Job Creation System: Apocalypse Workforce

A Colonel was just one rank below a General. The offer sounded tempting. But he knew the consequences. Privacy would be gone, his body would be examined inside and out, and every decision he made would be under the control of higher-ups.

Adam was not someone who liked being restrained. Freedom was the most valuable thing to him.

At least I know they highly value Awakeners, he thought calmly.

The stronger he became, the better his bargaining chip if he ever wanted to negotiate with the government in the future. Right now, all he needed to do was survive and grow.

Since no survivors came out to take Jenderal Takulani's offer, the military convoy eventually scanned a few buildings with their searchlights before continuing their journey.

Adam watched from a distance, hoping Serina and Amel wouldn't make a reckless decision.

"Alright... I should get moving too," he thought, stretching his legs.

But before he could stand, a group of people emerged from the opposite direction of the military convoy. A gang of men.

"Hahaha... that government. They still think they have power," a man in a thick black jacket sneered, a rifle slung over his shoulder.

"You're right, Boss. They're still busy searching for people while we're out here hunting mutant beasts," said another man with a mohawk. He and several others were pulling a cart loaded with the carcass of a massive dog, nearly a meter tall.

"Hurry up and bring it in! Skin and dissect it. Make sure we extract the gene parasite inside," the man in the black jacket—clearly their leader—ordered.

The group headed toward a tall building not far from Adam's hiding spot. As they got closer, a man stepped out from the building and whispered something into the leader's ear.

Adam, observing from behind the ice cream shop's display, widened his eyes.

Shit... I was being watched this whole time?

His heartbeat quickened. He had checked the lower levels of the buildings but had failed to monitor the upper floors.

His mind raced, calculating escape routes. His right hand instinctively gripped the Sniper Viper, while his eyes and brain worked together to map out the most efficient way out.

But before he could think further, a flashlight beam landed directly on the store window.

"Come out, friend... we know you're in there," the leader said, his tone casual.

Adam tensed, lifting his head slightly to get a better look at them. The group remained in place, showing no signs of immediate aggression.

"We survivors should get to know each other. We're from the Darkness Gang. Which group are you from?" the leader continued, his voice calm.

Adam exhaled slowly. He had no choice but to confront them.

Steeling himself, he stood up and stepped out of the store. His rifle remained firmly in his grip, though he kept it pointed downward.

The group eyed him carefully. His military-style jacket, full-face helmet, and Sniper Viper made it difficult for them to read him.

He stopped five meters away, keeping a safe distance. Now, he could see them clearly.

Eight people. Five men, three women. All of them armed.

Besides the mutant dog's carcass, their cart also contained supplies and looted goods.

Adam remained standing tall, his grip on the Sniper Viper unwavering. In front of him, the man in the black jacket—their leader—studied him with clear interest.

"Fiuhh... nice weapon, friend. Where'd you get it?" the man asked, his gaze fixed on Adam's rifle.

"Found it on the road," Adam replied calmly, keeping his tone neutral.

The leader smirked. "Oh? So, are you alone, or part of a group?"

"Alone," Adam answered quickly. "I'm not affiliated with anyone." He then reached into his pocket, pulling out a handful of red crystals, letting them slip between his fingers. "But I'm looking to exchange information. You up for that?"

The leader's eyes flickered toward the crystals in Adam's hand, his expression shifting slightly. "Good… you understand how this world works. What do you want to know?"

Adam tossed ten crystals toward him. "Tell me about this 'gene parasite' you mentioned… and where you found that giant dog."

The man arched an eyebrow before catching all ten crystals with swift reflexes. His speed was impressive—clear proof that he had undergone evolution as well.

He weighed the crystals in his palm before glancing at Adam again. "Not enough, friend. Add five more."

Adam didn't hesitate. He threw five more.

The leader counted them, then smiled in satisfaction. "You lot, head inside first," he said to his subordinates. They nodded and hauled the cart into the building, dragging the massive mutant dog corpse along.

Fuhh...

The leader lit a cigarette, inhaling deeply before blowing out a thick cloud of smoke. "Listen, kid. I can tell you're still figuring things out. But in times like these, forming alliances is the smart move."

"Since you paid in crystals, I'll share a little information," he continued. "The 'gene parasite' I mentioned is what allows us to evolve and survive. You probably already know that. But more importantly, these parasites can only be found inside mutated creatures—like that big dog we just brought in."

Adam nodded. That much, he had already suspected. But this transaction wasn't just about information. By throwing the crystals, he had also spread his microbes onto the leader's body. In his vision, the man was now covered in faint red dots.

But was it enough? Could his microbes penetrate the defenses of an evolved individual?

"Thanks, Mister…?" Adam asked, prompting an introduction.

"Ozan," the man replied. "I lead the Darkness Gang."

Adam nodded slightly. "Zero."

Ozan grinned. "You seem like someone still looking for a safe place. The Darkness Gang always has room for you."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper, tossing it toward Adam.

"Consider this a gesture of goodwill. A map of the areas we've explored so far," he said, taking another drag of his cigarette.

Adam caught the map and unfolded it slightly, scanning the marked locations. His eyes narrowed.

Interesting...

But one thing still bugged him. "Ozan, earlier you called me a 'normal kid.' What did you mean by that?"

Ozan chuckled softly. "Well… you get what I mean," he said, his eyes holding an unreadable glint. "Young men in times like these often act like heroes. With a little bit of power, they think they can steal food from those who are stronger."

Adam remained silent, processing his words.

Suddenly, one of Ozan's subordinates stepped out of the building and whispered something into his ear.

A wide grin spread across Ozan's face. "Good…" he murmured, waving his hand dismissively to let the subordinate leave.

His gaze returned to Adam. "I won't take up more of your time," he said. "You're still hesitant, aren't you?"

Before Adam could respond, Ozan slightly raised his hand and gave it a small shake.

A sudden, invisible shockwave burst from his body.

Adam's eyes widened. A heavy pressure filled the air, making the surroundings tremble for a brief moment.

The red microbes Adam had spread vanished in an instant.

"I hope that helps ease your doubts," Ozan said casually, exhaling the last puff of his cigarette before flicking the butt to the ground. "And one last piece of advice… don't join the government, especially the military."

Without waiting for a reply, he turned around and strode into the building with an unsettling calmness, as if nothing had happened.

Adam remained where he stood, his breathing slightly heavy beneath his full-face helmet.

"He… sensed my microbes?" Adam thought, his jaw tightening.

That wasn't normal. Only someone with a high-tier evolutionary gene could possibly do that.

"Damn it… he must have a legendary gene," he realized.

His fingers clenched around the folded map Ozan had given him.

"I need to get out of here," he muttered, turning on his heel and disappearing into the shadows of the ruined city.