Marauder of the Apocalypse
Chapter 145: Flames

"Are the moving preparations complete?"

When I stepped outside and asked, several companions who were busily moving about nodded.

"We've been prepared to flee all along, and the essentials are already sorted into boxes, so it's just a matter of moving them. The motorcycle maintenance actually took more time."

Crudely modified motorcycles. Carts or handcarts tied to the backs of motorcycles with rope or cable ties. They seemed to be Jeon Do-hyung's handiwork.

Scanning the contents quickly, I saw they were mostly food and tools. Above all, there was plenty of water. Plastic bottles filled with water were packed in boxes.

They must have gathered the minimum water necessary for survival in case we couldn't pass by a stream while traveling.

Just then, the thug mercenary put down a heavy bag and suddenly said:

"When you think about it, this seems like the optimal time to escape. When it gets colder and snow falls, it'll be harder to move around."

"That's certainly true."

I silently observed the thug mercenary. Though he clearly seemed similar to me, he strangely lacked presence, like water mixed with water.

He'd had several opportunities to cause trouble but remained quiet, making me wonder if he was just good at hiding his nature or lacked any purpose in life.

The thug mercenary somehow sensed my gaze and shared his thoughts.

"In the end, it's a survival competition over limited resources. Fighting is inevitable, so attacking first and escaping the city is probably our best option."

A situation analyzed purely from a perspective of loss and gain.

'He really is like me...'

And if he was like me, he should have taken some action by now. Perhaps he was planning to build trust first, then betray at the most critical moment?

...Whether he betrayed me or not didn't really matter. As long as the fireworks I was about to start went well.

I patted the thug mercenary's shoulder and looked around.

"If the luggage is packed, let's send it to the meeting point first. With the motorcycles, it shouldn't take long."

Looking at the sky, the sun was slowly setting from the middle of the heavens. If we moved quickly, we could finish preparations before evening.

I cleared my throat a few times to draw people's attention, then spoke slowly.

"I'm changing the schedule. We attack this evening."

"What?"

People who had been busily sorting luggage stopped and looked at me. Their gazes seemed mixed with bewilderment. They probably hadn't expected us to attack so quickly.

Then the alliance would expect it even less. Even we, the ones doing it, were surprised.

I grinned.

"I interrogated the riders. They said they're preparing to attack us, so we'll strike when their preparations are even slightly incomplete. And right now is ideal, while they haven't properly realized the riders have been captured."

Once you decide to surprise attack, you should move immediately. If we struck so quickly that even I was bewildered, the enemy would be truly shocked.

My companions reacted ambiguously, scratching their heads or looking at their luggage.

"I'm tired from moving all this stuff..."

"When we're in good condition—no, never mind. There's nothing good about delaying."

But in the end, they followed my will.

They were marauders who had already resolved to attack tomorrow. Having already decided to attack, they didn't strongly object to moving it up by a day.

I glanced at my companions and their families and said:

"Those who can drive motorcycles and those not participating in this raid should go to the meeting point first."

Only two or three people weren't participating, and they could ride along on motorcycles. They could reach the villa district meeting point relatively quickly.

I handed a map to the person designated to drive a motorcycle.

"After leaving the carts at the meeting point, come back here immediately on your motorcycle. There's a park on the route drawn on the map, set it on fire, and continue setting small fires along the way. Then, return here by 7 PM."

I conveyed the operation overview to each person.

Families armed with pistols would enter the alliance under the pretense of bartering, while combat personnel with rifles would raid from the south of the survival zone.

"The main attack begins at 7 PM. Let's coordinate our movements for that time."

And the people nodded.

Finally, I sought out my criminal companions.

"We're going to the north side of the survival zone to start fires. We'll also change into alliance clothes and weapons. Get ready."

"Disguise is good, but... isn't it too dangerous?"

Park Yang-gun grumbled, showing a reluctant expression, while Sa Gi-hyeok slowly adjusted his clothes, and Jeon Do-hyung lowered his head slightly with a dark complexion.

***

People departed.

Companions on motorcycles left first, followed by families slowly walking out to infiltrate under the guise of bartering, and combat personnel gathered rifles and cart-mounted machine guns before mounting their bicycles and bidding me farewell.

"We'll wait at the meeting point then. Please return alive."

"Yes. Let's meet alive."

I watched them with a rider's helmet tucked under my arm. The noisy sound of carts being dragged gradually faded, and the helmeted heads of the combat personnel disappeared down the slope.

Silence fell over the townhouse. Only the eerie sound of wind could be heard.

If I closed my eyes, I could almost believe I was alone in the world. A world without the sounds of animals, machines, or people. It felt good, as if the world had died.

I took a slow, deep breath and tempered my malice.

'I might live, I might die. I should cause chaos without regrets, assuming I'll die.'

This was a more dangerous raid than ever before. That's what made it valuable. Don't people normally feel a sense of achievement when accomplishing difficult tasks? Moreover, I was confident I could cause at least some damage even if I failed, which made it all the more exciting.

