Facing Two Guests

"Mom... what about Dad?" the young girl's voice trembled, her face drenched in tears and fear.

"Quiet... they can hear you," her mother whispered, her voice barely audible. Deep sorrow was etched on her face as she held her daughter tightly, as if trying to shield her from a world that had become increasingly cruel.

Behind the office desk, Adam observed the fear and desperation in the two women. He wanted to step in and help immediately, but his survival instincts kept him from acting recklessly.

Were they uninfected?

Was this an enemy trap?

No one could be sure, so Adam continued to watch them with a serious gaze, his breathing steady, his mind working rapidly.

Minutes passed. No signs of others entering the room through the main door. The surveillance monitor still showed no threats.

"Alright… time to move," he murmured.

Judging from their movements, the women were most likely uninfected. Besides, after his recent evolution, Adam was confident he could handle them if things went south.

"Oh, and also… I can recruit them as employees." Adam thought with a hint of excitement, completely ignoring the system's mockery.

As long as it makes me stronger, why not? he mused casually before grabbing his machete again and heading toward the elevator.

As he pressed the button to go up, the old elevator creaked, its mechanisms groaning as it slowly carried him to the computer store's floor. The moment the doors slid open, he was met with the sight of the older woman tightening her embrace around the young girl, her eyes filled with terror and dread.

"Who are you?! Stay back!" the woman shouted, her voice trembling.

Adam raised a finger to his lips, signaling them to stay quiet. With calm precision, he slightly concealed the large machete—the clear source of their fear. His sharp eyes scanned them for any weapons before he silently moved toward the front of the room.

From behind the window, he surveyed the chaotic street—black blood, thick dust, flames consuming buildings. All that remained was destruction.

"No one's around?" he thought. "Then who was chasing them? What made them so terrified?"

For a moment, suspicion crept into his mind—what if they were deceiving him? Their act was almost too convincing.

But before he could analyze further, his eyes locked onto two figures across the street.

One was a bald man with a cigarette between his lips, while the other was taller, holding a pistol. They were methodically checking buildings one by one, and unfortunately, their next target was the store Adam was in.

Adam's chest tightened. "Damn it, they're heading this way."

His mind raced with possible scenarios. A fight to the death was likely inevitable. His breathing wavered slightly, but then the tiny red and green dots on his hands reminded him of something.

The legendary gene…

His eyes flicked to the status panel he had just reopened.

Skill: (Necrolysis), (Cell Regeneration).

Reading the descriptions of his abilities, the tension in his body eased slightly.

"If even with a legendary gene I'm still afraid… then what kind of gene would I need to be brave?" he mocked himself.

He clenched his fist. "I need to be ready."

Adam moved toward the cashier's desk and locked eyes with the two women. With a finger pressed to his lips, he gestured for them to stay silent.

"Shhh."

The women flinched slightly, but not too much. From the way Adam had appeared until now, they could sense that he wasn't an evil person. But fear still lingered in their eyes—alongside a sliver of hope.

"You're being chased by two men outside, aren't you? One of them is bald?" Adam asked, making sure.

The women nodded. Just mentioning the bald man caused their expressions to tense even further.

Adam sensed there was more to this. "Do you have any useful information about them?" he asked, hoping for anything that could influence the battle's outcome.

The older woman hesitated before shaking her head. "I'm sorry, sir… we don't know anything about them. They killed my husband and started chasing us," she said, her voice quivering, her eyes welling up with fresh tears.

Adam studied her face, analyzing her expression. There were no lies, only pain and fear.

"Alright… I'll help you, but you have to be involved. How about it?" he asked directly.

He already had a plan forming in his mind. However, the success rate was low.

He planned to spread the microbes in his hands onto those two men and destroy their cells. But to do that, he needed direct contact.

From his earlier experiment, he knew the microbes on his hands couldn't travel through the air. That meant he needed assistance.

The older woman bit her lip, clearly hesitant. But her eyes revealed a deep resolve.

