"What? The monkeys at the city zoo have rebelled?"
Upon hearing the news, Yang Lin was at a loss for how to react. He felt like laughing, but it seemed inappropriate.
"That's right. Because the city zoo is scheduled to be decommissioned, many employees have already resigned," a minor official from the city zoo explained to Yang Lin, his face etched with distress. "The keeper who was responsible for the monkey enclosure didn't show up this morning, so the monkeys, led by their king, started to run amok throughout the park. The entire city zoo is in chaos right now."
"We're at our wits' end, so we had no choice but to come to you, Director Yang," he continued.
"I understand. I'll handle this. I was actually planning to visit the city zoo myself anyway," Yang Lin replied. Without further delay, he set off for the city zoo with Li Goudan, who was now a police dog.
By the time he arrived at the city zoo, it was past two in the afternoon. Even before getting close, he could hear the roars of various animals, making it sound as if the entire zoo had revolted. The remaining staff members were all holed up in their offices, too scared to come out.
As Yang Lin was about to enter to inquire about the situation, he saw a young woman frantically gesturing to him from behind a glass window. Confused, Yang Lin thought she was signaling in sign language until a fierce gust of wind rushed at him from behind.
"Damn it!"
With no time to think, Yang Lin dodged to the side. With a dull thud, a shallow dent appeared on a trash can in front of him. Had he not moved, a palm-sized chunk of concrete would have smashed into his head.
Following the direction from which the concrete had been thrown, he saw a monkey with dull fur squatting on a lamppost not far from him. It was clearly the perpetrator. As Yang Lin sized up the monkey, it bared its teeth at him and let out a series of triumphant screeches.
Unable to stand for it, Yang Lin immediately ordered Li Goudan, "Goudan, go catch that monkey!"
The moment the words left his mouth, Li Goudan, clad in his police dog uniform, sprang into action. Although the monkey was agile, its intelligence was no match for Li Goudan's. Before long, it was cornered and pinned to the ground.
Seeing this, Yang Lin gave him a thumbs-up. "Report, Boss! The suspect monkey has been apprehended. What are your orders?"
"Keep it restrained. I'm going to interrogate it."
"Yes, sir!"
While Li Goudan held the unruly monkey, Yang Lin, still shaken, finally approached it. "Why did you throw a rock at me? I don't even know you."
The monkey, which had looked terrified, now stared at Yang Lin in disbelief. "Why can I understand you? Are you a monkey too?"
"Of course not. Don't worry about how I can talk to you for now. Just tell me why you threw that rock at me."
Whether it was due to Li Goudan's intimidating presence or some other reason, the monkey hesitated for only a moment before answering, "Because you humans don't give us food."
"That's it?"
Yang Lin was stunned to learn the reason behind the monkey uprising. He had expected them to be rebelling for freedom, but it turned out they were just hungry. Thinking about it, it made sense. The keepers had left, no visitors were feeding them, and there were no wild fruits nearby. It was no wonder they were starving.
With the cause understood, Yang Lin knew how to proceed. Looking at the monkey with its dull fur, he casually cast "Insight." Instantly, information about the monkey appeared before him.
[Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey]
[Intelligent (Green Talent) - requires 1 Talent Point to activate]
[Agile (Green Talent) - requires 1 Talent Point to activate]
[Noble Demeanor (Gold Talent) - requires 5 Talent Points to activate]
[Monkey Pack Leader (Gold Talent) - requires 5 Talent Points to activate. Due to its innate leadership potential, activating this talent only requires 1 Talent Point.]
A hint of surprise flickered across Yang Lin's face as he read the information. This scruffy little monkey was a noble among monkeys, a Yunnan snub-nosed monkey. People usually referred to golden monkeys, which typically meant Sichuan snub-nosed monkeys with their golden fur and more striking appearance. That's why Yang Lin hadn't immediately recognized the little fellow.
"Heh, what a coincidence. I was wondering which animals to choose. You'll be the first," Yang Lin said, spending one Talent Point to activate the "Monkey Pack Leader" talent for the little monkey.
The next second, a wondrous transformation began to occur. Though its size remained petite, its fur gained a sheen, changing from dull gray to a dark golden hue. It lacked the ostentatious brilliance of pure gold but possessed a distinct nobility. The white tuft of hair on its head gradually formed a circular pattern resembling a crown. Once the transformation was complete, an aura distinct from ordinary monkeys emanated from it. Undoubtedly, having successfully activated its talent, it now possessed the qualifications to contend for the monkey king's throne.
"From today onward, you're with me. Your name is Li Kong," Yang Lin declared. "Your first mission is to find the current monkey king, defeat it, and then bring your troop to me. Go!"
With Yang Lin's command, the extraordinary Yunnan snub-nosed monkey immediately leaped onto a nearby tree and vanished into the zoo grounds. Soon, the sounds of monkeys screeching echoed from within the park.
Simultaneously, the zoo staff in the office were watching a remarkable scene unfold on the surveillance monitors. On the screen, a Yunnan snub-nosed monkey with dark golden fur was leading a few robust macaques in combat against other macaques. After defeating them, these macaques promptly joined its ranks. Before long, the troop led by the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey grew larger and larger, from a few individuals to dozens.
Witnessing this, a preposterous thought crossed their minds. It seemed like a coup within the rebellious monkeys, with a new king leading his guard against the old one. It was absurd, utterly absurd.