Look like the villain

The man nodded firmly, though his face was still filled with fear. "Yes, sir. I have it. I'll get it right away."

Without waiting for a response, he turned and rushed inside the store. His movements were quick, like a man clinging to his last shred of hope.

Adam almost stopped him but decided against it. The man probably thought that thing could save his life.

"Don't do anything stupid," Adam muttered in his heart. If the man tried anything suspicious, he wouldn't hesitate to end him. That was just how the world worked now—no mercy for the weak.

A few minutes later, the man returned, slightly out of breath. In his hands was a pitch-black, oval-shaped object covered in fine, writhing hairs.

A parasite.

Adam's chest tightened. His sharp eyes locked onto the creature. Damn, he really had one.

Adam stepped forward, his voice sharp. "Where did you get it?"

The man swallowed hard. The brief moment of excitement he had when bringing out the parasite vanished instantly. Under Adam's intense gaze, he took half a step back.

"F-From the street," he answered with a trembling voice. "I was out searching for food when I saw the corpse of a large dog. Its body was nearly destroyed, but this thing crawled out of its chest."

Adam frowned. "And you took it?"

The man nodded quickly. "I thought... it might be useful someday."

Adam examined the parasite closely. He still found it hard to believe that someone with such weak stats—his attributes were probably around 3 points at most—could have gotten it so easily. This man hadn't undergone Evolution yet, nor did he possess any advantages. How did he survive?

"The corpse," Adam continued, his voice cold. "Did you see anyone nearby? Soldiers, hunters, anyone?"

The man shook his head, his face growing even paler. "No. Just the dog's corpse. I don't know who killed it."

Adam thought quickly. If the body had truly been left behind, there were two possibilities. First, the killer didn't know about the parasite. Second, they were in a hurry and didn't have time to retrieve it.

"Soldiers," he murmured to himself. Maybe the military was still unaware of parasites, focusing only on clearing out mutants.

He exhaled, then turned his gaze to the man who was still kneeling, holding his two children close. The sight made something tighten in Adam's chest.

"Huft... now I look like the villain," he thought.

Without saying much, he turned to Amel. "Amel, come here."

The little girl quickly approached, her eyes sparkling with curiosity as she observed the man and his children.

"Apologize," Adam said casually.

The man looked up, his eyes still wet. Adam stared at him for a moment before bowing slightly. "I apologize, sir. For doubting you."

There was a brief pause before Amel also bowed her head. "Sorry, sir. We scared you," she said in a rare serious tone.

The man remained silent for a moment, then his lips trembled. Tears streamed down his face again, but this time, they weren't from fear. He kissed both his children's cheeks gently. "It's okay now, kids… don't be afraid anymore."

Adam and Amel watched in silence. Especially Adam. He realized just how excessive his reaction had been.

"I need to be wiser when judging new people," he thought. But of course, that didn't apply to those who were obvious threats.

After a few minutes, the man finally managed to compose himself. His breathing steadied, and his grip on his children loosened slightly.

Adam glanced at the parasite in his hand. "Mr. Ucok, do you know what that thing is? It's called a parasite."

The man shook his head cluelessly. "No, sir. I just felt like... it might be valuable."

Adam sighed. Ignorance was the greatest weakness in this world. If someone had ill intentions, this man would've been dead long ago.

For a moment, Adam considered taking the parasite by force. But then, another idea crossed his mind.

"That thing is extremely useful, Mr. Ucok. If you use it, you can gain superhuman powers."

The man's eyes widened. "Superhuman powers?" he echoed, his voice filled with shock. Memories flashed through his mind, fragments of past events. "You mean... I could fight back against those monsters?"

Adam and Amel nodded in unison. "That's right. You'll become stronger—several times stronger than you are now."

The man swallowed hard. Interest was now clearly visible on his face. His hands trembled slightly as he lifted the parasite higher, allowing Adam to get a better look. "How do I use it, sir?" he asked, his voice tinged with hope.

Adam stared at the man calmly. "To use it, just press it against your chest and endure the pain," he explained, giving him a little push.

The man looked at the parasite in his hands hesitantly. "It's that simple?"

After a few seconds, he pressed the parasite against his chest. Nothing happened. He glanced at Adam, confused.

"It has to touch your skin," Adam said nonchalantly.

The man froze for a moment, then took a deep breath and lifted his shirt. The moment the parasite made contact with his skin—

"Argh!"

He collapsed face-first onto the ground, his body going rigid. His hands clutched his chest, his nails nearly piercing his skin.

"It hurts! My chest—!" he screamed, his body convulsing violently. His skin reddened, drenched in sweat.

"Dad!" The little girl cried and tried to run to him. "What's happening to him?!"

The boy beside her looked at Adam in panic. "Help my dad! Please, do something!"

Amel quickly moved. Swiftly, she pulled the two children away. "Stay back! Your father is evolving," she said, trying to reassure them.

"But... but he's in pain!" the little girl sobbed, reaching out for her father.

Amel crouched down, looking at the girl gently. "Come here, hug me," she whispered. Her clear eyes reflected something deeper—a memory of her own family, before everything changed.

She turned to Adam. "Boss, let's help them."

Adam furrowed his brows. He was silent for a moment, then gave a slight nod. "Alright."

If he didn't know Amel's past, he might've thought she had abandoned her principles about other people. But in this situation, he, too, felt something unsettling.

"Arghhh!"

The man's screams grew even more agonizing. His skin now glowed red, his veins bulging as if they were about to burst. His eyeballs turned bloodshot, almost popping out of their sockets.

Adam felt a bad premonition. "This isn't normal..."