18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 60

Stella seemed aloof and distant, so Amber, not wanting to be overbearing, said, "Fine, I'll fry yours first, so it doesn't overcook and lose its taste."

Amber was a real whiz in the kitchen. Her fried fish was crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and incredibly tasty. Cooper, their pet dog, came wagging his tail, drooling over the smell. Stella tossed him a few pieces, then urged Amber to eat her fill.

With hunger sated by two full fishes, Amber sighed in satisfaction. When was the last time she'd had a full meal? The taste was so good, she felt like she could swallow her own tongue.

The people on the 18th floor were indeed capable. Amber worked even harder, hoping that they could bring their family along in the future.

After frying several batches, they heard the sound of an inflatable boat approaching. Jasper and the others returned, carrying cooking oil, salt, and some spices.

Cody, with a broad smile on his face, said excitedly, "Stella, we've got another deal!"

After trading with Monkey, they realized they needed to find a way to offload the rest of their stock before it spoiled. Cody was a natural salesman, so he suggested they try their luck at the department store, hoping to find new customers.

Once they arrived, they found out that the government had a new policy. In an effort to help more citizens survive, officials had established a marketplace. Citizens with needs could set up stalls in the marketplace and exchange necessary goods. There was no entry fee for the marketplace, but causing trouble was strictly prohibited, with severe punishments for any violations.

There were a lot of goods for exchange, and the marketplace was crowded. However, there was a scarcity of food trading. Most of the items were non-perishable goods like clothes, bicycles, and kitchen utensils. Everyone without exception was looking to trade for food. The crowd was bustling, and they did not dare to take out the fish; instead they had to search for potential customers discreetly.

Unfortunately, except for Cody, no one else had a knack for spotting potential customers. The Moore family kept to themselves and worked on technological advancements. Jasper was a former special forces member, and asking them to find potential customers seemed like a tough ask.

They knew there were plenty of people in the marketplace looking to trade goods, but there were also unscrupulous groups looking to exploit the situation. So, they waited in a corner, with Cody going in and scouting for potential customers.

Half an hour later, he came back with two scruffy-looking individuals. Joey recognized them at once. Weren't they his colleagues?

"Gordon, you're still alive?"

still

tearful reunion

Gordon and his group, Jasper and

they have dog food," Cody reported to

public housing complex. Even though the place was old and rundown, it had the advantage of being occupied by familiar neighbors, mostly elderly folks and their younger families. They had banded together and ventured out to find supplies. They were early birds, and incredibly lucky. They found a dog food factory

nutritious and filling, but after a while, the taste was hard to stomach. They had

also discerning about whom they traded with, refusing to make hasty decisions. It was pure coincidence that they bumped into each other at the marketplace, and even more coincidental that they ran into

some bargaining, they agreed to trade three pounds of fish

you

pang of guilt, "Ah, this disaster has forced

a long time, while fish would spoil if not preserved within a couple of days. Cody took out half a bag of dog food, "We've tasted it.

she let Cooper try it. Cooper seemed reluctant

likely had plenty of preservatives, giving it a shelf life of up

hearing there was dog food, Amber was thrilled as well. If they traded the fish for dog food, they

wanted it, including Stella, especially when she heard there were freeze-dried cans of dog and cat

they all agreed to trade the

some negotiation, Joey's old colleagues finally agreed on a deal: 1,500 pounds of fish for 500 pounds of

were plenty more in the reservoir to catch. So they packed up their stuff, hid their gas stove and other equipment, and divided the remaining fish among themselves. Stella pulled Jasper and Cody aside, "The Moore family has contributed a lot. How should we divide

floor. Even though Joey and Amber were just laborers, Mikey had made the fishing tools, without which they wouldn't

1.5 shares? One for him and half

be too stingy, but they also

agreed, "That