**Chapter 21: You Shall Be Called Second Chonk**
**[Mutated Energy Beast Cub, Favorability: 20. When favorability reaches 100, it will permanently bond with its master, never betraying you!]**
**[Current combat capability of the Mutated Energy Beast Cub is equivalent to an exceptionally strong human armed with weapons!]**
**???**
This tiny pup’s combat power is on par with his own?
*Pfft! Who does the system think it’s looking down on?*
*Could this be a mistake?*
Zhang Chen was utterly baffled by the system’s description.
*Whatever. Taming it comes first!*
*Hah, so feeding it meat increases favorability? Easy enough!*
Zhang Chen sliced another piece of beef and tossed it directly in front of the pup.
*Go on, eat up!*
The pup didn’t hold back, lowering its head and chomping away noisily.
In no time, it had cleaned the plate.
Then, as if still craving more, it licked its chops—*Got any leftovers?*
**[Mutated Energy Beast Cub, Favorability: 40!]**
*Another increase!*
*This little glutton!*
Zhang Chen simply diced an entire slab of beef into bite-sized pieces, arranged them on a plate, and set it before him.
This time, the pup’s wariness had visibly diminished.
Wagging its tail excitedly, it trotted over happily and began devouring the meat in big gulps.
**[Mutated Energy Beast Cub, Favorability: 60!]**
**[Mutated Energy Beast Cub, Favorability: 80!]**
**[Mutated Energy Beast Cub, Favorability: 100!]**
The moment the pup finished the last scrap of beef in the plate, its eyes suddenly gleamed.
A faint glow radiated from its body.
Then, the system chimed in:
**Ding! Congratulations on successfully taming a combat pet! Please name your pet!**
*A name?*
This little dog was snow-white all over, fluffy and unbearably cute...
Yet it belonged to the majestic species of **Howling Moon Wolf King**...
*Might as well call it...*
**Second Chonk!**
"Second Chonk" was the name of the Labrador Zhang Chen had once raised.
This pup’s ravenous appetite was **identical** to that Labrador’s!
*"Second Chonk?"*
Zhang Chen called out softly.
*"Woof-woo~!"*
Second Chonk seemed to recognize its new name.
It wagged its tail joyfully, nuzzling affectionately against Zhang Chen’s pant leg.
*So well-behaved!*
Zhang Chen gently stroked the pup’s fluffy little head.
*Having companionship in the apocalypse… at least I won’t be alone anymore.*
He opened the pet interface, and Second Chonk’s basic info popped up:
**Name:** Second Chonk
**Species:** Mutated Energy Beast — Howling Moon Wolf King
**Growth Stage:** Cub (Combat power will increase significantly as it grows, and it will unlock new skills!)
**Preferred Food:** Meat, zombies, mutated animals, mutated insects...
**Skills:**
**[Combat Amplification]:** During battle, size, strength, speed, and mass will multiply!
*This little guy can eat zombies?!*
Zhang Chen’s eyes lit up.
He quickly retrieved a lump of **[Mutated Fertilizer]** from his storage space.
Grabbing a metal bowl from the kitchen, he plopped the fertilizer inside.
*This stuff was harvested from zombies… wonder if Second Chonk will eat it?*
*"Here, Second Chonk, try this!"*
Zhang Chen tapped the metal bowl lightly.
*"Woof-woo~!!"*
At the sight of such a massive hunk of "meat," Second Chonk’s tail wagged like a fan at full speed.
It pounced over excitedly and began scarfing it down in huge bites.
*Mutated Fertilizer really works as dog food!*
Zhang Chen was overjoyed.
*If that’s the case, I won’t have to waste my own food on Second Chonk.*
*This little thing already eats more than I do, and it’s still so small!*
*I was worried about how to feed it once it grows up…*
*Now, all problems are solved in one go!*
His storage space still had over two hundred lumps of **[Mutated Fertilizer]!**
*That’ll keep Second Chonk fed for a good while!*
*Perfect!*
Second Chonk was truly a bottomless pit.
Not only had it polished off a pound of beef earlier—
It had now devoured an entire lump of **[Mutated Fertilizer]**, which looked **bigger than the pup itself!**
Yet it somehow stuffed it all in, leaving its belly round and bulging.
After licking its chops clean, Second Chonk wobbled step by step to Zhang Chen’s side.
*Plop.*
It collapsed on the floor.
Within moments, its eyes closed.
*Asleep.*
*What a carefree little thing… eats and sleeps without a worry…*
Zhang Chen finished the remaining beef.
Then, he spent some time pan-frying the entire frozen slab of meat and storing it in his spatial ring.
Since time stood still inside the ring, expiration wasn’t an issue.
Piping-hot fried meat stored inside would remain **freshly cooked** no matter when it was taken out—
As if it had just left the pan seconds ago!
*This way, I can enjoy steaming-hot meat anytime, anywhere.*
*No need to waste time coming back to cook!*
Next, Zhang Chen combined the water purifier and five energy cores in the room to synthesize a **[Basic Water Purifier]!**
The result was a filter-like device with a spray nozzle on one end and an adjustable water inlet on the other.
He installed it onto the showerhead in the bathroom.
Turning on the water supply—
*Swoosh—*
The originally rust-brown contaminated water instantly transformed into clear, transparent liquid!
Zhang Chen knew that while the water **looked** clean, it was still polluted.
*Definitely not drinkable.*
But at least it was safe for washing up!
With shower gel and shampoo at hand, Zhang Chen treated himself to a refreshing bath.
Then, he curled up in bed for a blissful sleep.
---
The next morning, Zhang Chen was woken by Second Chonk’s relentless licking.
The fluffy little creature alternated between cheeks, licking one side, then the other.
When it saw Zhang Chen open his eyes, it spun in excited circles on the bed, tail wagging furiously.
*"Woof-woo! Woof-woo!"*
*Morning already?*
Zhang Chen tapped the electric blackout curtains open.
A beam of golden dawn light spilled into the room.
For a fleeting moment, it felt like he’d returned to the peaceful era.
*Pant… pant… pant…*
Second Chonk stuck out its tongue, breathing heavily in excitement.
*"Ah, you’re hungry, aren’t you? Time for breakfast!"*
Zhang Chen chuckled.
He noticed Second Chonk seemed slightly **larger** than yesterday—
Though its growth stage was still listed as **Cub.**
*"Alright, dig in!"*
He placed another lump of **[Mutated Fertilizer]** into the metal bowl.
*"Woof-woo!"*
Second Chonk obediently sat by the bowl.
Its tail swept back and forth across the floor like a broom.
*"Go ahead, eat."*
Only after Zhang Chen’s permission did it start wolfing down the meal.
*This little guy really knows its manners!*