than suppressing it, he might as well go with the flow.
'Hopefully your constitution is a bit stronger than Yekaterina's.'
Jiang Nan's expression remained blank as he shrugged off his windbreaker and tossed it aside.
【Come in.】
A sticky note was pressed onto the bathroom's glass door.
When Piano caught sight of that perfectly sculpted physique—that flawless "木"-shaped frame—
her entire body shook violently!
Finally......
Finally!!
She was about to shed that wretched identity at last!
"Goodbye!! My miserable youth!!"
Without a moment's hesitation,
Piano stripped herself bare in three swift moves.
Then she charged forward, screaming!
……
At the same moment, downstairs.
Whoooosh...
Tiffany lounged contentedly in a bathtub scattered with rose petals.
A gramophone played vintage jazz.
She swirled a wine glass in her hand, eyes closed, savoring this rare moment of tranquility.
"Hmph...that useless Piano is probably still at the gambling table."
"Hopefully today's lesson will serve as a proper warning to that disappointing wretch."
That was what Tiffany told herself.
In reality, those words had been nothing more than a scare.
Even if Piano had genuinely gone over 5 times, she would only hand down a punishment.
After all...
S-Grade Ability users were easy enough to find.
But S-Grade Ability users with the right specialization—those were another matter entirely.
There was also the assistant to consider...
That was the key to beating the Hospital Director next.
And the ticket to the high-stakes tables.
However.
Just then.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
"Ohhhh!! Yes!! Yes!!"
"Hng hng hng hng hng hng!!"
"Haaaaah!!"
A tremendous, high-pitched shriek came thundering down from above!
"Pfft!!"
Tiffany spat out a mouthful of wine.
Her eyes snapped wide open at the sudden assault on her ears!
"What in the—?!"
She turned her head rigidly toward the ceiling.
Having spent her time soaking in the hospital bathroom in blissful isolation,
she had absolutely no idea her disciple had already gambled herself away.
To her, that sound was all too familiar!
"Piano!!"
Tiffany slammed the wine glass furiously to the floor.
"You shameless idiot!!"
"I told her to reflect! To go win back money!!"
"And she's up there hiding on the floor above...having the time of her life?!"
"And timing herself too?!!"
"An absolute disgrace to the Arashin-Kai!!"
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The noise from upstairs grew louder and louder.
As if the ceiling might come crashing down.
Tiffany pressed her hands over her ears, her face contorted.
"Damn it all!!"
"Tomorrow morning..."
"I am going to chop those hands of yours clean off!!"
【Happy New Year! The author has come to give New Year's greetings!】
【Wishing everyone a smooth, joyful new year ahead—great progress in your studies and soaring success in your careers!】
Happy New Year