Marauder of the Apocalypse-Chapter 39: Kind Neighbor

'Should we attack the apartments?'

Looking at corpses scattered on the ground, I fell into thought. Not a small number of corpses. Comparing to the number of people seen during the apartment raid incident.

'Seems like many still remain.'

Didn't look possible to challenge the apartments with just villa district people.

Tap tap tap, I drummed my knee. Simple plans unfolded in my mind.

Resources left in the apartments. Must be many unopened doors. That huge apartment complex still had many resources sleeping, waiting for my touch. Maybe too much for villa district people to handle alone.

I needed friends to act with me.

'Street robbers, armed gunmen, symbols of authority. Police friends from the station said they joined the police station. Call those friends. And Hope Community? Tell them to bring chainsaws and crowbars?'

Roughly splitting between two friends would be good. Build reputation and friendship too.

"Mister. Trying to attack now when we don't know the apartment situation-"

I called the man to start talking, and he left the attack to me saying I could handle it. So I contacted police friends, and Do-hyung arranged timing through calls with Hope Community.

Time for enjoyable and rewarding raiding activity.

People gathered at the apartment entrance.

Apartment residents gathered beyond the barricade seemed bewildered, pacing back and forth. Hard to find their earlier confidence from numbers or momentum from raiding streets.

That's how menacing the gathered humans were.

Police cars lined up along the road flashed blood-red and corpse-pale blue lights, while police holding guns and batons radiated intimidating energy.

On the opposite side were Hope Community people, improvised shields and makeshift spears gleaming with dull steel light, slingshots and Molotov cocktails ready to fire from behind.

Our villa district people looked weakest. Simple survivors. Small numbers. Had to leave people to defend the street, couldn't empty it.

Though our spirit was decent having tasted blood...

'Indeed I, my street is the weakest.'

A world truly hard to survive without effort. Potential competitors too strong. Can't easily let guard down.

Around then several people from police and Hope Community approached me.

My police friend and what seemed their raid captain, Hope Community's evangelist elder.

"Da-in? Who?"

"This person."

"Deacon Kwon. Been a while."

"Yes, thank you for coming."

Warm greetings exchanged between friendly neighbors.

Though police and Hope Community had clashed, it mustn't have been serious - everyone laughed with expectation and hope.

Or maybe because the huge treasure vault called apartments stood before them.

"Heard from this friend. Seems we're not strangers. Giving such good opportunities."

"More food is always good. But how will we divide it?"

"Clean thirds. Let's be fair to avoid talk. We'll have many chances to work together ahead, right?"

They discussed dividing apartment residents' resources regardless of residents' opinions.

An apartment resident who'd been eavesdropping approached raising their voice, but it meant nothing. Only marauders were here.

"Who do you think you-"

Bang-!

Light gunshot rang out. The moment they opened their mouth, the captain fired into the air. Not wasting bullets, seemed like a warning shot for intimidation.

The fierce-looking raid captain chuckled. Their friendly manner suddenly changed as they strode over pressing the gun to the complaining resident's head.

"Heard everything. You guys have guns, right? Killed police and stole weapons, now running your mouths."

Information I provided. That apartment bastards shot during the clash. That police had targets for revenge.

The apartment resident's face turned blue. They made "uh, uh" sounds like trying to speak but shut their mouth seeing the captain's eyes.

Even I saw dangerous flames burning in the police captain's eyes. Something like hatred or madness.

They pulled the trigger without warning. Bang, heavy gunshot. The resident with a hole in their head collapsed. The police captain kicked the corpse.

"People who touched us for guns deserve death. ...Ah, wasted bullet. Anyway let's move."

Common occurrence. Didn't Gi-hyeok say? These days people killing people happens more.

People started moving organizedly without much reaction. Like tasks were already divided, some people moved first while each group headed to different buildings avoiding overlap.

"Gather here. Don't move carelessly."

Some police gathered apartment residents for control. Surrounding trembling residents at gunpoint. Preventing other actions.

Conversely some police rolled their shoulders carrying sledgehammers and tool bags.

"Don't think we can open them all today?"

"Senior, you're the expert. Saw you opening them easily last time."

"That's all technique-"

Professional public door breakers. Door breaching? Those experienced in forcibly opening front doors for emergency arrests or searches took the lead.

Hope Community was similar. People with crowbars, grinders, drills stepped up while others cleared barricades making space for cars.

We started moving too.

"Mr. Park Yang-gun. Let's go to that building."

We weren't behind in door opening either.

We had Park Yang-gun - real thief, wild technician, self-taught master. Maybe we were even better.

