18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 160

What the hell? It was tough enough to survive, now they gotta deal with these punks on their own turf?

On foreign soil, you'd keep your head down and try to scrape by, but here they were, brazen as ever.

In a dim corner, several men were relentlessly kicking three people lying on the ground, spouting insults in a harsh, foreign language.

There were those with swords, guns, and baseball bats.

Murder was as easy as turning your head, but they continued to beat them, becoming more and more excited, revealing their ugly and twisted human nature. The pleading screams only served to further stimulate them, their blows becoming heavier and heavier.

One of them lifted his blade, his face twisted in a savage grin as he brought it down.

"Shick."

Their bloodlust had blinded them to the danger lurking in the shadows.

His blade hadn't even fallen before the man was skewered like a s'more on a stick. Stella didn't hesitate, pulling her blade free and lunging for the second one.

Jasper was even quicker, swiftly disarming a punk and snapping his neck, before kicking another one aside.

The two of them dispatched the five punks with efficiency, not even giving them a chance to whimper for mercy.

A flashlight illuminated the beaten figures on the ground. They were a sorry sight, their faces smeared with blood, all but unrecognizable.

Out of a sense of humanity, Stella asked, "Are you guys okay?"

The harsh light of the flashlight was blinding, and one of them instinctively raised a hand to shield his eyes, his lips trembling. "It's you?"

His voice was groggy, but Stella recognized it-Monkey. Wait, why the hell was he here too?

a water tanker parked not far away. They were smuggling, and

managed to get to his feet, wiping the blood off his face as he exclaimed, "Wow,

he hastily helped the man next to him up. The man was tall, probably around

really tough. If

his thirties, with short hair. His face was honest and straightforward, but his eyes held a worldly cunning that suggested he wasn't a simple man. Of course, anyone who could

his face and gave Stella and Jasper a weak smile.

"It was nothing."

that they were okay, Stella, who was worried about Cooper and Rosie back home, didn't

them. "I'm Austin. I don't even

it wasn't common to ask

of questions. Are you planning to repay

"Of course, we need to repay your kindness. What do you

to Monkey.

whispered to him. "Boss,

a truckload of fresh water to

of fresh water was around 20 tons,

his sleeve. "Boss, she doesn't look

us what you want. As long

with the punks, but Austin's offer changed her mind. "I have a client who's interested in antiques, paintings, and precious metals. Could

was expecting a big demand, but all she wanted were these? Sure, antiques and paintings were

antiques, paintings, and gold, hoping to make a fortune

Whatever she stocked up on seemed

Austin readily agreed. "What kind of antiques, paintings, or precious

do, as long as it's old

wasn't easy. Stella didn't give her address, simply gesturing to

them left quickly, disappearing into the darkness, and taking

handed over the guns to Stella, who

a savvy trader like Austin could get robbed, which meant the outside world was dangerous. Stella decided to hold off on selling water for now