Marauder of the Apocalypse
Chapter 125: Moving

With the escape route blocked, cleaning up was easy.

We worked hard to take over the townhouse. We blocked the main entrance and escape route, killed anyone who approached, and formed teams to clear each house one by one.

We pulled people hiding in closets out and struck their heads with hammers, shot those hiding under beds with pistols, crushed those hiding in storage rooms with fallen shelves—killing regardless of age or gender.

No matter how well-armed these survivors were with slings, once their fortress had fallen, they were just flies before our guns.

Afterward, my companions searched every corner of the townhouse for anyone who might still be hiding like cockroaches.

"Nice view."

I climbed to the roof of the solar-powered house, swinging my blood-stained hammer. Looking around, I could see the entire townhouse spread out below.

The townhouse grounds were surrounded by construction soundproof walls and pointed fences. It was enclosed—walls stretched in all directions like a prison. Even the rear escape route was blocked by a dirt mound that formed a cliff.

'A real fortress.'

With a machine gun mounted on the watchtower, it was a position that could even face off against the military.

Jeon Do-hyung pointed to fields created by overturning small yards or roads beside me. Fields where unidentifiable plants grew abundantly. There were vegetables that didn't seem ready for harvest yet, and others like lettuce that were ready to be picked.

"Not bad. They can be somewhat self-sufficient, and with groundwater, there's no worry about water."

I blinked for a moment and looked at Jeon Do-hyung.

"Why are you here? Shouldn't you be by the electricity?"

"What? What are you talking about?"

Was I wrong? Mr. Park Yang-gun was excitedly going from house to house looking for hidden resources. Shouldn't the electricity thief be by the electricity?

Jeon Do-hyung looked at me as if I was ridiculous and pulled something from his pocket.

"I've been in this house the whole time. I already found everything worth finding. Look at this."

"Batteries?"

Weren't they just ordinary batteries? But Jeon Do-hyung waved his hand.

"They're rechargeable batteries. With this solar facility, we can use battery-powered devices for a long time. Oh, and I've already confirmed the computers, air conditioners, and refrigerators work. The internet and TV don't work though."

As expected of the electricity thief. While people were fighting for their lives and dying outside, he'd been peacefully enjoying the electrical facilities on his own.

I turned my gaze again and surveyed the townhouse more broadly.

Throughout the townhouse, screams occasionally rang out as my companions wielded their weapons mercilessly. The bodies of fallen survivors, like crops awaiting harvest, were thrown by the roadside, staining the ground red like autumn leaves.

A season when the world turns red. A season when the heartless sky is high. A season for harvesting resources, houses, and facilities. A bountiful autumn.

***

The cleanup was complete. Despite carrying heavy luggage, the non-combat personnel walked through the townhouse with light steps.

Even children looked around at the various houses with sparkling eyes, carrying backpacks. My companions who had just finished fighting smiled happily as if they felt no fatigue at all.

"There are enough houses left even if all of us move in!"

"Look at those crops. Thanks to them, we'll finally get to eat vegetables again."

I was quietly studying the map and checking the surrounding terrain when I looked up. Now that the tense battle was over, I needed to help people unwind.

Normally I wouldn't think about this, but hadn't I learned from Sa Gi-hyeok and Jeon Do-hyung? Things like company dinners. Relieving tension with alcohol and food.

After clearing my throat a few times, I addressed my companions and their families.

"Does anyone know farming? If there are crops ready to harvest, I'd like to have a group dinner tonight."

My city-dwelling companions stared blankly at each other before shaking their heads, while a few older family members stepped forward.

"I can't farm, but I can at least tell that much."

"Look, there's garlic and onions. The lettuce should be harvested this month too."

The elderly men and women spoke with wrinkled eyes. Faces that looked aged from experiencing the apocalypse. They had years of wisdom.

I nodded lightly. It was enough if everyone, regardless of age or gender, did their part.

"Then I'll leave it to you. ...Let's move our belongings first, then harvest and have dinner."

Just then, Jeon Do-hyung raised his hand.

"Who gets to use the house with electricity?"

"That'll be a communal facility. Not someone's living quarters. So no one can monopolize it."

I answered immediately. I could have used it as the leader. Establishing authority or solidifying leadership position by living in a special house was one approach.

But I decided to make this house open to everyone.

'It could serve as bait.'

It was a special house. If anyone coveted the leader's position, they might act as if this house was theirs. It would make good bait to draw out signs of ambition that would inevitably show in their behavior, whether they realized it or not.

Efficiency was also a factor.

"We'll use the refrigerator to store vegetables, the house as a shelter during extreme cold or heat. The TV and computer will be for leisure."

The refrigerator would serve as storage, we'd use the air conditioner when it was hot, and find radiators when it was cold.

