'Back in the apocalypse, I spent my days fighting and killing for scraps of supplies. The water in my space strengthened my body, keeping me in peak physical condition. Taking on a few people was a piece of cake. It was nothing like now, where I have to constantly duck into my space to launch sneak attacks.'
'This tactic is useful, but if there are too many people and one manages to escape, the secret of my space could easily be exposed. I'd be in for endless trouble.'
'So, unless I'm sure I can wipe them all out in one go, I can't risk doing this.'
Glancing at the bodies on the ground, Stella Sterling felt like she was seeing the corpse-strewn battlefields of her past life all over again. She sneered, "They got what they deserved!"
She crouched down and, just like the other day, transferred their money into her own account.
But the haul was a bit disappointing. It was only a few hundred thousand, not what she had expected.
She had assumed that people running such a ruthless, high-profit business would have a lot more money.
But on second thought, she realized they would never dare to keep their money in plain sight.
She moved the dozens of large boxes from the corner into her space. Without a second glance at the bodies on the ground, she turned and left the cave.
The night was pitch-black, so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. Using her phone's flashlight, Stella Sterling made her way down the mountain path to her car and drove off under the cover of darkness.
It was already past two in the morning by the time she got home. She quickly tidied up and went to bed.
The next day, she woke up bright and early. First, she went to cash in her lottery ticket. She didn't feel at ease until the money was in her hands. Afterward, she made several trips to various markets, buying up lots of small items like insect repellent and pesticides.
Next, she contacted Mr. Cheney. Using his connections, she bought a batch of speedboats, various protective pods, several motorcycles, and a few amphibious vehicles.
Over the past few days, Mr. Cheney had been delivering supplies in batches. As her dealings with him became more frequent, she realized he was a truly capable man. He had an extensive network of friends and contacts, allowing her to acquire many of the things she needed through him and saving her a great deal of trouble.
'A man like that is far too talented to be just a rice shop owner.'
When she got home, she found Mrs. Sterling standing outside her apartment door. It looked like she had been waiting for a long time.
Stella Sterling faltered for a moment before continuing toward her door.
'The Sterling family had called her countless times over the past few days, but she hadn't answered, eventually just blocking their numbers. She never expected Mrs. Sterling to show up at her door in person.'
Hearing the sound, her mother, Wanda Larkin, looked over. The moment she saw Stella Sterling, uncontrollable anger surged in her eyes. "So you finally decided to show your face! You don't answer your phone, you don't reply to messages! Stella Sterling, what in the world are you trying to do? Do you even see me as your mother anymore?!"
"Don't get worked up. It's bad for your health." Stella Sterling took two steps back, her expression placid. "Is there something you need?"
She stood in front of the door, making no move to open it, nor did she have any intention of letting her mother inside.
Mrs. Sterling's brow furrowed in displeasure. She looked furious. "Why did you change the locks? Change them back right now!"
"No." Stella Sterling's refusal was swift and resolute. Ignoring her mother's ugly expression, she said with a frown, "I'm very busy. If you have something to say, just say it."
'Wanda Larkin was so furious her chest heaved. This rebellious daughter! She's getting more and more disobedient. She must have been born just to spite me!'
Seeing Stella Sterling's complete lack of reaction to her fury, Wanda Larkin only grew more incensed. The next moment, her body tipped backward.
Stella Sterling was dumbfounded…