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 of

in the cab, so Bran had to settle for sitting on a pile of muddy

come true. But what could he do? He climbed aboard, the truck bouncing

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

drove

trading, and cashing in

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

of steel could sustain a family for a few

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

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

for escape pods, these ten

Robinson Crusoe situation, it

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

supplies, aside from a submarine, Stella had

was eager to return home

a word, probably

a deep breath inwardly, not sure what

then, on the way back to their private compound, they crossed paths

with me a while back. With things

the usually covetous Stella to offer the

"Uh, later," he mumbled.

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

Bran merely nodded, "Mhm."

and exchanging goodbyes

drive away, feeling his heart, already battered by the

the trio and their dog enjoyed a luxurious meal after their refreshing

beat the comfort of home-cooked food after days on the

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.

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

Bran's lack of military skills and his prideful nature, asking him to do hard labor

of necessity, he had turned to scavenging, a

now reduced to a pitiful state, it was