"You're...!"

Lin Tianfeng instinctively glanced at the bone cleaver in Zhao Yin's hand. A sheepish smile spread across his face.

"I have a niece who attended No. 2 Middle School last year. She was one of your students. We met at a parent-teacher conference." Zhao Yin smiled as he spoke.

"Oh, it's you." Lin Tianfeng exhaled in relief, his smile widening.

In truth, he had no idea who Zhao Yin was. But as long as this man wasn't here to raid his food stash, that was all that mattered.

Zhao Yin let out a casual sound of surprise, pointing at the Star Crystal in Lin Tianfeng's hand. "Teacher Lin, what's that thing?"

Lin Tianfeng's hand shot into his pants pocket, hiding the crystal. He forced a smile. "Just a little trinket I picked up. Keeping it as a souvenir!"

Zhao Yin raised the Dongpeng energy drink in his hand-barely a sip left-and brought it to his lips. Then he paused, as if suddenly remembering something. "Even with the world ending, Teacher Lin still has an eye for crafts like this. Truly a man of culture!"

"Wait!"

Lin Tianfeng had just noticed the drink in Zhao Yin's hand. Even if only a mouthful remained, it was still packed with sugar-exactly what he needed most right now.

"Brother, you don't look that thirsty. Since you're interested in this little gemstone, how about we trade? The stone for that last sip?"

"You think I'm stupid?"

Zhao Yin's expression hardened. "You want to trade something worthless for my drink?"

"Brother, give me that sip, and you'll be my big brother from now on!"

Lin Tianfeng's voice turned pleading. "Besides, your backpack's got plenty of food in it, right? One sip won't matter to you."

Zhao Yin caught the thick greed flickering in Lin Tianfeng's eyes as they darted toward his backpack.

Yet his own smile remained bright as ever. "I do have plenty of drinks, actually. Since Teacher Lin wants it so badly... let's trade."

The greed in Lin Tianfeng's eyes deepened. He eagerly handed over the 'craft piece' to Zhao Yin.

"Big brother, can we travel together? It's the apocalypse now-more people means more safety."

Lin Tianfeng struggled to keep his gaze from drifting back to Zhao Yin's backpack.

Zhao Yin calmly pocketed the Star Crystal, then tossed the drink to him. His demeanor turned cold.

"No. I don't like people calling me 'big brother.'"

With that, he turned and walked away. Right now, hearing Lin Tianfeng call him that made him want to kill.

Lin Tianfeng felt a wave of disappointment but couldn't force the issue. He tucked the drink close to his body, then pulled the woman along to continue searching for supplies.

Once Zhao Yin turned away, murderous intent surged in his eyes.

He hadn't let it show because he wasn't certain this Star Crystal was the same one from his previous life.

If it wasn't, he'd need to keep Lin Tianfeng alive to continue searching. He couldn't interfere too much with the man's timeline, or Lin Tianfeng might never obtain that crystal at all.

So Zhao Yin had taken the Star Crystal from the man he hated to the marrow of his bones-in the calmest way possible.

He found a corner behind a collapsed wall and cracked open the crystal.

This time, what emerged wasn't white light.

It was gold. Blinding gold.

A full minute passed before the radiance faded, revealing a small golden vial where the crystal had been.

Zhao Yin snatched it up and pulled out the stopper. Inside was a single drop of golden liquid.

It looked like flowing blood. One glance was all he needed.

This was the SSS-rank Ability Awakening Serum.

Even with his iron will, Zhao Yin's hands trembled.

In his previous life, across the entire world, the number of SSS-rank ability users could be counted on one hand.

The moment the vial opened, he felt his very soul quiver. He had only ever sensed this terrifying pressure from SSS-rank users before.

Though he had imagined this moment countless times-what it would feel like to finally possess an SSS-rank ability-

Now that it was actually in his hands, it still felt like a dream.

He tilted his head back and drank.

