A System message appeared in Nile's mind.

This is the second one.

The first message occurred when Nile had decided to kill the crocodile. It was also part of the reason why he stops his foot midair.

The first System message had only one line.

[Do not kill the animal Host.]

This sudden message that came from the System perplexed Nile. He thought that the System prioritized his life more than anything else. Why did it stop him from killing a potential threat?

Nile did not think any longer. The System will surely have a reason for its interruption. Nile trusted the System.

But even so, Nile could not afford to let the crocodile off the hook that easily. He resumed his previous action and stomped his foot to the crocodile's mouth. Although the force he used is not as powerful compared to the one he conjured from before in order to avoid killing the crocodile directly, it still makes the crocodile grunt in pain.

The crocodile could only struggle as Nile's foot is too heavy for it to bear.

After more than a minute of stepping on the crocodile's mouth forcefully, Nile let it go as per the System's request. He thought that was already enough.

Nile then warned the crocodile. It will be problematic if it still did not learn its lesson and will still keep on following them.

The crocodile nodded its head and retreated a few steps back, it then started to lie down its stomach on the ground. It was at this time that the second System message appeared on Nile's head.

[Mission: You can't beat em? Then Join em.

Description: The crocodile wanted to retrieve its spoils of war from the human who steals it. Lying low and observing the actions of the human, it learns to be patient and decides to attack when an opportunity arises. Unfortunately, before it could do so, it was busted and got beaten by the human.

After seeing how strong the human is, the crocodile had decided and wanted to plead allegiance to the strong human.

Objective: Accept the Crocodile's request.

Reward: Earrings of Loyalty (Barbel Variant), Level One° Mount Riding talent.

Accept? Yes/No.

]

Nile was dazed seeing the mission.

'Another mount? Maximo is enough. Are you planning to change my 'class' into a beast tamer? Wait, it doesn't sound so bad, right?'

An army of the mutated beast on his beck and call? Cool, but it would cost so much Apocalypse Points, right?

Every earring of loyalty cost as much as 50 Apocalypse Points. An army of mutated beasts as pets would be a pipe dream for Nile.

Nile really did not want another mount, Maximo is enough for him. And he no longer needs one. He could not ride two mounts at the same time, anyway?

The System is becoming more and more generous. First, it was the emergency mission, this time, free servant err.. I mean free mount.

Well, it was free anyway. So, without hesitation, Nile accepted the mission. He pressed the 'Yes' button inside his head and the System mission was successfully completed because of that.

Nile wondered why? Does the System have so many Apocalypse Points that it decided to squander some of them? Does it mean that the System had tricked him by saying that it was only cutting off a low amount of Apocalypse Virus from every collection? A rip-off?

Well, as long as the System will continue to issue these free rewards, it does not matter to Nile. If he dies, the System will die too, so it will surely not do anything that can be detrimental to his growth.

Nile wondered if the System is really planning to hire hundreds of animals as his pets, or rather bodyguards for him. If that's the case, Nile hopes that the earrings of loyalty will be free every time.

Putting the little feud between them and the crocodile on the back of his head, Nile nodded towards the crocodile and said,

"Alright, but first, let me put this on you. Don't worry, it won't hurt even if it's your first time."

A barbell earring materialized in Nile's hand. The crocodile widened its eyes in surprise. It was bewildered but soon got over with and thought that it was a power unique to the strong human.

The crocodile nodded its head slowly, confirming that it understood Nile's intention.

Nile pressed the 'equip?' button inside his head. The barbel earring disappeared in his hand and it then materialized on the crocodile's nose bridge.

With that, Nile earned a free and loyal mount. He doubts it though if he could ride on its spiky back.

Nile used the 'stats' function and inspected the status of the crocodile.

[Name(N/A): Early Stage Level One° Mutated Crocodile°

Spikey Armored Back

Metallised

Status: On the process of Evolving to Middle Stage Level One°.

The tail is trimmed. Heal the wound? Yes/No 2 Apocalypse Points Required.

Upgrade Requirement: Consume two Fangs of a Mutated Stripe Snake. Two Hours.

Upgrade? Yes/No.

]

Nile then remembered the mission description. The crocodile only chased and plotted on attacking them because he took the crocodile's loot, which is the mutated fangs of the striped snake from before.

