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."

family, now reduced to a destitute

had to

his worst moment exposed to someone he knew was a nightmare come true. But what could he do? He climbed aboard, the truck bouncing him all the way

sat atop a pile of garbage, numb to the jostling of the vehicle,

drove up to the

trading, and

workers some time to clean, and after weighing, they earned

could sustain

meant no prying questions about where the steel came from, which eased

credits. She went straight to

ten packs could last

a real-life Robinson Crusoe situation, it was better to be

save up and buy a

a submarine, Stella

days on the road, the family was eager to return home and

left without a word,

a deep breath inwardly,

then, on the way back to their private compound, they crossed paths

pulled over and stuck her head out, "Hey, Bran. You left some meds with me a while back. With things as chaotic as they are, I can't keep them

was taken aback, not expecting the usually covetous

"Uh, later," he mumbled.

scavenging again after a short break.

Bran merely nodded, "Mhm."

the compound and

his heart, already battered by

the trio and their dog

comfort of home-cooked food

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 bottom,

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

Bran's lack of military skills and his prideful nature, asking him to do hard labor for food was

to scavenging, a dangerous and unglamorous

reduced to a pitiful state, it was a poignant reminder of the harshness