18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Despite his fiery temper, Cooper managed to keep his canine instincts in check, letting Zander finish his business undisturbed.

After relieving himself, the guy shook himself off with a satisfying sigh before moving on.

Cooper remained hidden, patiently waiting for the right moment to slide under the cargo truck. Once the coast was clear, he planted the explosive device under the fuel tank, just as his trainer had instructed. Perfect!

Cooper didn't immediately retreat. He observed the scene a couple more times to ensure everything was in order before making his exit.

Even after completing his task, the dog didn't let his guard down. He found a burrow in the bushes to hide safely.

Jasper aimed with the sniper rifle, and having experienced countless obstacles, he couldn't help but exclaim, "Cooper is the best!"

After some persuasion, Alpha Outpost agreed to a negotiation. A tall man, donned in a helmet and bulletproof vest, stepped out of one of their off-road vehicles.

Due to the position, Stella could only see the man's helmet and bulletproof vest. She couldn't confirm if he was the leader of Alpha Outpost. However, judging from Piersen's reaction, it was highly likely. Meanwhile, a similar scene unfolded with Silver Asylum's vehicle. Another man, also wearing a bulletproof vest, but with... who was that? Bryce's hat?

Stella's eyes narrowed, silently cursing Bryce for his cowardice. He didn't even show up, sending Teddy in his place.

Bryce was taller than Teddy, and the height difference was a dead giveaway. As expected, it didn't take long for the man from Alpha Outpost to notice something was amiss and reach for his weapon. But before he could act, Jasper had already squeezed the trigger. A helmet could protect against handgun bullets or shrapnel, but it was no match for a sniper bullet, especially one from someone as skilled as Jasper.

With the first shot fired, Jasper didn't hesitate to aim and release the second shot. In an instant, a thunderous explosion echoed through the area. The explosive device detonated, setting the fuel alight and flipping the cargo truck. The fuel tank exploded. One shot, three explosions.

Fuel flew in every direction, igniting a massive fire that even flipped the nearby off-road vehicles. In the midst of the raging inferno, the man in the helmet disappeared.

Members of Alpha Outpost who were close to the truck were either blasted away or hit by the flaming fuel, quickly becoming engulfed in the fire. Those who managed to avoid the initial blast were met with a hail of bullets. Chaos ensued, punctuated by screams of pain and terror.

Silver Asylum, stationed about fifty yards away, began to retreat the moment they saw Alpha Outpost's leader fall.

While some flaming fuel did fly their way, it was negligible. Teddy seized the opportunity to organize a counterattack, "Quick, wipe these bastards out. Take over their base."

This wasn't a battle; it was a massacre. Especially when a second off-road vehicle from Alpha Outpost exploded, causing even more casualties.

Teddy ordered his men to show no mercy. The one-sided massacre was quickly over, and Teddy immediately led his men to seize Alpha Outpost.

Despite his dissatisfaction with Bryce's arrangements, Teddy had no other choice. Fortunately, he could rely on Jasper. They won the battle with flying colors.

As the majority of the troops left, the valley was left with a burning fire and an unbearable smell.

From the bushes, Cooper emerged, his tail wagging happily as he leaped towards Stella.

Stella, clutching her nose, quickly backed away, "What is that smell?"

Cooper's heart sank, and his eyes filled with hurt. His beloved owner didn't love him anymore.

Recognizing the familiar smell, Stella quickly understood Cooper's sacrifice. She promptly led him to Arcadia for a wash. After a thorough scrub and dry, Stella cuddled and comforted Cooper, rewarding him with plenty of treats-beef jerky, duck, chicken legs, and dried meat from a can. "Cooper, you're the best."

Cooper, mouth full of food, had already forgotten about his earlier hurt.

When they emerged from the stream, the fire had died down, leaving only destruction in its wake.

Concerned about Rosie, Stella decided not to intervene in Bryce's affairs and drove her Hummer back to Silver Asylum.

Silver Asylum was largely empty, with all the capable fighters gone, including Bryce. The coward had finally decided to step up when there was an opportunity to gain.

With the base's defenses at its weakest, Stella was tempted to wipe them all out with her submachine gun. However, she managed to restrain herself. It wasn't the right time yet.

Despite Bryce's cowardice, he was a cunning man, always watching from the shadows.

Returning to her quarters, Jasper knocked on the door, "Rosie."

After waiting a few minutes, the door opened. Rosie flung herself into Jasper's arms, "Jasper."

Seeing traces of tears on her face, Jasper's expression darkened, "Who bullied you?"

"I don't know."

Someone had come knocking at her door, tricking her into opening it and saying nasty things to her. She might not fully understand, but at seven years old, she had learned enough from cartoons and TV shows to know the words were vulgar. Jasper comforted her for a while before he and Stella headed to Arcadia.

Stella felt a sense of unease, "We need to be careful. Bryce is not only suspicious but also extremely narrow-minded. He may have balanced the power among his people, but they're just a loose alliance, easily swayed by their own interests. They pose no real threat to him. But we're different. Without your help today, he would never have been able to turn the tables. He would have been swallowed up by Alpha Outpost sooner or later. People like him will never tolerate anyone else outshining them. I suspect he'll strike against us soon." Jasper agreed, "With Alpha Outpost gone, it's Silver Asylum's turn."

The two wasted no time, loading their guns with bullets and packing explosives and molotov cocktails.

When they emerged from the Arcadia, the base was bustling with activity. More than twenty vehicles roared into the base. Ten or so vehicles were loaded with supplies-food, weapons, fuel, slaughtered animals, and twenty to thirty women.

Bryce stepped down from one of the vehicles, with a satisfied grin on his face, "Pick the cleanest ones and send them to my room."

Sure enough, a few men chose the most attractive women, forcing them to clean up as they cried out in protest.

Stella covered Rosie's eyes, and spun around to return to her room.

Tattooed men were in high spirits, animatedly discussing their successful mission. "Holy cow, that was something else," they exclaimed, "Jasper is really awesome."

Despite their rowdy behavior, the gang had their own code of respect. Jasper, who they had once looked down on, was now the object of their admiration. They were ready to bow down to his leadership.

They had taken down their biggest enemy and the prospect of further victories filled them with excitement. The gang was buzzing with energy, as if they had been injected with adrenaline.

Their base was bustling with activity as supplies were being moved into storage. It was as festive as a Christmas Eve. By evening, they even started to slaughter cattle for a feast.

Meanwhile, Jasper and Stella were playing a game of poker, completely oblivious to the commotion outside.

The knock on the door interrupted their game. It was Teddy at the door. He did not come in, exchanging pleasantries from the doorway instead, "Jasper," he began, "you were our savior today. Without your help, we might not have won the battle. The boss is throwing a victory feast later. You guys must come."

With that, he patted his shoulder and shook hands enthusiastically, breaking into a triumphant laughter.

Jasper remained as calm as ever, "Sure, we'll be there."

As he closed the door, Jasper unfolded his hand to reveal a note.