Evolution: Microbe King – Legendary

"How do I use it?" Adam muttered as he studied the monitor. With no other buttons visible, he decided to click on the microbe icon displayed on the screen.

The microbe image vanished instantly, and a drawer in the desk slid open automatically.

"Huh…" Adam was startled. He hadn't expected the desk to have a hidden compartment. Inside the drawer was a transparent case containing a blue microbe. The organism was the size of an adult finger, pulsing as if it were alive.

"This must be the Evolution Gene," Adam thought. Based on the item's description, there was no doubt that this was the legendary reward he had just obtained.

However, a flicker of hesitation lingered in his heart. The microbe's appearance was unsettling, reminding him of the internal organs of a zombie he had once encountered.

[Place the Evolution Gene on the host's chest. The gene will integrate with the host's body.]

[Success depends on the host's physical resilience.]

[Failure will result in incomplete evolution, and the gene's capabilities will diminish.]

"Side effects?" Adam muttered uncertainly. Despite the risks, he knew this was a step he had to take. Taking a deep breath and suppressing his revulsion, he retrieved the microbe from the case.

The organism felt like cold jelly in his hands. Quickly, he lifted his shirt and pressed the microbe to the center of his chest.

"Cold…" Adam thought. The microbe felt icy against his skin, and the fine hairs on its surface began to move, brushing against him.

"Ugh… is it starting to merge?"

The microbe's hairs gradually penetrated Adam's skin. Its body also began to dissolve, seeping in like liquid merging with water. There was no pain, just a peculiar sensation.

"Is it done?" Adam wondered once the microbe had fully entered his body.

But the calm didn't last long. The microbe began moving, exploring his internal organs—lungs, heart, liver, intestines. It left no part of his body untouched, even venturing into his limbs, head, and private areas.

"Arghhh!"

Adam screamed in pain, clutching his chest with both hands, clawing at his skin as if trying to remove the invading organism. The agony spread throughout his body, like thousands of needles piercing every cell.

"Get out! Arghhh!" Adam cried out, losing his balance and collapsing to the floor of the factory. A mix of itching, burning, and searing pain overwhelmed him as the microbe seemed to infiltrate every cell in his body, taking over without mercy.

"Am I going to die here?" Adam thought in despair, staring at the factory wall with tear-filled eyes.

"This is it… the end of my work, the end of my life…" he mused, letting out a faint, bitter laugh.

But before he could finish his thoughts, the unbearable pain abruptly vanished. In an instant, his body felt warm and comfortable.

"What's this?" Adam slowly rose, examining his body.

He noticed his vision had changed. Everything around him appeared as a heat map—the shop walls glowed yellow, while his own hands shimmered blue, dotted with tiny specks. The same pattern extended across his feet, abdomen, and entire body.

[Congratulations, you have successfully merged with the Evolution Gene (Legendary Microbe King).]

A system notification appeared before him. Filled with curiosity, Adam immediately opened his status panel.

[STATUS PANEL]

Name: Adam

Attack: 1

Defense: 0

Speed: 0

Evolution: Legendary Microbe King

Skills:

(Necrolysis) Control the microbes in an enemy's body. Within 10 seconds, the microbes will damage skin tissues, cells, and internal organs. The microbes can survive for up to 5 minutes before dying.

(Cell Regeneration) Use the microbes in your own body to regenerate damaged cells.

"Thank you, God… it worked!" Adam breathed a sigh of relief, knowing his evolution was flawless.

"These skills are incredible…" he murmured, contemplating the utility of his newfound abilities.

Necrolysis, Adam thought, reading the description of his first skill. It was perfect for stealth attacks. Enemies might not even realize their bodies had been infected until it was too late.

His second skill, Cell Regeneration, gave him a significant advantage in recovery. With countless microbes in his body, minor wounds could heal in seconds—a vital asset in this perilous world.

Adam stared at his status panel for a while, absorbing the full scope of his new powers. But soon, his attention shifted to the two unopened rewards: the Land Chest and the Production Chest.

Opening the [Items] page, Adam highlighted the Land Chest icon. Clicking it triggered an animation of the chest opening on the monitor.

[Opening Land Chest: Acquired Wheat Field.]

[Congratulations! You have obtained a Wheat Field. Please access it through the (Field Room) door.]

"Field Room?" Adam murmured, glancing at the wall behind him. Sure enough, a new door had appeared, with a plaque that read "Field Room."

"I'll check that later," he decided, as something else felt more urgent.

Returning his focus to the monitor, Adam selected the Production Chest. Just like before, he clicked on the icon, and an opening animation played.

[Opening Production Chest: Acquired Flour Production Machine.]

[Congratulations! You have obtained a Flour Production Machine. Please access it through the (Production Room) door.]

Reading the message, Adam glanced to the right side of the room. This time, another new door had appeared, labeled "Production Room."

"Yosh!" he exclaimed with excitement.

Closing all active applications on the monitor, Adam returned to the main page. The system displayed his latest progress.

[JOB CREATION SYSTEM]

Owner: Adam

Wealth: -

Job Fields: (Wheat Field), (Flour Production)

Employees: -

Features: [Market], [Items]

"There's already a job field…" Adam muttered, smiling with satisfaction at the list.

However, his curiosity soon shifted to another feature: [Market]. He clicked on it to see what the marketplace looked like.

[MARKET]

Buy:

Power Crystal (10) - 10 Copper

Wheat Seeds (10kg) - 5 Copper

Mineral Water (10 liters) - 2 Copper

(This Week's Promo: 80%) Viper Sniper - 2 Silver

Sell: (Empty)

[Note: The market will update every 6 hours.]

Adam examined the Market page. Two main columns dominated the screen: Buy and Sell.

In the Buy column, four items were listed, each with its respective price. His attention was drawn to the discounted weapon, the Viper Sniper. An 80% discount? Only 2 silver? The offer was too enticing to pass up.

Meanwhile, the Sell column was still empty. Adam assumed this was where he could list items for sale.

"Pretty comprehensive," he thought. This feature was clearly going to be key to managing his factory and meeting future needs.