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 beggar by natural

cab, so Bran had to

was a nightmare come true. But what could he do? He climbed aboard, the truck bouncing him all the way back

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

the base and drove up to the recycling

and

and after weighing, they earned 3000 credits minus the 50-credit cleaning

of steel could sustain a

casual attitude meant no prying questions about where the steel came from,

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

for escape pods, these ten packs could last for

case of a real-life Robinson Crusoe situation, it

save up and

a submarine,

the family was

left without a word, probably a

a deep breath inwardly, not sure

on the way back to their private compound, they crossed

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

expecting the usually covetous Stella

"Uh, later," he mumbled.

try to come by soon. We'll probably head out scavenging again after a short break. Wouldn't want you to make a

Bran merely nodded, "Mhm."

and exchanging goodbyes without much

feeling his heart, already battered by the disasters,

trio and their dog enjoyed a luxurious meal after their

comfort of home-cooked

hit by that satellite? Bran gave us a lot of meds as thanks. I

in Goldbridge except Bran. With all the

prideful nature, asking him to do hard labor for food was out

to scavenging,

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