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We need to manage the risks.

Every day, I wandered around the townhouse, investigating the natural environment and any signs of human activity. I wanted to know what natural dangers existed and how many people were coming to this mountain.

The results of my investigation weren’t great.

I climbed up to the roof of my house, placed a chair, and sat down.

“It’s fine since there are no trees nearby…”

All the trees near the townhouse had been cut down. The previous residents of the townhouse had chopped them down for firewood. Maybe it was a measure against forest fires.

But the piles of dry leaves on the mountain were becoming perfect fuel for a fire.

If a fire broke out, it could easily spread to the townhouse.

There was also the issue of people.

‘No one’s coming.’

Perhaps it was because of the gunfire and fighting. No one was coming to the mountain. There were no customers for the pillagers to rob. This was a significant problem.

Pillagers need to pillage. If they can’t pillage, they slowly die. Resources that can’t be replenished, a deteriorating mental state. A pillager organization that can’t even stand still, only retreating.

I glanced over at the house with the solar panels installed.

A loud noise, hard to distinguish whether it was from a movie or music, pierced through the window and reached my ears.

A peaceful scene of people enjoying civilization in a safely enclosed environment.

“This isn’t good.”

I furrowed my brow and pressed my head hard. I couldn’t let things get this lax.

You know how they say that when transporting live fish, adding a predator keeps them lively and healthy? Humans are ultimately animals too, so they need a bit of stress and tension.

I counted on my fingers the factors that could create tension.

‘The Alliance. If resources run low, they’ll come after us too. Survivors we didn’t kill. Could survivors from the river area or the townhouse come seeking revenge? A forest fire is too dangerous.’

These are factors I can’t control.

The best option would be to fight nearby survivors… but I don’t see any survivors around. It’s not near the river, and since it’s not cold yet, there’s not much need for firewood.

As I was pondering this, the rooftop door opened, and someone entered. I reflexively grabbed the handgun in my pocket and turned my head.

“Who’s there?”

“It’s me.”

It was Jeondohyeong. He approached, holding a piece of paper with something written on it, and spoke lightly.

“I made a checklist and checked all the house facilities. Everything’s fine. It seems the people here really took care of things. But there’s something strange.”

I blinked. Was it a danger? News that could inject tension into this lax peace?

As I looked at Jeondohyeong with anticipation, he averted his gaze uncomfortably and lowered the paper.

“The Real Estate Uncle said every house originally had solar panels installed, right? But there’s one house missing.”

“Yeah. Maybe it broke and was removed?”

“No. It’s gone, as if someone took it. Park Yang-gun searched the house, and there’s no trace of the solar panel.”

Then… After a brief moment of thought, I spoke up.

“It was either sold or stolen. Probably by the Alliance.”

The Alliance, which has covered the buildings in the survivor zone with solar panels. I wondered where they got so many panels—apparently, they’ve been pillaging them from various places.

Jeondohyeong spoke in a worried voice.

“Maybe there’s an organization here connected to the Alliance. Delivering farmed crops.”

“More precisely, the Delivery Vigilante Group.”

Rider Zero, who values connections. A human who uses motorcycles to cover a wide range and has connected various places. The opposite of me.

Jeondohyeong pulled out a small notebook.

“It doesn’t say who the other party is, but there’s a ledger of transactions.”

“Ah, I see. What’s the transaction cycle?”

“It seems they’ll come in a few days.”

This isn’t a big problem. The Delivery Vigilante Group is a risk that will come if I fall, but they’re not a threat to me right now.

‘Should I expand my range? Should I use bicycles to run a pillaging group?’

I drummed my thigh, lost in thought, while Jeondohyeong continued reporting.

“Other than that, the electrical appliances… Aside from the internet and TV not working, everything’s fine.”

“What about Park Yang-gun and Sajihyeok?”

“They’re busy. Checking supplies to distribute them fairly, and that scammer is meeting people, diligently dividing tasks and departments.”

Since the mountain is nearby, they’re looking for people to gather wild greens or prepare firewood, and they’re also preparing for farming.

Everything’s going smoothly. We’re on the path to becoming an ordinary survivor organization, leaving pillaging behind.

Even the companions are starting to want things that aren’t essential for survival. Jeondohyeong pointed to the house with solar panels.

“Oh, and there’s talk of going out to get music CDs or movie CDs. Or maybe a game console.”

Are they really that full? It’s only been a few days, and they’re already talking like this?

Then, *ding ding*, a loud noise rang out. It was the watchtower. The guard was sounding the alarm vigorously. News of an unwelcome guest.

I jumped up and drew my handgun.

“Let’s go.”

***

As I ran through the townhouse, companions came rushing out from all over, armed. They shouted at me with tense expressions.

“What’s going on?”

“Looks like we have a visitor.”

Since there was no gunfire, it wasn’t an immediate enemy. Someone unknown had come.

