They Called My Power Useless. Now I Rule the Apocalypse.

A survival game descended upon the world, and everyone was granted an ability.

Everyone else laughed at mine, saying it was useless, that all I could do was chat with animals.

But while they struggled to survive in the apocalypse, I was sipping iced drinks, playing with my pets, and feasting in a luxury villa.

With my adorable pets, I carved a bloody path through this cruel new world.

0The apocalypse survival game is about to begin. After acquiring your ability, please strive to level up. We hope you all survive.~0

As the electronic voice faded, a digital screen appeared before everyone.

0Your Ability: Animal Command (Upgradeable)0

0Current Skill: Communicate with animals.0

While I was still processing, my boyfriend, Damien Finch, exclaimed joyfully, "This is great! I got an attack-type ability."

He looked at me with a grin, and I stammered, "My ability is... communicating with animals."

The light in his eyes flickered for a second, but he quickly comforted me. "Hey, that's perfect for you, isn't it? Besides, this whole apocalypse thing might not even happen."

Panic spread. Countless people were spamming the global chat.

0Rick (Shrink): What's going on? Am I dreaming?0

0Mindy (Telepathy): Holy crap, the ability name is right there next to your name for everyone to see.0

0Captain Wallace (Communications): Please remain calm. The Authority is holding an emergency meeting.0

I realized you could click on any player in the region to see their profile, and speaking in the global chat revealed your real name and ability.

"We should go stock up on supplies at the supermarket, hoard as much as we can," I said.

I nodded. I was the one who usually paid for our household expenses. Damien had only recently become a junior lawyer after passing his bar exam; his salary wasn't even enough to feed the pets we had.

After graduating, I inherited my family's vet clinic. We'd also taken in several strays, so I was financially very comfortable.

The streets were chaos. Everyone was secretly praying this was just some elaborate prank.

But an ability& that was too fantastical. It couldn't possibly be real.

Then I saw a small flame flicker in Damien s palm, his eyes reflecting a burning ambition.

The Authority issued an official notice through the global chat: 0We are organizing troops to provide supplies and assistance. Please do not panic. Prepare for the coming apocalypse. Citizens with useful abilities, please contact us to help protect everyone and fight this together!0

The atmosphere outside grew more tense. The apocalypse hadn't even arrived, and people were already turning on each other.

One day, Damien brought home a disheveled colleague, Jenna. He said her husband had abused her and asked if I could take her in.

She knelt on the floor, sobbing. "Zoe, I wouldn't be asking if I had any other choice. I can work for my keep."

Blushing, I pulled her to her feet. And just like that, Jenna moved in.

With his attack-type ability, Damien successfully joined a provisional squad under the Authority. He walked with a new swagger.

Meanwhile, I spent my days buying supplies. Prices were skyrocketing. Every little bit helped.

I got to the supermarket only to find it closed, so I trudged home, disappointed. Damien had been training hard lately and was always irritable. The thought of his sour face gave me a headache.

To my surprise, the front door was ajar. I heard Jenna's urgent voice from inside. "Hurry up! She'll be back any minute."

Just then, a piercing shriek came from Luna!

I slammed the door open to see Damien gripping Luna, my black cat, by the scruff of her neck.

"Let her go! What are you doing? You're hurting her!"

Damien and Jenna looked awkward. My eyes darted around the room. I couldn't see my other four pets.

A chill ran down my spine. "What did you do to them?" I demanded.

My shout made Damien's face harden. "It's hard enough supporting you! Why should I have to deal with these damn animals?"

Jenna stood by his side, frowning delicately. "Yeah, Zoe. You should be more considerate of Damien."

My heart sank. I stood my ground. "Damien! This is my house!"

With Jenna egging him on, Damien s ego swelled. "Zoe, I love you, but this is the apocalypse! Who gives a damn about some animal's life?"

"Today, this cat either gets thrown out or I burn it to death. You choose."

I stared at Damien in shock. He had the gall to look like he was doing me a favor. It made me sick.

He used to tell me he loved animals too. Was I next? Was I the next one he'd kick out?

The thought of my other fur babies, their fates unknown, felt like a knife twisting in my heart. I clutched Luna tightly.

I glared at Damien, ready to fight him to the death. He wasn't touching another hair on Luna's head.

Luna was the first stray I ever adopted, a tiny, all-black kitten.

Suddenly, her vertical pupils gleamed.

0Ability has been upgraded. You can now grant abilities to animals.0

0Note: Interacting with animals and increasing their affection will increase their ability potential. This also applies to animals you have previously touched!0

0Animal Name: Luna0

0Abilities: (Psychic) Telekinesis, Precognition.0

Holy crap, am I in Pok?mon?

I stared dumbly at the little cat in my arms. Was she really this powerful?

