18 Floors Above the Apocalypse
Chapter 53

Hector called out to everyone to join him, but his body remained as solid as a rock, refusing to move an inch.

Well, this was awkward. They were all for breaking down the door before, but now that it was wide open, no one dared to step forward. Drew felt incredibly humiliated and chewed them all out for their cowardice. Finding himself in the hot seat, he swallowed hard before speaking, "Stella, you only have a gun with seven bullets. Do you really think you can stop all of us?"

Yeah, as everyone regained their senses, they began shouting again. "Yeah, she only has seven bullets, what are we afraid of?"

"Right, there's really nothing to fear. It's only seven lives after all." Stella looked at them, her voice dripping sarcasm. "Whoever wants to sacrifice themselves for the well-being of Drew, step forward. I promise to fulfill your wish. When he's sitting back and enjoying a juicy steak and a glass of wine, your wives and children will be starving to death."

"What do you mean by that, Stella?"

"No hidden meanings, just ask you to choose seven people who are willing to die." Stella took a few steps forward down the staircase, pressing the cold muzzle of the gun to Drew's forehead. "As the leader, you should be the first to sacrifice. Let's start with you." The gun was cold against Drew's forehead, far from the cheap plastic feel.

His heart stopped, his face turned pale, and cold sweat began to pour out, "Don't do anything rash."

"The one who's been causing trouble is you, Drew. You've threatened us on the 18th floor time and again, thinking we're pushovers?" Stella's gaze was sharp, "I'm not one to stir trouble, but I'm not afraid of it either. You've pushed us too many times, and now it's our turn to push back."

With that, her finger moved to the trigger. For a moment, all eyes were on Stella and Drew.

Stella's eyes were filled with murderous intent as she slowly tightened her finger on the trigger.

"Ahhh!!!" A sudden, piercing scream echoed from the staircase.

"Ah, help!"

People at the staircase panicked, pushing their way into the hallway.

The butt of the gun hit Drew's forehead hard, and Stella kicked him to the ground.

At the same time, Cooper pounced like a bolt of lightning, knocking down Hector who was trying to escape, and bit him with all his might.

"Ahh..."

Screams, escapes, dodges, they all took turns playing out in the crowded hallway. Someone was squeezing in from the staircase, clutching his bleeding neck. He didn't get far before he fell, convulsing on the ground, his eyes bulging, gasping for breath. "Cooper!" Stella called.

Cooper, vicious as he was, only stopped biting Hector when he was covered in blood, then turned around and rushed upstairs. The moment he dashed in, Stella quickly closed and locked the door, keeping the swarm of people outside. Some people were crushed against the door full of iron nails, letting out terrifying screams.

The sudden calamity caught many off guard.

Through the iron bars, Stella could see a crazed man with a blood-stained kitchen knife, slashing indiscriminately at people, letting out a beast-like roar, "Haha, you all deserve to die. You killed my daughter! I'll send you all to hell!"

Some were quick to react, pulling out knives from their clothes, but in the cramped space, they couldn't wield them effectively and ended up hurting their own people.

The madman had no such concerns, his eyes bloodshot as he slashed wildly, causing a scene of hell on earth in the 17th floor hallway.

"Open the door, let us in."

"Please, save us!"

Many were terrified, banging on the doors of the 17th floor residents, begging them to let them in for refuge. Even those who were threatening a moment ago were now scared out of their wits, running around in panic. Faced with death, they all lost their nerve. Stella didn't open the door. She looked at everything outside through the iron bars with an expression as if she was just watching a TV series.

Angela clenched her fists, opened her mouth to say something but couldn't, and finally turned her head away.

The madman's face was covered in blood, his features twisted in a horrifying grimace, like a bloodthirsty beast that had crawled out of hell.

There were also a few burly men who fought back, slashing at the madman. Their sharp knives cut into his body, his back, and his limbs. The blood-soaked madman didn't seem to feel any pain, as though he had no sense of sensation. He seemed to recognize these men, shrieking, "You killed my daughter! I'm gonna kill you."

Like an indestructible demon, he fought against several men, his body covered in blood, until they all fell to the ground. But he didn't stop there. With his bleeding body, his eyes bloodshot, he lunged at the panicked crowd, like a devil wielding a scythe. Others who had reacted swung steel pipes and cleavers at his head, their faces showing deadly intent.

"Bang!" A gunshot echoed through the hallway.

The madman fell, his head blasted open, his bloodied face breaking into a gentle smile, "Don't be afraid. Daddy's coming to be with you."

The shot had not come from Stella, but from behind her. Cody and Lukas turned around to see Jasper holding a gun. Both of them were in shock. Damn, he managed to get a headshot amidst all the chaos.

Jasper's face was solemn, showing no emotion. He didn't fire again, instead, he turned and went upstairs.

One bullet, and the massacre came to an end.

The 17th floor was filled with cries of anguish. Drew and Hector, who were lying on the ground, hadn't been slashed, but they had been trampled in the chaos. They lay unconscious in a pool of blood. No one knew if they were alive or dead. "Save me. Please help me..." Someone who had been slashed begged Stella for help.

With so many people injured, caused by hacking, trampling, crushing, a stray hit or being pierced with an iron spike, the scene was horrifying.

Stella was a medical student, capable of treating the injured. They didn't want to die!

As one person spoke up, others echoed his plea.

Why should she save them? To heal their wounds so they could continue storming the 18th floor? Stella didn't care; she turned around and went upstairs, ignoring the scene behind her.

Angela and the others were shocked. They felt some sympathy, but when they remembered how these people had threatened them just a while ago, any kindness they felt was quickly extinguished. Believe it or not, once they healed, they'd probably forget the pain. No one was born evil, but extreme conditions and the instinct to survive can breed wickedness.

They exchanged glances, then silently turned and went upstairs, ignoring the angry pleas and curses behind them.

When the three stainless steel doors closed, the sounds grew quieter.

Angela came to her senses, "Stella, how did you get a gun?"

Stella just smiled and tossed the object in her hand over to Angela. Catching it, Angela realized the trick, "Fake?" "Where would I get a real one?"

The gun she had before was real, but Stella had switched it out with a fake one in her sleight of hand.

Angela toyed with the object over and over again, "Can't deny it, this is a top-notch knockoff. The average Joe won't be able to tell the difference. Even I was fooled by you."

"Stumbled upon it while I was out hunting for grub last time. I've got another one at my place. Take this one to spook the folks."