18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

The feast was a beautifully roasted whole lamb, and the preparation was simply impeccable. Stella didn't hesitate. She dived right in, savoring every juicy bite.

Her Arcadia only had one lamb, not nearly enough for many meals. Since she was here, she naturally had to eat her fill. She asked as she ate, "Bryce, it's not easy to get meat now, especially fresh lamb." "Indeed, it's a luxury outside," Bryce acknowledged. "But here in Silver Asylum, you can have it as long as you're capable enough."

Teddy chimed in, "That's right, with Bryce leading us, we won't just have lamb. We'll also have fresh beef anytime we want."

Stella was impressed with the quality of the meat. "This tastes like lamb from the northwest. We can't raise sheep with this flavor by the coast."

Teddy laughed. "You got it, Stella. It's indeed from the northwest."

Stella was surprised. "The southern coast is chilling, dropping to below zero. The northwest must be even colder. It's amazing that cattle and sheep can survive there."

Teddy was amused by her surprise. "Stella, the world is full of wonders. While it's scorching here, the winter had barely started at the northwest. Hence, the fresh lamb." Stella was speechless. "Not everyone gets to enjoy roast lamb in this heat. Thanks for the treat, Bryce." With that, she raised her glass to toast Bryce and Teddy. Just as they sat down, a commotion came from outside.

Piersen had returned, covered in blood, wounded and needing urgent medical attention. They had lost half of their group.

Piersen was furious. "Those bastards at Alpha Outpost ambushed us on the road. If I hadn't stayed strong, we would've lost more."

The situation was dire. They had a total of just over two hundred people at the base, and this mission had cost them dearly. Medicine was more valuable than gold now, and those who were injured were as good as gone. With Alpha Outpost stirring the pot, things were getting worse. If this continued, Silver Asylum was doomed.

Bryce was filled with rage. Discarding his usual demeanor, he slammed his fist on the table. "Do they think we're pushovers?"

Jasper, Stella, Rosie, and even the dog remained calm amidst the chaos, especially Cooper who was happily gnawing on a lamb leg. Their calm demeanor in the face of crisis irritated Bryce, but he managed to keep his cool.

After Piersen and the others had left to tend to their wounds, Bryce regained his composure. "Jasper, you heard what happened. Alpha Outpost is getting bolder. They've destroyed our outpost and killed our people. What do you think we should do?" Jasper was unflinchingly direct. "You want the truth or a pleasant lie?"

Bryce was taken aback. "The truth, of course."

"Eradicate them for good."

Bryce understood what he meant. "Jasper, you're unaware that Alpha Outpost is backed by powerful forces."

Jasper was blunt. "If they were backed by such forces, they would have taken over Silver Asylum when you were still vulnerable. They wouldn't bother with a head-on confrontation. It's all a charade."

Even Teddy was anxious to hear such straightforward words. That's right,. He had advised Bryce long ago that opportunities quickly come and go, so he must act early.

But Bryce was naturally suspiciou, and was bewildered by the fake information released by Alpha Outpost. As a result, he missed the best opportunity and let them get ahead.

Bryce was a man of pride, and Jasper's words had embarrassed him. He retorted, "You're probably not aware, Jasper. Today, they brought out their armored vehicles and leveled our outpost. Only someone with solid backing could have access to such heavy equipment." "Armored vehicles?" Jasper questioned. "Who saw them?"

Teddy quickly jumped to Bryce's defense. "One of our guys who managed to escape saw it."

"As far as I know, the military and police strictly control such equipment. Are you sure he didn't hallucinate out of fear or heatstroke?"

The conversation was turning tense. Teddy was getting annoyed. "Jasper, do you have a better solution?"

"I stick to my initial point. Eradicate them for good." Jasper said without a hint of emotion. "In this apocalypse, conflicts can only be resolved through force. If love and peace worked, would the world be in such chaos?"

With that, he stood up. "Thanks for the meal, Bryce. If you decide on something, let me know. We can lend a hand."

Bryce was frustrated but managed to keep a smile on his face. "Take care, Jasper."

After they left, Bryce swept the dishes off the table in anger. Once he had cooled down a bit, Teddy spoke up. "Bryce, Jasper might be blunt, but he has a point. There's not enough supplies for both Silver Asylum and Alpha Outpost. Taking action now is better than suffering later."

Bryce knew this, but he was afraid of losing. However, he also realized that he had to face the inevitable. He ordered Teddy to gather more information about Alpha Outpost and Jasper. If they were to fight, they could only afford to win.

Meanwhile, Jasper and Stella returned to their place. To avoid eavesdropping devices, they decided to exercise for digestion and ended up training for over two hours.

Settling in for the night, Stella ventured a conversation. "You really think Alpha Outpost doesn't have a big shot backing them up?"

"Absolutely not." Jasper propped his head up on his pillow. "Even if they do, what does it matter? We'll wipe them out first. Are their backers going to avenge them?"

"That's true. In this day and age, it's all about survival of the fittest. Who's going to avenge the dead? It's more profitable to support the victor."

"We'll see. If they dare to bomb us and don't dare bomb Alpha Outpost, it means they're only capable of bullying the weak. This place isn't truly safe. When the time comes, I'll get you all out of here."

After their conversation, which was meant to be overheard, the two settled down to sleep.

Jasper held Stella close. Even though they couldn't do anything due to the surveillance, he felt incredibly content. Being so close, he could hear the sound of her heartbeat. It was a long while before they managed to fall asleep. In the end, under the cover of darkness, they found solace in each other's arms.