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."

now reduced to a destitute beggar by natural disasters. Fate had a cruel sense

in the cab, so Bran had to settle for sitting

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

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

entered the base and drove up to

and cashing in

steel took the workers some time to clean, and after weighing, they earned 3000 credits

sustain a

no prying questions about where the steel came from, which eased Stella's

keep the credits. She went straight to

pods, these ten packs could last for three

Robinson Crusoe situation, it was better

but decided to save up and buy a whole load at once, for the day when

a submarine, Stella had almost

family was eager to

word, probably

inwardly, not sure what to

back to their private compound,

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 safe anymore. When do you want to pick them

the usually

"Uh, later," he mumbled.

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

Bran merely nodded, "Mhm."

to the compound and

drive away, feeling his heart, already

and their dog enjoyed a

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

a hurry, probably all in Goldbridge except Bran. With all the disasters, looking

skills and his prideful nature, asking him

to scavenging, a dangerous and

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