Marauder of the Apocalypse-Chapter 111: Poverty

Even flour with a shelf life of one year was a pretty decent food resource. Just mixing it with water and salt, then cooking it in boiling water made it edible.

When mixed with our abundant kimchi to make kimchi noodles or kimchi pancakes, it became a fairly decent meal.

I stood on the roadside watching our members frantically eating. They didn't seem concerned about the virus as they lowered their masks and inhaled the kimchi pancakes.

Sa Gi-hyeok quietly approached me.

"I've had some conversations with them."

"Any worthwhile targets? People with firearms or abundant resources?"

When I asked, Sa Gi-hyeok shook his head.

"None. They've already raided anyone with stockpiled resources, and those with firearms have already used up all their ammunition."

A real famine indeed. The fact that the city's resources were hitting rock bottom suddenly felt very real.

There's a reason why bandits and thieves in old tales always targeted government offices and the wealthy. In a harsh world, robbing ordinary people yields nothing, so they attack warehouses where wealth is accumulated.

'Killing these survivors won't even get us ammunition. Should we really target the alliance? Or perhaps...'

I adjusted my mask as I leaned against a streetlight.

A season where bullets were more precious than ever. I had two options. One was to raid the alliance. The other was to become their lackey.

Raiding the alliance would be like nomads or pirates. This had clear limitations. Fighting a powerful enemy. Playing at being Robin Hood meant battling the alliance or the military.

Conversely, befriending the alliance was more like becoming the mafia or a cartel.

'I could do their dirty work for them.'

If this famine continued, would even the alliance be safe? All sorts of survivors would try to steal and raid the alliance's resources.

They'd sneak into the survival zone to steal from shops and escape, threaten arson and water contamination, and cause endless waste of resources and time.

This situation would certainly be unwelcome for the alliance, and I could clean up the wild dogs outside the survival zone for them.

'The alliance cares about appearances too. I should be able to negotiate for bullets and guns in exchange.'

I glanced at Sa Gi-hyeok.

"Mr. Sa Gi-hyeok. Could you conceptualize a business for me?"

"What kind of business?"

"Cleaning? Management?"

Sa Gi-hyeok blinked before calmly replying.

"Not literal cleaning or management, I assume. You mean cleaning up people? Will this be profitable? Seems like the bullet loss would be greater."

"I'm thinking of subcontracting from the alliance."

After I explained my thoughts, Sa Gi-hyeok frowned ambiguously.

"There might be demand... I'm not sure. Hard to say how the alliance leadership would take it."

"Just work on the business plan for now. I'll handle the persuasion."

RiderZero would oppose it, but the police and archers would definitely view it positively. Others were pragmatic too; with the right words, they could be convinced.

By then, the new members had finished eating. I waved my hand at them as they seemed to be waiting for my instructions.

"Collect the resources from the people who died here as you see fit. If anyone tries to attack us, report it immediately, and come back here in a few days."

***

The next day, I met the police captain in a building within the survival zone.

Spinning his sawed-off shotgun, the police captain didn't even offer me water before sitting at his desk across from me.

"So, my friend. Seems like you've been busy with your business. What brings you to me?"

"I'm here to propose a business deal."

I leaned back casually in my chair and looked him straight in the eye. The police captain feigned disinterest as he examined and fidgeted with his shotgun.

"Well. I'm not interested in business. Too busy focusing on this place as it is."

Running the survival zone must involve an enormous amount of work. Hunting animals, searching ruins for necessary machine parts, maintaining and repairing various facilities and machinery, creating administrative systems...

But because of this, their view couldn't extend outward.

I grinned and got straight to the point.

"I'll kill people and manage risks for you. Just provide guns and ammunition."

The hand fidgeting with the shotgun stopped. The police captain raised his head slightly. Interest flickered in his rough eyes.

"That's a first in my police career. Planning to kill someone who's a thorn in the alliance's side?"

"Of course not. I'm already on bad terms with RiderZero, so I've no intention of creating more enemies within the alliance."

I concealed my incredulity. We were talking about the same alliance, yet he immediately thought about killing its members.

The police captain muttered ambiguously.

"RiderZero? Ah, that woman. She is a pain. Capable, but... her style really clashes with mine."

"I feel the same. When each day matters so much, she seems to be looking too far ahead and worrying about too many things."

"That's what I'm saying. We can barely maintain the alliance as it is, yet she's trying to do even more."

