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.

From now on, they were in the hands of the nation. If the combined might of the country couldn't fend off the disasters,

to comfort Stella, "Actually, you shouldn't worry too much. The base has been prepping for this. Becoming submariners is just one part of the

up. "What's

open secret

and a shipyard. They're working full tilt to crank out

navigate the undersea world, sure. But if tectonic shifts happen, the seas will

to the parts

optimistic. "They're not just

a threat, all vulnerable parts could retract

and provisions for six months, and an ultra-tough exterior that could withstand collisions with rocks or attacks from sea creatures, the subs were virtually indestructible. Stella pondered, "If the new subs are that powerful, why not have everyone escape underwater? Why bother

only carry ten people. The base houses over 200,000. Even ignoring the

couldn't ensure

merchant vessels,

had made significant contributions to the base's current state. Risking their lives, they scoured

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

stops in their search. Otherwise, the points for the rare materials wouldn't

something off, "Building a sub takes a lot of resources and manpower, and in

before Cody unraveled the mystery, "The base wouldn't invest so much into building subs just for an

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

it to a tractor-trailer hauling a shipping

They'd be filled with books, artworks, seeds, clothing,

the disaster ended, these caches could help humanity rapidly recover or

human life; the containers would be moored to the subs, detachable in case of an