18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 2

After paying the deposit, Stella dashed to the largest outdoor supply store in downtown.

Two inflatable rafts, four rubber dinghies, earthquake and fire emergency kits, tents, fire axes, climbing ropes, telescopes, radios, waterproof flashlights, ultra-large capacity solar chargers, and so on. She couldn't skimp on survival supplies; they all had to be of good quality.

Seeing a major customer, the store owner enthusiastically recommended storm jackets and sleeping bags, "There's a store-wide discount today, and the quality is guaranteed to satisfy you." Stella looked unimpressed, "Do you have anything that can withstand minus sixty or seventy degrees?"

The store owner was shocked, "This is the south; you can wear short sleeves in the winter."

"I'm going to the Arctic for research soon."

Realizing she wasn't joking, the store owner immediately contacted colleagues, telling Stella: "We have polar cold-weather gear and mummy sleeping bags. Used together, they can definitely withstand the cold, but they are expensive and located out of state." Online reviews seemed good, and the store could send them express, promising they'd arrive by tomorrow afternoon. Stella bought two sets of each, spending over six thousand dollars.

She spent another twelve grand at the outdoor supply store, hauling a truckload of goods, and secretly stowed them in her Arcadia when no one was looking.

The inflatable rafts needed diesel, but diesel wasn't sold to individuals. Stella went to the auto repair shop to buy an oil extractor and barrels, filled her car at several gas stations nearby, then drove to a secluded area without cameras to extract the fuel into the barrels. After several trips, she amassed 500L of gasoline.

products. Grabbing three sets of anti-stab suits, and two sets

boots, lightweight sneakers, warm shoes, and slippers. She bought everything she

thousand dollars at the clothing wholesale market, then rushed to

down quilts, especially cotton quilts, she ordered three of each, all packed in compression

flasks, lighters, hot water bottles, and so

windproof waterproof lanterns, antiques from the 60s and 70s. She bought five of each, "Do

but it wasn't a hot seller. The store only had 100L in stock. Stella bought it all, asking the store owner to deliver wick for the lamps. They were much more durable than

blocks, portable gas stoves... Thinking of the electricity in

repellent, etc. She bought anything she could think of, for a total of twenty thousand

it was the fruit wholesale market, apples, pears, watermelons, kiwis, bananas, melons, starfruit, blackberries, grapes, and so on. She spent another six

was already dark. Several missed calls were all from Cody, leaving a message on WhatsApp saying the goods were ready. Stella drove to his company, and there were over twenty large boxes of goods, including antibiotics, anti- inflammatory drugs, iodine, gauze, even tetanus vaccines. These were all lifesavers in a disaster; although she spent more than forty thousand

too many miscellaneous items. Many drugs aren't available, and

the goods first, and I'll treat you to a big meal in a few days." Sitting in the driver's seat, Stella reminded him, "A strong typhoon is coming. You should

There were already more than a dozen typhoons this year, all of which were

in the Arcadia, Stella went to the food street near the university town, ordering barbecue, beer,

of young students and couples, their youthful faces full of vitality, oblivious