Marauder of the Apocalypse-Chapter 112: Arson

In the room with broken windows that had become ruins, I placed a chair in the center and sat down, calling for Sa Gi-hyeok and Jeon Do-hyung. This was to proceed with the deal I'd made with the police captain.

"Mr. Sa Gi-hyeok. Do-hyung. I need you to drop some hints, casually and subtly."

"What kind of hints?"

Sa Gi-hyeok asked without much thought, while Do-hyung looked at me suspiciously.

I tapped my fingers on the armrest of the chair. The street survivors weren't my subordinates. I needed to guide their actions. It wasn't a difficult task.

If you let hungry wild dogs smell food, they'll find their way to it on their own.

"About how wealthy the alliance's survival zone is. Something that can turn simple hunger into hatred."

Sa Gi-hyeok, who understood my plan to some extent, nodded knowingly. Do-hyung also seemed to understand somewhat and sighed reluctantly.

"Spreading rumors isn't difficult. But everyone already knows the alliance is wealthy. There's nothing special for us to fan the flames with."

"It doesn't have to be the truth. For example, the alliance has so much food that they throw the excess away as garbage. They use spoiled rice as ashtrays."

I leaned back in the chair, looking at the ceiling as I continued.

The situation was already set. People suffering from hunger. People who ignored even the threat of machine guns. A current that would eventually lead to an attack on the alliance if left alone.

My job was to give them a little push to accelerate the flow, and emotions would serve as an excellent booster.

Sa Gi-hyeok tilted his head with interest.

"We should be careful with the lies. Spread them like fake investment tips, as if they're real secrets."

"Yes, handle it however you see fit."

I glanced briefly at Do-hyung.

"Do-hyung, you... spread information as if you're muttering to yourself or complaining. Like, 'The alliance has plenty of food, so why won't they share?'"

"Yeah, whatever."

Do-hyung muttered while looking out the window. The voices of companions and families came from outside.

"You're planning to send hungry survivors to the alliance?"

"That's right. If we become targets, it'll keep being difficult for us."

That was just one of the smaller goals.

We'd already made the surrounding survivors our members, but if they couldn't get resources, they'd turn their knives on us right away. Better to make them attack others.

"The police have plenty of guns and ammunition. We can't be the only ones using up bullets."

"I get it, but... can I warn the Hope community? I have a girlfriend there."

Do-hyung avoided my gaze like someone trying to be cautious. I thought for a moment, then nodded slightly.

"Go ahead."

The deal with the police captain would remain a secret. Secrets are hidden behind other truths. We could create a smokescreen by warning the Hope community.

I clapped my hands twice and gestured for the two to leave.

"Let's get to work quickly."

"I'll handle it thoroughly. It reminds me of the old days."

After the two left the room, I closed my eyes. A scenario being written on the black canvas of my closed eyelids. Red flames flickered across that darkness.

'For attacks, arson is still the best.'

Fire extinguishers are resources that can't be restocked. It would be good to make them use up their extinguishers, in preparation for the day when I might properly annihilate the alliance.

While writing the scenario, I suddenly shuddered.

"Geez. Fighting really is worthless."

Wasting bullets, wasting manpower, wasting time, wasting fire extinguishers. Defensive battles were the ultimate in waste and luxury. Only raiding was somewhat productive combat.

***

Rumors spread as quickly as fire across a dry field. I added fuel to the flames, but it was possible because the survivors were like seasoned firewood to begin with.

Even before I could fully implement my scenario, news of attacks had already reached us.

People who entered the commercial district, stole fried pigeon and raw meat, and ran away; people who took alliance members hostage and started standoffs; people who threatened arson.

In the process, many died from police bullets or by triggering improvised explosives set by the electricity nomads, but hungry survivors still flocked to the survival zone every day.

"I didn't expect the response to be this intense."

Sa Gi-hyeok, bringing the news, awkwardly scratched his head. I adjusted my mask and let out a relieved sigh.

Looking at it now, the city was a powder keg, ready to explode at any moment. Fortunately, I'd redirected the target to the alliance.

"That's how desperate people are. Suffering from hunger in the darkness."

"That's true, but it's also because the alliance is actually wealthy. I saw that they really do throw away food."

I opened my eyes wide. Had the alliance gone crazy? Throwing away food?

Sa Gi-hyeok let out a hollow laugh and added more.

"The doctors there, they immediately discard any food that might cause health problems. They have plenty of food, and they say consuming spoiled food would only waste precious medicine treating the resulting illness."

"...Couldn't they just distribute that food to the survivors?"

I still didn't understand.

