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For me, pillaging was a means of self-realization and the very goal of life, but not everyone thought like me.

For many, pillaging was just a means of survival. Without a solid vision as a pillager, they simply took others’ belongings because it was the only way to survive.

In other words, the difference between professional pillagers and survival pillagers. Of course, that doesn’t mean they can be ignored. In a way, those who do it for survival might be even more desperate.

“The alliance is made up of survival pillagers… No, there’s also the military.”

I leaned back in my chair and stared at the ceiling. Faded letters floated across the ceiling, forming a scenario.

How would the alliance or the military act as the harsh winter approached? It’s still survival pillaging. Unless they can reduce their numbers by purging their own people, killing others to gain resources is the only way.

Even if they have resources to survive the winter, food doesn’t suddenly appear when spring comes.

Moreover, neither the alliance nor the military were strangers to pillaging. The alliance members were all lunatics, and the military had been honed into killing machines after surviving the apocalypse.

So, what should I do? Now that the end is in sight, what should I pursue?

“Haha.”

A chuckle escaped me. What’s going to change?

Chaos. Destroying all the wealth inside a house. Causing a loud and frantic commotion. Pillaging or plundering others’ belongings.

Creak. I pushed the chair back into place and tapped the armrest with my fingers. A voice mixed with joy, venom, and malice flowed from my lips.

“If I’ve lived a year, that’s long enough. Let’s all die together.”

The vague thoughts I’d been having lately finally crystallized.

Rather than surviving as a survivor, I’ll go out as a pillager in a blaze of glory. Instead of holing up in the townhouse to take advantage of its benefits, I’ll charge headfirst into enemy territory with enough force to shatter my skull.

I don’t need a future. I’ll focus on the present, where I can ignite the biggest flames.

With my purpose clear, the scenario wrote itself easily. The alliance and the military. Numerous, well-armed, and filled with venom. How to deal with such enemies.

‘With even greater malice. Show those amateur pillagers the true malice of a real pillager.’

Ambush, burn, kill. Leave nothing but ashes and corpses.

My laughter echoed in the empty room.

It’s time to show the fake pillagers, whose goal is survival, what true madness looks like. Not someone with nothing to lose, but someone whose goal is to lose everything—how far can their malice go?

***

December arrived. The weather wasn’t just cool—it was freezing cold. The long drought seemed to be ending, as thick clouds covered the sky like a ceiling. The sunlight piercing through the clouds turned the world gray.

A world seemingly covered in ash. The trees on the mountains were left with only bare branches, and the concrete houses took on a mineral-like glow.

Perhaps influenced by the environment, a hint of gloom appeared on the faces of my companions.

I gathered all the companions and their families on the road and spoke.

“Those who know, already know—our resources are running low. We can only last about a month.”

“Ah, as expected…”

The companions sighed, having already sensed it. Even though they didn’t worry about the future, they could see the warehouse emptying every time they ate or drank.

I paused for a moment. To manipulate these companions, I needed to lure them with hope. I had to present a plausible path of survival so they would charge headfirst into the alliance down the wrong path.

“Does anyone have any ideas?”

When I asked in a tone that suggested I respected their opinions, the companions shook their heads. It meant there was no solution to this problem.

But Sajihyeok, after some thought, raised his hand and spoke.

“If we limit our meals, we can last until the end of January. If we create additional sources of income, we might even make it through February.”

“That won’t work.”

I cut him off immediately. What kind of pillager saves? And more importantly, there’s another issue.

“Just as we’re struggling with food shortages, the alliance will also be short on resources. They’ll attack us soon. We can’t just think about the food problem.”

It’s a time when everyone in the world has turned into pillagers. Like bugs trapped in a jar, people will kill and be killed.

As I laid out this logic, Park Yang-gun, a master of betrayal and escape, spoke up.

“Are you thinking of escaping the city? After making one last big haul?”

“Yes. Exactly.”

No. I’ll burn the world and turn winter into a season of death.

But since revealing this goal outright would lead to rebellion, I disguised my purpose with a plausible excuse. We’re moving, and before we do, we’ll pillage heavily to survive the winter.

