Job Creation System: Apocalypse Workforce

[Host must have the courage to take risks. Items from the system always come with premium quality.]

Once again, the system responded in a lecturing tone, as if teaching Adam how to be a proper host—without actually answering his question.

Adam took a deep breath. What's happening to me? he thought. In a world falling apart, sooner or later, I'll have to face this kind of thing.

"There's no such thing as perfect timing," he muttered. Slowly, he peeked at the mutant ape again.

The creature was still pulsing with red energy, its body radiating an unstable, violent aura. At this moment, it was devouring the corpses of the fighters who had tried to kill it earlier.

"Tragic..." Adam whispered, feeling a slight chill run down his spine.

He turned away and slipped into a nearby storefront. The place was dark, seemingly an abandoned clothing store. Carefully, he reached into his pocket and pulled out all the crystals he had gathered.

41 crystals.

"Based on my absorption speed, 41 crystals should take about 41 minutes… But will that thing still be here by then?" he murmured.

Adam hesitated for a moment but ultimately decided to go through with it. If the ape left, he could track it again later. But if he died without strengthening himself first—then it would all be over.

Without further delay, he picked up the first blue crystal and began the absorption process.

One minute passed. His Speed attribute increased.

Crystal after crystal dissolved into his body, filling him with new energy. Occasionally, he could still hear the ape's heavy breathing and the sound of its fists pounding against its own chest in the distance.

Thirty minutes passed.

His senses sharpened, his thoughts became clearer. But as he tried to absorb another red crystal, something unusual happened.

"My Attack attribute… isn't increasing?" he muttered.

He checked his status panel.

[STATUS PANEL]

Name: Adam

Attack: 30 (Maximum)

Defense: 24

Speed: 25

Evolution: Microbe King

Skills: (Necrolysis), (Cell Regeneration)

"So this is the limit for the first tier?" he speculated. Maybe each evolution stage has a stat cap?

Even so, he continued absorbing the remaining crystals.

Once the process was complete, Adam felt a surge of energy coursing through his body. His muscles felt lighter, his movements more fluid—like a perfectly tuned machine.

"Yosh…" he exhaled, rolling his shoulders, testing his enhanced physique.

But strengthening his body alone wasn't enough. Now, he had to prepare.

His eyes swept across the store, stopping on the pile of clothes on the racks.

Without hesitation, he grabbed several pieces and began infusing them with his red microbes. If he was going to fight this mutant ape, he needed more than just weapons—he needed distractions.

A few minutes later, he had crafted ten makeshift human dummies—bundles of clothes stuffed with other garments to give them form.

After ensuring everything was ready, Adam stepped outside and arranged the dummies on the asphalt, positioning them as if they were people standing in place.

He also tied several microbe-infused fabrics around his waist—ready to be thrown at any time.

Everything's set.

Adam moved back to the side of the store, pressing himself against the wall. Slowly, he peeked out toward the mutant ape.

The creature was sitting motionless in front of a large building, its breathing heavy. It wasn't asleep, but it seemed to be digesting its latest meal.

Adam took a slow, steady breath.

He reached for his Viper Sniper, bringing the scope to his eye.

As he activated the targeting system, a status panel appeared on his scope, analyzing the ape's attributes.

[Mutant Ape: Active]

HP: 10,000

Attack: 24

Defense: 22

Speed: 21

Skills: (Brutal Smash), (Frenzied Rampage), (Iron Hide)

Adam narrowed his eyes.

"I can do this," he whispered, steadying his nerves.

Looking at the ape's stats, he felt a little more confident. They were high—but still within a range he could manage.

With steady hands, he pressed the trigger.

3... 2... 1...

Puff!

A shot was fired.

Adam watched as the bullet cut through the air with near-invisible speed.

The projectile had a sharp, tapered front with several retracting legs, while the rear was a glass-like capsule.

In an instant, the bullet lodged itself into the ape's arm.

Dukk!

The creature flinched, its eyes darting toward its wounded limb. But before it could react further…

Ssshhh…

A green mist started seeping out from the bullet's tip. Within seconds, the toxic cloud began engulfing the area around the ape.

Aargh!

The beast leaped away, trying to escape—but the gas followed it like a shadow.

Its eyes darted around in panic, desperately searching for the source of the attack.

And then…

Boom!

Doom!

It rampaged.

The mutant ape smashed through walls, shattered windows, and ripped apart street lamps in its blind fury.

Adam held his breath, staying completely still. From the sheer force of destruction, he could tell—the creature was in full berserk mode.

But it didn't last long.

Gradually, the sounds of destruction faded into silence.

Adam peeked out from behind the store's wall.

The ape's body lay still on the ground. It wasn't moving.

The toxic mist had begun to thin out, leaving only faint traces in the air.

Adam squinted, observing the status panel that was still active in his view.

There were no indicators of whether the creature was dead or unconscious.

"Did it die? Or just pass out?" he wondered.

For a brief moment, he considered asking the system. But no—he needed to verify this on his own.

Slowly, cautiously, Adam stepped forward.

He approached the massive body of the mutant ape, his senses on high alert.

Now that he was closer, he could see the bio-chemical bullet still embedded in the ape's arm.

He crouched down, studying the ape's torso.

No movement.

"...It's dead."

He exhaled in relief. Without hesitation, he unsheathed his large machete from his waist.

Srekk!

With a single clean cut, he severed the ape's right leg.

But there was no reaction.

No pained roar. No final struggle.

Nothing.

It was truly dead.

Adam nodded in satisfaction.

"Good," he murmured.

Without wasting another second, he immediately began dissecting the corpse.

There was something inside this mutant beast that he wanted to find.

Adam pressed his palm against the ape's body, channeling red microbes into its flesh.

"Find anything valuable."