Marauder of the Apocalypse-Chapter 74: Expert

The streetlight district was bustling. People who'd come to charge their devices and busy electricity nomads.

The electricity nomads moved their belongings as if relocating here permanently. They piled bags and boxes in corners, tied ropes to streetlights, benches and cars, setting up tents.

They were even repairing the streetlights Do-hyung had damaged.

A woman wearing insulated gloves demonstrated to others with hand gestures. Her headlamp illuminated connected wires.

"Watch carefully. This is how you fix it. The wires are just cut, so reconnect them."

"Doesn't look too hard. I'll do it quickly."

"Don't rush, do it safely and properly. More importantly, are all the supplies moved?"

"Moving them now."

I blinked.

They were moving already? This fast? Right after being attacked yesterday? And they were even repairing the wires Do-hyung cut?

It was faster than expected, with impressive initiative. Even with their solar panels destroyed, I'd thought they'd take more time.

I couldn't help but admire them. True to their nomad nature - quick to move.

Soon the streetlight repairs finished. The woman who'd been doing electrical work stepped forward.

"I'm Gi Jeona, the representative. We'll start charging now. Get your number tickets over there. But first, a quick explanation about reporting the attackers."

She looked about my age. A woman a few years out of college. But she gave off more of a student vibe than office worker.

Tired eyes behind glasses, turtle-like neck jutting forward, slumped shoulders. A familiar impression came to mind.

'Graduate student? Engineering major? Electricity expert?'

The repairs confirmed it. She definitely knew her way around circuit boards.

Soon Gi Jeona looked around at the people gathered in the streetlight district and spoke in clear, presentation-like pronunciation:

"Currently we estimate at least three attackers. Based on current estimates."

One who sabotaged the streetlight district, one who sniped the solar panels at their residence, one who directed the zombie wave.

They'd already deduced this much. They'd also gathered as much information as possible from the situation.

"Looking at the alarm clocks used, they seem to be from a well-resourced survivor group, and since bolts were used to break the panels, they have the ability to make proper slingshots."

I pressed my baseball cap down firmly while looking around.

The people who'd gathered to charge their devices whispered and shook their heads. They clearly didn't want to get involved.

"Seems like crazy people fighting each other. Regular folks like us would just die getting involved."

"Slingshots... could it be those Hope Community people?"

"Don't want to fight people who'd use zombies to kill others."

The world was dangerous enough already. They didn't want to make more enemies.

But because the world was dangerous, even small rewards were worth risking your life for. Knowing this well, Gi Jeona offered substantial compensation.

"Food, masks, charging, repairs, or a chance to join our group. Take what you want based on how much you help."

Silence fell over the street. You could almost hear people's eyes darting around in thought. Soon people started raising hands one by one to test the electricity nomads.

"How much food for rewards...?"

"It depends on the value of the information, but you won't find it lacking."

Weighing the rewards. ƒreewebɳovel.com

"Got any guns? Real weapons, not those weird spears?"

"No guns. We don't deal in firearms."

Some showed raider tendencies, looking to gain weapons.

I watched them all with cold eyes. A survivor group like the electricity nomads didn't exist in isolation. They had many connections, known and unknown, and could pull those strings to move people.

It was something I'd overlooked.

'Humans are social animals. I missed their social capabilities.'

Moreover, she was an electricity expert. With those skills, she could mobilize people from other groups.

But I could do that too. I raised my hand and asked:

"Can we see the rewards first? To confirm you really have that much?"

If they showed them, it could stir people's greed. I could quickly form a raider group. If not, I could plant doubts and reduce people's motivation to act.

Gi Jeona pointed behind her.

The supplies the relocating electricity nomads had temporarily piled up.

"Seeing is believing. Go check if you're suspicious. Anyway, announcement's over."

People dispersed to their tasks. Those interested in rewards went to check the supplies, those there to charge got number tickets, and the electricity nomads continued moving.

I observed the atmosphere while heading to check the masks where boxes were stacked.

Upon checking, there were masks among the electricity nomads' moved resources. A box on top was full of them. Just a few cases would be enough for our marauder group for a while.

I glanced at other open boxes displayed like advertisements.

Meat in coolers, batteries also in coolers, boxes full of unidentifiable circuit boards, tools from cutters to soldering irons.

Plus many other resources essential for apocalypse survivors.