I placed my hand on my chest, but couldn't feel my heartbeat. I was wearing both a police bulletproof vest and a rider's suit.

Just then, footsteps approached from behind, and Jeon Do-hyung's voice reached me.

"Are you really going to set fires?"

A voice with a low, sunken tone. I examined Jeon Do-hyung's shadow cast upon me, wondering if he might shoot me from behind or stab me with a knife, but there was nothing particularly unusual about his shadow.

Just the shadow of a figure with arms hanging limply.

I slowly turned to face Jeon Do-hyung.

"Of course I'll set fires. There are numerous benefits. We can create confusion in the alliance, and the smoke and heat will make it difficult for drones to track us."

Whether escaping or dying together, forest fires were the best choice.

Jeon Do-hyung seemed about to say something, stopping and fidgeting with his hands before finally speaking.

"Wouldn't the losses be significant too? If the alliance really suffers heavy damage, they might go crazy and come looking for revenge."

"How would they know where we're going? Besides, if we start fires while escaping, the flames would block them from pursuing us."

"What if the fire spreads faster than we can escape? Or what if the fire doesn't stop and spreads to other cities?"

I hadn't considered that. The possibility of the flames not being confined to this city but spreading even further.

I thought briefly, then chuckled.

'That's even better.'

But unable to fully express this thought, I cited Professor Kim's materials as evidence.

"Remember Professor Kim? The one who advocated for the culling of one million citizens."

"No, when you put it that way, he sounds like a crazy mass murderer. He seemed like a good person."

"Anyway. According to the professor's data, forest fires spread at about 4 km per hour. We're much faster with motorcycles and bicycles."

That wasn't entirely accurate. Even if it were true, the forest fire would chase us without sleeping, so it would still be dangerous.

I took a lighter from my pocket.

"Where are the others? We should get going soon."

"They went into the house for a final bathroom break. ...Is there really no other way?"

Was he feeling some pang of conscience? Jeon Do-hyung stood motionless, staring down at his feet. He looked utterly drained.

I smirked.

"This is a world where conflict and strife are natural. A world where you can't live without killing. Why do you think resources in the city have lasted this long? It's because people have died."

"..."

Just then, helmeted figures began emerging from the house one by one. The short one was Park Yang-gun, and the tall one was Sa Gi-hyeok.

Sa Gi-hyeok flailed his limbs as he examined the rider suit he was wearing, then spoke in a tense voice.

"I've never gambled like this in my life. I hope it goes well."

"I think so too. If you're all ready, shall we get moving?"

Park Yang-gun suddenly removed his helmet and exhaled a frustrated breath.

"This helmet makes my vision cramped. I can't see well around me."

"Then keep it off for now. You can put it on when we're really on the move. I'm going to set fire back there first."

"Alright. ...But are you really going to set fires?"

I stopped in my tracks as I passed by Park Yang-gun.

"Yes."

"Well... it's clearly a good tactic, but I'm not sure if it's right."

Even Park Yang-gun was expressing reluctance? After a moment's thought, I barely found the reason.

"Are you concerned about your wife and daughter?"

Park Yang-gun's family. He had a divorced wife and a daughter. Whether they were dead or alive was unknown, but not knowing meant he could worry. If the fire spread widely, they might get hurt.

"What's the point of worrying about someone who left of their own accord? With the world like this, they're probably already dead."

Park Yang-gun muttered grumpily, then finally sighed deeply.

"But you never know. They might be alive somewhere in the city. And they might die because of this fire."

I slowly turned around, conscious of the pistol hidden in my chest.

Two people opposing the arson. Half of the four people here. It wouldn't be strange if Park Yang-gun and Jeon Do-hyung suddenly joined hands to attack me. The fact that the only remaining ally was Sa Gi-hyeok made it particularly lethal.

Essentially a 3-versus-1 situation. I opened my mouth as if I had no choice.

"You should have said something earlier. The operation has already begun. Our companions who left first will be setting fires."

"I know. It's actually strange to give up my own survival for people who might be dead or alive. It's just, I'm getting old so I have these unnecessary thoughts."

Fortunately, Park Yang-gun didn't seem to be actively opposing it. He just stared blankly at the sky, lost in his own thoughts.

I silently turned and headed toward the upper part of the townhouse.

The hillside where I had installed a fuse-like string. I had specifically climbed the slope to find a good spot for starting fires.

'Light the string too. And to be safe, set more fires nearby.'

Click. As I pressed the lighter, flames shot up, and I bent down to hold the lighter to the string and piles of fallen leaves. Small flames transferred to the dry leaves and string.

I stared blankly at the flames. Hazy smoke rose, and reddish flames like the sunset gradually spread.

Somehow, laughter escaped me.

"Burn brightly."

Grow vigorously and burn the whole city.

The beginning of winter. Fire had caught on a world that had turned to kindling. A fire that I had started.