18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 461

Stella glanced up and saw a gaunt woman standing across the fence. Her sallow face was marked with several nasty scars, and she walked with a pronounced limp. She was so thin that her eyes appeared abnormally large, staring intently at Stella, who was wearing a face mask.

Stella frowned, wondering who this could be.

"Stella, is that really you?" The woman clutched the fence tightly, her voice a mix of emotions. "It's me, your mother."

Stella nearly choked.

Lillian? She was unrecognizable.

Her emaciated frame made the scars on her face look even more grotesque, and her body bore several lumps and bruises. Her clothes were tattered and worn.

It was obvious, even at a glance, that she had fallen on hard times.

She seemed on the verge of collapse, like a camel about to buckle under the weight of its burden. Yet, when she saw Stella, her eyes sparkled with a plea. "Stella, I'm your mother. I gave you life. You have to save me... save me..."

Lillian had always been a clinging vine, dependent on men to survive. Eventually, Daniel had her transferred to the Goldbridge official facility.

Stella had imagined a grim existence for her...

And it seemed her life had indeed been rather grim.

But one had to admit, her vitality was stubborn.

However, Stella wasn't interested in Lillian's miseries, nor did she harbor much satisfaction or resentment in her heart.

Looking at the unrecognizable Lillian, Stella was as calm as if she were facing a stranger.

What did it matter that she had given her life? It wasn't out of Lillian's desire, but necessity.

Her own upbringing had been far from joyful. Only after meeting Jasper did she feel warmth.

For a woman so selfish she contemplated murder to keep her lies from being exposed, Stella thought it was already generous of her not to take her life.

Now, it was fine this way; to live on, living in pain, and hopefully, for a very long time.

expression, Stella said,

told the nearby soldier, "The patient is too agitated for questioning. Take her away, please." Lillian, in her agitation, desperately resisted and tried to lunge at Stella, aiming

soldiers, clad in their protective gear, effortlessly subdued her and

you will not die

I promise to live

examination room and noting the early

exercise, assisted by counselors to help them regulate their

violent and began to

intervened, separating the aggressor and

of how Lillian might have

to survive in such harsh conditions. For someone like her,

she would

B, Stella chose not to mention her encounter with Lillian

There was no need.

scarcity of medicines. Limited resources had to be allocated where they

abundant medical resources, breakthroughs for this kind of mutation were rare,

on this subject, but she didn't oppose the decision from above either;

and the variety of

the success

and

high-temperature baking, the edible sea fish greatly alleviated the shortage of

fought over a scrap of food, and gaunt

started to

was napping in her dormitory when a nurse's knock abruptly woke her. "Dr. Jiang, there's a trauma

the two of them alone, it had been a long time since they had a chance

away, got dressed, and

this time it was a soldier, soaked

mask and headed to the operating room, her tone was clipped and professional. "Bring the patient in, and everyone else

felt a tug

a man in worn military garb

knitted together. Who could this

"Big sis, it's me."

vaguely familiar, but the man's face was

look of hurt, the man said, "Am I really so insignificant