18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

For the following days, Jasper didn't set a foot outside, either training the dog or his sister, and then practicing with Stella. When boredom crept in, they'd play a game of cards, partnering Cooper with Rosie, fearing her intellect might fall short.

As long as nobody from the outpost invited them, they barely left their room. If it were before the apocalypse, this would have driven anyone crazy. But after surviving two years of disaster, there wasn't much they weren't used to.

In this post-apocalyptic world, those who could manage to stay indoors were the real winners.

In the meantime, the rivalry between these two bases was escalating. Bryce, being the cautious type, didn't want to gamble with his comfortable life, while the leader from Alpha Outpost, with his hot temper and brutal ways, seemed more and more aggressive. It was easy to adapt to luxury, but hard to give it up. Silver Asylum used to enjoy daily shipments of supplies, but now, as the conflict intensified, they were lucky to receive even half a truckload. Naturally, this tightened the belts of Bryce's men.

Silver Asylum couldn't understand why they weren't taking out Alpha Outpost, instead, they kept retreating.

"Might as well give them the outpost," they grumbled.

This made Bryce anxious. He knew that without his men's support, he was nothing. If things continued like this, not only would his men lose respect for him, but they could also turn against him, or even leave the outpost. This fight had to happen, whether he wanted it or not.

Eventually, he chose to fight.

After days of surveillance, nothing unusual from Jasper was noted, except that their nights seemed too quiet. He didn't expect someone as tough as Jasper to last only three minutes. Bryce felt some sympathy for him; such a waste for the beautiful woman by his side. Meanwhile, Jasper was also feeling awkward, "Does it have to be this way?"

Stella retorted, "What else can we do?"

These were the precious three minutes she had managed to find among a plethora of videos.

The two of them slept in the same bed every day, and something had to happen, otherwise, Bryce would be suspicious.

Did he really think they'd put on a show while he listened in? Even if Jasper wanted to, Stella would never agree.

In the end, Jasper gave in, but fearing she might misunderstand, he quickly added, "I...I can definitely last longer." Stella seemed to understand, "Okay."

He spoke as if he was very experienced, but in reality, he hadn't even had a girlfriend in his past life.

Back in their room, she was about to play the video when a knock interrupted them.

Bryce finally couldn't hold back any longer. He treated them to a feast, even preparing a whole roast chicken for Cooper.

"Jasper, we've decided to have a showdown with Alpha Outpost," Bryce announced. "But as you know, my men are only good at collecting protection food, while the leaders at Alpha Outpost are skilled fighters. This is going to be a dangerous fight. Do you have any suggestions?"

Jasper asked for detailed information about the enemy's numbers, weapons, and geographical position.

Alpha Outpost was newly established and didn't have the advantage in numbers, but each member was tough and brave. On the other hand, Bryce's side had more weapons and was familiar with the surrounding terrain.

Jasper suggested, "A straightforward fight won't do us any good. We'll have to outsmart them."

Bryce agreed. If all his men were killed in the fight, what was the point of his title as outpost leader?

Stella added, "To capture the bandits, first capture their leader."

Bryce dismissed the idea, "I've thought about it, but their leader is too cunning to show himself."

Stella smiled, "What if you invited him for a talk?"

Bryce was taken aback.

Stella explained, "You've been fighting back and forth for days without making any progress. If you continue, you'll both lose. But if you can get him to come out, everything will become a lot easier."

Bryce was skeptical, "Just get him to come out?"

"Don't forget what Jasper used to do," Stella said confidently. "He often dealt with dangerous criminals and is excellent at ambushes. With a good sniper rifle, a target 3000 metres away is not a problem. Once their leader is taken out, the rest of them won't be a threat." Bryce had been hoping for Jasper's expertise, hence the lavish treatment. But he was still worried, "I trust that Jasper can take out the target, but what about the aftermath?"

If the enemy leader were to die, he wouldn't have time to escape before the enemy's men started shooting.

Stella looked at Cooper, who was gnawing on a chicken leg, "Each leg he's eaten hasn't been for nothing. Do you know why the bomb didn't hurt us that night?" Bryce was curious, though slightly embarrassed.

"He's a highly trained police dog. We spent two years training him. Not only can he detect explosives, but he could also carry them into a bunker without a problem." Upon being mentioned, the dog gave a bark, indicating no problem.

Jasper revealed the plan, "If you can lure him out under the pretense of peace talks and distract them, Cooper will hide the bomb near them. I'll take out the leader of Alpha Outpost first, then detonate the bomb with the second shot. This is the plan with the least casualties. Once their leader is taken out, you can take over their outpost. This is just a suggestion, and you can decide whether to execute it or not."

Stella added, "If you think the plan won't work, we won't lose anything. But if you think it's feasible and it's successful, we want a reward."

It was the first time Bryce had seen such audacity. He was irritated but hid it behind his usual charm, "Please elaborate. Our outpost always rewards success. If we can take down Alpha Outpost, we'll definitely reward you handsomely." Stella was straightforward, "We want a separate villa, and cows and sheep."

Bryce was taken aback. He had expected them to demand a leadership position to satisfy their ambition.

"We're not interested in power. We just want to live comfortably and freely. We can help when needed, but otherwise, we'd like to be left alone. What do you think?"

"Ha, absolutely no problem," Bryce laughed. They treated the outpost as their own home, coming and going as they pleased. What a joke!

The day they took down Alpha Outpost would also be these guys' end.