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“That guy is definitely a scammer.”

As the sun set over the street, Sajihyeok sat slumped in the middle of the road, muttering to himself after retracting the rope and roughly cleaning up the oil.

The people of Villa Street surrounded Sajihyeok like concertgoers, quietly observing him as if he were some form of entertainment in their monotonous apocalypse life.

Yet, an eerie silence settled over the street, reminiscent of a pastor conducting a service in a chapel.

Sajihyeok, now a sinner confessing his crimes, began to ramble.

“The easiest way to make money was through scams. Tricking the wealthy and taking their money. That’s what I did. When the zombie outbreak happened, I thought it was an opportunity.”

I quietly watched him.

He had the nature of a pillager, using the disaster as material for his schemes.

Though his ability to judge situations seemed a bit lacking. The virus was spread by the Chairman himself, and all he could think of was financial fraud? If he were truly intelligent, he would have seen the Chairman’s grand plan and prepared for pillaging.

Sajihyeok seemed to regret this realization too late. He hung his head low, his heavy voice shadowing the ground.

“I didn’t think the world would fall apart like this. I thought it would pass like COVID or the flu. If I had known…”

People began to murmur. Voices criticizing Sajihyeok started to rise.

“Is that guy really a scammer? Why did he come here? How did you get tricked by him?”

At that moment, an uncle stepped forward. Suspicious and muttering, his eyes gleaming sharply as he questioned Sajihyeok.

“So why did you come here? What’s your goal? Why did you pretend to be incompetent? What was your intention in being kind to us?”

Sajihyeok suddenly lifted his head. With a look of injustice, he appealed to the people around him.

“I was wandering to escape those chasing me and ended up here by chance. I really did my best with the work. And the kindness…”

Sajihyeok glanced around nervously, meeting the suspicious and accusatory gazes of the Villa Street residents.

Despite being scolded for his incompetence, Sajihyeok had always exuded confidence. Now, like a soldier forcibly disarmed, his fingers trembled as he muttered.

“I was sincere. I genuinely tried to live with you all. Because I had to. Because I wanted to live.”

His voice sounded like a confession.

“The virus transmission has entered a lull. People are staying home, wearing masks, disinfecting. Zombies and humans don’t fight as long as their territories don’t overlap. But…”

What had he seen while wandering the streets, fleeing from vengeful victims? He continued in a weak voice.

“Instead, there’s more killing among humans. This shouldn’t happen. We’ll all die. Fighting each other will only lead to being overwhelmed by zombies.”

He concluded his persuasive speech.

“To survive, we must cooperate, care for each other, and act with goodwill. That’s all. I truly had no ill intentions.”

“…”

Sajihyeok, like a prisoner awaiting a death sentence, relaxed his body, closed his eyes, and slumped.

Meanwhile, the street people wore subtle expressions. They seemed to understand, yet also seemed to let it go. At least, their reactions weren’t hostile.

I clenched my fist.

I understood now. The reason Sajihyeok’s impression was ambiguous. The reason I couldn’t judge him like the pastor.

‘A born pillager wearing a mask of a good person. No wonder it was confusing.’

The scammer had focused on winning favor openly. A man who had pillaged others’ money even before the world fell apart. As someone who became a pillager unintentionally caught in the chaos, it was only natural to be confused.

Especially since Sajihyeok had made kindness his goal, offering kindness as a means.

It was a big mistake. I grinned beneath my mask.

‘Pastor, there’s a lost sheep here. I’ll guide him back properly.’

People should do what they’re good at. Kindness? Cooperation? A scammer should live by scamming.

Sajihyeok had lost his way in the zombie outbreak, and I decided to guide this lost soul back into the light.

The uncle, seemingly checking the expressions of the Villa Street people, slowly picked up a metal pipe.

“Go home for now. Don’t run away.”

“…Can I stay?”

“We need to think, so wait.”

The people began to disperse. Surprisingly, they didn’t try to drive Sajihyeok out.

And I, along with the uncle, followed Sajihyeok. The uncle probably wanted to interrogate him further, and I was there to guide him.

***

The house Sajihyeok entered was neatly organized. Perhaps renovated, the old villa had a rather sophisticated office-like atmosphere.

Sajihyeok, sitting in a chair at the table, quietly watched me and the uncle.

He seemed to realize that the real interrogation was about to begin. The uncle was clearly a key figure in Villa Street, and I, as a fellow pillager, must have sensed something.

“I’ll answer anything you ask. I’ve enjoyed living here. If I can stay here, I will.”

Sajihyeok genuinely seemed to like it here, having worked and mingled with everyone, expressing much regret.

