The Liberation Alliance.They were the ones who formed a group the fastest after the apocalypse began. To understand how they could have done so, one must understand the catalyst that brought them together. How on earth did they manage to arm themselves first and fight for survival?It was precisely because the purpose for which they first gathered was…'Rebels.'It was a coup d'état.That is also the reason why the name [Liberation Alliance] doesn't fit the disastrous situation of an apocalypse. Having gathered as if on cue when the disaster struck, they were, in a literal sense, a rebel group that had assembled to be liberated from the oppression and persecution directed at them.And if we look a little closer… at their center is their beginning and end, the one who united the gangs under the anti-social pretext of a coup, [Mother]. Immediately after the mutants appeared, the Liberation Alliance would grow into the most powerful group thanks to the one who was both their leader and their so-called mother. Their starting point was different because of her existence.As soon as the disaster struck, Mother mobilized her personal guard without a moment's hesitation and raided the 3rd Defense Force base. What she gained from that successful raid was a massive amount of military supplies. With her guard armed with military equipment, she first took ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) control of all the gangs in the criminal quarantine zone by killing the bosses of any gangs that did not cooperate.That is precisely this [Execution Ceremony] before me.'Once they've absorbed all the gang members, their plan is probably to arm them with military equipment and turn the entire city upside down… but when the mutants appear, they'll finally realize something is wrong.''I didn't expect to run into this situation, though.'It was merely a tidbit of knowledge I'd picked up while delving into the stories related to the Liberation Alliance, so I hadn't thought much of it. But I had unexpectedly run into an unwelcome situation."Hey, you guys got a death wish? Do you know where you've crawled into…!"A middle-aged man roughly drags us into a corner, putting on a menacing air as he threatens us.I couldn't just lash out. The words of the middle-aged man, who had blocked the front of our electric bike to prevent outsiders from getting into danger, carried a considerable weight."Thank you for your help.""I didn't do it for your praise… If you've got the gist of the situation, get the hell out."His words might be aggressive, but the middle-aged man's eyes were a mix of anxiety and impatience. His identity was easy to guess. The badge on his chest told his story.'A mechanic.'A bronze wrench badge. It signifies a low rank among mechanics. Probably a third-rate technician who repairs implants for gang members.The middle-aged man, seeming to have no intention of meddling further, shook his head as he watched the execution. "The city's gone mad… what are they trying to accomplish with this kind of thing?" A face I've never seen before, even for a low-level mechanic. As I'm idly wondering if he's one of the victims of the mutant outbreak, I hear Eli's hesitant voice."…Mr. Han." Her gaze was fixed on the open ground in the center where the execution was taking place."Eli, you might want to close your eyes. It's not a sight that will do you any good."BANG—!A single gunshot rings out, almost before the words leave my mouth."…Horrible."The situation that has unfolded makes me frown. And in that scene, I find myself looking for someone.'Is Mother not here?'She is nowhere to be seen in the middle of an execution. If I were to guess where she might be right now…'The data center.'She would have moved to blow up the underground data center.'Was it to erase the criminal records stored in the data center?'In the end, a situation where criminal records no longer matter will arrive, but that's from a player's perspective. From the perspective of the people in the criminal quarantine zone, it would be the most urgent matter.As my thoughts settled that far, a strange idea suddenly flashed through my mind.'What a coincidence.'A simple coincidence. But even in that coincidence, I sense the necessary action."Eli.""Yes, let's move quickly.""Before that, do you know about the city's underground data center?""Yes? Well… I know a little about it.""Do you also know what's recorded in the data center?""…"She was lost in thought for a moment, then gave a vague answer. "It's probably a vast amount of data. So much that I can't explain in detail what's there.""The gangs' next target will probably be that data center.""The data center? Why would they go to such trouble…""Because it's the easiest way to erase their criminal records.""No way, they couldn't have thought that far in this chaos.""On the contrary, precisely because this chaos has occurred, they will try to achieve what they have desired most for so long.""If, the data center is destroyed… will an irreversible situation occur?"Hmm."No.""