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The building was neatly organized. We strolled around the villa leisurely, but without letting our guard down. There might be traps, after all.

Scattered mercenaries returned one by one, each holding a few resources in their hands.

“Found some booze and cigarettes. They were hidden like a hamster’s stash.”

“There’s aspirin, Bacchus, and even some herbal medicine. Also, masks and hand sanitizer.”

“And some ramen and candy.”

The dust-covered mercenaries grumbled as they stacked the resources neatly onto the transport cart. Listening to their complaints, it felt like the guys who lived here were just like squirrels.

‘Why did they hide so much stuff?’

They stuffed things inside pillows and blankets, hid emergency cash in their clothes, and buried stuff everywhere. Probably each had their own emergency stash.

Just then, Park Yang-gun returned with an armful of food. He was beaming and spoke cheerfully.

“You can’t fool these eyes.”

Park Yang-gun seemed to have a new lease on life. The uncle who used to drink soju every day and mope around now seemed to enjoy focusing on his job. Maybe for him, this was like a game of hide-and-seek.

The transport cart was so full it was about to burst. I casually approached the cart and rummaged through the items.

Unlike the old landlord, these guys didn’t organize their stuff, so expiration dates and types were all mixed up, but the quantity was decent.

“Not bad. Still feels like a waste considering the cost of bullets.”

But after scraping everything together, it was quite a haul. The mercenaries seemed satisfied, as they let out a few laughs.

“We grabbed some handguns. Found a few bullets too.”

Well, if you think of it as testing the combat cart, it’s not a loss. Two birds with one stone. Testing and looting.

I suddenly turned to look at our member. The dad, who looked like his soul had left his body, was crouched in a corner, dazed.

‘Was he a bit shocked?’

We faked it to lure out the guys from this hideout and grab some resources, but he seemed genuinely shaken. I clicked my tongue inwardly. A survivor with the same experience as me, but his mental strength…

“Bandages…”

I rummaged around for some band-aids to stick on the wounds. I had put them in the transport cart just in case we couldn’t return to Villa Street right away.

With the band-aids in hand, I shuffled over to the dad, our member.

“Why did you do something that would get you hurt? If you had just stayed still, I wouldn’t have hit you.”

I crouched down in front of the member and stuck the band-aid on his forehead. The member, whose skin was torn from the rifle butt, was pale and trembling.

“I really thought you were going to kill me.”

The dad muttered weakly. I grabbed his shoulder firmly.

“Our member lacks faith. Did you really think I’d kill a member? It was all an act to peacefully get resources.”

“It felt real.”

I laughed and glanced at Sajihyeok.

“If I did something like that, I’d be out of business. Even if I tried, that guy would stop me.”

“No, I wouldn’t stop you. This guy has some weird tendencies. Like that time with the scarecrow…”

Sajihyeok spoke without thinking. I sighed inwardly and stood up, patting the member’s shoulder.

“Take 15%. I was going to deduct the bullet costs from your incentive, but since I hit your head, I’ll give you this as compensation.”

The member, sensing the mood, quietly started moving. He carefully packed some resources into his bag. The mercenaries were glaring at him, so his movements were timid.

“Alright, let’s head back.”

Another fulfilling day was over. I stretched and walked ahead, then suddenly noticed a pile of white-painted corpses. Would it be a shame to leave them like this?

Without much thought, I grabbed a fire extinguisher and sprayed it on the ground like paint.

“What are you doing?”

“Cough, cough.”

The people around looked at me curiously. The powder from the extinguisher clouded the air, making it hard to see, and they waved their hands to clear it.

I answered simply.

“A mark? A logo? Leaving a sign.”

The white powder covered the road. I tried to draw the letter “I” with it. The initial for Immortal. A sign that we were here.

But the fire extinguisher wasn’t a spray can, and the letter “I” ended up a mess. The powder spread everywhere, making it hard to recognize.

‘This is harder than I thought.’

Whatever. It was just for fun, and the material was powder. If left alone, the wind and rain would wash it away.

Sajihyeok stared at the mark and then looked up.

“What did you draw? This just looks like spilled flour.”

“…Nothing. Let’s go.”

***

A few peaceful days passed.

We worked based on tips from new members, stockpiled resources, and spent time at home.

The survivors in the River Area seemed busy because of us, either leaving the area or keeping an eye out for targets, but Villa Street remained calm.

I stood by the window, looking down at Villa Street.

“Is this how it’s supposed to be?”

Bored mercenaries laid out mats on the street and made tools to pass the time.

They drained expired oil from cars to make Molotov cocktails, set traps in the river, and recreated traps they learned from the Alliance and the old landlord.

It wasn’t just mercenaries.

“Hey, that’s dangerous. Don’t touch that.”

“Aw.”

Parents brought their young children to teach them. Spouses and family members also came out to help.

Our comrades were no different. Sajihyeok mingled with people, laughing and chatting. Park Yang-gun sat by the road, drinking and watching people. Jeondohyeong cut up perfectly good tables and chairs, saying he’d make furniture for the kids.

We were blending in, living together.

I tapped the windowsill, lost in thought.

‘Comradeship, family bonds. A sense of belonging is important.’

