Chapter 31: Robbery

Nutrient deficiency is a terrifying danger. Just look at pirates, one of my role models. Didn’t they die from scurvy due to vitamin C deficiency?

In other words, with only rice and kimchi left, death was knocking at our door!

We had no choice but to go raiding. Our essential survival supplies were running out.

As I strapped on a large backpack and hid various weapons around my body preparing to hit the streets, the other two members returned fully armed.

“Let’s start with that former believer’s house nearby.”

Our target was selected by comparing several days’ worth of visitor logs – a former believer who’d left partway.

“Damn right. They deserve it. How dare they betray and turn their backs on the pastor.”

“Exactly. This is righteous vengeance.”

Park Yang-gun and I brazenly justified ourselves. It was a form of mental preparation. Helping prevent our bodies from freezing up with tension or our hands from getting sloppy with guilt.

“No…”

Do-hyung let out a hollow laugh and started to say something, but quickly shut his mouth.

I pointed at him with my hammer.

“You take point.”

“Me? Is this because I laughed?”

No. I’m not that petty. There was a perfectly rational reason.

“You go out often. Don’t you know the safe routes?”

While I hadn’t taken a single step outside the villa like some martial artist in secluded training, Do-hyung and Park Yang-gun were different.

I’d often sensed them leaving. Do-hyung probably went to meet Na Yeji, while Park Yang-gun likely couldn’t resist stealing.

Either way, they’d managed to walk the zombie-filled streets just fine. No reason to ignore their expertise.

Do-hyung pointed at Park Yang-gun with an indignant look.

“But Elder Park also-“

“I didn’t go far, idiot. Just practiced climbing gas pipes on nearby buildings.”

Ah. Theft practice. Whether it was really just practice, I couldn’t say, but I nodded.

“Then Elder Park, please watch our escape routes from the rear. I’ll prepare for combat in the middle.”

And so we formed up and headed into the streets. Streets where zombies could be seen.

There were quite a few zombies on the streets. Groups of two or three zombies wandered around searching for food with scavenged weapons. Some had dried blood around their mouths from eating raw flesh.

Do-hyung skillfully avoided zombie sight lines, weaving through the alleys.

Sometimes ducking into nearby building entrances to wait for zombies to pass, sometimes climbing through broken windows only to exit through windows on the other side.

Never once got chased by zombies.

“As expected of an electricity thief.”

I murmured in admiration. He had the instincts of a thief who’d stolen the nation’s electricity for years without getting caught.

Do-hyung showed signs of embarrassment at the genuine praise. The skin around his eyes briefly flushed red.

“What does electricity theft have to do with this.”

His voice was thick with emotion. Outside, he couldn’t raise his voice – might attract zombies. The apocalypse was a world where you couldn’t even honestly express joy at praise.

Moving like that through the streets, we eventually reached our target’s public housing apartment.

Bang bang bang-

“Brother, are you there? This is Hope Church.”

I took the lead and pounded on the front door. The noise level was fine since this was on a high floor of the public housing – no worry about drawing zombies.

I continued in a friendly voice.

“We’re here to distribute food to our brothers. Just a simple donation, nothing to worry about.”

Movement behind the cold door. Someone was definitely there. No zombie moans, just the rustling sounds of human movement.

They seemed to cautiously approach the door, hesitating.

Park Yang-gun chimed in from beside me.

“Just evangelizing. Churches are short on people these days. If you don’t want to talk, you can just take the supplies.”

“…”

After a brief silence, the door opened slightly. With the safety chain still latched. Through the narrow gap appeared a face with dark circles under the eyes.

A masked young man. His complexion was poor as if he’d been starving, cheekbones prominent from weight loss.

‘As expected. Such wariness befits a traitor to the faith.’

He looked us three over and spoke in a hoarse voice.

“Show me the food.”

“Ah, of course.”

I quickly showed the bait. You need bait to catch people, after all.

The former believer gulped at seeing the two containers of rice and kimchi. He spoke hurriedly, almost stumbling over his words.

“Leave, leave them at the door.”

Then bang, the door closed. Beep beep, the electronic lock engaged.

We briefly looked at each other. I scratched my head. Well, the world was too harsh now to open doors just based on names. Especially since this was a vicious person who’d turned his back on the pastor.

“Can’t be helped.”

We tried being benevolent visitors. Since that failed, we’d have to be robbers.

Why should fishing be limited to just using hooks? Spearing works too.

“Move aside.”

Park Yang-gun stepped forward. Do-hyung and I quickly made space. Park Yang-gun took out things like string and what looked like flour and a flashlight.

“Four digit passcode? This much should work. People usually use birthdays or such, can figure it out easily enough.”

After checking the fingerprint marks, he started enthusiastically pressing numbers. Beep beep beep beep, beep beep beep beep, the door lock made repeated sounds.

A terrified voice came from beyond the door.

“What, what are you doing!”

“We’re here to deliver hope. Please accept with an open mind.”

“Keep the rice, just leave quickly! Hey!”

Click-

The door lock opened. Park Yang-gun moved his hands excitedly. He somehow got string through the gap and around the safety chain. Of course, near-screaming shouts came from the other side.

“You, you guys! I’ll kill you if you come in!”

Simultaneously came the sound of something thrashing about and someone making desperate noises. Like a gagged person struggling.

“Mmph, mmph! Mmmmph!”

…What was that? Did they have a zombie tied up?

Either way, worked out well. The former believer was delayed reaching the door dealing with whatever was struggling, and during that delay Park Yang-gun excellently opened the door.

The door burst open.

In the bright sunlight flooding through the doorway, the former believer backed away clutching a kitchen knife. The muffled noises continued from behind him.

