18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 305

Jasper remained the picture of calm, "Everyone's got a bit of a gambler in them. Remember when you hoarded those cruise ships and yachts? Weren't you gambling too?"

"I'm not like them," Stella rubbed her temples, her voice weary. "I have my little tricks up my sleeve with Arcadia. I can hide when danger strikes, but they've only got their skin and bones." This was sheer madness.

"But this is their choice," Jasper said calmly. "Kitty's always been in this game, Angela's been through a family tragedy, and Lukas and Cody have had their share of agony."

Policing the streets was always a gamble with their lives; this time, they were just upping the ante.

"They bust their backs and can only afford to live in the slums. When they owned a home, but they were crammed in tiny apartments, only to have their peace shattered by thugs at nightfall. Now they're all holed up in your place, while we're living it up in our mansion, feasting on steak and sipping fine wine. How could they possibly stay cool-headed?"

It wasn't about envy or resentment. They were just ordinary survivors who had weathered five years of calamities. Who wouldn't have some psychological scars?

Backed into a corner, they were indeed risking their lives.

Lost the bet, and it's a worthless life gone. If they won, it's a life of glory and wealth.

Jasper made sense, and Stella, if she failed to understand them, would have bluntly stopped them rather than urging them to think twice.

In the end, it boiled down to the concern of a friend, feeble though it may be. It wasn't right to feast while telling them to be content with porridge and not to gamble with their lives for a better tomorrow. It was easy to talk without bearing the pain. However, watching friends you had grown up with gamble with their lives, knowing full well they might die, was heart-wrenching.

"Stella, everyone has their way of living," Jasper said, taking her hand. "As friends, we don't want them risking their lives, but if they've made up their minds, we really can't stop them."

...

us scouted the mountains thoroughly. There's a group of over fifty up there. We've thought it through and made a plan. We've decided to go

paused, a hint of laughter in his voice. "If we don't make it

the line was about to go

them, but as a friend, she could offer some help to increase their odds of coming back alive. "I'll find some bulletproof vests. Jasper can whip up some explosives and incendiaries. Find a way to come and get them. And remember, survive at all costs." Cody was silent for a while before replying, "We've got vests, but we're short on ammo. Consider it a loan from you. If we win, we'll repay with supplies. If we lose, well, if there's an afterlife, we'll repay you

Stella rubbed her face vigorously, taking deep breaths to

lunch, a knock came from downstairs. Looking from the balcony, to her

was Shane's. What could they want

down to open the door. Derick held the car door open, "Stella, Mr. Porras

come in

but courteous, got into the car. "What brings you

years of disasters, his presence and

Whoever rescues him gets 10,000

sure with your guidance, he'll return safely. The reward is tempting, but our abilities are limited. We wouldn't want to hinder

need to make a house call. "Stella, there's no need for modesty. If you feel

about the reward. We can only do so much, and we have a

of what she and Jasper could

response, Shane seemed to

Building

accept the bitter reality. Disasters hadn't taken Bran's life, but in the end, he had been the architect

off, Stella went back to

at the table, when she brought

the loot and captives, means it's probably spacious, maybe even a cavern system with complex structures and multiple exits. Lobbing bombs and incendiaries from outside won't do much." Stella felt

gas grenades; they might