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I can’t afford to get caught in a raid.

I set up a decoy and stayed in a commercial building, eating and sleeping there all day while waiting. My companions, who were on night watch, nodded at me when they saw me, and by sunrise, my criminal companions arrived.

“Have you had breakfast?”

As I rubbed my sleepy eyes and greeted them, Park Yang-gun chuckled.

“You need to eat well to work. Have you eaten?”

“I just woke up… They’ll raid today, right?”

At my question, everyone shrugged or shook their heads as if they didn’t know. Sajihyeok spoke up.

“I don’t know. I’m not familiar with their system. They might not come back for a day or two, or they might come today if the deal is urgent.”

Is that so? I’d rather get it over with quickly.

Yawning behind my mask, I searched for a water bottle in my bag. I checked the cap, label, and water level to make sure no one had tampered with it while I slept.

‘No one touched it.’

I pulled out a straw from my pocket, slipped it under my mask, and drank. The cool water brought me back to my senses.

Words spilled out immediately.

“The investigating riders might be quite armed. They might even have handguns.”

After considering the risks all night, I concluded that we couldn’t let our guard down. Naturally, my skilled pillager companions thought the same.

Jeondohyeong pinched two fingers.

“They’ll probably move in pairs at least. They won’t wander alone unless they’re prepared for danger.”

That’s true. Wandering alone is practically begging to be killed. A rider delivering alone would be strange.

“I’m not sure about drones or explosives. I don’t know if those electricity-obsessed folks share equipment.”

“That’s…”

Even after thinking about it, I really didn’t know. A normal group wouldn’t share their equipment due to power struggles, but nomads who are satisfied with just electricity might be different.

If they could use electricity freely, they might share minor equipment without hesitation.

After a moment of thought, I sighed.

“We’ll have to adapt to the situation.”

How could I, an ordinary person, guess the thoughts of a madman who prioritizes electricity over survival? The problem of the subtly deranged electric nomads could only be left to improvisation.

I rummaged through my bag, pulled out a lunchbox, and waved my hand at my companions.

“I’m going to eat, so please step back.”

Maintaining a survival distance is important.

My masked companions stepped back more than three meters. A void formed between us. The I-Virus created by our chairman did this—it made people distance themselves from each other.

I chewed on a rice ball stuffed with fried kimchi and made small talk.

“Jeondohyeong, are you okay not seeing your girlfriend?”

“It’s hard to see her often anyway. I only see her when I go to the survivor zone for trades.”

I asked Jeondohyeong pointless personal questions, asked Park Yang-gun if he had enough alcohol, and discussed future plans with Sajihyeok.

Sajihyeok spoke surprisingly seriously.

“As always, the exit strategy is crucial. The stage of wrapping up the scam, the stage of getting out without issues.”

Whether he had bonded with his companions or developed an attachment to our organization through multi-level marketing, Sajihyeok was planning a proper business.

Sajihyeok looked straight at me and asked.

“But more important than that is vision. Only when the vision is set can we plan an exit strategy. Ms. Kim Da-in, what is your goal? Where does our Immortal aim?”

“My goal, you ask.”

I chewed my food, swallowed, and glanced at the ceiling.

I don’t have a goal or vision. That’s all about the future, isn’t it? I’m just satisfied if the present moment is enjoyable.

‘It wasn’t like this before…’

Even after my first murder, I worried about the future. But how many people in this world plan for the future? I let out a hollow laugh and showed Sajihyeok my rice ball.

“Eating and living is everything. Pillaging is the best way to eat and live well.”

These aren’t people I can be honest with.

Park Yang-gun betrayed the church the moment zombie blood touched the pastor’s mouth, Sajihyeok is a scammer planning exit strategies, and Jeondohyeong is a bold electric thief who steals the nation’s electricity.

There’s no unity or cohesion in this organization. These are people who’ll make a decision whenever they feel like it.

Sajihyeok adjusted his glasses and wristwatch, as if preparing for a scam, and spoke in a calm voice.

“Then let’s take the rider hostage and negotiate. Conflict only creates problems. We have the environment to be self-sufficient, don’t we?”

He’s saying the same thing as yesterday.

Looking into Sajihyeok’s eyes, I felt a flicker of unease.

“Tell me the reason.”

“As long as there are people seeking revenge, we have to fight. It’s a world where we kill each other to survive. I understand that. But think long-term.”

Sajihyeok listed various reasons.

When the bullets run out, it’s too dangerous. If we can’t break the vicious cycle, we can’t escape. In this world, those obsessed with revenge are too dangerous…

We have mountains and water, so we can create self-sufficient conditions.

I finished my meal while listening to him. I put my mask back on and looked at Sajihyeok.

