18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 374

Freedom-loving and averse to being tied down, Stella, Cody, Lukas, and Jasper were far from the picture-perfect soldiers. Military life, with its ironclad discipline and stringent demands, seemed like an odd fit for them. Stella was skeptical that they could ever truly acclimate.

But it was Cody who floated the idea of enlisting. Around the campfire, he laid out his reasoning, "Stella, these natural disasters are getting worse every day. We were lucky to survive that last dust storm, but what about next time?" They couldn't face Mother Nature alone; they needed to lean on Uncle Sam.

The military wasn't just about firepower; it was about having the right gear to withstand the elements. Following orders could mean the difference between life and death.

Only a salesman would think of every angle.

Stella was relieved to hear they had a plan; she hoped they'd all come through this okay.

Curious, she asked, "So, do you get to pick your branch?"

"Yeah, the base is split between the Army and the Navy. We're with the submarine unit," Cody replied.

"Submarines, huh?" Stella feigned surprise. "Those things aren't easy to handle. We had just a few before everything went to hell. And now they're as common as cabbages?"

"I saw a notice in the main hall last night. Are we really trading subs now, or is that a joke?"

The friends exchanged knowing glances before Cody explained with a grin, "These aren't your granddaddy's subs. They're designed to handle tectonic shifts."

Stella's jaw dropped. "Tectonic shifts?"

The group had only learned about the threat upon arriving at the base. Just the thought sent shivers down their spine it was an existential threat to humanity.

of the nation. If the combined might of the country couldn't fend off the disasters, their fears

for this. Becoming submariners is just

looking for information, perked up. "What's the plan? Can you

an open secret within the military.

a port and a shipyard. They're working full tilt to

the undersea world, sure. But if tectonic shifts happen,

the parts could

not

unstoppable marine disasters. When faced with such a threat, all vulnerable parts could

collisions with rocks or attacks from sea creatures, the subs were virtually indestructible. Stella pondered,

over 200,000. Even ignoring

pooling national resources couldn't

merchant vessels, aircraft, land

the base's current state. Risking their lives, they scoured city after

Scavengers were coming up empty-handed, and even military efforts yielded little. Stella was skeptical, "If

the stops in their search. Otherwise, the points for the

of resources and manpower, and

Cody unraveled the mystery, "The base wouldn't invest so much into

continuation of life but also the preservation of culture and technology. Imagine the sub as a massive engine, not only ferrying people but also

to a tractor-trailer hauling

filled with books, artworks, seeds, clothing,

these caches could help humanity rapidly recover

base always prioritized human life; the containers would be moored to the subs,