Yang Qi watched the scene unfold, a mixture of amazement and amusement in his heart.
'This Monkey King is on another level,' he thought. 'It actually knows how to take a hostage and negotiate. It's just using its smarts in all the wrong ways.'
Beside him, Huang Zhongmu was sweating bullets. He watched as four staff members in protective gear were cornered by the monkey troop, unable to move an inch. Gritting his teeth, he pulled out his phone, his fingers trembling as he dialed a number.
'Is he calling the police? To put down the Great Sage?'
"Wait!"
Seeing Huang Zhongmu's actions, Yang Qi called out urgently, "Director, look closely! The Great Sage has been very careful with the child. Its claws are retracted. I think it's just trying to bargain. Why don't we try giving it what it wants? Offer it something to eat or drink?"
"I'm afraid that won't work."
The zookeeper standing nearby, Liu Fei, shook his head. "We just fed them this morning. Director, look next to the Great Sage. There are still plenty of bananas, apples, and peanuts left."
It was true. A number of fruits were scattered beside the Great Sage, including a whole coconut.
Seeing this, Huang Zhongmu's brow furrowed even deeper, and he raised his phone again.
An idea struck Yang Qi. "Could it want something special to drink? Not plain water, maybe a soda?"
"That's impossible!"
Liu Fei said adamantly, "Our feeding regulations strictly prohibit giving them any soft drinks."
'Not a soda? Then what is it?'
'The Great Sage wants something to drink, but it can't say what.'
Just as Yang Qi was scratching his head in frustration, a middle-aged tourist nearby opened a can of beer with a PSSSH. Golden foam frothed over the top.
Instantly, the Great Sage on the mountaintop pricked up its ears. Its nostrils flared, and in the next moment, it shot upright.
One arm still wrapped around the little girl, it pointed its other arm straight at the beer-drinking tourist and let out an excited shriek.
"SKREE—!"
The cry was like a command. The entire monkey troop erupted, and over thirty macaques shrieked in unison, the sound so piercing it made one's eardrums ache.
The crowd of onlookers retreated in fear. An older woman cried out, "Oh my god, these monkeys are starting a rebellion!"
The little girl's mother burst into tears again with a WAAAH.
The man holding her, his eyes bloodshot, roared, "Protective gear! Get me some protective gear!"
Huang Zhongmu rubbed his temples, a headache blooming. Just as he was about to give an order, Yang Qi darted forward.
"Director, I know what the Great Sage wants to drink!"
His words stunned everyone nearby.
Huang Zhongmu's hand, holding his phone, froze in mid-air. Liu Fei's eyes went wide, the middle-aged woman who had guided them stood with her mouth agape, and even the few tourists filming with their phones fell silent.
With no time to explain, Yang Qi turned and trotted over to the beer-drinking tourist. "Sir, do you have any more beer in your bag? I'll pay double for it!"
The tourist was taken aback for a moment. He looked at Yang Qi, then at the agitated Monkey King on the mountaintop, his expression strange. "Young man, you're not trying to say that monkey wants to drink beer, are you?"
"I am." Yang Qi nodded with a dry laugh. "I've studied monkey behavior. I have some understanding of what they do."
"Is that so..." The man was skeptical, but he still handed the half-finished can to Yang Qi. "Here, give it a try. Don't worry about the money. I'm also curious to see if this monkey really drinks beer."
Yang Qi said his thanks, took the can, and turned to walk briskly toward the entrance of Monkey Mountain.
Liu Fei saw this and exclaimed anxiously, "Director, who is this guy? This is too reckless! What if he provokes the troop?"
"Right, right." The middle-aged woman also panicked and was about to chase after Yang Qi, but Huang Zhongmu raised a hand to stop her. "Let him try."
A strange light flickered in his eyes as he watched Yang Qi's determined back.
"But..." Liu Fei was at a loss and could only lower his head.
Under the watch of hundreds of pairs of eyes, Yang Qi, holding the beer, stepped inside the enclosure.
The four fully-equipped staff members quickly surrounded him, forming a human wall. "It's dangerous here, get out!"
"It's fine," Yang Qi said, raising the beer can high and shouting toward the mountaintop.
"The good stuff is here!"
He started walking forward as he spoke, and the staff moved to block him again.
Just then, the Great Sage let out a sharp, urgent shriek.
"SKREE~!"
The next moment, a shocking scene unfolded.
The bared-teeth, snarling monkeys suddenly fell silent. Not only did they stop their aggression, but they also retreated in unison to either side, clearing a path straight to the summit.
All the monkeys stared eagerly at the beer can in Yang Qi's hand.
"Th-that's impossible..." Liu Fei's mouth was wide enough to fit an egg.
Huang Zhongmu leaned forward unconsciously. The middle-aged woman covered her mouth, the little girl's parents momentarily forgot to cry, and the four staff members in protective gear looked at each other in disbelief.
The entire area fell silent, the only sound being the CLICK of camera shutters.
Watched by everyone, Yang Qi calmly walked up the path the monkeys had cleared and reached the top.
The moment the Great Sage saw him, it impatiently reached out to snatch the beer, its furry face filled with longing.
Yang Qi deftly raised the beer higher and pointed at the little girl with his other hand.
"The exchange first!"
The Great Sage tilted its head, thought for two seconds, and then pushed the little girl in its arms toward Yang Qi.
Yang Qi immediately caught the child with one arm while handing over the beer with the other.
The Great Sage caught the can with both hands, tilted its head back, and started pouring it into its mouth. GLUG, GLUG. It drank so fast it let out a loud burp, a look of bliss on its furry face.
Yang Qi held the little girl tightly and quickly turned to walk back down the mountain.
"He did it!"
The crowd erupted in a deafening cheer, followed by thunderous applause.
"I've seen it all now! A monkey kidnapping someone to demand a drink!"
"Tch, don't be so surprised. Monkeys have always been known to drink. Plus, have you ever heard of Monkey Wine?"
"That guy is incredible! He can actually understand what the monkeys are saying!"
...
The crowd cheered.
As Yang Qi descended Monkey Mountain and was escorted away under the protection of the four staff members, he received a system notification.
[Host was fearless in the face of danger, and his courage is commendable. For cleverly rescuing an innocent child from the 'Eight-armed Vajra,' a special reward is granted: Ten Thousand Beasts Affinity.]
'What the hell? Eight-armed Vajra?'
Yang Qi's steps faltered, and he nearly missed his footing. Luckily, a staff member beside him steadied him with a firm hand.
"Careful. Are you exhausted?"
"N-no, I'm fine. Thanks, man." Yang Qi quickly shook his head, but his heart was filled with joy.
[Ten Thousand Beasts Affinity]
Just from the name, this ability sounded like a perfect match for "Beast Language Proficiency."
It would make his future work at the Beast Taming Sect much easier, like giving a tiger wings.
'Still, it's pretty funny that the system mistook the "Great Sage" for some "Eight-armed Vajra"...'
Yang Qi complained silently.
He carried the little girl back outside the enclosure, where the waiting crowd immediately swarmed him, erupting in fervent applause.
"Way to go, young man!"
"You're amazing, man."
"Bro, can you really understand what monkeys are saying?"