"Good. My hands are itching. Be embarrassing to fall behind those guys."

Feeling competitive perhaps. Following Park Yang-gun who flexed his fingers passionately, we headed to Building 103.

A happy day of working together and sharing harvest. Better with neighbors to share joy with.

Good thing we recruited Park Yang-gun. Dripping with sweat, he showed efficiency incomparable to amateurs clumsily breaking doors.

Roughly swoosh swoosh swoosh, doors opened after a few hand movements. If doors wouldn't open he'd even attach rope to himself and go through windows to enter locked homes. A true thief indeed.

Refreshingly sweating, Park Yang-gun laughed mocking the police and Hope Community.

"Those amateurs. Still haven't finished opening?"

They hadn't finished while we'd opened all doors.

I praised Park Yang-gun.

"Geez. Can't compare. Mr. Park Yang-gun's a real professional. No competition."

"...Is that praise?"

Park Yang-gun suddenly made a sour expression. Stroking his chin above his mask, he roughly sat by the road. He waved his hand dismissively.

"I'm resting now. Handle moving stuff yourselves."

"Yes, I have things to do too."

I slowly walked away. Checking the atmosphere as I passed.

People busily moving food like ants. Apartment residents crying while stamping their feet. Police roughly swinging batons after finding gun possessors, breathing heavily.

"Ahh, I'm sorry! I'm sorry! We really needed guns-"

"Because of people like you!"

The culprit who'd fired wildly during the last clash rolled around curled in a ball. Batons raining down.

I clicked my tongue.

'Seems they don't plan to kill everyone.'

Atmosphere suggested leaving apartment residents alone while raiding. If they planned killing, they'd have acted already. Would've been more efficient to kill all and add resident-controlling police to labor.

I understood that decision. Massacring non-resisting civilians? Even I couldn't suggest that out loud.

We were still treated as humans who'd quickly adapted to the apocalypse, but cross that line slightly and we'd be attacked as madmen.

Even in the apocalypse people hadn't fallen that far. Even with the world broken people lived, minimum rules existed between people. Like even beasts have rules.

Still...

"Bothers me."

"W-what? What are you planning now?"

I turned around startled. Do-hyung had approached without sound and was watching me.

Should be able to trust a vicious electricity thief. One of few criminal companions right? I nodded toward the apartment residents.

"Think those people will stay quiet?"

"Ah. They should."

"I wonder. With no food, won't someone among all those people try revenge? Coming at night to set fires or spread virus."

Wouldn't someone reveal that human nature of dying together? Shouldn't we prevent it?

It was a summer-hot afternoon. Though hotter from labor, Do-hyung rubbed his goosebump-covered arms roughly. Seems he sensed danger too.

"No."

"Why?"

"How can they think of other things when they barely have food to eat?"

"Since they lack food they'll die tog- Ah. Right."

I suddenly realized. People with nothing to lose are scary. Then shouldn't we leave them hope? If there's hope of survival somehow they won't carelessly throw away life.

Indeed the best supporter, an expert at killing people without using his own hands. How many deaths had his suggestions led to now.

"Good suggestion. I hadn't thought of that."

"...What? What suggestion? What did I say?"

Leaving Do-hyung pretending ignorance, I went to find the evangelist elder and police captain.

By the time we roughly finished discussions, the sun was setting. Resources that would take several car trips piled in the street. Rice sacks, kimchi from kimchi fridges, things like salt, soy sauce, red pepper paste, various foods.

Enough even split three ways. Enough to avoid raiding for a while. With many tall buildings, there was that much food gathering dust.

Before this heartening sight, the police captain approached the apartment residents.

"This bastard stole guns?"

"I repent. Please."

"Who reported it?"

Several people hesitantly raised hands. The captain nodded and pointed toward substantial piled food.

Too much for just informants to eat, not enough for apartment people to share.

"Conscientious citizens who report aren't enemies. A reward. Take it. It's your food."

The informants approached with brightening faces but soon seemed to grasp the situation, hesitating, stopping. Could they really protect that much food?

Suspicion already seemed to flow between apartment residents. Eyes targeting informants' food, watchful eyes. Hands gripping weapons.

Just leave enough strength to fight each other. Once they fight, hatred would turn toward those closest.

Having seen reporting rewards, they'd report suspicious behavior.

I patted Do-hyung's shoulder.

"Your idea. This way no one will try attacking us first."

"No. How did you think..."

Do-hyung looked at me bewildered then turned away.

So we finished raiding. Many resources worth the long time invested came to hand. Having checked dangerous neighbors too, it was good work.

Like fireworks, sounds rang out of the police captain executing the police attacker.