The uncle, seemingly paranoid, pulled out a notebook and held a pen.

“Place of birth. Parents, relatives. Elementary, middle, high school, college, military service, and subsequent activities. Tell me everything. Where, with whom, and what activities.”

I glanced and saw bold asterisks in the notebook. A sentence about investigating everyone in Villa Street out of suspicion. Probably to meticulously check for any motives of betrayal based on blood, regional, or academic ties.

Something seemed a bit off mentally. Well, this is the apocalypse, after all.

The interrogation continued until the sun set and darkness fell.

Sajihyeok spoke earnestly, and I kept my mouth shut. I had no interest in such interrogations. Regardless of the past, as long as he had the nature of a pillager and value to exploit, that was enough.

Betrayal and chaos can’t be prevented anyway. Rather than investing time and energy here, it’s better to live assuming betrayal.

And then, the interrogation roughly concluded.

“Alright, I get it.”

“What about me?”

“Stay quiet. Suspicion isn’t cleared. If you do anything suspicious, you’re dead.”

The harsh words conversely meant he had passed the suspicion test.

As Sajihyeok sighed in relief, I stood up. It was my turn.

Sajihyeok’s body stiffened. His eyes moved, spotting my hammer. A hammer stained with dried blood. Too threatening? Maybe it had zombie virus residue.

To ease his tension, I approached him, patting his shoulder kindly.

“Mr. Sajihyeok, don’t lie.”

“I-I didn’t lie. It’s all true.”

“No, not that.”

Had he worn the mask for too long? Like me, who had been under the pastor and fallen for a cult, had he imitated a good person for so long that he forgot his true nature?

I locked eyes with Sajihyeok. To persuade sincerely, you must look into their eyes.

“You, you don’t really have goodwill, do you? Your kindness was all calculated, wasn’t it?”

“No! Really, I genuinely wanted to get along with everyone—”

Sajihyeok shouted, genuinely seeming wronged, like an actor too immersed in his role.

He was an excellent scammer. I laughed in admiration.

“Really? No, it’s not. You chose kindness because it was beneficial, a way to survive, right?”

“That’s…”

His face paled. Whether he was immersed in his act or genuinely sincere, he must have realized his true nature.

I can’t understand truly pure, good people. Their motives are beyond me. But this guy, I get him. He chose kindness after calculating its benefits.

That’s why I could empathize with Sajihyeok, who had the makings of a pillager.

I patted his shoulder a few more times, reassuring him.

“I’m not blaming you. In fact, it’s good. It’s better to be someone who calmly chooses long-term benefits over acting impulsively.”

“No, I… genuinely, no. My sincerity is…”

Sincerity? What sincerity? If he were truly good, would he have lived by scamming?

Sajihyeok’s essence is simple. A human chasing profit. In the apocalypse, someone who acts without emotion, judging that good deeds are beneficial.

Leaving Sajihyeok, still acting, I glanced at the uncle.

“Let’s do one thing, Mr. Sajihyeok. If you do this well, Villa Street will accept you.”

“…Are you sending me to the apartment?”

The uncle seemed to catch on, his eyes faintly gleaming.

I nodded and continued to whisper.

“Go to the apartment and scam them. Cause division, lure the leaders here, do whatever damage you can. I’ll leave the method to you.”

It’s a move with nothing to lose.

Even if it fails, it’s fine. The apartment people are enemies anyway. Things can’t get worse.

If Sajihyeok betrays us? If he fails and gets caught? Same deal. He’s not a core figure. Just a suspicious neighbor disappearing.

If he succeeds, we gain a valuable pillager companion while keeping the enemy in check.

“I can’t do it. I won’t. I decided not to do such things anymore.”

Sajihyeok hung his head low. His hands trembled. Lacking confidence?

I instilled confidence in him.

“Mr. Sajihyeok. People should do what they’re good at. You can’t do simple labor, can you? Always making mistakes and causing trouble. Use your specialty to help Villa Street.”

“This shouldn’t happen. Everyone will die.”

His eyes shook, seemingly confused.

The uncle chimed in.

“If you don’t do this, we’ll die sooner. You heard the story. We clashed with the apartment people. We’ll fight soon. If we fight like this, we’ll lose. Everyone you’ve mingled with will die.”

“…”

Sajihyeok clutched his head, groaning like he was in pain. His bowed head cast a shadow over his face.

Soon, Sajihyeok lifted his head. His face, exhausted like someone who had sprinted full force. Behind his cracked glasses, his heavy eyes faintly gleamed with cunning.

“…I’ll do it.”