Before presenting the goal of attacking the alliance, I cleared my throat and thought of various people I’d encountered during the apocalypse.

‘Professor, pastor, Sajihyeok.’

Each of them was an expert at manipulating people’s psychology. Like the professor persuading with logic, the pastor brainwashing with hope, and Sajihyeok exploiting people’s greed, I would follow their methods…

Then I suddenly felt the companions’ gazes. They were waiting for me to speak after clearing my throat.

These companions weren’t persuaded by me mimicking someone else’s methods. They were led by my own way of thinking—profit and loss, mental fences, pushing them beyond the line.

I chuckled. Yeah, who am I imitating? This might be my last pillaging, so I’ll do it my way.

“We’ll raid the alliance, loot their resources, then gather at the rally point and escape the city.”

“The alliance?”

Park Yang-gun, who disliked combat, frowned uncomfortably. Jeondohyeong’s face also turned slightly pale.

I pulled out a map and unfolded it. The strategy I’d prepared to attack the alliance.

“Arson is essential. We’ll set fire to the townhouse and focus on burning the northern part of the alliance’s survivor zone. Non-combatants armed with handguns will infiltrate under the guise of trading daily necessities, while combatants with rifles will attack from the south of the survivor zone.”

The fire will disperse their manpower and morale, while our companions and their families loot the warehouses.

The companions’ reactions weren’t positive. After all, the enemy was the alliance.

The Cup Noodles Mercenary hesitated, then hugged his child with one hand and spoke.

“My son is too young for this…”

“Send him to the rally point first. Anyone else who can’t participate?”

If the son can’t go, it means the father can. That’s enough. Of course, even a child can shoot a handgun, but if I try to manipulate them for my own gain, I won’t be able to control the companions.

Then Jeondohyeong raised his hand.

“This… this isn’t right. If we set fires, everyone will die. Others will freeze to death in the winter.”

“Then suggest another way for us to survive. I just think this is the only way.”

I spoke convincingly. From the perspective of profit and loss, this was the best option.

“If we stay put, we’ll starve or be killed by the alliance. You think quietly escaping the city will work? Can you be sure we’ll find food after escaping?”

Whether in the city or outside, it’s all the same. Production has stopped, and logistics have collapsed. If many people survived, they would have already consumed the resources long ago. If few survived, the resources would still run out soon.

Jeondohyeong clenched his mouth shut but trembled slightly, fists tight.

I suddenly remembered that Jeondohyeong’s girlfriend was in the Hope Community. This could easily become a reason for betrayal.

“…Still, don’t worry too much. Your girlfriend won’t get hurt. Our target is the food warehouse. Even if a fire breaks out, the alliance can withstand it.”

Who knows? No matter how much I set fires, the alliance’s resources aren’t ordinary.

The firefighters might have prepared fire prevention measures, or the Delivery Vigilante Group might have prepared fire trucks with oil. Even if firewood runs out, they might have electricity to run radiators.

Even if resources are scarce, fighting us might reduce their numbers enough for them to survive.

Jeondohyeong lowered his head slightly, casting a shadow over his face.

Sajihyeok looked at Jeondohyeong with concern, then turned his gaze to me.

“Is there a chance of success? It’s a gamble, but if the odds are high, it’s worth trying.”

“Of course. I’m not acting recklessly out of despair.”

I spoke with confidence. I truly had confidence. If I thought it was meaningless to die, I wouldn’t have attempted this.

They won’t expect us to attack so aggressively, planning to burn the city as we escape. Their complacency is their weakness.

After summarizing my thoughts briefly, I continued.

“The alliance won’t expect us to attack so drastically. They’ll be busy figuring out how to eliminate us without taking losses. So.”

I made eye contact with each companion and spoke in a strong voice.

“Today, we’ll kill the two riders meeting with the spy, Fly, and steal two more motorcycles. Tomorrow, we attack immediately.”

The double agent, Fly, is no longer useful. In fact, they’re a liability. So we eliminate them and push forward quickly.

Striking when the enemy least expects it is the essence of a surprise attack.

The companions pondered silently, then began nodding one by one. After all, they were pillagers, understanding the principle that you have to kill others to survive.

 

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