Boss Zero

"Amel, huh?" Adam muttered, his eyes scanning the girl from head to toe.

From her clothing, she looked like someone who had previously worked as a cashier or something similar.

"Where did you work before?" he asked casually.

Amel swallowed hard, still hesitant. "I worked at BANK BNI… as a bank teller," she answered softly.

Her voice trembled, the trauma still clinging to her. But slowly, her expression became more composed as she realized Adam wasn't a threat—he was their savior.

Adam gave a small nod.

"Where did you live before this? Do you have any other family members somewhere?" he asked, his tone calm yet purposeful.

If these women were going to be his employees, he had to ensure they had no lingering ties—nothing that could become a hindrance in the future.

At his question, both women's expressions darkened. Their faces grew heavy, as if recalling something painful.

Finally, Serina spoke first.

"My husband… was killed by that lunatic," she said, her voice shaking, her red-rimmed eyes flickering toward Viper's lifeless body with deep resentment.

Adam exhaled, glancing at the corpse on the floor.

I can't bring back the dead… but I can avenge them. And I already have.

"And? Do you have any other family?" he pressed.

"No one else… My grandmother and extended family are in another city," Serina replied softly.

Adam nodded slowly.

Good. No lingering ties.

That meant they could work without distractions or any reason to leave his factory.

But there was one problem.

How do I recruit them?

Silence.

Adam glanced around. No system panel appeared. No pop-up options to click.

Do I just offer them a job? he thought.

But if he outright asked them to work in his factory, wouldn't that sound insane?

They might think he had lost his mind.

Then, an image of his factory flashed in his head—the cashier desk, the monitors, the farmland, and…

The interview room.

"Ahh… right, the interview room!" Adam muttered in excitement.

But still, he had to find a way to convince them to work for him—without making them feel forced.

He looked at the two women and finally decided to introduce himself.

"My name is Adam. How should I address you?" he asked directly.

Serina was the first to answer.

"I'm Serina, and this is my daughter, Amel."

She gently wrapped her arm around Amel's shoulder, as if reaffirming that they still had each other.

Adam nodded, pretending he was only now learning their names.

Inside his mind, the gears of his plan began turning.

"What's your plan now?" he asked, his voice still calm, but his sharp gaze searching for more than just an answer.

Serina hesitated before finally speaking.

"Our family planned to find a rescue team, but on the way, those two maniacs ambushed us."

"A rescue team, huh… I hope they actually show up," Adam said flatly.

It was hard to tell if he meant it as genuine hope or just empty words.

"But until they do, why don't you take shelter at my place for now?" he offered, testing the waters.

The two women exchanged glances, uncertainty mixed with a glimmer of hope in their eyes.

After a moment, Serina nodded and asked, "Alright… but where is this place?"

Adam paused.

A dilemma crossed his mind.

Should he take them to the underground factory or keep them here?

Suddenly, a system notification popped up.

[ The Factory Room is restricted to the HOST and employees only. Not a residential area. ]

The warning instantly erased the first option from his mind.

His only choice was to use the computer store as a temporary shelter.

"Sorry… I meant here," he said, scratching his head as if that had been his plan all along.

But instead of disappointment, the two women nodded, their expressions softening with gratitude.

"Thank you, sir," Serina said sincerely, her voice almost trembling.

Adam let out a quiet sigh of relief before turning his gaze back to them.

"Don't call me 'sir.' Call me Boss Zero."

For a moment, silence filled the room.

Serina and Amel exchanged looks before hesitantly nodding.

"Alright… Boss Zero."

Their tone was awkward, but Adam knew they would get used to it in time.

Without wasting another second, he stood up and stretched his body.

Rolling his shoulders, he slowly rotated his neck.

Crack… crack…

"I'm going to clean up this place a bit, ma'am," he said bluntly.

His muscles were still slightly tense from the previous fight, but there was no time to rest.

As he moved toward the storage room, he noticed Amel also getting up.

She quietly began picking up trash and organizing the space, helping to clean the room without being asked.

Adam raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised.

I didn't tell her to work, but… she doesn't seem like the type to just sit around.

He let her be and joined in the cleaning process.

First, he worked on the scattered computer racks, picking up anything still usable and moving them to the storage room.

Luckily, the storage area contained basic cleaning supplies, making the job much easier.

Soon, they started restoring the once-chaotic computer shop.

Even the bathroom still had running water, allowing them to mop the floors clean.

The front windows were wiped down until they were crystal clear.

After about ten minutes of hard work, the room finally looked livable.

The computer accessory shelves were neatly arranged along the walls, creating more open space.

The once-scattered display tables were now lined up properly in the corner.

"Thank you," Adam said, glancing at Amel.

Her expression looked calmer now.

Maybe working was her way of distracting herself from the trauma.

Amel simply nodded before returning to her mother's side.

Adam could sense this was their way of expressing gratitude—paying back the man who had saved their lives.

He decided to let them rest for now.

Their minds had to be in shambles.

The world had ended, their husband was dead, and they had faced horrors beyond imagination.

They needed time to process everything.

"System, can they force their way into the elevator?" Adam asked internally, seeking reassurance.

[ Employees cannot enter the elevator without the HOST's permission. ]

A faint smirk played on Adam's lips.

At least this was something he had complete control over.

He walked over to the cashier's desk, where his machete was resting.

Then, glancing at the mother and daughter, he said, "You can stay here for now. I'm going to check out the surrounding area."

Without another word, he stepped toward the door, ready to explore the outside world.