A human who chose kindness because it was beneficial. If scamming is beneficial, of course, he’d choose it. Our Villa Street was a decent group to join.

The uncle and I quickly responded.

“Of course. How could we abandon someone who risked danger for the street? Right, uncle?”

“Exactly. From now on, you’re family.”

Sajihyeok began to move slowly. He rummaged through his luggage, pulling out a neat suit, a decent pair of glasses, and a military watch to wear.

As his attire changed, so did Sajihyeok’s demeanor. Confidence became his outfit, and his tone became reliable.

Even his somewhat lacking movements carried the aura of a successful person.

Sajihyeok muttered.

“Apartment people, especially the primary targets, give me their personal information. The more detailed, the better.”

“Not hard. I’ve already investigated.”

The uncle listed information about the head of the women’s association and the apartment management chief. Sajihyeok professionally tapped on his phone, confirming additional information and starting to plan.

Centered around the hope of this era, like a quarantine zone we don’t want to doubt.

I smiled contentedly.

‘Pastor, are you watching? I’ve guided a lost lamb back to the right path.’

A human who had been doing mismatched work due to the disaster had returned to his original profession. It was a good thing.

In the apocalypse, a kind neighbor holding rare hope stood before me. A kind neighbor sharing that hope.

***

Perhaps thanks to Sajihyeok’s abilities, or maybe because the apartment people were that desperate, the kind neighbor operation went very well.

A few days later, Sajihyeok returned to Villa Street with a group of apartment people.

To the street where we had already prepared a trap and ambush.

The sidewalks were blocked by cars, corpses, and luggage, leaving only the road wide open. Sajihyeok and the apartment people cautiously approached down that road.

What had he said to deceive them? The apartment people’s faces were a mix of hope and anxiety.

“B-boss. Do we really have to go this way? We haven’t done anything wrong, but people from other neighborhoods hate us.”

“Then you can turn back.”

Sajihyeok shrugged, not seeming to care, then looked back.

His gaze went beyond the apartment people, toward the road behind them. The point where the attack would begin. Sajihyeok needed to slip away at the right moment.

Because the plan was to ram them with a car. That’s why we had blocked the sidewalks.

I stood by the window, quietly waiting for the impending revenge.

‘It’s starting.’

Vroom—!

A car rapidly accelerated, appearing at the end of the road. Sajihyeok’s face briefly darkened, then he quickly climbed onto a parked car by the roadside.

In an instant, Sajihyeok disappeared. The people, bewildered, looked at where he had been.

“B-boss—”

That was it. The car collided with the apartment people. Crash, a loud collision sound. People flew like in a cartoon, falling like bowling pins.

“Ahh!”

“Why are you driving like this—”

Their judgment was slow. Even those who dodged the car missed the golden opportunity.

“Apartment bastards, die!”

“Kill them!”

People waiting in the villa buildings rushed out with weapons, mercilessly beating the panicked people.

A deadly ambush, a clean encirclement, perfect numerical superiority.

In an instant, a group of apartment people was dealt with. I quickly went out to the street, pretending to have worked hard, panting as I looked around.

Blood flowed on the road. People with broken joints, shattered heads, axe wounds. All apartment people.

One person, barely alive, struggled to lift their head. It was the head of the women’s association. She looked for Sajihyeok.

“B-boss. Why, why. Diagnostic kit, safety…”

A final mental attack? Appealing to conscience to wound the mind? But unfortunately, it meant nothing to our capable pillager.

I bashed her head a few times with my hammer and busily moved around, ensuring the kills.

Turning my head, I saw Sajihyeok surrounded by Villa Street people. His face pale, unable to look away from the head of the women’s association’s corpse.

Then, color slowly returned to his face. Thanks to the encouragement from the people around him.

“Sajihyeok, well done. Very reliable. Thanks to you, we’ve avenged these enemies.”

“You do it when it counts. You’ve worked hard. You must have been in danger too.”

“Thanks to you, we’re safe. With this many dead, the apartment bastards won’t dare attack.”

People poured praise on Sajihyeok. Their pure joy, relief, and satisfaction. Regardless of the means, they acknowledged Sajihyeok.

I also strongly patted his shoulder.

“See? Cooperation, kindness, whatever, just do what you’re good at.”

Sajihyeok, looking around at the Villa Street people in a daze, burst into laughter.

“Haha. Hahaha.”

He must have been happy to be acknowledged. After all, people should do what they’re good at, what aligns with their nature. Murder, theft, scams—in today’s world, these are also strengths.

A world where people can showcase their abilities without prejudice, where the field doesn’t matter as long as it helps, where abilities are purely acknowledged. A world full of hope.

 

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