18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 380

The tarp was yanked back, revealing a truck bed filled with weathered barrels caked in mud and rust. Each container looked like it had survived a bombing raid, dented here and bulging there. The warehouse worker couldn't help but wonder-what on earth was inside?

He scrubbed off the mud, chipped away at the rust, and finally, the emblem on one of the barrels came into view Titanium?

He cleaned a few more, revealing Tungsten, Beryllium...

"My God, these were rare metals-the kind the base had been scouring the earth for, with no luck. Production at the factory was hanging by a thread.

The worker's jaw nearly hit the floor. "All of this, in both trucks?"

"Yep." Stella wiped her dirt-streaked face, her voice tinged with urgency and anxiety. "Buddy, are these any good to you? We busted our backs and bet the farm to trade for these. If they're useless, we're done for." Considering the barrels' shabby state, the worker wasn't sure whether the contents were still intact.

"I honestly don't know." He got caught up in Stella's dramatic demeanor and grew nervous himself. "Hold tight, I'll get some folks from the research and testing department over here."

He dashed into the office and radioed for assistance.

After briefing the situation, he reminded them, "Yes, yes, it's two trucks full-send someone quick."

These metals were like industrial MSG-a pinch in the mix and you're golden. And this-this was a motherlode!

Twenty minutes later, a vehicle rolled up, unloading a few uniformed personnel.

As they caught sight of the two trucks' worth of barrels, their jaws dropped in shock.

The team leader, snapping out of his amazement, commanded: "Let's move, get these unloaded and sampled for testing."

The trading hub's staff scrambled to help.

Stella hurried over. "Hey, where are you taking our stuff? You haven't even weighed it yet. You aren't thinking of swiping it, are you?"

have been rough,

results. If it's all good,

the cargo, just

carefully pried off the lids, revealing the refined powder inside, the experts were thrilled-the metals

the condition of the metals,

center's staff needed to clean all the

wasn't something Stella could explain to the testers. All she

idle

on the ground, the workers called out anxiously, "Easy there, easy! Don't damage the barrels." To the uninitiated, one might think these sturdy containers were made

meeting the testing department's

eager for news. Seeing the haul, they were consumed with envy-if only such fortune

bounty could secure a lifetime's

feigned camaraderie. "Buddy, where'd you score this loot? Let me

loyal companion? Whether you want a beefcake

darkened. "Beat

was frazzled. "Get

mad, declared, "She's my

with a

another word, drew his

impenetrable trio and their dog, the

chuckled. "Don't let it get to you. You'll get used to

always like this, but with scavenging growing tougher,

some folks always think they're the exception, endlessly attempting to schmooze

with these nuisances was becoming a

their dog retreated to their

hours later, the test results came in fresh from the lab, and the trading department

Stella and Jasper to weigh their haul and log the metals. "The ones that just passed the test will be converted into credits for you. The rest, you'll get your results in two days. Just bring your receipt to claim your points." Stella was fine with that-credits with a string of