Chapter 116: Chapter 116: Attending the Gathering and Discussing the Future (2)

Stella Sterling agreed to the meeting.

Often, one person’s strength is limited. Some things require a collective effort to accomplish.

At three in the afternoon, she arrived promptly on the 23rd floor.

She was bundled up from head to toe, wearing an incredibly thick down coat and a scarf around her neck, her long hair coiled up inside her hat.

Even though the meeting was just in their own building, she figured that with so many people gathering, there was no way they would all fit inside someone’s apartment. They would probably end up in the hallway, and there was no telling how long they’d have to stay. It was better to be prepared.

With the issue of warmth sorted, Stella Sterling grabbed her large blade and headed out. Since she was going to someone else’s territory, it was best to be cautious.

On her way downstairs, she ran into other people also heading down.

There were quite a few familiar faces among them, including several people she had taught a lesson to before.

When those people saw Stella Sterling, a flicker of fear crossed their eyes. Upon seeing the large blade in her hand, they let out a yelp and hurried down the stairs. They didn’t dare walk anywhere near her.

They knew all about that blade in her hand. Quite a few people had died on it. It had taken so many lives that they felt their courage fail just looking at it.

Yasmine Holloway saw Stella Sterling. A hint of joy mixed with hesitation appeared on her face. She wanted to approach Stella and say hello, but she was afraid of getting a cold reception.

While Yasmine agonized over it, Stella Sterling didn’t even spare her a glance. By the time Yasmine came to her senses, Stella had already disappeared down the stairwell.

On the 23rd floor, a large crowd had gathered. Even from the floor above, she could hear the clamor from below.

As Stella Sterling descended, she saw that the 23rd-floor hallway was filled with stools, which looked like they had been brought from people’s own apartments.

Many of the seats were already taken.

Their building had 56 units, of which 52 had been sold. Seven or eight of the owners didn’t live here, leaving just over 40 resident households. But in the two or three months since the apocalypse began, many people had died. Some units were now completely empty, while others were down to a single person.

There were about 30 households with people still living in them. Including the elderly and children, the building’s total population was still over eighty people. It was impossible for everyone to attend, so most families had sent a single representative.

These representatives were either young adults or middle-aged men and women in their thirties and forties—in other words, the pillars of their families.

And today, about 40 people had shown up.

The hallway outside Felix Lawrence’s apartment and the one across from his were both lined with stools.

The whole thing was quite organized. There were even two people specifically assigned to guide everyone to their seats.

When Stella Sterling arrived, the area by the apartment opposite Felix Lawrence’s and the rest of the hallway were almost completely full. Hearing her approach, people looked over. The moment they saw Stella, they fell silent in unison. No one said a word.

They all stared at Stella Sterling with a mixture of expressions, but everyone quieted down upon seeing the large blade in her hand.

Even if some of them were displeased, they didn’t dare to criticize her to her face.

Just then, Felix Lawrence came out of his apartment and personally greeted her. "Miss Sterling, you’re here!"

The next moment, upon seeing that Stella Sterling was actually carrying a large blade, the warm smile on his face stiffened. He looked at her, confused. "Miss Sterling, what’s this?"

Stella Sterling didn’t mince words, stating frankly, "Everyone in the building looks to you as the leader now. While I trust your character, I’m here by myself. I need some way to protect myself. You don’t mind, do you?"

’Felix Lawrence’s character seems decent enough for now—at least he isn’t some great villain. But people can be treacherous, and I’m on my own.’ Stella Sterling felt she had to be careful.

’I have my dimensional space and could have put the blade inside,’ she thought, ’but if any trouble really started, it would be difficult to pull something out of my space with everyone watching!’

’It’s better to carry it openly and be upfront about it. If he minds, then I just won’t attend the meeting. I can just turn around and leave.’

Felix Lawrence was taken aback for a moment, but then he showed his understanding with a hearty laugh. "To be so cautious at such a young age, Miss Sterling, I have to say I’m impressed!"

"It’s only natural. Of course, it’s not a problem. This way, Miss Sterling, please!"

He led Stella Sterling into his apartment.

Interestingly, her seat had been placed right next to his.

"Alright, since everyone’s here, let’s officially begin. You all should know why I’ve invited you here today. I hope you’ll all speak your minds without any hesitation. Even if someone says something you don’t agree with, let’s be tolerant of each other. As long as it’s a proposal that’s genuinely for everyone’s benefit, we should hear it."

Felix Lawrence didn’t waste time with a long-winded speech to establish his authority; instead, he got straight to the point.

This made Stella Sterling see him in a new, more impressive light.

Moreover, she didn’t fail to notice that most of the people present looked at Felix Lawrence with expressions of admiration and awe.

This admiration and awe were different from the fear that Bell and his cronies had commanded through brute force. These people submitted to Felix Lawrence willingly, from the bottom of their hearts.

With Felix Lawrence having broken the ice, everyone began to chime in, and the discussion quickly became lively.

But after a long discussion, very few genuinely useful suggestions had actually been made.

Many people had nice ideas, and some were driven by a kind of passionate, impulsive fantasy.

But the biggest problem now facing them was that they simply couldn’t leave the building.

The hailstorm outside was relentless, showing no sign of stopping. They didn’t even dare to step outside—they’d be smashed to death the moment they did. How were they supposed to go out and find food?

While they were deliberating, Stella Sterling was surveying her surroundings.

She noticed that the windowpanes in Felix Lawrence’s apartment were already covered in countless cracks. Although the glass hadn’t shattered yet, it looked precarious.

The people living in this complex were mostly elites or high-level corporate executives before the apocalypse. They had a bit of money, so their apartments were all well-furnished.

That’s why the glass was still holding up under the relentless pounding of the hail, but only just barely.

By the looks of it, it wouldn’t last much longer.

And if Felix Lawrence’s apartment was like this, the situation in the other homes was probably no better.

"Miss Sterling, I was wondering if you had any thoughts to share."

As Stella Sterling was lost in thought, Felix Lawrence turned to ask her a question.

Stella Sterling was about to turn and look at him when her gaze suddenly sharpened. "Look out!"