Working in a Zoo with Beast Taming System

After his wounds were cleaned, medicated, and bandaged, a few conspicuous patches of gauze and ointment now decorated Chen Ze’s face.

"Alright, it’s nothing serious. You’ll be fine after a few days of rest," the doctor said as he packed up his instruments.

Chen Ze offered his thanks, then said to Yang Qi, "Brother Qi, you should go eat. I’m fine."

"Alright, you get some rest then. I’ll go eat and bring a portion back for you," Yang Qi replied.

"Thanks, Brother Qi." Chen Ze didn’t stand on ceremony.

Yang Qi nodded and turned to leave.

He went to the cafeteria and ate, then packed up a relatively generous portion to go. Carrying the lunchbox, he headed to the dormitory building.

Chen Ze lived in a two-person room; his roommate, another security guard, was off today.

Seeing Yang Qi return, Chen Ze got up from his chair to take the lunchbox. "Thanks, Brother Qi."

"Don’t mention it. Go on and eat," Yang Qi said casually.

Chen Ze sat down, opened the lunchbox, and picked up his chopsticks to eat. However, the movement was awkward because it pulled at the wound on the corner of his mouth.

After a few bites, he suddenly put down his chopsticks and looked at Yang Qi, saying seriously, "Brother Qi, I really could have beaten him just now. If I had fought back, I definitely would’ve won."

"I believe you," Yang Qi nodded.

"..."

Chen Ze opened his mouth, then quickly shoveled a few more bites of rice into it. The movement pulled at his wound, making him suck in a sharp breath of air. He put down his chopsticks and clutched his face, waiting for the pain to subside.

Once the pain had eased a bit, he stared at Yang Qi, his tone even more serious.

"I’m serious. Back when I was in the army, I always placed in the top three in combat competitions."

"I even took second place in the entire regimental competition!"

"I do believe you." Yang Qi’s expression was just as serious. "If you had fought back just now, you definitely would have beaten him." 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"..." Chen Ze opened his mouth, but swallowed whatever he was about to say.

He picked up his chopsticks again, ate a few more mouthfuls of rice, then pushed the box aside. He grabbed his cup and took a large gulp of water, letting out a long breath.

The bravado he had been putting on deflated, and his whole demeanor seemed a bit dejected.

"Alright, I admit it. I’ve gotten lax."

Chen Ze looked down at his hands. "I’ve been at the Zoo for almost three years. At first, I still did my daily runs and practiced my boxing, but I got lazy later on."

"The pay isn’t great, but at least it’s stable. My uncle said he’d try to get me a permanent position when an opportunity came up, so I got even lazier. I figured since I had something to look forward to, it was fine to just coast."

He shook his head with a bitter smile. "Once a man gets lazy, his body falls apart. Back in my army days, I could’ve easily handled a street punk like that guy today, even if he knew a thing or two. Now... heh, I get knocked down in two punches. It’s so fucking embarrassing."

"It’s the same for everyone. We all have times when we let ourselves go."

Yang Qi agreed casually, then changed the subject with a teasing tone. "So you’re one of those guys who got in through connections, huh?"

"Haha~"

Chen Ze was amused, but his smile was filled more with helplessness.

"There are levels to having connections, you know. There are plenty of people with connections at the Zoo, but most of them are just contract workers. Unless..."

He looked up at Yang Qi, his expression complex. "Unless you’re like you, Brother Qi, so skilled that you’re irreplaceable. Only then do you get a permanent position. Otherwise, it’s just long-term contracts for the rest of us. There are only a handful of spots, but a whole crowd of people trying to get them."

Hearing this, Yang Qi was momentarily at a loss for words.

Chen Ze was speaking the truth.

Getting a permanent position in a public institution these days was truly rare. Countless people would fight tooth and nail for one and still not get in.

"So, are you planning to start training again?" Yang Qi changed the subject.

"Definitely."

Chen Ze nodded. "I’m going to start brushing up on my fighting skills tomorrow. If you have time, Brother Qi, you could learn from me."

Yang Qi was about to refuse, but then he thought, ’I have strength and reflexes, but I don’t really know any techniques.’ He immediately nodded.

"Alright!"

...

「Meanwhile.」

Zhang Chenghu had already returned home. The moment he walked in the door, he went berserk, smashing several vases and decorative items in the living room. Expensive porcelain shattered all over the floor.

Then, with bloodshot eyes, he began to pace back and forth in the living room, panting heavily like a caged beast.

After more than ten minutes, he calmed down somewhat, but his eyes grew even more sinister.

Zhang Chenghu picked up his phone, scrolled through his contacts, found a number, and dialed.

"Yo, Brother Hu?" a gruff male voice came from the other end of the line.

"Bring a few guys over. Now," Zhang Chenghu’s voice was ice-cold.

"You got it! We’ll be right there!"

After hanging up, Zhang Chenghu sat on the sofa, lit a cigarette, and took a deep drag.

His eyes flickered uncertainly through the swirling smoke.

’My experience at the Zoo today was too bizarre. That feeling of suddenly being plunged into a terrifying illusion was definitely not normal.’

’Was it that security guard’s doing?’

’Doesn’t seem like it.’

’Did someone mess with me from the shadows?’

’Who?’

’Or did I really just have a sudden mental breakdown?’

’No! Impossible!’

Zhang Chenghu viciously stubbed out the cigarette butt.

’Someone has to be behind this!’

’No matter who it was, they made me lose face in front of so many people today. I have to get revenge for this!’

...

About twenty minutes later, the doorbell rang.

Zhang Chenghu opened the door, and five young men surged inside.

The leader wasn’t tall but was very stocky, with a buzz cut and a tattoo on his neck.

The four following him also looked like trouble. One had bleached-blond hair, while another wore a tight tank top that showed off his exaggerated muscles.

"Brother Hu!"

The leader yelled as soon as he entered, "Who are we messing up this time? The boys and I have been itching for a fight."

"Which son of a bitch dared to mess with Brother Hu? Let’s get his whole family!" another chimed in.

"Yeah, Brother Hu, just say the word. Should we break his arms or his legs?"

The men chimed in one after another, their demeanor menacing.

Zhang Chenghu’s expression had returned to normal by this point, at least on the surface. You couldn’t see the fury from before.

Looking at the five men who had entered, he was just about to grit his teeth and speak...

The young man walking in last, who had been staring down at his phone since he entered, suddenly let out a cry of surprise.

"Holy shit! This guy looks like Brother Hu!"

He hurried to the front, holding up his phone. A video was playing on the screen.

In the video, a man was scrambling and crawling on the ground, his crotch soaked through, screaming in terror, "There’s a ghost!" as he fled in a pathetic state...

The video’s title was eye-catching: "Raging Lunatic Appears at Donghua Wildlife Park, Wets Himself in Public and Flees for His Life!"

Although the footage was a bit shaky, the man’s face was clearly Zhang Chenghu’s!

In an instant, the living room fell dead silent.