Chapter 31: S-Class Beast

"Ding! Establishing a contract with S-Class beast [Abyss Black Dragon]."

"Ding! Contract successfully established."

"Creature Name: Abyss Black Dragon (Youngling)"

"Creature Level: S-Class (Tier 1)"

"Creature Attributes:"

"Strength: 20"

"Agility: 25"

"Constitution: 20"

"Will: 30"

"Creature Skill 1: [Dragon Shadow] - The Abyss Black Dragon harnesses the power of flight and darkness from a young age. In a short burst, it can double its agility, consuming stamina. (This skill will evolve into [Wings of Death] as it matures.)"

"Creature Skill 2: [Dragon Ascendance] - Temporarily transforms into the next stage form, gaining +5 to all attributes and unlocking next-stage skills. (Stages: Youngling - Adolescent - Youth - Mature - Complete - Royal)"

"Creature Skill 3: [Devour] - An innate talent of the Abyss Dragon lineage, allowing it to consume any creature or energy-infused items to accelerate its evolution. Overconsumption will result in petrification and sleep. (Current Stage: Youngling 90/100)"

"Creature Trait: [Dragon Soul] - As rulers of the Abyss, the Black Dragon lineage is immune to up to three times the damage from psychic attributes and can absorb corresponding psychic impacts to enhance its own mental power."

Only Tier 1? Lin Yi was surprised after reviewing the dragon's attributes. He had expected it to be at least Tier 3!

It's no wonder Lin Yi misjudged it; the dragon had previously showcased enough power to face off against a suspected Tier 3 red-cloaked mutant. Moreover, its explosive speed, augmented by its innate talent, was indeed at least Tier 3.

25 times two equals 50 agility, faster than even typical Tier 3 strength. As for the ability to ignore the psychic attacks from the red-cloaked mutant, with the dragon's [Dragon Soul], it could withstand psychic attacks from even Tier 4 creatures.

This innate talent rendered it nearly immune to any psychic assault. If Lin Yi encountered a psychic attacker or mutant later on, summoning the dragon would make eliminating the opponent far too easy. 

Without psychic attacks, the mutant would merely become a punching bag. 

However, this clarified some of Lin Yi's earlier questions, particularly why the dragon had at least Tier 3 power but had let the mutant escape. While the dragon's attributes had all maxed out at Tier 1, its will and speed surpassed that, making it considerably stronger than Lin Yi at the moment. 

But still, it remained a Tier 1 creature. If the red-cloaked mutant had been a little smarter or had relied solely on brute force, both Lin Yi and the dragon could have been defeated in one blow. 

The mutant seemed to have been misled by the dragon's speed, instinctively using its favored psychic attacks against a formidable opponent. Lin Yi couldn't help but marvel at how this Tier 1 creature managed to outwit its enemies. 

Even though the black dragon was only Tier 1, Lin Yi felt somewhat disheartened. It seemed his hopes of relying on the Abyss Black Dragon to dominate the apocalypse had been dashed. But realistically, if the dragon were that powerful, it probably wouldn't have contracted with him.

Such a creature was akin to a deity. Lin Yi was still puzzled about why it chose to bond with him. Perhaps it sensed the aura of the [Skull Crusher] on him and wanted to "trick" him into merging its powers after claiming the red mutant's necklace. 

As for the other reasons, he'd have to wait until the dragon woke from its petrification to ask. Everything about this felt off.

Still, the Abyss Black Dragon was indeed the favored child of the Abyss, superior to humans. 

Lin Yi stared blankly at the stone-carved black dragon on his wrist, feeling a pang of sadness. He casually snapped the neck of a nearby zombie that had been trying to bite him.

While pondering, he slowly cleared the zombies around him. The black dragon, only a Tier 1 youngling, had already reached its maximum potential and possessed three skills, an innate talent, and immunity to psychic attacks.

Comparing the dragon's [Dragon Ascendance]—which granted a temporary transformation into a higher stage with a +5 boost to all attributes—made Lin Yi's once-proud S-Class talent, [Power Surge], feel like a cheap knockoff.

Speed, transformation enhancement, and an overall +5 boost were a combination that seemed ridiculously overpowered. Lin Yi had no doubt that with the dragon's current strength, even typical Tier 2 mutants or awakeners would be wiped out effortlessly.

Was he carrying a Tier 2 awakener as a protective charm? A charm with infinite potential! 

If the black dragon could wake up before he had to face the [Sewing Man], he'd be confident in completing his mission! 

