Chapter 8: The story of Zero's parents

Zero's mother, Alina, used to work in a cosmetic salon, even before the new tax made her life difficult. Her fate was already difficult: she was an orphan and had to fight for her place in the world on her own.

Gradually she managed to find a job and found a husband. Their meeting was not romantic at all: they met when Alina came to pay her first taxes, and even quarreled over a minor incident in the parking lot, when her car hit her future husband's car.

Zero's father worked at a nano-suit development station. Despite his high skills, his low social ranking prevented him from climbing the career ladder.

A few days after the quarrel, over a cup of cheap but delicious coffee, they met again by chance and this time found common interests. It was 'love at second sight'. After a brief period of dating, they decided to get married, which helped boost their ratings a bit, though not for long. Together, they continued to fight for a place under the sun and found solace in each other.

Alina was a simple woman who had no social privileges, and her life became a series of difficulties due to the new taxes. Their family still could not hold on in the face of the worsening economic situation and they were forced to leave the city like many other people. Since their ranking did not allow them to obtain basic resources, they moved to the forest. The forest was fertile and rich in neons, causing it to have many nutrients and clean air, but it was also dangerous due to animal mutations caused by the increased concentration of neons.

Years passed, and Alina and her husband, although they dreamed of a child, for a long time could not give birth to one. They lived modestly, hiding in remote forests to escape the dangers that grew in their world with each passing year. The forest, once their sanctuary, was now becoming less and less safe. Mutated creatures, resulting from the increased strength of the neons, began to populate the neighborhood. They were bigger, faster, more aggressive, and much more dangerous than the normal animals humans had dealt with before.

Alina, who finally became pregnant (when the macroparticle had fully formed its point, providing the foundations for new life), along with her husband, tried to survive despite the lack of resources and the danger with each passing day. However, life in the forest became increasingly unbearable. Mutated predators hunted even at night, destroying everything in their path. Their roars reached the couple when they hid in their small hut. One day, when a group of mutated creatures suddenly attacked their hideout, the situation became critical. Alina's husband realized that they would not be able to escape - his pregnant wife was too weak to flee. He knew that if they didn't do something immediately, they would both be destroyed. They had been together all these years, supporting each other, and now he was willing to give up everything to ensure that she and their future child survived. With pain in his heart, Alina's husband made a hard decision. He asked her to stay in a safe place while he distracted the predators.

- I have to do this for our child - he said as he hugged her one last time. He came out of hiding, determined to confront the danger.

He rushed towards the mutated animals, doing his best to divert their attention away from his pregnant wife. His sacrifice was not in vain - the animals chased him, allowing Alina to escape to safety. But that day was her husband's last. His life was cut short in that dangerous forest, but his love and sacrifice remained forever in her heart. He died without ever meeting his son. This was a huge blow to Alina, but she knew she had to survive for the sake of the child, Zero, who would be the beginning of a new, zero era.

Zero had not yet been born, but his journey had already begun, surrounded by the dangers and sacrifices that were to be made for his arrival into the world. It is a tragic story of sacrifice and the beginning of the journey of a being who has long since ceased to be just a being, but has become a new rule in this world, ready to take his first step into human history.