They could manage survivors' goodwill, and even keep them in check by making them sick. With such a good strategy available, why throw the food away? Ah, the police?

"Is it the police?"

"Yes. From what I hear, the police and archers opposed it with weapons in hand. They asked how much expired food there really was anyway. Said the survivors would turn into enemies the moment the handouts stopped."

I quietly opened my mouth.

The alliance was quite a mess too. Groups with different tendencies had gathered. Even with a single problem, judgments differed. The issue was that each judgment had its own logic.

With nearly ten different groups gathered, conflict was inevitable.

Suddenly, a different thought crossed my mind.

'Should I not attack properly?'

I had planned to somehow persuade a few survivors to set fire to the gas station.

Looking at the alliance's situation, this might be better. If they felt an existential crisis, they might unite, so it might be better to let them divide through their own political fights.

After considering briefly, I clenched my fist.

'No, that's not right.'

The alliance wouldn't collapse anyway. Let's just attack. I looked at Sa Gi-hyeok.

"Do we have any survivors who follow instructions well? Someone we can trust with a job?"

"Where in this world is there anyone to trust? Still, depending on the job, we could subcontract."

Sa Gi-hyeok replied lukewarmly. He wasn't wrong.

It all came down to profit and loss. People would follow if the benefits and consequences we offered were significant, but if not, they could turn on us at any time.

"Well, I want to set fire to the survival zone..."

I hesitated, trailing off. Even most hardened survivors wouldn't dare set fire to the survival zone. Such an act would mean certain death.

The electricity nomads would deploy drones, and the police would chase with guns. This was impossible no matter what benefits I offered or what terrible consequences I threatened.

Sure enough, Sa Gi-hyeok jumped up in shock.

"Who would do such a thing! Even Immortal members couldn't be hired for this! They'd agree, then run straight to the alliance to report us!"

"But I still want to set fire to the gas station..."

"If you want to do that, you'd have to do it yourself. No, even doing it personally wouldn't work. Do you know how much they guard against fires?"

I sighed.

To set fire to the gas station guarded by the Delivery Vigilantes would take more than one or two people. They had placed many fire extinguishers in preparation for oil fires, and several people were always on fire watch like sentries.

We'd need to take down the gas station sentries and set a significant fire.

This was unavoidable.

"I understand. I'll handle this myself."

The police would have to do it themselves. The only option was for the police to set the fire, like a staged incident. I would just send survivors to the gas station to create chaos.

***

The next day, I visited the police captain. As always spinning his sawed-off shotgun, the police captain was smiling brightly, but when I brought up the subject, his expression hardened.

"You want me to set a fire?"

"You don't necessarily have to do it personally. Don't you have police officers like family?"

"..."

The police captain seemed to consider it, then placed his shotgun on the desk and leaned back.

"Thinking about it, we don't really need a fire. Our voice has grown loud enough already."

With hungry survivors attacking every day, life seemed good enough. Indeed, in the apocalypse, the most important thing was force, and this was a time when force was crucial, with the police being the strongest organization in the alliance.

But I just grinned and looked at the police captain steadily.

"There are two ways to raise your voice. The first is to prove yourself through achievements."

"And the second is to silence other voices."

The police captain understood immediately. He put his finger on the shotgun's trigger and bowed his head slightly, but he seemed unable to make a decision as he frowned.

"The riders, firefighters, and scavengers all irritate me. But direct arson..."

Well. The fact that he was even considering it already made him a fine madman.

Plus, he was the police captain. Like me, he lived only for the present, not looking to the future.

'If he looked ahead, he wouldn't have given me this kind of job.'

The hungry survivors' attack on the alliance was an inevitable flow. Even without giving me the job, it would have happened if he'd just waited a little. But he couldn't wait and did this instead.

I imitated Sa Gi-hyeok's tone and whispered in a low voice.

"I'll create the situation for you. I'll have a group of survivors occupy the gas station. You only need to do one thing."

"...What?"

"Suppression. Killing the survivors who dare to hold the precious oil hostage. But, oh no, the cornered survivors have set a fire."

The police captain stared at me intently. I met his gaze without hesitation.

The police captain suddenly asked suspiciously.

"Why are you so determined to set a fire? No matter how I look at it, there's no benefit for our friend here. I've already given you guns and ammunition, so wouldn't it be better to simply conclude our deal?"

"Ah, that."

I chuckled. There was no need for a grand reason. I just needed to show sincerity. I revealed clear irritation and murderous intent.

"RiderZero. I hate that person."

"You said you were at odds?"

"She cursed at me."

The police captain suddenly laughed.

"I don't like that person either. Let's see how the situation develops. If it's set up cleanly, I'll do it myself."