Lin Yi smiled broadly, though he wondered when the dragon would awaken from its slumber. Surely it wouldn't take long. 

It was likely that the dragon fell asleep to digest the power of the [Soul Devourer]... 

Wait!

Lin Yi instinctively glanced at the [Soul Devourer] in his hand, his expression suddenly turning grave.

...

In the pharmacy.

Zhang Tie glanced at the backpack behind him, then at the bandaged girl on the ground, suddenly feeling the situation had become complicated.

Captain Lin had ordered him to regroup quickly. After hearing his description, Lin only muttered a curse and didn't say much else. 

So, it seemed Captain Lin hadn't outright forbidden him from saving "people," right? 

If there truly was a problem, Captain Lin wouldn't have only yelled at him! 

Self-soothing, Zhang Tie still felt the urge to save the bandaged girl before him. 

After all, she looked to be around the same age as his younger sister, making it hard for him to abandon her. 

Zhang Tie wasn't foolish. He thought it through carefully. 

If the bandaged girl were indeed a mutant, she wouldn't need to pretend to be unconscious to deceive him. She wouldn't even know why she was here. 

If she were a mutant, she could have killed him already. 

With Zhang Tie unable to transform into a bear in the short term, his power was that of an ordinary person at best, able to withstand a few more attacks. 

Having thought it through, he hesitated no longer. 

Let's go!

He quickly grabbed the scattered bandages and tied them tightly around the girl, securing one end to the backpack filled with supplies. 

Then he hoisted her and the supplies over his shoulder, holding the remaining spine of a zombie in his free right hand. 

His severed left arm helped stabilize the "shoulder pole" from swaying. 

From a distance, he looked quite like a scavenger. 

So light...

With both the girl and supplies, he didn't feel any weight given his current strength. 

Zhang Tie hurried forward, the potion given by Lin Yi clenched between his teeth as he rushed toward the hospital building.

...

The pharmacy wasn't far from the hospital. Perhaps due to the noise they had made in the emergency building, the zombies inside the hospital didn't emerge as they passed by; they remained on the second floor. 

Zhang Tie wielded his bone whip, cracking it loudly as he dealt with the scattered zombies in his path. 

As an awakener, his speed was significantly greater than that of an ordinary person. 

In just a minute, he arrived at the hospital where Lin Yi was located. 

However, what he saw left him devastated. 

I... 

Seemed to have arrived too late!? 

In a panic, he bit down on the potion and swallowed the glass shards along with it. 

"Captain Lin! I'm here!" 

Zhang Tie's eyes widened, his voice filled with rage. 

In his view, Lin Yi was surrounded by zombies, appearing gravely injured and covered in blood, unable to fight back. 

Zombies clawed at him, yet Lin Yi remained motionless, letting them bite him. 

"Captain... Lin!" 

"How are you?!" 

Zhang Tie's eyes instantly reddened, his voice trembling. 

Having consumed the potion, he still had some fighting strength left against the small horde of zombies. 

Zhang Tie dropped his backpack and the girl, charging recklessly toward Lin Yi. 

The zombies were biting, but Lin Yi remained unresponsive. 

Even if Captain Lin wasn't dead, he was probably infected... 

Zhang Tie felt a surge of guilt, wishing he could slap himself for hesitating to save a stranger while Lin Yi needed his support. 

Such a crime deserved the harshest punishment! 

Fueled by anger, Zhang Tie charged into the horde, oblivious to the danger of possible infection. 

No matter what, he had to retrieve Captain Lin's body! 

In the midst of the zombie swarm, Lin Yi lay unconscious, his eyelids closed and his body slumped backward. 

His caved-in chest looked severely injured, with blood occasionally oozing from his mouth. 

"Ahhhh!" 

"Filth, die!" 

Zhang Tie shouted in fury, activating his bear transformation without a second thought. 

His briefly recovered mental power drained instantly, making his head feel like it was exploding. 

"Roar!" 

His massive paw struck the horde, crushing everything in its path. 

"Lin!" 

"Captain!" 

With all his strength, he shattered the surrounding zombies into a bloody pulp in mere seconds. 

His voice trembled with emotion as he enveloped Lin Yi in a giant bear

 embrace, trying to catch his "body." 

"I'm sorry!" 

"I'm late!" 

The cold wind howled; it was now afternoon, and the sky looked dim and desolate. 

Lin Yi stirred awake. 

But upon seeing the glove on his right hand, he couldn't help but feel a surge of rage. 

"Damn it!" 

Zhang Tie's cry was abruptly cut off, his face turning awkward.