18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Three people and a dog stepped out of the car, led by Teddy into the mansion. There was a security checkpoint at the entrance of the mansion, and the three of them, along with the dog, passed through one by one. As they entered the grand foyer, the sweltering heat outside was instantly replaced by the cool blast of air conditioning.

An overpriced crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, imported marble floors beneath their feet, and a landscape water feature sitting in the middle of the living room, it was like stepping into the lobby of a five-star hotel. Well, another big shot with a taste for the finer things in life.

"My apologies for keeping you waiting." A man in his forties, donned in a khaki silk pajama set, sporting gold-rimmed glasses, gracefully descended the spiral staircase.

Good heavens, this wasn't the boss of a base, but a semi-retired chairman of an international company, holding the reins of power yet living a luxurious life of leisure.

Stella couldn't believe that he was the one controlling over 200 members of the nefarious gang.

It went to show you couldn't judge a book by its cover, and the most ferocious wolves loved to dress up in sheep's clothing.

The man, wearing a pair of five-figure Hermès slippers, extended a gentlemanly and scholarly smile, reaching out his hand to Jasper, "Jasper, your reputation precedes you. Quite a few of my men have fallen at your hands." Jasper didn't shake his hand, his expression remaining indifferent, "I don't take pleasure in killing, unless it's a matter of life and death."

The man's smile was unyielding, "I suppose that's my fault for not managing them properly. Now that you're here, Jasper, we look forward to your future assistance."

"No need for the niceties. I don't meddle in others' affairs."

"Ha! I can tell Jasper is a man of great potential. In these end times, with your abilities, you're bound to make a name for yourself. We at Silver Asylum need people like you."

The man walked over to the liquor cabinet and opened a bottle of whiskey, pouring a drink for Jasper, "You can call me Bryce. Here's to our future collaboration."

Bryce finished his drink in one gulp, "Jasper, your turn."

Jasper didn't say a word, but finished his drink in one shot as well.

"Excellent, let's put past grudges behind us and welcome you to the Silver Asylum."

It was as if he had just noticed Stella and the others. He looked surprised and said, "And these are?"

Jasper introduced them one by one, "My woman, my sister, and our dog."

Bryce's attention was drawn to the dog, "Jasper, you've raised a fine dog. Looks well taken care of."

"It's not too difficult, dogs aren't like humans. In these times, it can find enough food wherever it goes."

"It was said that dogs like eating poops, but it doesn't look like it's been eating that. I bet it's seen its fair share of blood."

Jasper's expression didn't change, "Yes, it's quite picky. Only eats fresh, steaming legs."

Bryce was taken aback for a moment, then burst out laughing, "I appreciate a dog with personality. I wonder if you are willing to part with it?"

"The dog has a mind of its own. If it wants to go with you, I won't object."

"Simple enough. Bring out the fresh, steaming leg."

15 minutes later, Zander brought out a fresh, steaming leg and placed it in front of the dog. Stella realized that despite Bryce's friendly demeanor, this was a power play aimed at her and Jasper.

"This German Shepherd is truly beautiful." Bryce showed kindness to the dog, with a benevolent smile on his face, "Go ahead. This is specially prepared for you."

The dog, seemingly possessed by a feral spirit, was unfazed by Bryce's intimidation. It met his gaze with a look of aggression and hostility. Then, it lifted its paw and knocked over the tray holding the leg. The atmosphere became a bit awkward.

Jasper remained calm, "My apologies, I forgot to mention that it always finds its own food. Doesn't take handouts."

"Such personality. I like it even more." Bryce laughed heartily, "By the way, Jasper, you've come a long way to join us. From now on, we're family. We look forward to your contribution to the growth and development of Silver Asylum. "You must be tired from your journey. Let's arrange for you to rest, and tonight we'll have a welcome dinner. Teddy has arranged a house for you, and we also have a gift for you."

With that, he clapped his hands.

A dozen scantily clad women filed in, some tall and gorgeous, others petite and delicate. From barely grown teenagers to mature women in their thirties, your choice of pickings.

Bryce was enthusiastic, "Take your pick, Jasper. If you fancy any of them, you're welcome to take them all to serve you."

This left Jasper momentarily speechless.

Stella couldn't help but laugh coldly, "Bryce, we came here to join you, not to be driven apart."

Bryce looked puzzled, "What do you mean?"

"You seem to have forgotten that he's my man." Stella was blunt, "You're pushing a dozen women onto him, have you considered how I feel? Should I just leave?"

"Gee, I totally forgot about that." Bryce finally understood and quickly apologized, "My apologies, Miss. My hearing isn't what it used to be. I must've missed Jasper's introduction. I mistook you for a handsome young lad."

Stella got a buzz cut. Over the past few months, she had grown some hair. Moreover, wearing loose clothes, if you didn't look closely, she indeed looked like a young man. But it was clear he did it on purpose, trying to sow discord between her and Jasper since the moment they arrived. It was a common tactic in these end times, but unfortunately, he picked the wrong targets. If she and Jasper were so shallow, they wouldn't have made it this far together.

Bryce quickly waved the women away.

"I am not into this kind of thing, and in the future, don't try to find other men for my woman," Jasper said, his face impassive.

Bryce hurried to maintain his image, "Teddy, you've really botched this one. How am I supposed to show my face around Jasper and his lady now?"

Teddy tried to smooth things over, "My apologies, I didn't clarify things earlier. It won't happen again. You must be tired. Let me show you to your quarters."

The trio and their dog said their goodbyes, and Bryce saw them out of the mansion with warm smiles.

However, the moment Jasper was gone, Bryce's smile faded. After seeing them off, Teddy returned to the mansion, "Boss, these two are troublemakers. They've already taken out two of our groups, and they won't be easily tamed. We might end up biting off more than we can chew. Since they came to us, we could just gun them down. No need to try and win them over."

"You don't understand," Bryce shot him a glance, "In these times, anyone with a bit of talent is bound to have a bit of a temper, right?"

He had someone dig into it, and it turned out that the police had received an anonymous tip-off before they teamed up with the military to take down The Chaos. And the only ones who were openly opposing The Chaos at that time were the folks at the 18th floor. So there was a good chance they were the whistleblowers.

To convince the police of the threat and to mobilize the military, it couldn't have been just any ordinary person.

Now, the influence of the police was dwindling, and with half of the military forces being pulled for construction and operations of the two major bases, this was a golden opportunity for Silver Asylum to grow stronger.

Teddy was worried and said, "But if it's really them who were pulling the strings against The Chaos, aren't you afraid history will repeat itself?"