The taste was impossible to describe. The golden liquid hit his stomach and dissolved instantly, rushing through his limbs and bones. A cool sensation spread through every fiber of his being.

No earth-shattering transformation. No burning agony like the B-rank ability from his previous life.

The SSS-rank serum was... surprisingly pleasant.

Zhao Yin's mind went clear. He slowly closed his eyes.

Somewhere deep within, something was changing. And as time passed, the sensation grew stronger...

Half an hour later, Zhao Yin opened his eyes.

The world had transformed.

Things he couldn't see before were now razor-sharp. He could make out individual grains of sand hundreds of meters away.

Distant whispers of wind reached him with perfect clarity.

All his senses had multiplied several times over. With his current perception, nothing within a kilometer could escape his notice.

The SSS-rank ability Soul Contract enhanced mental strength.

This was only the initial awakening. Once his mental power grew, his perception would become truly terrifying.

And this was merely a side effect of the ability's early stage.

Soul Contract's true power was the ability to enslave any life form except humans.

Even the horrifying aberrations that would make people pale with fear seven years into the apocalypse-creatures revered as divine beasts, rivals to SSS-rank users themselves-if Zhao Yin could subdue them, they would serve him.

And it wasn't limited by his own strength.

The reason Soul Contract was rated SSS-rank was simple: there was no cap on the number of contracted servants. In theory, if Zhao Yin grew strong enough, he could amass an army of aberrant beasts, sweep across the apocalypse, and crown himself emperor.

Of course, the prerequisite was finding enough aberrations-and actually subduing them.

Zhao Yin quickly steadied himself. He understood that until he contracted his first mutated beast, he was still just an ordinary man.

Just like Lin Tianfeng in his previous life. Even after becoming an SSS-rank user, he had nearly been crushed to death by a collapsing wall.

What Zhao Yin needed to do next was find enough Star Crystals to strengthen himself, then hunt down mutated beasts to subdue and contract.

And there was one more thing.

Kill Lin Tianfeng.

He had sworn to tear that man into pieces.

Nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine pieces wouldn't be enough.

Zhao Yin closed his eyes. Within moments, he picked up voices roughly five hundred meters away.

The distance made the words unclear, but it was definitely Lin Tianfeng and the woman. They hadn't gone far.

...

Lin Tianfeng sat on a chunk of broken concrete, hunger gnawing at him again. Baby food really didn't do much for an adult's stomach.

His gaze slid toward the woman beside him. "You. Come here."

Her hair hung in tangles. Her upper body was stripped down to just a bra. Black strands fell across her face, reaching her pale chest.

She didn't move. Her expression was hidden.

Slap!

Lin Tianfeng stood and backhanded her across the face. "I'm being generous here. Keep testing me and I'll kill you and eat your flesh."

The woman remained motionless, head bowed like a wooden puppet.

"Say something! Are you deaf? Mute?" He slapped her again.

Before the apocalypse, he had been an ordinary teacher. Low salary. Just coasting through life.

After the apocalypse, he held power over life and death. No more rules. No more restraints.

Combined with the crushing pressure of survival, he had shed every last trace of humanity.

The woman's head snapped to the side. A drop of blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.

Slowly, she raised her head.

Her eyes locked onto Lin Tianfeng. Dead. Unblinking.

Lin Tianfeng froze for a heartbeat-then erupted in rage. "Bitch! Let's see what's harder-your bones or my hands!"

Slap... slap...!

He swung left and right, landing blow after blow on her face.

She didn't flinch. She just stood there, staring at him with venomous hatred. If looks could kill, Lin Tianfeng would have died a thousand deaths.

"Damn it!" He cursed under his breath. His hands were going numb. He couldn't actually beat her to death.

Deciding to ignore whatever expression she wore, he grabbed the rope around her neck.

He yanked her onto his lap, tore at her clothes, and leaned down-

Gulp... gulp...!

"Lin Tianfeng. Stop eating."

A gleaming butcher knife pressed against his throat.