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.

world was chaotic, with all sorts of violent incidents, so she went to a gun store. The owner brought out his top-of-the-line products.

thermal underwear, scarves, gloves, socks, snow boots, lightweight sneakers, warm shoes, and slippers. She bought everything she could think of and might need, not caring about brands,

thousand dollars at the clothing wholesale market, then rushed to the neighboring daily necessities

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

gel, laundry detergent, tampons, tissues, toothpaste and toothbrushes, thermos flasks, lighters, hot water bottles, and so on. She bought 20,000 hand warmers

windproof waterproof lanterns, antiques from the

Stella bought it all, asking the store owner to deliver wick for the lamps. They were

stoves, fuel blocks, portable gas stoves... Thinking of the electricity in Arcadia, she

mosquito repellent, etc. She bought anything she could think of, for

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

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

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

few days." Sitting in the driver's seat, Stella reminded him, "A strong typhoon is

There were already more than a dozen typhoons this year,

food

food street was bustling, full of young students and couples, their youthful faces full of vitality, oblivious to the