A brief silence fell, but it wasn't uncomfortable. We both built rapport by complaining about RiderZero.

The police captain smiled slightly and leaned forward. The shotgun in his hand went up on the desk, but the barrel pointed toward the window beside me, not at me.

"So. Who are you offering to kill? Not the military, I assume."

"Survivors."

I looked out the window. Unlike the city filled with desperate killing intent, the survival zone was peaceful. Having electricity kept them mentally healthy too. They could enjoy culture and electric lighting.

Unlike survivors festering with resentment as they suffered from hunger in the darkness.

The police captain's shoulders drooped with disappointment as he leaned back.

"Is that all? They're just scared little rats anyway. No need to waste effort killing them."

"No."

I unbuttoned my coat to show the police bulletproof and knife-proof vest. The faint lines left by blades from my encounter with the survivor group where the betrayer had appeared.

"People attacked all the way to the street where my mercenaries and I live. Even with a mounted machine gun, hungry people came for our food."

"Those really look like knife marks."

People had attacked despite the machine gun. I'd just experienced it first because I was weaker than the alliance, but it wasn't a trend the alliance could avoid.

An eerie light formed in the police captain's eyes.

"So things are that bad for people. Thanks for the good news. I appreciate it, but I don't think I'll be doing business with a friend."

"..."

He surely understood the situation. So why refuse?

Noticing my puzzled gaze, the police captain pretended to shoot his shotgun at the ceiling.

"A truly good business, I should keep for myself."

"Really? It would be more efficient to leave it to me."

"No. It's too peaceful here. Police like me have almost nothing to do. Just patrol rounds. You might not know this, but it means the police have less say."

He meant that police influence was diminishing in the productive environment of the survival zone.

The electricity nomads handling power, the indispensable medical experts, the scavengers taking care of odd jobs, the delivery vigilantes—all outranked the police in importance.

"You need achievements."

"That's right. I need to prove my importance through work to secure more rights. And for us to work, we need conflict."

It was a kind of political struggle. I frowned slightly and clasped my hands.

'I didn't expect things to turn out this way.'

Having enough to eat, they were engaging in political games. Instead of focusing on resource management or survival efficiency, they were following completely different principles.

'It's good that they're desensitized, but it doesn't benefit me right now.'

I felt like I'd just given away information for nothing.

As I sighed and was about to stand up, the police captain reached out to stop me.

"I do have a job for you instead. I'll even pay you for the information."

"I only accept guns and ammunition."

"Functioning guns and ammunition? That should be plenty for your organization."

The payment sounded good, but I couldn't figure out what he wanted. After thinking briefly, I gasped. What would police who needed conflict want?

They wanted the attack I'd experienced. I grinned and spoke indirectly.

"Be careful. According to my information, hungry survivors will soon attack the survival zone."

"Haha. How frightening. I'll have to prepare thoroughly."

A deal to use guns as payment to mobilize street survivors to attack the survival zone. The police captain and I filled the room with our satisfied laughter. There was no reason not to smile.

It was good for me because I'd be sending people to their deaths in exchange for ammunition, and good for the police because they could demonstrate their necessity to the alliance.

We exchanged words warmly.

"This attack will be dangerous enough to make the alliance newly recognize the importance of the police."

"Will the buildings remain intact?"

"Won't the gas station burn? There's plenty of fuel, and many people who dislike RiderZero."

"That sounds... exciting."

I was excited too. This attack wouldn't be simple. I would move the street survivors by writing a scenario as if we were really targeting the alliance.

Since we'd made a deal, why not fulfill our end while also weakening the alliance's capacity?

***

The deal was quickly finalized. I agreed to receive part of the payment in advance. Guns and ammunition.

The companions who came with me diligently loaded ammunition onto the transport cart and slung military rifle straps over their shoulders. Not knowing the exact circumstances, they seemed bewildered.

As I quietly watched them, a woman's voice came from behind me.

"What are you doing here?"

When I turned around, I saw RiderZero with a helmet tucked under her arm. Her eyes moved back and forth between the ammunition and me in confusion. I smiled brightly and answered cheerfully.

"You said a person's greatest strength is goodness and connection, didn't you? So I've also brought goodness to the alliance."

Her hand, clad in a rider suit, clenched into a tight fist. Her wavering eyes fixed directly on me. I met her gaze with smiling eyes.

Her downfall would come before mine.