People who'd come curious about rewards but not planning to help the electricity nomads wavered. Mutters and conversations could be heard.

"They really have a lot."

"Said we could join if we help properly... Worth gambling on?"

"Honestly hard to get into a group this good. Above all, wouldn't have to worry about electricity."

"Just learning proper electrical work would be..."

The balance of benefits and drawbacks the electricity nomads had set up fixed people's thoughts in one direction.

The electricity nomads' considerable force, useful electrical knowledge for the apocalypse, abundant food. A chance to join such a group.

On the flip side, their history of brutally killing enemies served as a deterrent. Electric torture, water torture, arson. A fence that prevented people from becoming enemies even if they wouldn't help.

Even at the electricity nomads' weakest moment, people acted like penned sheep - only considering whether to cooperate rather than attack.

I gripped the gun hidden in my pocket.

'Maybe I need reputation too. Expand my marauder group.'

I was starting to feel the limits. A few criminals as marauders felt insufficient. Perhaps we needed to transform into a proper large organization.

I closed my eyes in thought.

Openly obvious raider groups became targets for elimination. The world wasn't gentle enough to ignore people who randomly killed, robbed and attacked.

'Even police gangs with guns only act brutally under the pretense of revenge and gun control. It's awkward to expand and operate as raiders right now.'

But staying put felt awkward too.

I opened my eyes. The electricity nomads caught my attention anew. People utilizing electrical technology.

The early chaos of the apocalypse had passed. Everyone was fighting to survive, maximizing whatever skills they had.

Simple raiders without special skills were gradually being pushed out.

A thought occurred to me.

'This is all because the world's too peaceful. If everyone became raiders, there'd be no reason to target just one raider group.'

When raiders become common, there's no need to worry about reputation or elimination.

I studied the people around me. Humans trapped within the psychological fence the electricity nomads had set up. It was time to set them free.

Time to gift immediate gains instead of safety.

Keeping my hand in my pocket, I strode over and sat on the mask box. Both onlookers and guard-like electricity nomads looked up at me.

"What are you doing?"

"..."

I didn't answer. Soon an electricity nomad pointed their spear at me, eyelids trembling.

"Don't do anything strange, it's dangerous."

"..."

I remained silent. I just looked around to assess the street situation again. The electricity nomads' capabilities were lacking thanks to our strike on their residence.

'They're scattered while moving. The ones here are busy working.'

Setting up tents, moving work tables, waterproofing against rain - few were ready to fight right now. Most importantly, their web-like traps were gone.

Though Gi Jeona and some nomads were armed, they were far from me.

Focusing on empty spaces revealed clear escape routes. Enough to grab some masks and run.

"I'll stab you if you don't get down by three. One."

I jumped down. The spear pointed at me lowered too. It was my chance. I pulled out my gun and shot the electricity nomad.

Bang, the gunshot rang out. Though I'd aimed for the head, I hit their chest. They blinked.

A few seconds' delay from the gunshot and impact. I moved quickly. Stuffed a case of 25 masks into my pocket, held one in hand, hugged some to my chest while grinning.

Forcing my voice lower and scratching my throat, an awkwardly modified voice came out:

"Reports? Rewards? Why bother? I can just take what I want."

At that point the electricity nomads and people reacted. Nomads urgently approaching with weapons and people staring dumbfounded.

I knocked over a box full of rice bags and ran along my planned escape route. A path with few people and no puddles.

A fallen rice bag burst under my foot. I shouted gleefully:

"Black Friday! Everything's free! Help yourselves everyone!"

"Get him!"

Though shouts came from behind, I didn't look back. I just shot at electricity nomads trying to block me from the front.

Some cowered and dodged, others approached only to fall from bullets.

Just as the escape route opened wide.

Explosions sounded from behind. Screams and howls followed.

"No! Don't open the boxes carelessly! There are improvised explosives mixed in!"

"Aaagh! My arm!"

"Could chain react! Get back!"

I glanced back briefly and my jaw dropped. A catastrophe had unfolded.

Signs of explosion. Blood and flesh scattered everywhere, bodies strewn about. Their shouts echoed in my mind.

'Improvised explosives?'

Were they insane? They mixed explosives in with resources? People trying to steal like me died touching those?

With an uneasy feeling, I looked down at the mask cases in my arms. Though the accident helped my escape, surely these weren't bombs too.