I grinned.

“Hello? We’re robbers. Put down the knife.”

“You, you.”

Though hesitating, his body was crouched like a cat about to pounce, grip tightening on the knife.

We filed in filling the narrow entryway, trampling inside with our shoes on, each drawing our weapons. I particularly drew my gun.

Click-

My courage and the other’s anger management therapy.

His expression changed several times in quick succession before his hands went up like surrendering.

“I’m a robber too. We’re colleagues. Please let me go.”

His stammering suddenly became very calm.

Then from behind the door, a woman rolled out. Mouth taped, wrists and ankles bound with rope. Body squirming like an insect.

“Mmph! Mmph!”

I blinked as I processed the situation.

‘No wonder. Wasn’t a man’s name.’

That woman was the real former believer, and the man with the knife was a robber.

“I was so hungry, really thought I’d starve to death so I committed a crime. Couldn’t you possibly look the other way?”

The robber drooped his eyes pitifully. His voice dripped with desperation. Though of course still gripping the knife.

“Uncle Do-sang, throw some rope to that robber.”

“Sure thing, Kim Da-ram.”

We casually used fake names. Honestly there’d been quite a commotion. Neighbors might be listening. Best to hide our traces.

Thunk, the robber looked down at the thrown rope.

“Why…”

“Tie your wrists or thumbs. Or ankles if you prefer. We’ll untie you after our business is done.”

“Since I’m just trying to survive, if you could let me go- I’ll keep quiet and leave quietly-“

Click, I aimed the gun while holding the hammer in my other hand.

The robber checked our expressions before lowering the knife. We were at close range. He was probably thinking he’d cut the rope with the knife if he saw an opening.

But that wouldn’t happen. He wouldn’t get to cut the rope, because he wouldn’t even get tied up in the first place.

The moment the robber bent down to pick up the rope.

Crack, I brought down the hammer. Swung properly with a snap of the wrist, the hammer struck the back of his head. The robber collapsed instantly.

“Playing dead won’t work.”

I crouched down and swung the hammer several more times until the back of his head caved in.

Can’t let your guard down just because they’re down. He was a scavenger adapted to the apocalypse after all. Can’t underestimate anyone. Every living human had survival experience equal to mine.

After finishing the confirmation kill and standing up, I saw the members doing their tasks.

Park Yang-gun was checking the fridge, while Do-hyung reached to remove the tape from the bound woman’s mouth.

I panicked. Why free the mouth of someone we’d kill?

“What are you doing! Stop!”

“Huh? I was just, oh. Oh.”

Do-hyung squeezed his eyes shut and withdrew his hand regretfully. Don’t tell me he wanted to hear the dying person’s agonized screams? That’s not right.

I pointed at the former believer’s eyes. She seemed to recognize Elder Park Yang-gun, probably from attending services. Obviously needed to keep this person’s mouth shut. Forever.

“Mmmmph! Mmph!”

I raised the hammer slowly.

The eyes that had lit up with hope seeing us darkened. After a dull thud they went dark with death. I wiped the blood from my hammer on the former believer’s clothes before standing.

“Any food?”

“Not much. But there’s some retort pouches. And collected ramen seasoning packets.”

Ready-to-eat retort pouch meals. Curry and black bean sauce noodles and such. Long shelf life and good taste. I nodded contentedly.

“Shame about fruit and meat, but not bad.”

“Fresh food is basically impossible to get now. Even if there was any, it’d be spoiled.”

The impact of broken logistics. Cities were land that produced nothing at all.

We cleaned out everything – fridge banchan, retort pouches, tuna cans, coffee mix, unexpired cheese – stuffing it all in our bags before slowly returning to the villa.

Going out is dangerous. When you do go out, you need to gather as much as possible before returning.

We hit several more houses and raided a pharmacy too. Well, less raiding and more scavenging since the pharmacy had long since failed.

“Being on the first floor really…”

Pharmacies tend to be on first floors. Naturally most vulnerable to zombie attacks. Though zombies no longer bothered them since there was nothing to eat, pharmacies with dead pharmacists became targets for people.

We looked around the ransacked pharmacy.

“Masks and disinfectant are already cleaned out.”

“Any self-test kits left?”

“Doubt it.”

Self-test kits were supplied in small quantities to begin with, and buying them required registering personal info and mandatory government reporting.

Raiding meant using them without obligations, so they were prime targets.

We gathered what vitamins remained and left. Our bags were heavy but spirits were light.

The world seemed to shine with hope.

Zombies walking the streets, groups of dozens of people going out together, zombies and humans warily avoiding each other – it all felt good.

But that good feeling instantly plummeted off a cliff.

“Stop right there.”

Police hiding by the road. Two officers in bulletproof vests with guns already drawn. They approached us with strange gleams in their eyes.

“Suspicious, very suspicious. What’s in the bags?”

“Just food…”

Do-hyung looked nervous. We were all somewhat startled. We were criminals after all.

One officer watched our backs while the other approached with his gun aimed. A voice tinged with laughter rang out.

“Food? Legally purchased goods, right? I doubt it. How about we head to the station? Or…”

Poke, the gun jabbed the bag. Share while we’re asking nicely, it meant.

I immediately smiled warmly.

Police robbing robbers.

Police changed for many reasons. Citizens attacking to steal police weapons, frontline work making them vulnerable to zombie virus infection, police numbers plummeting from zombie transformation, a world where even regulations checking corruption had grown dim.

Meaning they could become friends to criminals.

“Officers. It pains my heart to see you suffering nutrient deficiency from your tireless work day and night.”

Police turning into a gang? Welcome indeed.