18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 376

Stella spotted him too-no doubt about it, he was a beggar. Dressed in tattered rags, barefoot, and wandering aimlessly. "Another soul driven mad by the apocalypse," she sighed to herself.

Just as she was reflecting, the sound of a car caught the beggar's attention. Surprisingly, he turned and waved frantically to flag it down. "Robbery tactics are getting more and more creative," she thought. "This guy could very well be a decoy for an ambush."

Stella cocked her gun, ready to take him down if he showed any sign of threat.

"Hey, stop the car, stop the car!" the beggar shouted.

Stella scanned the area but saw no sign of an ambush.

Jasper didn't hit the brakes and just drove past.

"Damn it, stop!" the beggar yelled, flipping them the bird.

Stella squinted, recognizing the figure in the rearview mirror.

"Stop the car," she commanded.

Seeing the truck pull over, the beggar's mood swung from irritation to hope. He limped over and asked, "Buddy, could you give me a lift?"

He hurried over but froze in shock when he got a better look.

It was like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over him in the dead of winter.

Without a word, he covered his face and turned to leave.

"Bran," Stella called out.

It was as if his heart had been pierced; his entire body stiffened.

His dignity, once guarded, now trampled into the mud.

But Stella didn't mock him or ask how he'd come to this. "Get in. We're still a good ten miles from the base. If you walk, your feet will be shredded."

a destitute beggar by natural disasters. Fate had a cruel

was no room left in the cab, so Bran had to settle for sitting on a

a nightmare come true. But what could he do?

the fallen rich kid sat atop a pile of garbage, numb to the jostling of the vehicle, his

drove

and

took the workers some time to clean, and after weighing, they

steel could sustain a family for a few

questions about where the steel

the credits. She went straight to the base's store and bought supplies-ten

ten packs could last

real-life Robinson Crusoe situation,

decided to save up and buy a whole load at once,

for other supplies, aside from a submarine,

family was eager

a word, probably

a deep breath inwardly, not sure

way back to their private

over and stuck her head out, "Hey, Bran. You left some meds with me a while back. With things as chaotic as they

was taken aback, not expecting the usually

"Uh, later," he mumbled.

We'll probably head out scavenging again after a short break. Wouldn't want

Bran merely nodded, "Mhm."

giving him the address to the compound and exchanging goodbyes without much fuss, they

truck drive away, feeling his

at the compound, the trio and their dog enjoyed a luxurious meal after

comfort of home-cooked food after

Jasper, "Remember when the Porras family's annex got hit by that satellite? Bran gave us a lot of meds as thanks. I think he added extra as a gesture of goodwill. Now that he's hit rock

in a hurry, probably all in Goldbridge except Bran. With all the disasters, looking after their golden boy

prideful nature, asking him to do

turned to scavenging, a

to a pitiful state, it