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."

proud son of a wealthy family, now reduced to a destitute beggar by natural disasters. Fate had a cruel sense of

had to settle for sitting

to someone he knew was a nightmare come true. But what could

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

and drove up to the recycling

trading, and

time to clean, and after weighing, they earned 3000 credits minus the 50-credit

truckload of steel could sustain a family for a few

questions about where the

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

for escape pods, these ten packs could last for

of a real-life Robinson Crusoe situation, it

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

other supplies, aside from a submarine, Stella

road, the family was eager

word, probably a matter

a deep breath inwardly, not sure what

way back to their private

out, "Hey, Bran. You left some meds with me a while back.

not expecting the usually

"Uh, later," he mumbled.

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

Bran merely nodded, "Mhm."

the address to the compound and

watched the truck drive away, feeling his heart, already battered by the

dog enjoyed

the comfort of home-cooked food after

family's annex got hit by that satellite? Bran gave us a lot of meds as thanks. I think he added extra as

except Bran. With all the disasters, looking after

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

to

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