I glanced at my companions and thought. Their reaction speed isn’t bad. They haven’t rusted yet. But I can’t let this continue.

‘Please, let it be an enemy. Please, let it be pillagers.’

How long had I been running, desperately hoping the intruder was an attacker? I arrived at the main gate and peeked out from behind the barricade.

There was a rider there. A member of the Delivery Vigilante Group.

‘So the townhouse was really connected to Rider Zero’s side.’

I have no idea how many connections they’ve made. Just from what I know, there are the kids from the market street, Park Yang-gun’s family’s hiking club.

At this point, it’s almost like a spider’s web, isn’t it? Even if the Delivery Vigilante Group can’t produce anything, they’d have enough to live comfortably as middlemen.

The rider, holding a steel pipe with both hands in a surrender pose, stayed still for a moment, then turned his helmeted head to look at me.

“…”

“Delivery Vigilante Group? What brings you here?”

No response. He just stared at me like a statue. I chuckled and made a casual remark.

“Ah, were we your customers too? Sorry, but your customers are gone. They all ended up dead, you see.”

The rider clenched his fist. The glove tightened, making a strange creaking sound. There’s no surprise there’s animosity. The kids they sponsored also died by our hands, and now this has happened.

After a moment, a youthful voice, like that of a student, came from behind the helmet. It sounded like an unconscious mutter.

“Found you. You were here.”

“What?”

Did they come for me? Not to trade with the townhouse, but to find me?

The rider lowered his hands and spoke slowly.

“It’s true we came to trade crops with the people living here. But we also came to find you. The Alliance found out where you moved.”

“…”

I narrowed my eyes and looked at the rider.

It makes sense. The movement of a group armed with military firearms is something the Alliance would be concerned about. But this doesn’t seem like a simple issue. I aimed my handgun. I clicked the trigger.

“Take off the helmet.”

“I’m not wearing a mask.”

I fired a shot into the air. The gunshot rang out, and the bullet grazed the motorcycle.

“Should I just kill you and check?”

The rider’s hands trembled, and he slowly removed the helmet. What was revealed was the face of a rebellious teenager. Short hair, eyes filled with hostility and wariness, and a mask covering his mouth.

A teenager. Haha, I couldn’t help but laugh.

‘A survivor from the market street? A kid we didn’t kill back then?’

The teacher and kids who lived in the market street. We killed everyone inside the building back then. But if there were people outside, it’s entirely possible they survived.

I gestured for him to come closer and spoke lightly.

“You don’t look like an adult. Don’t you wear a school uniform?”

“There’s no reason to wear a school uniform.”

“Good thinking. I hate school uniforms. When I see someone in a school uniform, I just want to go and kill them.”

The emotions in the rider’s eyes seemed to intensify. I added weight to my speculation that this clumsy rider was a survivor.

‘Rider Zero took in the surviving kids.’

While waiting for my downfall, they’ve been nurturing avengers. Quite a skillful move. Taking in humans who’ve lost everything and training them as combatants. Easily securing expendable forces.

“Alright. What’s the deal you came for? According to the transaction ledger, the deal was supposed to be in a few days.”

“I came to ask if we could outsource farming.”

“Is the Alliance in trouble?”

The rider stayed silent for a moment, then spoke slowly.

“Yes. The river is drying up. I heard there’s a water shortage.”

Good. Everything’s good. The situation is ripe for the Alliance to turn into pillagers, and my karma is coming back.

The worry I had just moments ago about my companions becoming lax cleared up refreshingly.

I aimed my gun at the rider’s head, who had come close beyond the barricade.

“Let me ask you one thing. Answer honestly.”

“Yes.”

Like a clumsy minor, he tried to hide his emotions, but the hostility was clear. I grinned and asked briefly.

“How many survived?”

“…What?”

“The kids who lived in the market street. How many survived?”

The rider’s pupils shook. He clumsily lied.

“I didn’t live in the market street, so I don’t know.”

“Even if you didn’t live there, you should know.”

I subtly applied pressure to my finger. My companions didn’t intervene and just stood still.

“There must be survivors. Back then, we only killed one scavenger group and the humans waiting in the building. And of course, the Delivery Vigilante Group would have taken care of the survivors. At the very least, you should know the news.”

A laugh escaped me.

“Why wouldn’t you know? Are you hiding it because you’re one of the survivors?”

“Screw you!”

At close range. Maybe he thought he was going to die anyway. The rider revealed his true colors and swung the pipe, but it was slower than the speed of my finger pulling the trigger.

*Bang*, the gunshot rang out. The bullet aimed at his head hit his neck, and the avenger collapsed powerlessly. Blood spurted, coloring the barricade.

It was truly autumn. The season of reaping karma.

I turned to my companions.

“It seems there are still some avengers left. Stay alert and keep your guard up.”

 

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