FACTORY WORKERS WANTED

Adam kept walking through the city streets, weaving his way past ruins and abandoned vehicles. Behind him, three large carts jolted with every bump on the uneven road. He had to clear a path to get them through, slowing his journey more than expected. It took him nearly an hour to finally reach the computer store—the place he had temporarily claimed as his base.

Upon arrival, Adam parked the carts in front of the entrance and pushed open the door. Inside, Serina and Amel were already standing, their expressions showing readiness to help. The large glass windows had given them a clear view of his approach.

"Let us help you, Boss," Serina offered first. Beside her, Amel quickly nodded, eager to assist.

Adam didn't mind. "Yeah... help me move everything into the warehouse," he said shortly.

With their help, the process would be much faster. Time was running out, and he had to move quickly. It had already been three hours since the zombie apocalypse began, and he only had three more hours to buy the Viper rifle at an 80% discount before the promo expired.

Serina and Amel immediately stepped outside and began unloading the carts. Every time they pulled out an item, their expressions shifted between awe and surprise. Nearly every essential survival supply they could think of was already accounted for.

As Amel lifted a small box from the pile, she paused. "Mom… look at this," she said, turning to Serina, who was busy carrying a crate of bottled water.

Serina glanced over, initially unfazed—until her eyes landed on the item in Amel's hands. Her face instantly turned red.

Amel was holding a pack of sanitary pads.

"Hurry, put it away and take it inside!" Serina blurted out in a flustered tone. With her cheeks still burning, she rushed back into the store, unwilling to discuss the matter further.

At that moment, Adam happened to step outside and caught a glimpse of the scene. His gaze narrowed as he noticed Amel hesitating, staring at the box in her hands. His mind raced.

"Damn… what is this girl thinking?" he muttered internally, his brows furrowing. "Don't tell me she thinks I bought that for myself?!"

Not wanting the misunderstanding to escalate, Adam quickly approached her and clarified in a serious tone, "That's for you two. Keep it safe."

Amel froze for a moment before her previously confused expression softened. Her eyes warmed, and a smile spread across her face. "Thank you, Boss," she said sincerely before continuing her task.

Adam let out a relieved sigh. That was close—he nearly got labeled as a weirdo over something completely normal. He recalled the system's previous jab at him and shook his head.

"Maybe stupidity really is a curse…" he thought to himself.

Shoving the unnecessary thoughts aside, Adam gave his head a small shake and refocused on the task at hand. He grabbed some of the heavier items from the carts, speeding up the unloading process before he ran out of time.

Ten minutes later, all the supplies had been moved into the warehouse and neatly stacked. The three carts were left outside; for now, there was no need to worry about anyone tampering with them.

Inside the store, Amel and her mother had already set up a small resting area at the front, near the right side. A fabric mat was laid on the floor, with several bottles of water and drinks arranged neatly beside it. Adam had intentionally provided these as a small form of payment for their help.

At that moment, Adam was writing something on a piece of paper. His hand moved steadily as he scribbled down the words, refining his thoughts with each stroke of the pen.

FACTORY WORKERS WANTED

Requirements: Male/Female, hardworking, disciplined.

Salary: Daily meals and drinks, accommodation, + protection.

Working hours: 9 - 5

"Perfect," Adam muttered in satisfaction as he reviewed his writing. Though a bit messy, at least it was legible enough for an elementary schooler.

He walked toward the store entrance and stuck the paper onto the door. "For now, this should be enough," he thought to himself. In truth, he wasn't actually looking for workers—he just wanted to subtly pique the interest of the two women.

After posting it on the door, he moved inside and stuck another copy onto the large glass window, ensuring the announcement was clearly visible to Serina and Amel.

Adam might have had an innocent-looking face, but the way the two women glanced at each other showed they had already caught on to his true intentions.

"Excuse me, Boss, are you seriously looking for employees? Where exactly is your company?" Serina asked, her expression filled with doubt.

"Nice, she took the bait," Adam thought excitedly. Without missing a beat, he confidently responded, "Of course. I'm not joking. Are you interested?"

Serina still looked hesitant. She glanced at Amel, who quietly nodded at her. After a brief moment of contemplation, Serina turned back to Adam and finally said, "Alright, I accept, Boss."

"Perfect," Adam mused internally, though he maintained a professional expression.

"Good," he said in a serious tone. "Get yourself ready. The interview will start in five minutes."

He gestured toward the elevator at the back of the store. "Take that elevator, and it'll take you straight to the factory."

Serina turned around, her gaze landing on the elevator she hadn't paid much attention to before. Her face reflected a mix of confusion and growing curiosity.

Adam then walked toward the elevator himself. Once inside, he pressed the button to go down. The elevator moved smoothly, bringing him to the entrance of his factory.

"Alright… next is the interview stage," Adam muttered casually. His eyes flickered to the left side of the room, where a glass-walled chamber stood. Inside, a neatly arranged desk and an office chair awaited him.

He pushed the glass door open and stepped inside.

[ Welcome to the interview room ]

Adam was caught off guard by the system's sudden greeting. "You don't usually give a welcome message," he remarked while scanning the interview room. From the outside, it seemed like an ordinary, standard interview space. However, one thing stood out—the holographic panel floating above the desk.

He walked over to his designated chair and examined the panel hovering before him.

[ Interview Panel ]

Positions Needed: Hiring 2 employees

Specifications:

Farmland Worker: Must have experience in agriculture, be able to work directly on the field, hardworking, and disciplined.

Production Worker: Must have experience operating computers, disciplined, and detail-oriented.

"Okay… I should update the job description next time," Adam mused casually.

While waiting for the five-minute mark, he absentmindedly observed his arm. "I wonder… what kind of abilities do people gain?" he pondered. His eyes traced the microscopic specks on his skin—some glowing red, others green.

"The evolution of the Microbe King is impressive, but it'll be a hassle if my opponent is a long-range fighter and I can't touch them," he analyzed inwardly.

He attempted to make the microbial specks move through the air, but no matter how hard he concentrated, they wouldn't budge. "Never mind… I just hope my next evolution lets me spread them without direct contact," he murmured, full of anticipation.

Before he knew it, five minutes had passed. The elevator doors slid open, revealing Serina standing there, visibly awestruck as she took in the sight of the factory floor.

She turned to her left and spotted Adam watching her. Casually, he raised a hand and waved, motioning for her to step inside.