Plundering in the Apocalypse

"Where is it?"

"I kept it somewhere here."

Inside an office, a blonde-haired young man was searching for something frantically. His desperation was like his life depended on it.

Well, it was true that he might die today.

While throwing items all over the place. He suddenly stopped. As his hands came to a pause. He couldn't help but take a deep breath.

"This is it."

A grin surfaced on his face and his hands went to pick up a red pearl.

"I don't care how powerful my enemy is. But with this, I will kill them." His eyes went bloodshot. This person was none other than Ren Hector.

Before he had planned to rush at the enemy and defeat him with his overwhelming power. But to his fear, the enemy is too strong. He singlehandedly killed hundreds of members.

Witnessing such a thing made Ren lose confidence in himself. Before he was very arrogant for being an A rank. But now he was like a drowning cat trying everything for the last struggle.

That's when he remembered this mysterious pill that contains the same kind of energy his ability Demonic fog had.

His subordinates with the ability of item appraisal were unable to detect it. He found himself helpless. His subordinates were so incompetent.

But in desperation, he hoped to use this as a trump card.

"Now I'll see who has the guts to kill so many of my men."

Ren wasn't angry about his men dying. He was mad because all his efforts now turned to waste. He was just a step away from entering Polaris city. Everything was going fine until this happened.

"Whoever you are, be prepared to die. I won't show any mercy. I will make you beg me to kill you."

Ren gritted his teeth and uttered in anguish. Though there was no one to hear him.

***

On Shin's side. He was killing all the enemies he found not letting a single one escape. With the Magic Eyes, he was also keeping a track of Ren's movements. When Ren took out a pill. He was surprised. But he couldn't concentrate enough to get the details in the pill. He could only make some guesses.

Shin couldn't keep using magic eyes anymore. Because he tried to focus too much. So he deactivated it.

After that, he killed more enemies. He turned back to see the trail of bodies he had left behind. The silence was too creepy with the dead bodies and blood all over.

'Haah, It's like I've become a killing machine. Why don't a feel anything even after killing so many humans? Do I even deserve to be called a human being?' He sighed helplessly. He questioned his humanity. Because he was getting numb to killing others. He was afraid of himself. But a moment later a sweet voice sounded inside his head.

[No, definitely you are human.]

"Alice?"

'Was the transmission on?' He asked thinking about when did he activate his Mind control skills again.

[Yeah, you never deactivated it. So I was listening to your thoughts the whole time.]

*Hiss*

Shin sucked a cold breath. Such a blunder on his side. He was ashamed.

[D-Don't worry... I d-didn't hear much.]

"What an obvious lie." Shin snorted. But didn't send her this transmission. Now that he was informed he was consciously sending messages. Not like before.

'How much did you hear?'

[That...] Shin could feel her blushing on the other side.

Not being able to handle the embarrassment. She immediately changed the topic. She said in a serious voice.

[Shin, you did nothing wrong.]

This one sentence was enough comfort he wanted. Although he seemed indifferent, cold, and motionless. After killing them he also felt guilt but just suppressed the emotions.

After all, he did a mass murder. So what if they were criminals? Last time he killed people because they were aiming to harm him. But this time he intently went to make trouble and killed hundreds of people who had nothing to do with him.

It may have been because of their cruel acts he had seen in the future enemy. Or the thought of eliminating such a threat as soon as possible. They could have become enemies in the future. Although he knew they were doing inhumane acts but so was the same for the countless organizations and people, who were hiding in the dark doing dirty deeds.

Could he stop all of them?

No way.

So why was he going out of his way to deal with them?

​ It's not like his ability is weak and he will gain much from killing these low-level awakeneds. In his eyes all their abilities were useless. After all, they couldn't even last a single move.

So what was the purpose of killing these many people?

Who gave him the right to decide for their lives?

These kinds of thoughts started emerging inside his head.

Wasn't he bearing the biggest sin of killing hundreds of people?

[In this current world. Nothing is right or wrong.] Alice we're sounded.

'What do you mean?' Shin couldn't help but ask.

[You know after the Cataclysm. Everyone had a common thought inside their minds. Survive. This was the money everyone started showing their nature. Weak or strong nothing mattered. Family, friends, or even lovers. People were ready to sacrifice anything.]

[I saw many people killing their loved ones just to survive. Even my mother and stepfather died because of my biological father.] Alice stopped speaking for a moment.

Shin also didn't question further and waited for her to continue.

[Using your family as bait or saving their own lives while sacrificing others. Do you think those people were cruel?]

Shin didn't know how to answer this. It is true he never suffered such a loss. He could be considered a lucky one. With his powerful ability, he never had to consider one for the other. He was powerful so he could save others.

Also on that day, he wasn't able to see this kind of cruelty. So he had no answer for Alice. But he sincerely hoped Alice will give him an answer to this question.

[After my mother's death, I went on a rampage to kill my biological father. I was ready to kill anyone who comes in my way. When I found him I tortured him. He was in constant suffering but I never stopped. I kept on taking his fingers. He screamed and begged but I never stopped. He was my biological father but I had no affection for him. I wanted to kill him over and over.] As Alice said to him. The anguish could be felt in her voice. The pain, the anger, the suffering, and revenge.

She wasn't like how she normally is. She was different. She continued with another question.

[Do you think I was cruel? Am I a cruel daughter?] Her voice asks for assurance and is full of confusion? This must have been weighing on her mind for a long time.

Shin wanted to deny Alice. No, she was not cruel. He deserved it. But those words could never come out. Who was right or wrong? Alice's father had the sin of killing her mother. But Alice also had the sin of killing her father. Though he died in the hands of Undead Tormentor. Alice was ready to kill him.

'I... I don't know.' He answered honestly. Although his heart was telling him to assure her that she was right. But a strange feeling never allowed him to say that.

Healing his answer Alice smiled and replied.

[You know Shin, it's not that people are cruel. It's the circumstances that make them.]

Although these words were simple he felt the knot of confusion inside his mind being untied.

[What we did today might have been cruel in the eyes of people. But you should also remember those groups of girls we saved. If we hadn't killed them those innocent girls would have died after being abused by them.]

[So, don't think too much about it okay? After all, they were all criminals.]

Shin smiled hearing her. Seriously what would I do without her?

All his depressed mood was better now. The guilt of killing hundreds of people was still there. But he managed to accept it.

After all, there was no point feeling guilty for criminals' death. They deserve it.

'Thank you, Alice. I love you.'

Hearing his sudden confession. She blushed.

[W-what are you talking about? So suddenly.] Shin could imagine Alice pouting on the other side.

'Hehe,'

[Don't laugh.] She said sharply and continued.

[Anyway, where are you? I wanted to ask, can you find the girls who are left on campus?]

'I've been using magic eyes for too long. But I remember their location. They should be safe. We can rescue them.'

[I see then let's meet up and take them out together.]

[Where are you?] Alice asked somewhat excited.

'Listen we have to still deal will their leader. The blonde hair. Jenny and James' enemy. So don't be careless while saving them.'

Shin reminded. Although he knew Alice was strong, those ordinary girls may die in the crossfire. So the safest approach is to rescue those girls first and then deal with him. They can act together or separately. Anything is fine.

If Alice rescues those girls. He can focus on fighting. After all, the leader seemed to have some kind of trump card too. It's better to be cautious.

While he was still contemplating. Alice's silly voice sounded.

[Oh. I already caught him.]

'What?' Shin thought he heard it wrong. So he asked again.

[I defeated the leader.]