18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 467

People naturally gravitate towards those they click with.

Stella raised an eyebrow, mildly surprised. "We're not soldiers. Why should we go to a party?"

"Parties are a good chance to bring family or friends. I went to a bash at Central Base a couple of days ago. More friends, more opportunities."

Stella wasn't one for crowds. "No thanks, you go and have fun."

Bran didn't push it. He planned to invite others instead, leaning casually against the doorframe with a grin. "Hey Dottie, how'd you make that dipping sauce last time?"

Rosie, generous with her secrets, spilled the recipe. "Ginger, green onions, garlic, chili, oil..."

The first few ingredients were easy to come by, but the oil was a hassle.

Might as well play it cool and just go with the flow when it came to meals.

After sending everyone off, Stella retreated to her room to lie down and read.

On the night of the party, Bran took extra care to wet his hair, slicking it back into a cool, stylish look, and donned his cleanest outfit.

He'd thickened his skin and begged his brother-in-law for some clothes. Surprisingly, the man was generous, giving him several pieces. One of them was a brand-new floral shirt that fit him perfectly, as if tailor-made for him, ready to be flaunted come summer.

In addition, his sister had given him a pair of sandals. They were the kind you'd wear in the shower, the kind that would've been dirt cheap before the disaster, maybe even part of a buy-one-get-one-free deal. Forget that price; he wouldn't have been caught dead in them before. But now... well, they seemed to be of decent quality, likely to last a few years.

All in all, his sister hadn't let him down!

Bran mused, wondering if he could score a pair of sunglasses or some pomade if he clung to his sister's leg and wept next time. Speaking of which, his underwear had developed a couple of holes. Maybe his brother-in-law could spare a couple of new pairs? Preferably boxer briefs-they had style.

But that was beside the point. The gathering was mostly folks from South Base, but there were plenty who brought family, hometown pals, or friends.

people came together for a long-missed

options were pretty good. They had fillings of leeks, cabbage, and a mix of potatoes,

simple fare was something many hadn't

and sharing news, and when it comes to spinning yarns, the men often come out on

red heels by a campus lake was interrupted by another scoffing at its

up. "The

of his past experiences, he still felt a chill. "We were adrift at

was baffled. "I thought that

go down

when their

on our ship, throwing every last one of them overboard. We

right, I've heard that tall tale before. Almost had me believing

almost had us

well-known-a lot of

the disbelief, the man grew

a crew member, he even recited the exact coordinates and time to prove his point. "That sea area is cursed, unpredictable weather, brutal storms. We nearly capsized several times. It took us days to navigate out of there using

Hearing the coordinates, Hans

brow.

ago. That area is indeed strange, probably

diamond-shaped underwater craft. Thankfully, they had the strength to fend

We weren't lying or

bit his tongue. It was a bad

the hospital?

stood up. "I've got some herbs that should

powder, just some dried herbs. Hans picked one out. "Lucky I still

his mouth, and applied the powder to

his hand to his cheek in

someone shifted the topic to