Apocalypse Queen: My Space, My Rules Chapter 183: Harvesting Black Bear's Spoils

If Mariella hadn't taken all of Black Bear's wooden boats, he would've moved the supplies back after taking over Imperial Crest Plaza and Greenfield Organic Farm.

Luckily, she had cut him off at the source. With no way out, his looting plan fell apart.

Still, she had to thank him. If he hadn't worked so hard gathering everything, she wouldn't have been able to scoop it all up so easily.

Besides the expensive liquor and cigarettes, there were neat stacks of gold bars and silver bars. There were large marble statues, decorative screens, and piles of jewelry tossed in the corner like trash.

Mariella was in heaven—grab, grab, grab!

Her eyes lit up with excitement.

Black Bear really was the most useful errand boy she could ask for.

But when she picked up the heavy decoration, her body swayed a little.

Chandler caught her and handed her a military canteen, already opened.

She didn't mind that he had used it. She took a couple of quick sips.

Leaning against his chest, she rested and let her body recover from the strain and slight dizziness.

Chandler lowered his eyes and looked down at the woman leaning on him.

She looked a little tired. Her profile was sharp and delicate. Her long lashes fluttered like a butterfly, almost making him want to reach out and touch them.

He realized his thoughts were drifting and quickly looked away.

But even after he turned his head, her faint scent still lingered in the air.

It smelled nice—too nice. His throat felt dry. His body went stiff. He didn't feel at ease at all.

They were standing so close. Through the thin layer of their clothes, he could feel the warmth of her skin.

Did she trust him that much? Or did she just see him as a human chair?

After a short silence, Mariella recovered. The first thing she did was show off.

"You have no idea how heavy that thing was. My storage space is definitely going to get a lot bigger this time!"

Chandler's gaze returned to her face. His dark eyes flickered slightly. His voice stayed calm. "How much bigger?"

She smiled and waved it off. "It just absorbed it. It needs time to process. I'll tell you as soon as I find out."

His chest was broad, firm, and warm. For a moment, she didn't want to move away.

After resting a bit, she got her strength back.

But she had already recovered. If she stayed any longer, it might look like she was taking advantage.

So she gently pushed him aside and went back to work without even looking up.

Chandler said nothing.

So that was it. He was just a tool. She pulled him close when she needed him and pushed him away when she didn't.

Mariella didn't notice his silent complaint. She kept collecting the pile of jewelry into her storage space, her mood lifting as her fatigue disappeared.

Black Bear's crew must have spent a long time gathering all this. In the end, it all ended up in her hands.

Only after she took the last piece of jewelry in the room did she let out a breath.

Then noise broke out outside.

Chandler's face turned cold. His voice dropped. "They found us."

...

The patrol found the four guards who had been taken down. They fired shots to sound the alarm and called in more men.

Normally, that would bring a crowd. But tonight was different. Black Bear had taken most of his people with him. Another large group had already been sent out. The ones left behind added up to only a few dozen.

And the most dangerous convicts were drunk and busy enjoying themselves. The ones still sober and able to fight were just refugees, guards, and hired security.

Mariella and Chandler stepped out with rifles in hand.

Back to back, they opened fire. In a short burst, they wiped out the attackers rushing toward them.

At the same time, the drunk convicts heard the gunshots. They hurried to pull on their pants, grabbed their guns, and stumbled outside.

But with blurred vision and the dark night, they didn't even understand what was happening before Mariella and Chandler took them down together.

The rest rushed back into the villa, likely calling Black Bear for help.

"Finish this fast," Mariella said. Her goal was clear. "Find their armory."

She came here for supplies, but most of all, for weapons.

Black Bear may have taken a large amount with him, but there had to be more stored at Elmgrove Estates.

She deliberately left a buzz-cut guy alive and forced him to talk.

With the cold barrel pressed against his forehead, he trembled. "D-don't kill me... I'll tell you everything!"

Mariella forced him to lead the way. He brought her to a run-down storage room that looked completely unimportant.