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.

now on, they were in the hands of the nation. If the combined

tried to comfort Stella, "Actually, you shouldn't worry too much. The base has been prepping for this.

for information, perked up.

was an open secret within

base has a port and a shipyard. They're working

can navigate the undersea world, sure. But if tectonic shifts happen, the seas will quake with tsunamis.

damage to the parts

not just subs;

a threat, all vulnerable parts

creatures, the subs were virtually indestructible. Stella pondered, "If the new subs are that powerful, why not have everyone escape underwater? Why

sub can only carry ten people. The base houses over 200,000. Even ignoring the shipyard's capacity, building

post-apocalypse, even pooling national resources couldn't ensure a steady

merchant vessels, aircraft, land

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

wreak havoc, materials became harder to come by. Scavengers were coming up empty-handed, and even military efforts

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

resources and manpower, and in the end, it only saves ten people. Isn't

mystery, "The base wouldn't invest so much into building subs

the continuation of life but also the preservation of culture and technology. Imagine the sub as a massive engine,

likened it to a tractor-trailer hauling a

containers? They'd be filled with books, artworks, seeds, clothing, medical equipment, precision machinery-essentially,

these caches could help humanity

be moored to the subs, detachable in case