…Then why did you bring it up?"Was I too honest? An irreversible situation is already scheduled to happen. Whether the data center is destroyed or not, when the mutants appear, everything will turn to ruins. Of course, if we could protect the data center, it might be helpful someday, but that's just wishful thinking. There's also a time limit to committing an act outrageous enough to turn back the footsteps of those who have already gone to destroy it.So the focus here should be on something else.'Mother's subordinates are controlling the quarantine zone, but the important ones, Mother and her personal guard, are not here.'And if they are absent, this place is literally an ownerless mountain."Why are you still hanging around and not leaving?" My gaze naturally turns to the middle-aged mechanic. Because he felt like a good excuse.'Right, the truly useful technicians… are in the criminal quarantine zone.'High-ranking mechanics are mostly in the high-income bracket. And the high-income bracket basically receives the NH-03 procedure.In other words, the supply of high-ranking mechanics will soon dry up.'It's no different for other professions.'The formation of the [Technicians' Guild], starting from the slums and the criminal quarantine zone, is an inevitable flow that follows that pattern.'Of course, thanks to the Liberation Alliance, the survival rate of technicians is on the high side, but…'In the initial stage of the mutant outbreak, just as most of humanity is infected, technicians are no exception. Technicians are precious. While it may be said that all human lives are equal, when destruction begins, a hierarchy of value is inevitably created, and that cannot be denied. Perhaps for that reason, a plausible plan came to mind.I weigh the remaining time and the return on investment if the plan succeeds in my head, and make a decision.'I'm just raiding the warehouse for the public good.'I won't make a childish choice like persuading the technicians to leave with me. Not only is there not enough time, but I don't need technicians right away either. Then there's only one option left.To make this place a slightly safer environment.But how? For that, I intend to use a slightly more drastic method."Where are you trying to go?""There's a person named Mother.""Mother…?""She was active in the military until about 30 years ago, then discharged.""She must be quite old then.""Yes, she's probably from the same era as Gale.""The chairman? Then… did that person also receive the procedure?""She did, but she neutralized it. It's more accurate to say she was forced.""She must be from the criminal quarantine zone.""She is the de facto ruler of this place."A brief silence. Eli, as if imagining something ominous, asked urgently. "Don't tell me you're going to see that person now?""She is not an enemy.""Uhm…!""But now that she's not here, it's a good opportunity."A look of not understanding. It's easy to clear up her curiosity, but this chitchat is to prevent her from being shocked. I continue speaking a beat later."I'm thinking of cutting off the bridge piers.""…Excuse me?""For the safety of this place.""Wa-wait a minute." An urgent hand grabs me. She blurts out in a flustered voice again. "What on earth do you mean by cutting off the bridge?""Exactly what I said."The criminal quarantine zone. Naturally, the transportation routes connecting it to the outside are extremely limited. If you look at it from a satellite photo, the surroundings are all blocked, and there are only two passages to the outside. Even those are just one small, narrow bridge and one overpass.If those two structures could be cut? It would be impossible to make it a completely safe area, but… it would at least buy some time when the mutants appear. However, although it's easy to explain in words, acting on it is fraught with difficulty.But that too.'That doesn't apply to me.'That's from the standard of an ordinary survivor."If it's too much for you, you don't have to come with me. If you wait outside the quarantine zone, I'll catch up soon.""Didn't you say you were going to cut the bridge? I think it will take a long time…""Well. It won't take that long.""You must have a method in mind?""Hmm…"It's too grand to call it a method I have in mind.'I'm just going to raid the Liberation Alliance's warehouse and detonate a homemade or military bomb.'And while I'm at it, I might be able to pick up a few items. No, at this point, I have to be honest. I also covet something they might have looted from the 3rd Defense Force base."Mr. Han.""Yes.""Your expression is strange.""It must be your imagination.""Why are you trying to cut the bridge?""To prevent that bridge from becoming an invasion route for the mutants.""But here…""The criminal quarantine zone, a dark town where criminals gather to live.""Is there really a need to care about a place like this? You saw it earlier… gathering people and shooting them in the head…"She glances around as she speaks. It seems she was reminded of the tragedy at the control center. In a way, the tragedy at the control center might have been more brutal than the execution ceremony."Eli.""Yes."I don't want to make excuses. But I need to make one thing clear."I don't divide the world into black and white.""Pardon?""Just because they are criminals doesn't mean I think they should be unconditionally excluded.""But…"The execution ceremony. If I had viewed that situation negatively, I might have intervened. But the reason I just passed by that situation was partly because I felt there was no need to, and also because I thought it was just one part of a process. The apocalypse is about to begin. In that situation, will the Liberation Alliance be a hindrance to maintaining the infrastructure? No, on the contrary, they sometimes show a greater desire to maintain society than other clans.The [City Reconstruction Committee], which is a gathering of elites who have lived exemplary lives and advocate for justice, sometimes shows a more destructive side. The world was originally a place that was not divided into black and white, but formed a gray area."I hope the day will come when you can empathize."So the reason for my future actions is not black and white, but necessity.'I hope Mother's favorite ride is still in the warehouse.'Even now, I am truly moving for necessity.

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