‘Is he really a scammer who committed crimes even when the world was normal?’

Sajihyeok seemed to vaguely sense the end of the downfall. The reason he feels uneasy when everything is going well is because he’s anticipating the future.

And above all, he’s full enough to worry about the future.

“It’s a complicated issue that’s hard to simplify.”

I spoke sincerely. It really was a complicated issue. When hungry, people betray and desert. When full, they slack off and think of other things. Managing people as a leader is this hard.

“The reason we’re eating and living well now is because of pillaging, and it’ll stay that way. Self-sufficiency? It’s almost winter. It’s too late for farming.”

I made a reasonable excuse. In the season of famine, there’s no harvest. Naturally, the famine will continue until next spring.

And the only way to survive the famine is through pillaging.

“It’s not the time to think about exit strategies. It’s time to think about killing more.”

Sajihyeok blinked, realizing his mistake. He stared blankly out the window and wiped his face.

“You’re right. Ah, what a mistake. Self-sufficiency only works if the season aligns. I don’t know about farming.”

“Thank you for seriously considering the future, but living like this is the best option until this winter.”

I made a polite remark. Even if it were summer, Sajihyeok’s words might have swayed the group, but fortunately, the timing is on my side.

Then, Park Yang-gun, who had been quietly stretching, suddenly turned his head. He pricked up his ears and hid under the window.

“Motorcycle sounds.”

Are they already here to investigate? We each armed ourselves and crouched down. A sudden idea struck me, and I called Park Yang-gun.

“Uncle Park Yang-gun, can you act?”

“What kind of act?”

“Act like a normal survivor.”

While my face and voice are somewhat known, along with Jeondohyeong and Sajihyeok, Park Yang-gun is different. He can easily deceive them.

***

Park Yang-gun took off his floppy hat and tied his messy hair with a string. His somewhat gloomy appearance now looked like an ordinary survivor.

“As long as they’re not from the church, they won’t recognize him.”

As I said that, Park Yang-gun started grumbling.

“You should’ve made that scammer do this, why me?”

“You’re the only one whose face isn’t known to the Delivery Vigilante Group.”

As the leader, my appearance is well-known, and Sajihyeok, who ran multi-level marketing, is a person of interest. Jeondohyeong, who often visited his girlfriend, would be familiar too.

On the other hand, Park Yang-gun, with his faint presence typical of a thief, wouldn’t be in the Delivery Vigilante Group’s records.

Park Yang-gun clicked his tongue and glanced out the window.

“They’re swinging swords in the air while wandering around.”

“Are they approaching?”

“They’re checking from a distance and looking around. There are two of them.”

The motorcycle sounds had been growing louder and softer for a while now.

“Are they only armed with swords?”

“I don’t know. All I see are swords.”

Swords? That’s unexpected. Honestly, not the most useful weapon in an apocalypse. Aren’t they hard to handle?

‘Are they really carrying swords like knights because they’re delivery riders? Are they a bit crazy too?’

Like Rider Zero, who dreamed of romance, these guys might also be intoxicated by some strange romanticism. Riding motorcycles and fighting with swords might seem cool to them.

“None of the organizations in the alliance are normal…”

Jeondohyeong muttered in disbelief. On the other hand, Sajihyeok looked like he found it plausible.

“Maybe they carry them because of wire traps?”

“Ah, is that it?”

Is it? Isn’t it? It seems plausible but not very practical.

Then Park Yang-gun reached out the window and waved.

“I see them. They’re coming.”

We held our breath and checked our weapons. If they’re carrying swords, most weapons won’t work. Slings are iffy. I’m not confident I can hit them accurately.

“Prepare the firearms.”

“Didn’t we say we wouldn’t leave traces?”

“They have swords. You counter swords with guns.”

Soon, the motorcycle engine sounds grew closer, and voices could be heard. They kept their distance, so the voices weren’t loud.

“Is that hand a zombie?”

“I don’t know.”

“Ah, seriously. They even changed the corpse’s clothes. It’s getting weirder.”

Park Yang-gun raised his voice.

“It’s a person! Don’t you need information?”

The riders’ voices stopped, and soon a reply came.

“What information?”

“Information about that corpse. I know who killed them. Give me food, and I’ll tell you everything.”

Park Yang-gun lied as naturally as breathing. The riders continued the conversation but didn’t approach, their voices still distant.

“Did you kill them, uncle? Is this a trap?”

“I’m not crazy enough to change a corpse’s clothes just to set a trap.”

What’s this? Why does it sound so sincere? I stared at Park Yang-gun, but I could only see the back of his head, so I couldn’t gauge his expression. I just waited uneasily for the riders to enter the building.

 

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