18 Floors Above the Apocalypse
Chapter 197

Going to the restroom, then entering Arcadia, Stella unfurled the note, revealing just two words: Danger ahead.

The handwriting was distorted, deliberately disguised. Strange, Teddy was actually warning them?

"Not so strange, actually." Jasper analyzed, "Teddy has been in contact with Bryce the most, and he knows him better than anyone else."

Bryce was not only a coward, but also had a knack for burning bridges. Who would willingly follow such a leader?

Teddy had long been dissatisfied with Bryce, but he lacked the power to confront him. He was even used as a scapegoat this morning.

Once such a thing happened, it was bound to happen again.

Stella pondered, "So you're suggesting that Teddy knew Bryce was planning to kill us, but today's events have pushed him to side with us?"

No, Teddy wanted to use Jasper to get rid of Bryce. And by then he could just sit back and reap the benefits.

Tsk, tsk, tsk, not so competent yet full of cunning plans.

However, Alpha Outpost had already been destroyed, and given Bryce's character, it was absolutely impossible for him to keep Jasper any longer, lest unexpected events occur.

Stella was a bit curious, "And how do you think he plans to do away with us, a simple spray of bullets?"

Jasper didn't think so. "Bryce values his image. If he kills us in front of everyone, what would his followers think? Who would dare to serve him in the future?"

If Jasper guessed correctly, Bryce would resort to underhanded tactics, such as poisoning their drinks or food, then come up with some excuse to explain their sudden disappearance or death.

No matter how you look at it, tonight's celebration was a trap.

Any carelessness could lead to disaster.

Night fell quickly, the bonfire was lit in the courtyard, and a few slaughtered lambs were roasting over the fire. Nearby, a pot bubbled with a delicious aroma.

Stella dressed Rosie in a white dress, complete with a pair of trousers. Cooper was equally pampered, its fur brushed until it shone.

As night descended, people gradually gathered in the courtyard, and the atmosphere became lively. Tonight, everyone was eager to celebrate their victory.

The boss had promised, that tonight there would be plenty of food and drink!

When Jasper and his group arrived at the courtyard, they noticed guards at the entrance. No weapons were allowed inside. The excuse was to prevent any drunken brawls, but in reality, Bryce was just afraid of being killed.

Stella was speechless. Bryce was behaving like a man with paranoia.

Fortunately, the group, including the dog, had not brought any weapons, so they entered the courtyard without any issues. Those who had, had to leave their weapons in a box for safekeeping.

Upon entering the courtyard, Stella took in the scene before her, her face immediately darkened. There were many more women in the courtyard than usual, around fifty or so, all different in appearance, including the ones who were brought back from Alpha Outpost today. They were all embraced by the tattooed men and subjected to various forms of mockery and crude behavior.

Some of the women seemed to enjoy it, while others looked pained but had no choice.

Rosie, watching a girl her age forced to sit on a man's lap and endure his smoke-filled breath, causing her to cough painfully, which only made the men laugh.

She hid fearfully behind her brother, clutching his hand tightly. Jasper smoothed her hair, whispering comforting words.

"Jasper, come over here." Teddy came over, laughing heartily, "Let me introduce you to the key members of our base. This is the second-in-command..."

The leaders were all present, their gazes on Jasper varied; some were scrutinizing, some contemptuous, some jealous, and some appreciative.

And as for Stella, their gazes were even more intense.

She was young, beautiful, and full of wild and untamed spirit. Perhaps they had completely lost their humanity, or perhaps they were simply bored with the women they kept at the base. Either way, they felt a surge of desire to tame Stella.

The bonfire flickered in the courtyard, and the makeshift electric lights cast a dim glow, perfectly hiding the emotions in Jasper's eyes.

Despite their desires, no one dared to provoke the man who single-handedly took down the leader of Alpha Outpost.

After making the rounds, Jasper asked, "Where's Bryce?"

Teddy laughed meaingfully, "He overexerted himself this afternoon. He should be here soon."

The banquet was set to start at eight. Now that it was nearly time, Jasper patted Rosie's head, "Go play, but don't go too far."

Rosie didn't want to leave, but the dog was excited, so they ran off together.

The survival fight at the outpost had earned Jasper the respect of the men at the base, much to the dislike of the leaders. With Jasper around, would Bryce even need them?

Someone hatched a plan, signaling to a glamorous woman nearby. The woman understood, and sauntered over to Jasper. She reached out to touch him, but Jasper, sensing her intentions, stepped back.

"Hey, I'm Manda. Let's get to know each other. Don't be so tense."

Her voice was seductive, and she leaned in again with her soft body.

The leaders exchanged glances. Manda was an expert at seducing men; she could easily handle a greenhorn like Jasper. He thought he was so tough? Let's see how he embarrassed himself tonight.

Stella watched everything unfold. In the brutal post-apocalyptic world, women who could thrive in a base either had abilities that far surpassed men, or they were willing to use their bodies to get what they wanted. Manda was curvaceous and dressed differently from the other women. It was clear that she was not serving just any person, and she was living quite comfortably.

Everyone had their own way of surviving in this harsh world, and Stella couldn't blame them. But when they became a weapon in someone else's hand, directed at her and Jasper, she couldn't just sit back and watch. These scoundrels, incapable of anything substantial, but were experts at intrigue.

Stella didn't hold back. She grabbed Manda by the hair and dragged her over, slapping her hard across the face.

"Ah!" The woman screamed, falling to the ground in a disheveled heap, blood trickling from her nose and mouth.

One of the instigators stood up, accusing Stella, "What do you think you're doing?"

"There aren't enough men in the base to satisfy you?" Stella didn't even spare him a glance. She turned to the woman on the ground, her voice cold, "You could go after anyone you want, but you had to go after my man. And you did it right in front of me. Do you think I'm dead? Next time, use your brain. Even the women Bryce sends his way aren't wanted by him, why would he want trash like you? Get out!"