Survival Queen of the Frozen Wastes novel Chapter 148

PP

Chapter 148 Letting Go

Chapter 148 Letting Go

She crept forward quietly and pushed the brush aside.

1

+30 Free Coins

About a few dozen yards away, beneath an ironwood tree, a powerfully built creature was busy with something.

It was a bipedal ape, standing close to six and a half feet tall, its muscles thick and pronounced. What stood out most were its arms -they gleamed with a metallic, jet-black sheen. It was gripping a massive rock, slamming it over and over into the tree trunk, trying to knock down the hard nuts growing there.

“Iron-Arm Monkey-Lv.8

“Behavior: Solitary. Exceptionally strong. Arm strength comparable to steel.

“Traits: Mining, Hauling, Crushing.”

The moment Riley spotted “Traits,” her eyes lit up.

This was exactly the kind of magical beast those Dawnlight guys had been talking about.

Mining! Hauling!

This was the “Miner No. 2” she’d been hoping to find.

Sure, Neeko could shape-shift into a grizzly and dig for coal too, but Neeko was family. It never sat right with Riley, watching her come back filthy and exhausted.

But this monkey was different.

Just look at those iron arms-they were practically made for mining coal. If she could capture it and bring it back, put it on round- the-clock shifts down in the coal pits…

Riley pulled a “Basic Capture Sphere” from her inventory.

“You’re up, workshift monkey.”

She stowed her “Storm Splitter Dual Axes” away.

Capturing creatures had its own method.

You needed to get the beast into a “Weakened State” for a decent shot at success.

If she brought out the axes, she was worried she might end up killing her would-be miner by accident.

“Alright, let’s do this.”

Riley rolled her shoulders and cracked her neck. The next instant, she rushed straight for the monkey!

“Grraah?!”

In the middle of its pounding, the Iron-Arm Monkey sensed danger from behind. It reacted quickly, spinning around and throwing a heavy, sweeping punch!

1/4

7:50 pm

PPP

Chapter 148 Letting Go

tts metallic arm cut through the air with a sharp whoosh.

But Riley didn’t block or evade.

+30 Free Coins

At the last second, she dropped low in an unorthodox move, planted one hand on the ground, and swept her leg out in a hard arc!

“Thud!”

The monkey’s legs were knocked out from under it, its heavy frame tilting off balance.

Seizing the opening, Riley pushed upright. Instead of going for her weapons, she grabbed the monkey’s thick wrists with both hands.

Hip toss!

“Up you go!”

“CRASH-!”

The six-and-a-half-foot magical beast was hurled over Riley’s shoulder and slammed hard into the dirt!

The impact left a shallow crater in the ground.

The Iron-Arm Monkey lay stunned.

Its prideful strength had been completely overwhelmed by this human.

“ROOAR!”

It tried to push up and retaliate, but Riley gave it no opening. She dropped onto its back, pinning it down, and started throwing punch after punch.

“Giving up yet? How about now?”

“Thwack, thwack, thwack!”

Each blow avoided anything vital, landing on meaty spots, but the force behind them still left the monkey grunting in pain.

A minute later, the once-ferocious elite monster was bruised and battered, staring up at the human abovet with pure dread.

Riley dusted her hands off, satisfied, and unclipped a capture sphere from her belt.

“Get in there. Room and board are on me from now on.”

She clicked the button and tossed the sphere at the Iron-Arm Monkey.

“Bzzzt-”

A beam of blue light shot out, enveloping the ape. Its large body dissolved into strands of light and was pulled into the sphere.

The sphere hit the ground and began shaking violently.

A red light flashed across its surface.

2/4

1:50 pm

PPP

Chapter 148 Letting Go

Riley held her breath, eyes locked on the device.

One shake… two shakes three shakes…

“Pop!”

+30 Free Coins

The sphere suddenly sprang open. The Iron-Arm Monkey rematerialized, looking worse for wear, its eyes filled with terror and defiance.

“System notification: Capture failed.”

“Tch.”

Riley scowled.

She glanced upward, as if at something above her own head.

“Is it because of this?”

She quietly removed the “Unlucky Fool” title she’d been wearing.

Even though the title didn’t explicitly say it affected everyday luck, Riley couldn’t shake the feeling it was bad mojo.

“One more try!”

She picked the capture sphere up from the ground.

Thankfully, the mechanics were forgiving. Unless you succeeded, or the beast was strong enough to shatter the sphere entirely, the device remained reusable. If it were one-and-done, Riley would’ve been seriously annoyed.

After roughing the Iron-Arm Monkey up once more, Riley threw the sphere again.

“No title this time. Should work now, right?”

“Bzzzt-”

A flash of white light, and the monkey was sucked back into the sphere.

It shook and rattled.

One shake… two shakes…

“Pop!”

It burst open again, spitting the monkey back out. This time, its expression wasn’t fear-it was sheer defeat. “Lady, are you for real?

If you can’t do it, just put me out of my misery! What’s with all the beating?”

Riley stared at the capture sphere in her hand, which seemed to mock her, and fell into deep thought.

Was it just destiny?

Even without the title, was her base luck still in the negatives?

She looked at the monkey. Another beating might actually kill it. And the look in its eyes was just too pathetic. Suddenly, Riley lo4

7:50 pm

PPP

Chapter 148 Letting Go

+30 Free Coins

all motivation.

4/4

1:50 pm