After killing the zombie snake, the little monkey came scampering over to Zhao Yin.

Its face was full of excitement, even a little goofy and adorable-nothing like the ferocious mutated beast from moments ago. "Master, I killed that stinky snake!"

Zhao Yin patted its head. "Good work. Remember, you're a powerful mutated beast. Zombies aren't even fit to carry your shoes."

The little monkey nodded eagerly, showing it understood.

Its master was praising it for being strong!

But its eyes never left the corn sausage in Zhao Yin's hand. Not for a second.

"Eat." Zhao Yin pulled out a corn sausage and handed it to the eager little monkey.

It immediately tore open the wrapper and started devouring it. The food wasn't fresh, but it didn't care in the slightest. Three bites later, it was gone-and those longing eyes were back on Zhao Yin.

Zhao Yin pointed at the butcher knife lying on the ground. "Pick it up. From now on, you don't put it down without my order. In the apocalypse, your blade is your life."

The little monkey obediently picked it up, but the look on its face said it didn't take the words seriously.

"Don't believe me?" Zhao Yin said. "Turn around."

The little monkey turned.

Three zombie wolves had appeared behind it at some point. One was already lunging for its throat.

Instinct took over. The little monkey slashed backward, cleaving half the zombie wolf's skull away. But the other two had already flanked it-one left, one right-jaws snapping.

It could only deal with one.

The other was going to bite-

BANG!

A heavy blade came crashing down. The flat of the cleaver smashed into the skull of the wolf on the left-the closer one-and its head exploded on impact.

The little monkey drove its knife into the right wolf's eye socket, twisted hard. The creature went still.

The terror on the monkey's face didn't fade for a long time.

"Out in the wild, you stay alert. Always." Zhao Yin sheathed his bone cleaver. "Lose your life, and all the food in the world won't matter."

He didn't give the remaining corn sausage to the little monkey.

It hung its head, unwilling but too embarrassed to beg.

Zhao Yin walked on, cleaver in hand. In truth, he was deliberately training this little monkey.

He refused to be like Lin Tianfeng from his previous life-treating contracted beasts as nothing more than weapons.

Once a contracted beast's mind was shackled, it became a mere tool for slaughter. If Zhao Yin ever faced real danger, such a beast would struggle to respond on its own.

What he wanted was for this little monkey to one day handle matters for him like a person would.

Morning dew clung to the concrete and exposed rebar among the ruins, to the shattered glass, the twisted metal frames, the broken tiles...

The whole world lay desolate. Ruined.

Zhao Yin spotted several fresh green shoots pushing through the debris. Overnight, the destroyed world had already begun a new cycle.

From now on, everything would be different.

New species would emerge-mutated animals, mutated plants.

There would be mutated beasts that hunted humans for food. And there would be mutated crops, nearly miraculous, capable of sustaining most survivors.

The survivors had lost their homes. But they'd gained a new world-far more dangerous, yet brimming with limitless possibility.

Most food had rotted away. But now there was mutated beast meat, mutated fruits and vegetables and grain. Even things like star crystals...

Recalling his previous life, Zhao Yin slowly made his way out of the old zoo grounds.

Roar!

Zombie howls echoed from nearby. Heads bobbed among the ruins-countless zombies wandering without purpose.

Guangzhou City wasn't large, but this was the downtown district. Without buildings to block the view, the zombies packed together like a country market fair or a city pedestrian street. Dense. Endless.

If Zhao Yin and the little monkey were spotted, they'd be swarmed instantly. Torn to shreds. Devoured.

"Shh. Not a sound." Zhao Yin made a silencing gesture.

The little monkey's expression tightened. It crept along behind him.

One man, one monkey. They avoided the densest clusters, using broken walls and collapsed structures for cover as they slowly slipped away.

Finally, they left the downtown area. The zombies ahead thinned out.

Zhao Yin let out a breath of relief-

Then heard the little monkey's inner voice.

"Steamed buns. Such huge steamed buns!"

He turned.

The little monkey was drooling, eyes locked on something ahead.

A female zombie stood in their path. Her clothes hung in tatters. On her chest, a pair of full, rounded "steamed buns"... swayed gently.

"Steamed buns. They must be delicious!" The little monkey licked its lips, face full of longing.

Zhao Yin grabbed its ear and hissed, "That's not a steamed bun. It's a zombie. You can't eat it!"

"It IS a steamed bun! I ate them at the zoo before!" The little monkey pointed stubbornly, communicating through their mental link. "Master, look! That's a steamed bun!"

Roar!

Two more zombies shambled into view at the edge of sight-a young man and a small boy, wandering near the female.

They looked like they'd been a family of three.

Even as zombies, they still clustered together. But none of them recognized the people who had once mattered most.

All three wore rags. The little boy's pants were long gone, exposing a tiny sparrow.

As for what the man was exposing... Zhao Yin chose to ignore it.

Mainly because the young male zombie's was too big. It made him feel inadequate.

"You take the two adult zombies. The small one's mine," Zhao Yin ordered quietly.

"Master, I'm scared!" The little monkey turned cowardly again.

"You're right-those are steamed buns. Steamed buns with red dates. Kill them, and I'll let you eat."

The little monkey eyed him suspiciously. "Really?"

"Of course. I swear."

The little monkey immediately hefted the butcher knife and charged at the nearest female zombie like it had been shot full of adrenaline.

"Remember-go for the head!" Zhao Yin called after it.

Roar!

The female zombie heard the footsteps. Pale white eyes swiveled toward the monkey. Yellow teeth bared. A metallic shriek tore from her throat.

She lunged.

The little monkey dodged easily, leaped behind her, and thrust.

Pfft!

The blade sank into her lower back.

Dark brown blood oozed out when it pulled free.

But the female zombie acted like nothing had happened. She spun and lunged again.

"Screee! Screee! Screee!" The little monkey shrieked in terror.

Only then did it remember-Master said to go for the head!

It leaped back to dodge.

But the other two zombies had noticed the commotion. Both came running, howling.

Roar! Roar! Roar!

"Screee! Screee! Screee!" The little monkey's panicked thoughts flooded the link. "Master, save me!"

"Stop screaming! You want to attract more of them?"

Zhao Yin cursed as he charged in. "Stupid monkey! I told you to chop off its head! THE HEAD!"

He smashed the child zombie's skull with the flat of his cleaver, then intercepted the male.

Seeing this, the little monkey finally calmed down. Rage sparked in its eyes-the female zombie had pissed it off.

The hand gripping the butcher knife swelled, elongated. It swung with everything it had.

Pfft!

The blade split the female zombie's skull clean in two.

Then it saw Zhao Yin about to finish the male zombie.

"Master! Leave that one! Let me!"

Terrified it wouldn't get to eat the "steamed bun," the little monkey's furry legs ballooned in size. One massive stride put it between Zhao Yin and the zombie.

Pfft!

The butcher knife punched through the male zombie's eye socket.

Dark brown brain matter sprayed across Zhao Yin's face. Again.

The fight ended.

"Master, can I eat that steamed bun now?" The little monkey pointed at the female zombie, wearing its most ingratiating expression.

Zhao Yin wiped the brain matter from his face.

SMACK.

He slapped the little monkey upside the head.

"All you ever think about is eating!"

He never would have guessed that the mighty, imposing mutated monkey from his previous life had been this stupid and gluttonous at the start of the apocalypse.

The little monkey took the slap without complaint. It kept standing there on its oversized legs, staring at him with hopeful eyes.

"Fine. Go eat." Zhao Yin glared at it.