The internet and broadcasts seemed to be already cut off, but we could still enjoy movies or music. We'd collected album CDs and movie DVDs from the streets while moving.

People nodded in understanding.

I waved my hand.

"Finish moving in."

***

That evening's dinner was abundant.

Seaweed soup made with rice water, canned ham fried crisp, garlic and kimchi stir-fried in the ham's oil, and lettuce to wrap the ham. A proper meal that had been difficult to come by since the apocalypse.

The regular workforce companions sat at a distance eating, but their exclamations and laughter never stopped.

There was a feeling that the exhausting move and battle were all rewarded by this one meal. Truly a meal worth killing ten people to feed two.

But my criminal companions and I frowned, pressing our heads as if troubled. Sa Gi-hyeok sighed.

"Mr. Da-in. Even dogs aren't bothered during meals. Can't we avoid talking business while eating?"

The criminal companions sat three meters apart. Those of us who could be called the leadership team sat in a square, discussing future plans.

I blinked.

"If I don't bother you during meals, wouldn't that make me the same as a dog? Do you want to be a dog?"

"No, that's not what I meant."

"I'm joking."

"There's really something wrong with your head..."

Shouldn't a con artist be smooth? I don't understand why he can't take a joke.

I gathered my thoughts and focused on the discussion.

"Moving isn't the end of it. We need to reestablish everything from night watches, guard posts, farming duties, gathering duties, and so on."

Our living place had changed. All systems needed to be revised. Such numerical and administrative matters were Sa Gi-hyeok's responsibility.

On the other hand, resource management was Park Yang-gun's domain.

"Mr. Park Yang-gun, have you assessed our resources?"

"Not yet. There might be things hidden in every corner of these houses, so I need to find everything first."

Park Yang-gun, engaged in his primary job, grinned without touching his alcohol. Perhaps because he was doing work he enjoyed, he seemed full of vitality.

"What I've found so far is already pretty good. Plenty of tools and equipment, some seeds for farming, emergency medicine, wood stoves, and barbecue grills."

"How about food?"

Food was second in importance only to ammunition.

"There's a fair amount of dried mountain vegetables they must have gathered. But apart from that, it's typical survivor-level supplies."

That meant we'd still need to raid for resources. Good. A certain level of tension and scarcity would motivate my companions to move actively.

While making a lettuce wrap, I glanced at Jeon Do-hyung.

"Can you manage the facilities?"

"There's documentation left behind, so I should be able to learn."

Jeon Do-hyung had books, manuals, and printouts beside him, flipping through them while barely eating.

"Someone who liked fixing facility problems themselves must have lived here, because they left behind materials. There's even basic information on farming methods and garden maintenance."

I was impressed.

The townhouse survivors were like the giving tree. They gave us their homes, crops, and even sustainable knowledge and tools.

Suddenly, Sa Gi-hyeok grumbled in complaint.

"What will you do, Mr. Da-in? It seems like we're doing all the work."

"I'm in charge of raiding—I mean, security management. I need to think about defense and offense."

I wasn't avoiding such tasks because they were boring. Everyone had their role, didn't they? My role wasn't to maintain, repair, or produce, but to kill people.

"This is an optimal position for fighting people, but it's not without problems. It's vulnerable to forest fires. The groundwater could dry up. We also need to know how many survivors are in the area."

Moving was such a demanding task.

Unfamiliar places, unfamiliar people, unfamiliar environments. And the emotions felt when first encountering unfamiliar things were wariness and hostility.

This wasn't just our story. The surrounding survivors facing us outsiders would feel the same.

Given our noisy battle, nearby survivors would have guessed the situation and would be on guard. It would be difficult to smoothly approach them with multi-level business proposals, and perhaps even making contact would be challenging.

My companions nodded, seeming to understand my thoughts. Though in reality, they might not have been listening, focused instead on their food or books.

"Anyway, I plan to assess our surroundings over the next few days."

"Hmm, alright. I'm getting up first. I still have houses to check."

Park Yang-gun quickly stood up, raised his mask, and turned away.

Sa Gi-hyeok and Jeon Do-hyung also quickly stuffed the remaining food into their mouths and left their seats.

"I've arranged the night watch similar to before. Posts are at the main entrance and escape route. I'll go inform everyone."

"I'll keep reading this a bit more."

Left alone, I resumed eating. It was definitely delicious. The garlic fried in ham oil and the fresh lettuce.

Suddenly looking up at the sky, I noticed the sunset had already faded to a deep blue. On the ground, the barbecue grill glowed red like a torch.

The season when autumn leaves ripen. We had reaped a bountiful harvest and moved to a new home. All thanks to living as raiders.