0I must protect Master.0

Luna's pupils shone brightly. Damien's hand, reaching for her, froze in mid-air. He looked panicked. "What's happening?! Is this your doing?"

Jenna, clueless, just asked, "Damien, what's wrong?"

I seized the moment, clutching Luna and ramming into both of them, knocking them to the ground as I bolted out the door.

I ran until I was gasping for air. Luna lay limp in my arms. 0Stamina: 00

It seemed abilities weren't infinite. They required energy.

The sun was setting, staining the sky a bloody red. The streets were mostly empty. Society was running on fumes, held together by the Authority. Fear and uncertainty were in everyone's eyes.

I sat on a park bench, my heart pounding with worry. I posted on every social platform I could think of.

0Zoe Clarke (Animal Communication): Missing one cat, two dogs, one turtle. An orange tabby, a Border Collie, and a Golden Retriever. Please contact me directly with any information.0

0Rick (Shrink): Is she for real? It's the end of the world and she's looking for pets. That ability is even more useless than mine.0

0Aria (Transparency): She probably thinks she's going to build an animal army or something.0

Others chimed in, mocking my ability. I didn't understand what satisfaction they got from it.

This was the park where I usually brought them to play. I prayed they could find their way here.

Exhausted, I hugged Luna and drifted off to sleep.

But my sleep was anything but peaceful. In my dream, my ability was fire. Damien hadn't shown his true colors at first; he just kept mooching off me.

No one had expected the first apocalypse to be a heatwave. A scorching wave of heat that ruined ninety percent of everyone's stored food.

Thanks to the Authority's efforts, there were daily rations, but it was barely enough.

Because of my powerful fire ability, I was highly valued. While I was out fighting for our lives, Damien was at home, fooling around with Jenna.

And the worst part? While I was gone, they tortured my precious pets to death.

The memory of their pitiful eyes, their agonizing cries&

I woke up to see Luna's clear eyes staring at me, and I burst into tears.

0Don't cry, Master.0 This must be Luna's precognition.

Even though I could talk to animals, their communication was limited.

0Zoe Clarke (Animal Communication): The next disaster will be a heatwave. Most non-perishable food will spoil. Hope this helps.0

The prevailing theory was a zombie apocalypse. That's what everyone was preparing for.

And now I was telling them their stockpiles were useless?

0Damien Finch (Fire): Zoe, why are you spreading lies like this? If you're out of food, you can come back. I'm waiting for you.0

0Jenna (Blade): Her ability is just talking to animals. I bet she s just trying to create chaos so she can hoard all the supplies for herself.0

0Rick (Shrink): You've got to be kidding me. How is there still trash like this stirring up trouble in the apocalypse? Captain Wallace, isn't the Authority going to do something about this menace?0

0Gus (Body Enhancement): Someone with a useless ability like that has no right to speak. She shouldn't get any rations. We should throw her to the zombies when they come.0

Humans. Sometimes, they're worse than any monster.

The cold light of the screen illuminated my face as I let out a sarcastic smirk.

Fine. Don't believe me. Just don't come crying to me later.

"Zoe, are you out of food? Trying to scam people in the chat? I was just angry yesterday. If you admit you were wrong, I'll let you come back." Damien's voice, though controlled, was dripping with smugness.

A cold glint flashed in my eyes. "Damien, did you run out of people to do your chores?"

Jenna s saccharine voice piped up. "If Damien wasn't worried about you, who would even care? You're throwing his kindness back in his face."

"Zoe, how could you say that! The apocalypse is coming. You're a girl, all alone, with no useful ability. It s dangerous for you out here." The last sentence was a veiled threat.

I ignored it and yelled, "I'll ask you one more time. Where did you dump my pets?"

Seeing that I wasn't backing down, Damien flew into a rage. "You'll never see those damn animals again! You can die with them in the apocalypse!"

With no leads, I decided to hide near my old house and sneak back in for supplies when Damien and Jenna were out.

0Master, this way.0 But Luna darted toward a patch of bushes.

There, among the greenery, was a vibrant green shell.

I hesitated. My turtle's shell wasn't this... beautiful.

0Animal Name: Atlas; Ability: The Shell Home.0

0A cozy, portable home with vast interior space and a large garden. Enjoy absolute privacy in a space that's hard to detect. Its sturdy materials are resistant to pressure and damage. The number one choice for real estate in the apocalypse!0

Before I could react, I was sucked inside.

Holy. Cow.

Staring at the three-story villa before me, I was speechless.

Luna was already splashing happily by the pool.

I rubbed my eyes. My turtle was leisurely floating on the water.

0Hel-lo. Make. Your-self. At. Home.0

My dear Atlas!

It felt like I d suddenly hit the jackpot and found a sugar daddy. I wouldn't have to struggle and scrape by in the apocalypse anymore!

First, search for and download the Novellia app from Google. Then, open the app and use the code "890015" to read the entire book.