18 Floors Above the Apocalypse
Chapter 100

Stella, however, didn't rush to comment, because she knew that she could count on him.

Jasper calmly remarked, "Open Sesame."

Stella, bundled up in her scarf, barely held back a laugh.

After a couple of whiskey-laden drinks, the gatekeeper, not wanting any complaints, waved them into the entrance of the Unity Village.

Unity Village was huge. The question wasn't whether they could get in, but where exactly was the big cheese?

Stella thought for a moment, then quickly set her sights on a specific target.

The tallest building was always the most luxurious one.

Looking up, they quickly identified their target. Indeed, there were many people coming and going-elegantly dressed women and men of refined taste, indicating high social status.

The two of them were dressed too casually, and with a doorman guarding the building, sneaking in wouldn't be easy.

Jasper observed from the shadows and noticed that the invitations were written in poems. It seemed that there were a lot of guests, and the poems were repeated, probably sorted by group. Stella chuckled. It appeared that the big cheese was a fan of poetry.

Once they got an invitation, the next step was to blend in.

In a quiet corner, Stella tossed off her coat and put on a fur one. Jasper didn't have appropriate attire, so she whipped out a coat she had stashed away.

Luckily it fit him well, making him look tall and straight.

Stella hooked her arm through Jasper's, pretending to be a harmless, delicate lady.

Jasper noticed her stiffness, "Relax, I won't take advantage of you."

Embarrassed that her tension had been noticed, Stella relaxed a bit. At least their regular training together had made her somewhat comfortable with him.

To maintain their cover, Stella took a deep breath, smiled at Jasper, and leaned against him as they walked towards the entrance.

When they approached the door, Jasper announced, "Group six. The best tune hasn't been played yet."

Bingo, they were in.

As the door opened, a wave of heat blasted them.

Stella was surprised to replace that the building was heated. The sudden change in temperature almost choked her.

Upon entering, they were greeted by a hostess. The women were curvaceous, the men with rippling abs, all dressed in skimpy swimsuits.

Stella, wrapped in her fur coat, was taken aback. So, this was a swimsuit party. No wonder i I was so quiet outside; anyone who managed to get past the entrance didn't have any weapons to cause trouble. Being handed a locker key by the hostess, they were led to the changing rooms. "Over here, you can choose your own styles. Once you're changed, take the elevator to the 28th floor. Please remember to store your weapons in the locker. Carrying weapons is strictly prohibited and could be life-threatening."

The dressing room was unisex, and its rack was lined with scant bikinis that Stella couldn't stand to look at. She ran her fingers over the swimsuits, surmising from their less-than-new appearance that they'd been worn at the frequent bikini parties that the the boss, probably enjoyed throwing.

The thought of putting on used bikinis made her skin crawl. She remembered a trendy online clothing store back in the office building that sold bikinis which she had looted and stored in Arcadia. Scanning her Arcadia, Stella found several swimsuits. She chose a conservative one-piece that closely resembled the ones on the rack in the room.

She also picked out a pair of male swim shorts for Jasper. Upon entering the spacious changing room, Stella checked carefully for hidden cameras before handing Jasper the trunks. "You wear these," she told him pointing towards a private area of the room, "I'll change over there."

The heat was sweltering, and Stella was sweating in no time. She dashed into Arcadia where she swiftly undressed and slipped into the swimsuits. Self-conscious about her skin, she applied foundation, drawing freckles and pimples to give herself a less appealing look. It took her a while, but when she finally emerged, she was met with Jasper's imposing, muscular figure. It almost blinded her. He was slim, his muscles were proportionate, and most significantly, he possessed notable abs.

Stella glanced at his waist and thought to herself, that was impressive.

Jasper was taken aback by Stella's transformation. Sensing his discomfort, she quickly handed him the makeup and said, "You should apply some too."

However, military disguise tactics were hardly similar to a woman's makeup routine, and Jasper didn't have the skillset. Given they were putting up a deceptive front, Stella reluctantly volunteered to apply the makeup for Jasper, who was significantly taller than she was. "Sit down," she instructed. Jasper obliged and looked away while Stella applied the makeup. She added faux freckles and stubble to his face and topped it all off with a wig to hide his clean-shaven head. Once she was satisfied with his disguise, she stopped.

They stored their gear and clothing in the Arcadia, ready to be summoned at any given signal.

Upon leaving the dressing room, a courteous staff member immediately escorted them to the elevator, which would take them directly to the 28th floor. When he turned to leave, he took a surreptitious look at Stella's figure, mentally appreciating the curves but lamenting over her unattractive face. This did not go unnoticed by Jasper, who bristled at the staff's insolence.

The elevator and its promise of relief from climbing stairs was a luxury Stella hadn't enjoyed in a long time. They disembarked on the 28th floor, stepping into a bustling lounge occupied by hundreds of people chattering loudly. It was an overwhelming sight filled with people scantily clad in bikinis.

The combination of champagne, wine, cigars, BBQ aroma, neon lights, luxurious decor, and cat-girl costumes quickly transported Stella back to the world before the apocalypse. The gap between the rich and the poor was stark here. While average survivors were starving to the point of eating dirt, the opulent lived extravagantly, reveling in even more luxury than the world before the apocalypse.

The crowd was huddled together at the center of the lounge, a cacophony of cheers making her head buzz. The center of attraction was a round gladiator arena, which was about ten meters in diameter, playing host to a brutal spectacle. Two men dressed in swimsuits and armed were battling in there. This was an entertainment act where the spectators willingly place bets. The one rule - only one man would survive. The prize? Twenty kilograms of rice or flour. Neither man seemed willing to give up their pursuit of food, forging ahead despite their numerous injuries.

Stella gazed at the exhilarated faces around her, failing to recognize them as human. They resembled terrifying ghouls more than people. Whether the apocalypse turned them into devils or their inner demons finally surfaced unchecked by civilization and law was a question she couldn't answer.