18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 240

His companion's body surged with fresh blood, causing him to instinctively turn around in shock. Moments later, a loud splash echoed as he collapsed, stirring up countless droplets of water.

The two girls were choked, their consciousness muddled. They collapsed into the water pool, gasping for breath. As they saw the bodies in the water, the shock was so intense that their lips trembled, rendering them speechless. It was only then that they noticed the fully armed figure standing on the bank, his face obscured.

Worried for Jasper, Stella turned and left without a word.

The girls finally reacted, using their hands and feet to climb out of the pond. They sought cover nearby, trembling with fear. By the time Stella returned to the bamboo grove, Jasper had effortlessly dealt with the villains. Inside the hut, chaos reigned. The air was thick and foul. After rummaging around, they found several pounds of assorted grains.

Stella drew her samurai sword, easily severing the locks on the two basements on the left and right.

The left basement held six or seven women, their disheveled appearance and vacant eyes a chilling sight. They sat on the floor, resembling walking corpses, showing no reaction.

The right basement held boys whose terrified eyes revealed that they had not been captive for long.

As for the storage room, Jasper wouldn't let Stella in.

They didn't linger. They tossed the grains they'd found onto the floor and left with Cooper.

"Wait!" The two girls who had been choking on water stumbled out, their eyes pleading. "Can you take us with you?"

"No." Stella raised her crossbow. "You're capable of leaving on your own."

"But..." the girls begged. "There are evil people outside. Please help us."

"I'm a person, not a god," Stella coldly refused. "I saved you not because you're pitiful, but because I detest them. Keep whining, and I'll send you back to keep them company." Sensing her as a woman with a hardened heart, they instinctively turned to Jasper. Soaked and shivering, they gazed at him with pitiful eyes.

remained silent,

seemingly craving a hot

follow. One of them helped a boy who had been scared to the point of wetting himself, and the siblings began to sob. Another girl noticed the bag of grain on the ground and quickly picked it up. As people slowly emerged from the cave, her face turned pale,

they found an

"Does the villa in Newtown have a

it didn't. Not only was there no garden wall, but they would

to pick up stones. And so, the trio and Cooper spent the night in the quarry, picking up stones the next day. They collected enough to build a garden wall three to

their hut, laying down in frustration. They were fed up with being taken out

during the day, they were exhausted. Home was the most comfortable

they woke up

around for two days, and began

aside a plot in Arcadia specifically for growing medicinal herbs. Each type of herb was planted separately,

extra care in nurturing it,

month, it felt like the Griffith River was about to be drained by the diligent members of Eastwood

didn't want the stones, as hauling them from here to Hope Bay would consume too much fuel. Many survivors would collect and crush the stones near Hope Bay, then transport them to the construction site using loaders or wheelbarrows. The scavenging teams had turned over every stone in the vicinity and had to go further afield. On

special trip to Hope Bay. Newtown was under construction, bustling

but there was also a particular need for workers with construction experience and young people who were willing to work hard. If the returns from scavenging decreased, they could be arranged to work as construction workers to continue earning points. At least they would be

buildings would take at least half a year to be completed, but it

in Arcadia and then handing them over all

at different times, and the points

points. If they were all assigned to Stella, Jasper and Rosie would

their dog, Jasper took his sister, and they

people were out scavenging. Some were saving for a