18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 97

Gripes aside, life must go on.

Jasper laid out various attack strategies, simultaneously providing impeccable countermeasures. Stella sighed again, realizing that survival in this post-apocalyptic world was no easy feat.

In the evening, Katie hollered from downstairs, announcing that the relief food, originally scheduled for the day after tomorrow, would be distributed tomorrow. Angela and the others were puzzled. What's with sudden change of plans?

Stella instinctively glanced at Jasper, just as he looked her way.

Their eyes met briefly, then quickly looked away.

"Angela, I'm planning to fetch the relief food in the morning, then take Cooper out for a walk in the afternoon," Stella said.

Without giving it much thought, Angela agreed, "Sure, we'll go after you guys get back."

That night, sleep was elusive.

Stella was contemplative, thinking that with Arcadia, she could live a better life. But even this kind of 'better' came with a price. She hoped for a successful day tomorrow.

The relief food was to be distributed at nine in the morning. Stella and Jasper agreed to leave at seven over the walkie-talkie.

They set out early, only to find Angela cycling in the hallway.

Rosie was nowhere in sight, and she casually asked, "Isn't Rosie coming?"

Jasper nodded, "Rosie's still asleep."

It was still early for the relief food distribution, and they had left without Rosie. Angela smirked, realizing their denial was just a façade.

Of course, Angela wouldn't call them out on it. She'd just wait and see.

After leaving Sunrise Sanctuary, the two of them didn't queue for food but headed towards Unity Village.

Upon reaching the intersection, Jasper suddenly paused.

Confused, Stella asked, "What's wrong?"

Jasper swiftly put his arm around her waist.

Stella felt a sudden rush of adrenaline. If she didn't know him better, she might have drawn her weapon.

"There's surveillance. Don't look around." Jasper whispered as he held her close, navigating through the icy chill.

"We're being watched?"

"Unity Village is."

flashed in Stella's eyes. Could it be

but if Unity Village was indeed under surveillance, there

even overcame her discomfort and moved closer to Jasper, making them look

circled around Unity Village before finally ducking into a side

said,

Village being

but my gut tells me it is.

special forces operative, Jasper's instincts

also been alert, and although she wasn't as sharp as Jasper, she could faintly sense something

thought, "Could the early distribution of the relief food have something to

was not only a gathering place for The Chaos gang but also home to many

example, many had come out to collect the

were either voluntarily seeking refuge or forced to

was likely to draw these survivors out of Unity Village, preventing them from becoming hostages of the gang. Regardless, Stella felt a sense of relief. As long as they could wipe out the

community center where a

hushed tone, "With the relief food being distributed today, will the gang's minions come to collect their 'protection fee'?"

significantly reduce the firepower at

seemed that their strategy was a

for two hours, it

collected their relief food, they headed back to Sunrise

there, Jasper

grabbed Stella's arm and quickly steered

a woman's shrill

sounded familiar, like she'd

"Bang, bang, bang."

Bullets whizzed past.

pulled Stella along as they sprinted towards an office building, a dozen men in

them as they dashed

they ran up the

fully prepared, pulled out a gun from Arcadia by pretending to get something from her

up, looking for a place

shouted. "Gregory orders us to bring him

shot two bullets

superior firepower, they couldn't match Jasper's

Jasper had killed five men

retreated, Stella ran into a sturdy-looking

was the