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

no room left in the cab, so Bran had

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

a pile of garbage, numb to

drove up

trading, and

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

truckload of steel could sustain a family

meant no prying questions about where the steel

didn't plan to keep the credits. She went straight to the

for escape pods, these ten packs could

of a real-life Robinson Crusoe situation, it was better

the credits left, Stella spotted coal for sale but decided to save up and buy a whole load at once, for the day when it might

a submarine, Stella

the road, the family was eager to return home

a word, probably

a deep breath inwardly, not sure

back to their private compound, they crossed paths

she pulled over and stuck her head out, "Hey, Bran. You left some meds with me a while back. With things as chaotic

the usually covetous Stella to

"Uh, later," he mumbled.

"Alright, but try to come by soon. We'll probably head out scavenging again after

Bran merely nodded, "Mhm."

compound and exchanging goodbyes without much

drive away, feeling his heart, already battered by

dog enjoyed a luxurious meal after their

comfort of home-cooked food after days

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

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

asking him to do hard labor for food was

of necessity, he had turned to

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