Chapter 34: Territory

“You have police friends?”

The man’s eyes went wide. Police these days weren’t really police. The weak ones had become treasure goblins and were already hunted, while those who survived turned vicious and became gangs.

Friendship with such police was worth showing off.

I looked around at each person. The atmosphere had already shifted to my side. They were focused on me.

“I can get police uniforms too. We should be able to enter the apartments without interference. And open doors.”

People leaned toward me showing interest, but not desperate enough yet as they still cast doubtful and suspicious glances.

“Still, there must be tons of apartment people. What if they take revenge?”

Someone who’d safely holed up at home? Didn’t have that survivor of the apocalypse feel.

“Then will you just keep getting victimized? Even if apartment bastards invade, burn down the villa district, kill people and loot?”

I looked at the man for support, and though confused, he reflexively said:

“Like I said earlier. Next time won’t end like this.”

“Attack is the best defense. I have a plan. Just listen first.”

Before doubt could change the mood, I quickly laid out my scenario. A scenario polished to seem plausible enough for action, using information gathered from the internet.

“We just need to infiltrate the management office. It’s the apartment complex’s control tower.”

Though internet occasionally cut out with huge outages, SNS still worked, and I’d spied on several apartment residents’ SNS for information.

The management office was their control tower. They broadcast warnings when zombie waves approached or zombies appeared in elevators.

They also broadcast announcements gathering people when group outings were needed.

We just had to make those broadcasts.

“Some people start fires on the apartment roofs making smoke, some broadcast evacuation announcements from the management office. Then when apartment people come outside?”

I raised several fingers and folded them one by one.

“We could hit them with cars, or time it to lead zombie waves. Or capture some zombies to collect saliva for water guns.”

“Huh? That far?”

People looked at me with shock and disgust. Clear repulsion. Seemed bloodying their hands still troubled their conscience.

Or they had other motives.

The man rolled his eyes then suddenly clenched his fist and stood, pointing around.

“The plan’s good, but let’s use a different method. Up to drawing apartment people outside, we’ll follow the Peace Villa youth’s idea.”

His outstretched hand swept the area. Hand brushing past several neighborhoods beyond the villa district.

“We’re not the only ones who’ve suffered from those apartment bastards’ violence. If we gather those people too, we’ll outnumber them.”

Did they prefer the man’s suggestion? People’s attention shifted back to him.

Understandable enough. Humans being social animals naturally felt most secure in numbers. In that sense, rather than just insufficient villa district people acting alone, they wanted more allies even if it meant sharing the spoils.

I watched the man briefly. His mind worked better than expected.

‘Using my words as a chance to gather more people.’

There was even a whiff of politics, trying to check me and take leadership in this small meeting.

“No need for such extreme measures. Just gathering enough people to raid should avoid bloodshed.”

I could engage in political word battles here too, but I stepped back respectfully and kept quiet.

Fine with me. I wasn’t obsessed with leadership, and raiding the apartments wasn’t my only goal. The villa district people just needed to leave their posts.

“Then I’ll try gathering people. Let’s set a date once things progress!”

So the villa district people’s meeting ended. Just as I wanted.

“…Want us to do what?”

Briefing my raider companions on the meeting results. Do-hyung blinked as if doubting his ears.

I spoke slowly again.

“When villa district people raid the apartments, you and Elder Park should check other villa homes. Mix zombie saliva into cups or water.”

Was it The Godfather? That mafia movie had the line – keep friends close, enemies closer.

Interpreting that differently, didn’t it mean neighboring villa district folks were enemies?

“Whether apartment bastards or villa district people, they’ll eventually touch our villa anyway. When things get worse they’ll try sharing our resources too. Let’s handle them all while we have the chance.”

I hadn’t just incited people to raid one apartment.

I’d provoked conflict to get a chance to handle the villa district people too, potential enemies close by. Made them leave their posts to raid apartments. To exploit that opening.

Wasn’t this human wisdom? Killing two birds with one stone, buy-one-get-one-free, getting two benefits from one action.

Disguise learned from the sushi restaurant owner and carefully honed viciousness. I smiled contentedly at my own development.

‘After eating the villa, eat the district.’

This was my territory. Apartments? Villa district? Clear out all competitors. Of course I’d immediately abandon the base and flee if faced with overwhelming enemies, but fortunately powerful groups weren’t interested in my area yet.

Park Yang-gun listened quietly then slowly backed away.

“All good, but how will you catch zombies?”

“Don’t even need to catch them. Don’t they drool while walking around? Just wipe up their drool from the ground with handkerchiefs.”

Weren’t zombies living virus sprayers? Could find plenty of virus just checking where zombies had passed.

I waved my hands excitedly explaining to members, and a rough plan formed.

I’d join villa district people raiding apartments. While the villa district was empty, members would spread virus.

Since the apocalypse had already come and we were vicious criminals, they readily nodded. Park Yang-gun laughed.

“This is a new challenge. How many houses can we hit in a short time? Interesting.”

“As long as we don’t touch Hope Community…”

I smiled contentedly too as laughter spread between us marauders. True marauders indeed.

Time passed like that.