'I see, the fangs are a requirement for its evolution. That's why it persisted in following them.' Nile thought.

Nile did not upgrade the crocodile's 'Stage' immediately. It will just waste his time again. Upgrading the crocodile while going to sleep is the best and most reasonable approach. That way, he will not waste the time waiting for the crocodile to evolve.

Still, Nile decided to at least heal the crocodile's wound. Pressing the 'Yes' button on the 'Heal the Wound?' text, the wounded tail of the crocodile is healed instantly. Unfortunately, it's tail did not grow back. The function only healed the wound and did not regrow it.

With the earrings of loyalty, Nile is no longer afraid of the crocodile ambushing them amidst a battle.

Maximo seems to be displeased that someone had joined their group. If Nile decides to ride on the crocodile right now, Maximo will surely be jealous.

Nile climbs Maximo's back and confidently enters the Hamlet without worries. The crocodile followed behind them, its butt wriggling as it walked.

The Hamlet of Init only has a few houses. It did not take that much time for Nile and the team to find a Level One° zombie.

The Level One° zombie only has the strength of 6.0+, Maximo directly squashed the zombie's head with the sledgehammer. Maximo was very competitive, and it seems to be afraid of losing its spot to the crocodile.

The crocodile was also very energetic, and it kept on searching for a zombie in the vicinity as if trying to prove its worth.

After a while, the crocodile finds its first contribution. It was an infant zombie inside a room of a small house. It was locked and chained behind the door of the house's middle-most room. The infant zombie was only a Half-Step Level One°, it did not have the capacity to search and kill other Apocalypse Virus to evolve.

The crocodile lets out a roar in order to alert its owner for its discovery.

Nile responded and led Maximo towards the house.

But before that, Nile reprimanded the crocodile. Its loud roar might attract unnecessary attention. Even if they are still in a Hamlet right now, it was better to warn his pet first.

Nile did the same to Maximo, who nodded earnestly.

Maximo looks at the crocodile, and there seems to be a satisfied expression on its face. Its mouth curled upward on the side as if in a smirk as he looked down on the crocodile.

The crocodile stared at Maximo in a strange way, and after a while, the crocodile ignored the smug carabao with a hump.

When Nile saw the infant zombie being chained inside its crib, his heart crumbled in pain, again. He just could not avoid taking pity on the baby.

Nile did not dwell with it for too long and recovered immediately. Using the Katana of Liberation, he pierced the infant zombie's forehead. He thought that there is no use in pitying the zombie now. He knew that it was not his fault, and thinking deeply might change his views. Getting stronger will still be his main quest.

After the System prompt of successfully killing the Level One° zombie, Nile carried the infant's body outside the house.

In the backyard, he instructed the crocodile to dig a hole.

Nile wrapped the baby's body with a white cloth and buried the baby's body in the hole that the crocodile had dug. Using the Katana, Nile sliced a big formless stone to a rectangular one.

Nile erected the stone as the baby's tombstone. There, he engraved a R.I.P. and left immediately. Nile could not think of any epitaph that suits the child.

Nile and the two mounts had pretty much scoured the whole Hamlet already, so after burying the baby, they left immediately.

Nile mounted Maximo and along with the crocodile, they departed to the last Hamlet of the Village of Hangin.

The Hamlet of Tugnaw.

Hamlet of Tugnaw is the last Hamlet of Village Hangin Nile needed to traverse. After the Hamlet of Tugnaw would be the first Hamlet of the next Village.

With Maximo's speed, they arrived at the Hamlet of Tugnaw not long after.

The Hamlet of Tugnaw has fewer houses compared to the Hamlet of Init.

(A/N: Hangin = Wind. Bugnaw = cold. Init = Hot. Tugnaw= cold/chilly. So basically, Hot Wind, Cold Wind and Chilly Wind.

Bisaya Language by the way.)

After scouring the whole Hamlet, Nile and the others failed to find any zombie. There were dozens of zombies but the Apocalypse Virus inside them had already diminished long ago. Only the squirming mutated maggots are left inside their heads. Nile and the two mounts did not waste their time lingering in that small Hamlet any longer and decided to leave towards the next Village.