Trash in the Apocalypse

Chapter 173: Brotherhood of Verdicts

Jun learned about the current state of the town.

The first few days of survival cycled around searching for food and avoiding hordes. Then afterwards became hunting for carriers to level up. Deaths became common and people died everyday when facing evolved carriers

It was easier to fight with more people around, so survivors gathered and formed groups.

With numerous groups scavenging for food and competing for resources, small skirmishes couldn't be avoided. 

Unlike the Municipality of Binangonan, Angono had greedy people who wanted more power to themselves. Binangonan also had this kinds of people, but with Black Haven around, they couldn't try doing anything. The closest thing that those people could do was to boss around inside their little groups.

After learning that there was no government to maintain order, those greedy people started doing whatever they wanted to do. The most common was robbing weak people and a few rare ones of forcing woman to play with them.

On the second week, the news about the safezone in front of the municipal building spread all over the town. It was only discovered because someone got cornered by the horde around the plaza square.

As a last ditch effort to survive, he climbed up the National Hero's statue and discovered the statues wonders.

The enemies can't enter the surrounding area of the statue!

With everyone learning about that information, several groups clashed with each other to obtain ownership of the place. The last winner was those who waited until the end and cleaned up the slaughter field. They also learned that if your lucky, you can gain stat points when looting dead people. The most cunning leader won by watching from the sidelines and became the sole power in town.

A few days later, they learned of the teleport feature of the statue and further tightened the security of the area. They used its safezone and teleport features to hoodwink the people into serving them.

The teleport portal was marketed as a lifesaver. Anyone who got trapped or cornered while scavenging could teleport back to save themselves.

For a small price of some loot and small errands, people could register for the portal's usage. People who were able to sneak and receive the Portal Rune would be either taught a lesson or killed if they ever chose to use the Portal.

The people who became the strongest weren't morally good. They called their group the Brotherhood of Verdicts. The group of people who create the law and the only group of people who are above the law.

Its leader, Marcus the Swindler, has become drunk of the powers that he received. His goons however they wanted since there was no one that could stop them.

Any individuals or small groups would be forced to join them. Those who resist would be taught a lesson by killing one of their member. People who don't follow the rules would be kicked out of the group but still needs to offer things every time they meet up.

The government officials and the police were killed on the first few days of the apocalypse. It's because the municipal building was located at the heart of the town, surrounded by houses and recreational facilities. They were overrun for having too many dead people in the area. 

The people thought that things would became better after becoming stronger, it wasn't.

Everything became worse after the unification.

The strong took everything that they like and imposed their laws on anyone they encountered. 

The carriers dropped on the survivor's threat rankings, overtaken by the vicious animals called humans. 

Even though almost everyone is within one group, there's always a strict level of hierchy attached to people. The higher economic class and lower economic class. The higher class were made of the original members together with their close aids. They were people who were successful in life and has expertise on giving orders while sipping their cups of teas. The lower class were the additional people they conquered, mostly common people that survived day after day on whatever they find.

The lower class' belongings could be taken, but the people above won't share what they have. Even someone else's wife could become their property when they wanted.

This created dissension and hatred from the people, which divided the group once more. Two factions were created inside the group, which caused internal conflicts to arise.

The higher class members took office on the Municipal Building while the Lower class worked their asses to clear the SN Angono Mall with more than two hundred people.

The SN Mall has three floors with one underground floor connected to its underground parking lot. It was chosen as the lower class' safe house since it could accomodate everyone.

"Have you never thought of killing them?" said Jun towards Uno, the sprawled teenager on the ground, who finally decided to get up and leaned on the wall.

His friends moved together with him and warily stood beside his wall.

"They have guns and crossbows while the best weapon that we have were machete's. They have strict control over what type of weapon you can use. They also have security guards who have Inspect and a private detective that has Investigate."

"Then just assasinate them."

"Some people tried to only get caught before they could even do it. We later found out that they have a fortune teller that can take a glimpse of the immediate future. Besides, Marcus was a lord. He can prevent rotters from respawning in the town."

"Rotters? Wait, what did you say?"

"Rotters, those people that died then turned to them. Why, do you have other terms for them?"

"No, the other one. You said that he was a lord? How did you know? Are you sure about that?" said Jun.

"Ofcourse I'm sure! Marcus always brags about it when he 'enforces; his law to us. I am the chosen Lord, obey me. Follow the laws that I create and you will be saved. Everyone knows that he has a glib tongue but his power sometimes gets over his head."

When Jun heard the teenager's confirmation, excitement rose inside him. From the kids description, Marcus heavily relies on his position to scare people. Besides his guns and lackeys, he hadn't heard of anything worth worrying.

Jun excitedly said, "So I can find them in the municipal building, right?"

"Uhh, they're not there anymore. They're staying with us in the mall after creatures that were summoned from the sky, destroyed the Teleport Portal. After the statue got destroyed, it became a two meter red vortex. The summoned creatures entered and disappeared. We thought that it became a new kind of portal, so some people entered but they never returned.".

"Ohh? Interesting... By the way, are there other groups of people here? Have you ever seen a woman this tall? I don't think she always wore a cap, but she had one this time."

"There are groups that didn't join the fight for power. They remain in hiding ever since the Brotherhood subjugated other groups. I haven't seen a woman like that. You'll never find someone with your vague descriptions."

Jun then thought of a distinct characteristic of the woman and the only thing he can really point out was her skills. He said, "I think she can use Illussions?"

"Oh, then it's the Dream Fairy."

"You know her?"

"Everyone knows her but no one has even seen her face. She's known for saving people who were in danger. There's also a rumor that she has a small elite group preparing to liberate the people."

"Was the hospital near the gasoline station already looted?" Jun asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"Nothing," stoicly replied Jun as he opened his dimensional storage. He tossed five Tier 1 Short Swords on the ground but the teenagers only stared at him weirdly. "Take it. They're yours."

Jun turned around and vaulted over the wall.

Uno stared in confusion towards Jun's disappearing back. When he no longer sees him, he curiously picked up one of the pale-white swords and tapped it on the sharpened wood he was holding.

The Short Sword easily pierced the wood and stopped only after it reached the center.

Jun stood on the parking lot of the hospital he passed by earlier. He was surrounded by dead carriers with severed heads. And just like earlier, question marks could be found near one of the windows. Someone was looking at him on the other side of the blinds.

From his gathered information, the division of power in this town is currently divided by two large powers on a single group and several small powers that were in hiding.

The people he killed from the apartment building earlier were probably one of those hidden powers. It was also guaranteed that the people inside here were one of those hidden powers.

Jun opened his hologram map and examined the screen. There were movements inside the building and on one of the red triangles, there was an additional green circle.

The green circle was the tracker earring that he attached to the woman's shoulder. He was able to secretly attach it earlier when he greeted the woman by tapping her shoulder. His goal was to track her if ever he lost her, since she was moving around the nimbly at the time.

Without waiting for anyone to invite him in, Jun started walking forward.