Marauder of the Apocalypse
Chapter 143: Flames

The townhouse burst into activity. Escape preparations began in earnest. The survival backpacks previously readied for flight were transformed into proper moving luggage, and several people gathered to intensely strategize.

"There's a good property on the outskirts of the city."

The real estate guy pointed somewhere on the map with a cheerful smile.

It wasn't the city map we usually looked at but a national map, and the spot he indicated straddled the boundary between our city and another.

A somewhat mountainous area.

"Originally, people avoided this area. There's a livestock farm on this mountain with an unbearable stench. But if we're lucky, we might find surviving livestock, and the terrain is favorable—mountains behind, water in front."

The real estate guy seemed to have abandoned modern real estate thinking and spoke from a purely survivalist perspective.

"If my memory serves me right, there were stores nearby selling farming tools and seeds, and several houses with extensive solar panel installations. There were groundwater facilities too."

Of course, I had no interest in any of this. I waved my hand and pushed the map away.

"Please handle the escape route then. I need to focus on how to strike the alliance."

The opponent was the alliance. No matter how much I refined the attack scenario, it wasn't enough, and anticipating unexpected situations was difficult.

I looked down at the city map, tapping it repeatedly with my pen.

'Simple fires won't be enough.'

The alliance already knew about my city arson plan. Since I'd foolishly mentioned it, they might have prepared to some extent.

But there were limits to the range the alliance could cover, and there were things I could do outside that range.

For example, luring zombies. Not crudely stimulating them like the alliance did, but driving them with flames like putting a gun to the back of their heads. Or I could push survivors into the survival zone.

Since we were going to burn the city anyway, why not make full use of the flames?

As I examined potential arson points focusing on zombie habitats, Jeon Do-hyung approached with a rifle.

"I've prepared to go after the townhouse survivors and riders."

His voice sounded somehow weak. Jeon Do-hyung wore a listless expression, his arms hanging limply. Having some small measure of goodwill left, he seemed to feel powerless in a situation where he couldn't act on that goodwill.

Or perhaps he felt some guilt toward the Hope Community.

After all, Jeon Do-hyung had helped kill the pastor, hadn't he? Popping up unexpectedly to draw the pastor's attention.

I studied Jeon Do-hyung carefully for a moment before standing up.

"Let's go."

Was there a possibility Jeon Do-hyung would betray me? Of course there was. There's no one in this world who can be completely trusted. Park Yang-gun, Sa Gi-hyeok, my other companions—they were all people who would readily betray me given the right opportunity, and Jeon Do-hyung was no exception.

Moreover, the current situation wasn't beneficial for Jeon Do-hyung.

For other companions, this attack was an unavoidable means of survival, but for Jeon Do-hyung, it meant targeting the Hope Community where his girlfriend was.

Jeon Do-hyung silently turned and walked ahead, while I subtly raised my rifle, aiming the barrel at his legs.

If I pulled the trigger now, I could deal with him...

'No, I can't do this now. I won't be able to attack the alliance.'

If I suddenly killed a companion before attacking the alliance, would my other companions trust me? Probably not.

I decided to just keep a close eye on Jeon Do-hyung. We were attacking tomorrow anyway. Even if he wanted to betray me, he wouldn't have enough time, forcing him to act hastily, and hasty movements could be detected and stopped.

***

According to information from the flies, today was the day they would make contact with the riders. The day they'd receive a small amount of food or pistol ammunition from the alliance. Naturally, they had told us the location and time, allowing us to arrive early and set up an ambush.

On a street devoid of human presence.

My companions and I crouched inside the first floor of a nearby building. We killed our presence, waiting for people to arrive.

While keeping an eye on Jeon Do-hyung, I scanned my companions and noticed no one seemed particularly tense. Perhaps because we were only facing the flies and two riders, it felt no different from our usual raids.

"First, we threaten them. Point your guns and demand surrender. If they try to run, shoot them immediately. We don't necessarily need to take prisoners."

"Yes. ...But when we attack the alliance, some of us will die. If..."

One companion trailed off, then after some consideration, continued.

"If I die, can you take care of my remaining family?"

Words from someone prepared for death.

Even as marauders, they weren't so oblivious as to not sense the danger. It was just that without taking risks, they would soon die anyway. As survivors in this era who always kept death close, they were willing to challenge the alliance in battle.

Regardless of my true feelings, I nodded sincerely while meeting their gaze.

"I won't abandon them. As long as I'm alive, I'll look after them like I've cared for other families."

I had already demonstrated this through actions. When several companions died while clearing the stream area, I didn't abandon their families but took care of them.

