An invisible chain slowly extended from Zhao Yin's palm, forcing its way into the little monkey's skull.

This was the terrifying power of an SSS-rank ability. No matter how powerful a mutated beast might be-even a King-rank from his previous life-as long as Zhao Yin had one minute, it would have no choice but to become his contracted beast.

Contract Soul's greatest weakness was that before obtaining a powerful contracted beast, it provided zero combat power to the user.

But once it matured, no other ability could compare!

In his previous life, Lin Tianfeng had nearly died several times when he first awakened his ability, surviving only because of Zhao Yin's help. But after Lin Tianfeng grew into his power, even other SSS-rank ability users had to bow their heads to him.

Top-tier SSS-rank ability users could rival King-rank mutated beasts!

And Lin Tianfeng from the previous life had raised two King-ranks!

The chain formed by Contract Soul vanished into the little monkey's body. Zhao Yin immediately sensed its presence-and then heard its thoughts.

"Pig-faced freak, when are you gonna give me that chicken leg?"

Slap!

Zhao Yin smacked the little monkey on the head, his expression darkening.

"From now on, I'm your master. Remember that!"

The little monkey clutched its head with both hands, instinctively wanting to glare at whoever had hit it.

But when it looked up and met Zhao Yin's gaze, the anger in its heart evaporated instantly. A deep, instinctive respect welled up from within.

In that moment, it felt that the person before it was its closest kin-someone it needed to protect with its life, to fight for, to serve loyally.

For him, it would take a knife to the back without hesitation!

"Master... I, I'm hungry." The little monkey's voice was pitiful.

Zhao Yin's expression finally softened. He tossed it a chicken leg.

Soon, Zhao Yin learned from the little monkey's thoughts that when the apocalypse struck, it had fallen into the zoo's reserve water well.

For an entire month, this monkey had survived on moss and well water.

Now, finally getting meat after so long, it devoured the leg in a few bites and looked at Zhao Yin with pleading eyes again.

Zhao Yin considered for a moment, then took out the sandwich bread.

This was the only food that could heal injuries.

The little monkey was covered in wounds from fighting those zombie monkeys.

"Eat up. Once you're done, you're coming to work with me." Zhao Yin tossed it over.

The little monkey grabbed the bread and took a bite. Its eyes went wide.

The transcendent food produced by Star Crystals had a flavor no pre-apocalypse food could match-rich, fragrant, and it melted on the tongue.

It immediately started wolfing it down.

Zhao Yin swallowed quietly. Food from the Star Crystal-he hadn't even been willing to eat it himself!

He made a silent vow: he couldn't let this monkey keep wasting resources like this!

After the little monkey finished the bread, faint specks of light began emanating from its wounds, visibly knitting closed.

It seemed completely oblivious and continued staring at Zhao Yin with pitiful eyes. "Master, I'm still hungry...!"

"Hungry my ass! Get moving!" Zhao Yin snapped.

He was dirt poor right now-how could he let this monkey keep burning through supplies?

With that, Zhao Yin activated his Spatial Ring and began collecting the concrete rubble blocking the door.

Pre-apocalypse food rotted and vanished quickly after the zombie outbreak. The resources humanity once relied on were being replaced by new species.

That chicken leg had already started going bad. There was still plenty of food back at the villa. Zhao Yin planned to retrieve it all and store it in his Spatial Ring while it was still edible.

He made a mental note: after getting the food, he'd continue hunting for Star Crystals.

By now, the sky had brightened.

The temperature had dropped again-similar to a pre-apocalypse summer, somewhere in the low thirties.

Zhao Yin led the little monkey out of the makeshift "grave mound." Animal zombies wandered everywhere throughout the zoo.

Several hours had passed since dawn. Every corpse had already turned.

"Hisss!"

A zombie snake as thick as a bowl spotted Zhao Yin immediately and slithered toward him.

Zhao Yin activated True Sight.

[Zombie Snake: Unevolved | Strength 10 | Agility 12 | Spirit 0]

"Go. Kill it." Zhao Yin pulled out the butcher knife and tossed it to the little monkey.

The little monkey received its orders, caught the blade, and stepped forward.

But as it approached the zombie snake, its stubby legs began to tremble.

Before the snake could even get close, the little monkey scrambled back in a blur, shivering behind Zhao Yin. "Master, I... I'm scared."

"Scared of what? Its stats are way worse than yours!"

Zhao Yin grabbed the little monkey by the scruff of its neck and hurled it toward the zombie snake.

The little monkey shrieked in terror. Before it could react, a gaping maw lunged at it. It dropped its body just in time, barely dodging.

The zombie snake operated on pure hunting instinct. Missing its strike, it immediately coiled toward the little monkey.

The little monkey rolled desperately to evade, squeaking frantically while screaming in its mind: "Master save me! Master I'm gonna die! Master I'm dead...!"

"Dumbass monkey, I'm not dead yet!"

Zhao Yin barked: "Kill it and you live. From now on, you eat well with me. Can't kill it? Then you're its meal!"

He pulled out a pack of corn sausages, tore open the wrapper, and was about to eat when he noticed they'd gone slightly sour.

He took a bite anyway, smacking his lips. "Delicious!"

The little monkey sniffed the air and suddenly seemed electrified. "Master, eat slowly! I'll kill this bastard right now!"

Its expression turned savage. Teeth bared, lips pulled back, one hand suddenly enlarged-and it seized the zombie snake by its vital point.

Then the little monkey raised the butcher knife and brought it down hard.

Crack!

The blade carved off a massive chunk of rotting flesh, spraying black blood.

"Go for the head! You have to decapitate a zombie to kill it!" Zhao Yin called out.

The little monkey yanked hard, dragging the zombie snake's massive body in front of it.

Knife up. Knife down.

Crack!

The zombie snake's head hit the ground. No twitch, no spasm-just stillness.