18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel 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.

“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.