18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 203

The villagers initially had a bold front, but the sight of the two formidable figures quickly silenced them. After all, two of their own had already been injured. Who would want to risk being next?

Mark stepped forward, “Rex, let me repeat myself. We dug this well with our own hands. If anyone dares to try and take it, we will fight to the last man standing. We will not back down.”

The sweltering heat continued, and the two groups had already clashed five or six times. Rex, realizing his disadvantage, decided not to waste any more time, “Fine, let's see how things unfold.”

The two young individuals had made a strong impression on him. He would have to find an opportunity to deal with them if he wanted to secure the water source.

The villagers had arrived with high spirits, but they left dejected, facing yet another day of severe water shortage.

Expecting a fierce battle, the residents of Eastwood Eden were surprised when Jasper and Stella easily repelled the villagers. The locals looked at the duo in awe and gratitude.

The man was handsome, and the woman was beautiful. More importantly, they were skilled and armed. They had managed to scare off the villagers effortlessly.

“Guys, we are truly grateful for your help today,” an old lady said warmly. “You two are looking for a place to stay, aren’t you? Eastwood Eden is a great place. Not only do we have land and water sources, but also places for charging. You should stay here.”

The villagers chimed in, all hoping that the two would join their community and help defend Eastwood Eden. There was no jealousy in their hopeful gazes, only admiration and respect.

Some people were like that. They became envious and tried to drag you down if you outshone them, but they would only admire and respect you if you were significantly better. This was why

Stella had stepped in to help. She knew that their support would be beneficial in the long run.

Mark called out, “Alright everyone, back to your stations.”

One by one, the villagers dispersed, returning to their duties or homes.

Mark invited Jasper and Stella to the security booth, “Thank you both for your help today. It could have turned ugly without you.”

Stella responded calmly, “It was nothing.”

Mark explained, “This doesn’t happen often. We’ve always managed to handle such situations. It’s only because of the water shortage that things have escalated to this point.”

Stella asked, “Mark, they've been showing up more frequently. What do you plan to do?”

"Actually, our neighborhood is a river-view property, and not far from it is the Griffith River. Even though it's dried up now, the groundwater here should be more abundant than other places. Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“I've talked to their village chief, suggesting they should dig a well somewhere. If they don't know how to, our workers can teach them. But they're locals and always feel like we're encroaching on their territory. They wouldn't even take our kind gesture of helping dig a well, and that's why things have turned out so bad today.

“However, now that you've put them in their place today, I think Rex should be able to calm down. I'll talk to him again in a couple of days. If they're willing to let go of their biases, we can guide them on digging a well. If they have a water source, then we here can truly be safe. Don't you think?"

Mark shared his plan, which left Stella slightly surprised. Even after all the clashes, he was still willing to extend an olive branch.

This actually was the best solution. After all, the villagers were all struggling survivors at the bottom of the society, and their fights and quarrels were merely for survival resources. They couldn’t simply act like criminal forces and use guns to silence them all.

Mark's willingness to put himself in harm's way and not simply give orders was probably why the residents of Eastwood Eden respected him.

As Jasper and Stella stayed silent, Mark thought they were still hesitant and offered, “You both are incredibly skilled and have helped us a lot today. How about this, we can give you a discount on the rent. Five pounds of staple food, such as corn or potatoes per month. What do you think?”

This was already a good deal, considering that the residents of Eastwood Eden received a daily ration of water and could also charge their appliances.

After exchanging a glance with Jasper, Stella said, “Mark, although I am a medical student, I can only provide basic medical aid without proper equipment and medication. We can pay 20 pounds of staple food per month for rent and participate in daily patrols. However, we prefer to live alone in Building 5. Is that alright?”

“Building 5?” Mark looked surprised. “That place is still under construction.”

“No problem, we will figure it out,” Stella said. “But we would like to request that no other residents move into Building 5 until the rest of the buildings are full.”

Mark hadn't expected this request. He took some time to consider it before responding, “You can have the entire Building 5. But I would like Jasper to teach self-defense to the residents. It's always better to have more people who can defend themselves and the community. Jasper won't need to join patrols. He can teach at the community center.”

Stella compromised, “How about teaching once every three days?”

If they were to maintain a god-like image, they should distance ourselves from them. Getting too close could lead to their fall from grace.

What if, once they get close, the residents took this as an opportunity to make unreasonable demands? By keeping our distance, they could stay alert. They would live in harmony for a year, and once Newtown is built, they could move away.

“Sounds good to me,” Mark extended his hand to them, smiling, “Welcome to Eastwood Eden.”

He then added, “There are some construction materials left in Building 5. You can use them if they are still in good condition. If you need any help, feel free to ask.”

Mark was willing to negotiate with the residents to help the duo with the renovation free of charge as a token of gratitude for their help today.

Stella expressed her gratitude, "Alright, we'll let you know when the time comes."

Mark informed them, "The solar panels are installed on the rooftop of Building 1. Each building gets a turn to charge every day. You and Building 3 are grouped together, so it'll be your turn tomorrow."