The man went around neighborhoods gathering people to attack the apartments. Some prepared metal ashtrays and smoky waste paper for controlled fires.

I too, as someone with police friends, exchanged minor equipment.

Meeting my two police friends after a while, they hesitantly handed over a paper bag. Inside were police uniforms and bulletproof vests.

“We’re giving them since you asked. But don’t wear them around. You’ll just get attacked needlessly.”

They looked at the paper bag with worried eyes. Words almost like talking to themselves continued.

“Don’t expose your back carelessly, hide from car sounds, don’t help people. Not citizens but all robbers after our equipment. Must stay alert.”

“I’ll only wear them at home. Might scare off robbers if they see police uniforms.”

Saying that, I handed over a decently sized cardboard box. Inside were good food items like instant noodles close to expiring.

The police friends looked at the box, finally coming to their senses with embarrassed laughs.

“Thanks. People at our station have families, we were short on food.”

True enough. Even with just 5 officers left at the station, adding families could mean 20 people. I asked lightly in passing.

“Any chance you’d sell weapons? Seems guns could trade for tons of food.”

At that moment both officers’ faces hardened. They shook their heads vigorously.

“Absolutely not. Can’t let crazy citizens get them.”

Ah. Planning to prevent citizens arming themselves with guns. Made sense really. Profit from selling guns? Why not just shoot and take what you want?

Naturally they’d want to maintain guns as police-only force.

Hiding my disappointment, I waved.

“Still, let me know if you ever consider selling guns. The world’s scary these days…”

“Yes, we will. Get home safe. Be careful if wearing police uniforms.”

The apartment raid preparations progressed smoothly like this until the day came.

The day to raid the apartments.

Time was cool evening. A bright moonlit night fine even with blackouts. People gathered in the villa district where streetlights drew insects.

At the front was the man with a red headband reading “solidarity struggle”. His work gloves and red vest were blood-red like omens of the brutal survival competition ahead.

He raised his steel pipe high.

“Let’s go! People from other neighborhoods agreed to time their arrival at the apartments!”

Felt somewhat disorganized. Instead of professionally securing the management office first then infiltrating, more like waves of people flooding to sweep each target.

“Yeahhh!”

People shouted.

I felt somewhat uneasy but waved along halfheartedly. Apartment raid? Even if it failed, raider comrades would work the villa district.

‘Using your brain properly is good.’

Worth refining rough plans precisely instead of acting on impulse.

People streamed down the street. Zombies weren’t a problem. They retreated seeing so many people.

“Arghhhh!”

Sometimes less discerning zombies charged in but quickly became corpses under people’s clubs.

Like zombies had become human and humans had become zombie waves. This trend intensified approaching the apartments. Groups from other neighborhoods joined one by one.

“Welcome! Target is the apartment management office!”

“Got it!”

Excited voices of people walking without zombie worries. Confidence from overwhelming numbers. Rough breathing heard everywhere, weapons radiating cold steel chill.

Soon the target appeared.

Expensive-looking apartments. Wall-like barriers circling the complex, entrance fortified like a castle gate.

“Quickly! Management office first! Fire teams to each building’s roof!”

“Yes!”

A flood. Human waves poured into the apartment complex. Some broke off from the wave.

Heading toward the management office, I observed the apartments. How many buildings? How many residents? Looking up at the towering apartments, I felt pressure.

‘Direct confrontation really makes no sense.’

Must be well over a hundred humans ambushed in those steel and concrete fortresses. How to beat that?

Around then I and the man, along with several apparent representatives from neighboring areas, reached the management office first. Management office glowing with pale lights.

“Let’s get in quick!”

Past the already broken entrance, stepping inside. And we all instantly realized something was wrong.

“…No one’s here?”

No people. Empty. Checked supply rooms and various offices but no signs of life. Not even hiding. Just no presence.

Only faint machine sounds from the room full of elevator and apartment complex CCTV screens.

“Huh, what!”

Soon bewildered cries came from the crowd surrounding the management office, and someone ran in panting.

“We’re surrounded! Apartment people have us encircled! What do we do?”

“What…?”

The unexpected. The apartment complex residents had already prepared for the raid. Surrounded us instead.

I immediately grasped the situation as the man who’d led this raid ground his teeth.

“A spy! There was a spy!”

A traitor had sold our raid information to the apartment people. With so many people gathered from various neighborhoods, there could be those with different thoughts but…

‘People really are the problem.’

I sighed. The raid had failed. At this rate even the villa district operation could go wrong. Checking my phone, we needed to buy time.

‘Need to stall until the blackout.’

Glancing at the man. Though gripping his pipe in anger at the traitor, his eyes wavered with panic.

I approached him.

“Retreating now means losing. We need to get something. Otherwise we lose too much. Who’ll believe and follow us in the future?”

Fatal damage for the man who’d gathered people wanting leadership. Mobilizing all these people just to fail? His value would plummet.

The wavering in his eyes stopped. He tightly retied his “solidarity struggle” headband.

“I know. We need to at least get back what they stole from our neighborhood. They won’t want a fight to the death either, we can negotiate.”

Yes, that’s it. Problems caused by people are solved by people. I grinned, hiding my smile under my mask.