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

Bran had to

a nightmare come true. But what

a pile of garbage, numb to the jostling of

base and drove

and

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

steel could sustain a family for a few

prying questions about where the steel came

to keep the credits. She went straight to the base's store and bought

ten packs could last for three

Crusoe

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

from a submarine, Stella had

the road, the family was eager to return home and clean

left without a word, probably a

took a deep breath inwardly, not sure

then, on the way back to their private compound,

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

was taken aback, not expecting the usually

"Uh, later," he mumbled.

out scavenging again after a short break. Wouldn't want you

Bran merely nodded, "Mhm."

the compound and exchanging goodbyes without much fuss, they parted

the truck drive away, feeling his

dog enjoyed a luxurious meal after their refreshing

home-cooked food after days on the

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

except Bran. With all the disasters, looking

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

of necessity, he had turned to scavenging, a dangerous and

now reduced to a pitiful state, it was a poignant reminder of the harshness