"I'll do it… but my daughter and my baby stay here," she said firmly. Her maternal instincts were undeniable.

Adam nodded. "Good..."

His eyes scanned the area, searching for something. He couldn't afford to waste time.

His gaze finally settled on a crumpled piece of paper lying near a desk shelf.

Quickly, he tore the paper into a small wad and crushed it in his hand, allowing the microbes to transfer onto its surface. His left fist tightened, ensuring the microbes stayed in place until the right moment.

"You need to pretend to surrender and follow whatever they want," Adam whispered, his tone calm but firm. He had to make sure the woman understood his plan without hesitation.

"Then, find a way to throw this paper ball at one of them," he continued, lowering his voice even more.

The woman stared at him, suspicion flickering in her eyes. "What is this?"

"You don't need to know. After you do it, your job is done."

Adam's tone left no room for debate. Over-explaining would only lead to more questions or, worse, make her hesitate and panic. He couldn't afford that risk.

The woman fell silent. Slowly, she began to understand her role in the plan. The plea in her eyes was replaced with determination.

"Thank you, sir. Please… save my daughter and my baby," she said firmly.

She turned to the young girl beside her, placing a gentle hand on her head before leaning down to kiss her baby one last time.

There was sadness in her eyes, but also… courage.

Then, taking a deep breath, she stood up and moved toward another table in the store, carefully positioning herself in hiding—remaining within Adam's line of sight.

Adam watched her from behind the desk, narrowing his eyes.

"Good… very good," he praised internally.

The woman even hunched slightly, shivering as if she were truly terrified. With quick precision, she tore a few pieces off the edge of her shirt to make her appearance more convincing. Small details like these could determine the plan's success.

Meanwhile, beside her, the young girl who had remained silent all this time finally spoke.

"Mom..."

Adam turned and found the girl staring at him. That gaze pierced through him—not with fear, but with burning hatred.

Adam could feel it—as if she wanted to peel every layer of his skin and burn him down to nothing.

He let out a quiet sigh, remaining calm despite her dagger-like stare.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked flatly.

The girl didn't answer. Her dark eyes only sharpened, brimming with restrained rage. Even in her silence, Adam could read it clearly: hatred, anger, distrust.

He sighed softly, then shrugged. "What kind of look is that? Don't you want to be saved?"

The girl clenched her fists tightly but remained silent. Her face revealed an internal struggle between fear and fury.

But before the tension could escalate further, the sound of a door being violently kicked open echoed through the room.

A flashlight beam cut through the darkness, illuminating desks and scattered computer equipment. Long shadows danced wildly along the walls, twisting with every movement of the flashlight's holder.

"Damn it… where the hell did those two women go?!" one of the men cursed in frustration.

"This is your fault! I told you to chase them faster!" the other man complained.

"Bullshit… you were too much of a coward to shoot them!"

Their voices echoed through the silent room, reaching Adam's ears. He was already prepared, his fingers tightening around the handle of his machete.

Suddenly, the flashlight stopped moving. One of the men cursed under his breath.

"Shit… she's over there!"

Heavy footsteps approached, closing in on the old woman's hiding spot.

"Bastard… where's the other one?! Huh?!" the bald man shouted in frustration.

Adam heard a sharp gasp of pain. The old woman was yanked up roughly, the sound of fabric tearing echoing in the room. The young girl beside her immediately covered her own mouth, her body trembling violently.

Adam remained silent, hoping the woman would endure.

"Viper, check the surroundings!" the bald man ordered sharply.

The flashlight moved again, sweeping across every corner of the room. After a few moments, the beam finally stopped on the cashier's desk—where Adam and the young girl were hiding.

Caught.

Adam straightened up, his breathing steady. He could launch a quick slash, but the distance was too far—the man's gun would fire faster than he could move.

"Stand up! Come out!" the armed man shouted.

Adam slowly stood, locking eyes with him. The man's gaze was initially full of confidence, but gradually shifted to one of shock.

"Ahh, so that's how it is…" Adam murmured in realization.