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 disasters. Fate had a cruel sense

so Bran had to settle for sitting

what could he do? He climbed aboard, the truck bouncing him

a pile of garbage, numb to the jostling of the

entered the base and drove up to

and cashing

some time to clean, and after weighing,

truckload of steel could sustain a family for a

staff's casual attitude meant no prying questions about where the steel came from, which eased

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

these ten packs could last for

real-life Robinson Crusoe

spotted coal for sale but decided to save up and buy a whole load at once, for the

for other supplies, aside from a submarine, Stella

on the road, the family was eager to return

word, probably

took a deep breath inwardly, not

back to their private compound, they crossed

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

not expecting the usually covetous Stella to offer

"Uh, later," he mumbled.

soon. We'll probably head out scavenging

Bran merely nodded, "Mhm."

and exchanging goodbyes

away, feeling his heart, already battered by the disasters,

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

comfort of home-cooked food after

cleared by Rosie, Stella sipped on juice while discussing with 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,

except Bran. With all the disasters, looking after their golden

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

he had turned to scavenging, a dangerous and unglamorous

surrounded by beauty and luxury, now reduced to a pitiful state,