Even mafia groups call themselves families. The tighter the bond, the better. Betrayal becomes harder.

Though I couldn’t join them myself.

Crowded places are uncomfortable. I prefer staying in my room, writing scenarios. How to use the River Area, how to deal with the Alliance and the military, how to kill if we fight.

And how to survive the famine of autumn.

‘The gas will run out soon. That’s fine. There’s plenty to burn. The problem is the autumn drought.’

Water. Water is the problem. If the rain doesn’t come in autumn, the river will dry up. Then, people can’t survive.

I closed my eyes and felt the breeze. It was cool. August had ended, and September had arrived. It was still hot during the day, and wearing gear made you sweat buckets, but autumn was definitely approaching.

Then, I heard a gasp.

“A rainbow?”

“Good omen, maybe.”

I opened my eyes and leaned out the window.

A vivid rainbow stretched across the sky. Normally, I’d take a photo and move on, but in this idle world, even a rainbow held my gaze.

Soon, a shout came.

“Motorcycle approaching!”

It was a report from the mercenary on the roof, keeping watch. The people on the street quickly got into combat mode. They grabbed their guns, and families picked up Molotov cocktails or slingshots.

In an instant, they took cover behind cars or trees.

The motorcycle roared closer, ridden by a rider. The rider awkwardly took off their helmet. It was Rider Zero.

“Uh… I’m here to deliver.”

“Me and Sajihyeok ordered eggs!”

Jeondohyeong, holding a saw, quickly stepped forward. He struggled to lift a box next to the furniture he was modifying.

“Here’s the booze and cigarettes.”

“The count’s perfect. Here you go.”

Rider Zero pulled out a basket full of eggs. I watched quietly, then put on my mask and went outside. Outside, I saw Rider Zero speaking familiarly.

“We bought a lot of eggs from the military. Just in case some of them hatch into chicks. So we’re selling the extras.”

“Haha. Still, there are people who can’t afford to eat. We’re grateful you’re selling them.”

Sajihyeok smiled brightly.

Selling eggs was an act of goodwill, and we wouldn’t forget it. This was also a kind of gift. They knew our strength.

Rider Zero looked around at the mercenaries and families, then met my eyes. She blurted out,

“You didn’t move to the River Area, did you? Heard you’ve been causing trouble there.”

Not a good rumor. Testing us? Probing? To see if we’ve turned into full-fledged pillagers?

Should I kill her? A surge of killing intent rose. It’s possible now. But considering the Delivery Vigilante Group and the Alliance behind her, the loss would be greater.

I smiled bitterly and waved my hand.

“We have a lot of family. All we have are guns, so we have to use them to survive.”

“Not joining the Alliance?”

“What skills do we have to join? Once we run out of bullets, we’re nothing. The scavengers and firefighters do the physical work.”

Rider Zero tilted her head and muttered to herself.

“Sounds like something a criminal would say… No, no.”

The mercenaries subtly aimed their guns at her, and Rider Zero quickly changed her tone.

I knew what she meant. It sounded like the excuses criminals make. You have your reasons, blame society, self-justification.

Rider Zero put her helmet back on. Her muffled voice came through.

“Anyway, be careful. There’s news of a typhoon coming.”

That was it. Rider Zero left.

I stood for a moment, watching her go.

‘If we set up a fishing line or wire in the middle of the road and call them… If we smear virus on the items we offer…’

A trap for the Delivery Vigilante Group. Then I glanced at Jeondohyeong and Sajihyeok.

“What resources do we have to get so many eggs…”

“I don’t drink or smoke. Sold that stuff.”

“I don’t drink either.”

Sajihyeok confidently lifted the basket of eggs like a trophy.

“Immortal was formed, and we haven’t had a party yet. No steak, no champagne, but let’s at least pretend with eggs.”

The people who had taken cover started coming out, laughing.

“A company dinner?”

“Even if we have to eat apart because of the virus, it’s good to lift the mood.”

The atmosphere was good. The mercenary who had mentioned cup noodles earlier rummaged through his pockets and pulled out a few packets of ketchup.

“I was saving these for my son. How about we make fried rice with eggs and sprinkle this on?”

It was fast-food ketchup. Something we can’t eat anymore.

Probably something he wanted his son to experience, even faintly, something we took for granted but kids can’t have now.

The mercenary ruffled his son’s hair and handed him the ketchup. The fast-food logo was clearly printed on the packet.

I nodded quietly.

The rainbow had disappeared, and cooking began on the street. With more people than eggs, the fried rice was more like rice with a few eggs, and we sat apart to eat, but the cheerful atmosphere continued.

I sat far away, shoveling rice into my mouth.

‘Eggs. Lots of nutrients. Need to eat them.’

Then Jeondohyeong approached.

“There’s a typhoon coming. What should we do?”

“Secure the windows and stay inside.”

There’s no other way. I suddenly looked at the trees by the road. The leaves were already turning red. Like blood.

Not real autumn leaves. Sometimes, even in spring and summer, there are trees with red leaves, like they’re sick.

But still, it felt like autumn was here.

“Autumn’s here.”

The end of summer, and autumn arrived with the typhoon.

 

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