It wasn't out of any morality or ethics, but solely to maintain the organization—yet such actions would inspire trust in them.

I caught a glimpse of Jeon Do-hyung lowering his head. His expression wasn't good, as if he were deeply troubled.

'Has the possibility of betrayal decreased a bit?'

He only harbored a small amount of goodwill. He must know that in the current survival competition, there was no room for even small goodwill.

No, precisely because his goodwill was limited, Jeon Do-hyung couldn't choose.

If he had overflowing goodwill, he would have killed me long ago, and if he had none, he would have immediately betrayed me and fled to his girlfriend.

'He's just an ordinary human, neither one extreme nor the other.'

As I reached this conclusion, human presence began to make itself known.

The voice of one of the flies I'd seen before.

"I wonder how many resources they'll give us today..."

"It's been decreasing. The alliance doesn't look good either. Maybe we should just completely switch to those crazy guys?"

"How can you trust lunatics? Didn't you see that guy last time? His eyes were completely gone."

...Were they calling me a lunatic? What vicious double agents. True to their despicable nature as people who exploit others without belonging anywhere, they were badmouthing people behind their backs.

Such devious humans should be removed.

I placed my finger on the trigger and held my breath. Then I signaled my companions to wait.

Outside the window, the voices of the flies continued.

"Why aren't they coming yet?"

"There they are."

Vroom, the sound of motorcycles approaching, and screech, the sound of brakes. From the sound, there were two motorcycles.

"Here are the resources for today."

"That's it? Just one plastic bag? We can't work with this. You need to give us plenty of food."

The rustling sound of plastic. Voices full of complaints.

"When did I tell you to gather people?"

"This is what we get for helping you enthusiastically? How many of us died doing what you told us to do! All the people we gathered died too! We're even getting cursed by the nearby survivors!"

"No... That was our deal. Of course, it's unfortunate about the people who died..."

The rider mumbled in a somewhat flustered voice, then sighed deeply and began persuading them.

"But we promised to help you reclaim your residence in return. Please wait a little longer. We're about to make our move properly now."

So they were planning to come after us after all.

In an instant, a chilling murderous intent appeared on the faces of my companions who had been maintaining silence. It was the intent of marauders who had fallen beyond the line with me, the intent of beasts whose lives and families were threatened.

The sun must have been covered by passing clouds, as the interior darkened.

Fortunately, being skilled marauders, none of them exposed their presence through mistakes like sighing, so the rider continued speaking.

"That's why we need information. How's the situation with those guys?"

"I don't know much, but they seem to be eating well. Their complexions look different from ours. Well, considering the food we left there..."

"So when are you going to attack? We'd like to lend a hand."

The rider seemed to hesitate for a moment before slowly opening his mouth.

"The attack is confirmed, but the date and method haven't been decided yet. Those people aren't easy to deal with. If we fight an all-out war, we'll suffer heavy losses too... Have you found any weaknesses while provoking them? Besides the information you gave last time."

How clumsy. They're only now about to make their move? We were already in motion.

I grinned and gestured. Go out. And I was the first to stand, pointing my gun out the window.

"Here's a weakness. Kill me now. That'll do it."

"What?"

The riders and flies turned to me with a start, their bodies trembling, but it was too late. My companions, filled with murderous intent, emerged confidently with their guns aimed.

I chuckled and shouldered my rifle.

"But I think I'll kill you faster. What will you do? Die, or be taken prisoner quietly?"

It was hard to gauge the riders' reactions as they wore helmets, but the flies' inner thoughts were clearly revealed. Their eyeballs rolled around frantically before they quickly raised both hands and smiled in a friendly manner.

"We're on the same side. We've been giving you information all along. We'll just step aside."

"Ah, our informants. Right, you don't need to be involved here. ...Kill them."

There was no reason to keep them alive when we no longer needed information and resources. Rather, they were a liability who might side with the alliance, so they should rightfully be eliminated.

In an instant, consecutive gunshots rang out, and the flies collapsed. I glanced down at the corpses, then looked directly at the riders' helmets.

"I'll spare you if you surrender. We need prisoners to stop the alliance's attack."

More precisely, we needed information. The location of the alliance's food warehouses, whether the firefighters had done fire prevention work, the range the alliance covered, and so on.

Of course, the riders' equipment would be useful too. Wearing the riders' clothes, which covered all skin, would make infiltration easier.

"..."

"..."

The two riders stood frozen like statues, then briefly uttered curses before throwing their knives to the ground. And so, the two riders were captured.