18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 334

Buddy chose to stay.

Stella didn't mind one bit. She figured he'd leave when he got bored, saving her the hassle of dealing with him thinking her place was some sort of paradise, showing up whenever he felt like it. After Austin and the others took their second dose of the treatment, the government finally announced a breakthrough: a medicine to combat the toxic smog had been developed.

Looks like Mark really pushed for it because Griffith got a bigger share of the meds than other towns, probably thanks to some strings he pulled.

Since the drugs were delivered in batches, they couldn't cover all the survivors at once. So, they had to resort to a lottery system, with one representative from each household coming to draw.

Stella, out of curiosity, tuned into the Swan Hill channel and found out that the officials there hadn't shared the news with the lower-class citizens. Not surprising, considering Swan Hill was a provincial capital with more government and corporate employees, so there was even less to go around for the common folk there.

The success of the antiviral drugs breathed some life back into the ghost town that the villa neighborhood had become.

Homeowners started venturing out, hoping to get lucky in the draw. Before leaving, they'd wash their hands religiously and mutter a little prayer for good luck.

Only then Stella realized that nearly half of the residents had succumbed to the virus. She didn't even want to think about the slums or other areas.

"Hey Stella, where's my dog?"

Through the haze, Bran approached, wearing a breathing helmet that looked like a motorcycle helmet, complete with its own oxygen supply. The rich really did live differently.

Like owner, like dog. The cured Buddy didn't even look back as he followed Bran. Stella wasn't upset. She couldn't very well hold a grudge against a dog, right?

dragging his own doghouse, along with two bags of premium dog food and toys. Buddy, looking pitiful as ever,

laugh, "Do you think he

nodded in agreement,

like I'm mistreating him

end, she gave Buddy the first floor,

disagreed; it was Cooper who bared his teeth. Only the 'big brother' was worthy of the second floor. Did this little grunt know what overstepping

with no breeze and temperatures nearing 45°C, the air grew stifling. Stella gave up on the idea

the virus. The suspended ash particles

the intense heat, the survivors, having been tested by extreme

no matter how carefully they tended to them, the seeds either failed to sprout or the plants

set in among the

the time being. They recommended digging deeper where the soil was likely still uncontaminated and trying indoor planting. This led to a soil hoarding craze. People went out with hoes and shovels to dig

on their rooftops envied the last two villas

to admire Villa 50. Those residents must have had some serious clout to have predicted the disaster so accurately. He quickly summoned his crew, "Think hard about what Stella might have hoarded from you or others. If you can't remember, then

you. She always went to you

"Boss, that was years ago. How can I

shiny gold boots, "Need

I'll think, I'll think hard. Just got over the sickness, still feeling

he'd be a goner. He hurriedly polished the boots, "Boss, let's talk. My memory's fine,

up and put his boots back on. "Don't you all get hungry? Get those rooftop greenhouses

She'd already stockpiled nutrient-rich soil