18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 238

Stella returned to Apartment 5 early after a day's work, drawn to the verdant landscape that stretched before her.

The folks of Eastwood Eden were hard at work, tilling and sowing the land tirelessly for the past fortnight.

Corn was sprouting. Lush green vegetables promised a bountiful harvest in a week's time, but they were too precious to be consumed. Instead, the seedlings were carefully re-planted, nurtured to grow, and then sun-dried. The dried veggies could be consumed or traded for points.

The strength of the human spirit was evident in their toil. Not only did they cultivate the barren land within the neighbourhood, but they also ventured beyond its borders.

Patrol duties increased, but no one complained.

After two days of rest, Stella decided to gather firewood from the forest. The nearby woods had been stripped bare, forcing her to venture deeper into the wilderness. A round trip was no simple task.

They had to spend the night in the forest, returning only when she had gathered enough wood.

This time, she not only took the dog but also the rabbits.

She took only the first and second generations and the yet-to-grow babies. The fully grown rabbits that had reached a certain weight were slaughtered and stored in Arcadia.

She made sure not to do this in front of Snowy and Smoky. The deed was done in the next room.

Snowy and Smoky couldn't speak, otherwise, they would have protested against Stella. Damn it, they thought. They were always the ones to get the short end of the stick, while the dog was pampered and taken care of. She stored the important stuff in Arcadia, put the rabbits in the trunk, and drove the Hummer to gather wood.

After much consideration, she decided to go to Ivywood Estates at the city's edge. The forests along the way were bare. Ivywood Estates had been destroyed in an earthquake.

the 18th floor often came here to gather resources. The fish they stored in Arcadia were still there, almost three years later. How things had changed, she

climbing seven or eight mountains with the

day of trekking, she finally reached the uninhabited depths of the forest.

tools. Stella

to help with the chopping, was sent to keep watch from a high ground with

they finished working. They had originally planned to bring the trailer, but what if someone else was also gathering wood in the forest? Better to be safe, they thought, and set up a

they lit oil lamp and laid

rewarded with fresh hay and a bowl

in the

alert to the sounds outside. Jasper had set up a tripwire outside the tent, with bells attached to it. If someone intruded at night, they would trip the wire

covered her

had breakfast, and continued with the previous day's work. They didn't clear the entire forest, leaving the trees

they were done with one area,

brook, Stella's eyes

Jasper asked, "What's up?"

"It's honeysuckle."

wouldn't have recognized it. Finding a honeysuckle seedling was a

brook area was quite damp, with green buds sprouting among the large patches

identifying the plants, hoping to

and Rosie, unfamiliar with

weren't rare or widely used medicinal herbs, but to Stella, they were a delightful

more than a dozen types of herbs. At noon, she

a piece of grass with a smile on his usually cold face. "Stella,