18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 390

Jasper double-checked, and sure enough, there were no hidden cameras on the submarine.

Just to be on the safe side, Stella decided to head into Arcadia.

Despite Mr. Cristian's warm and genuine demeanor, Stella and Jasper hadn't let their guard down over the past few days. They hadn't noticed any suspicious behavior from him either.

Even when the submarine, code-named 2688, slipped into the sea, they didn't spot anyone tailing them.

"Why do you think Mr. Daniel was talking in riddles?" Stella pondered.

His smile was disarming, and if it weren't for his authoritative presence and the fact that he was older, Stella might have suspected he had less-than-honorable intentions, like an old fox chasing young chickens.

She admitted her thoughts might be narrow-minded, but it all felt so bizarre.

Maybe harboring secrets made everyone seem like a wolf in sheep's clothing.

It was strange indeed, but Jasper couldn't figure it out either. "Let's just stay on high alert," he suggested.

Regardless, the submarine was now in their possession.

Next, they had to strategize how to handle the cataclysmic event they referred to as the "Great Collision." Without a plan, they would be flying blind when it hit.

Cars, yachts, cruise ships, planes, armored vehicles, submarines - Stella felt like she could summon a genie with all the modes of transport at their disposal. But facing a natural disaster of unprecedented scale, they needed a cunning plan. Losing meant certain death. Survival was no place for arrogance or pride; they needed to stay humble to avoid a fate like the one in the old tale of the horse race.

Stella mused, "With all the people in the Kindle Society, if land, sea, and air routes are compromised on the day of the Great Collision, what do we do?"

Jasper thought it through. "The ocean covers 70% of the Earth, and it'll bear the brunt of the impact. The biggest danger is tsunamis, and once a person falls into the sea, their chances of survival are pretty much zero..."

The sea would bring tsunamis, while the land would be hit with earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, with dangers lurking everywhere.

the sky seemed a tad

earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions could all disrupt

the worst-case scenario, that could

had to choose the lesser, and Jasper suggested they take to the

of a better solution. "The helicopter is equipped with parachutes. We'll wear them in advance, so if a crash is imminent,

ropes to tie themselves together, take shelter in Arcadia during the

came next, the land wouldn't sink instantly. The outer edges would shatter upon violent impact, while the interior

words, survivors would have

the unknown risks of the sea, Stella maintained a healthy respect for the ocean's power. There would be time to retreat to the sea for survival when there was

finalizing their plan to take to the skies first and then seek refuge in Arcadia if needed,

in the ocean to ensure there were no issues before they

and Cooper boarding first, and then Stella and Jasper dove into the sea, secured the submarine, and swam over to

Society, and it took nearly half an hour on the raft just to reach

to a car to return to

rough terrain, often requiring detours, and it took them a day and a

entering the base, Stella was extra vigilant, but they were

command center, they realized their tails were not military personnel

weren't the military, Stella

plenty of credits, and she exchanged for hundreds of oxygen tanks, wanting to stock up on gasoline or diesel, too. Unfortunately, the base

70 tons of coal, enough

on the base, so she'd have

receipt and planned to pick up the coal

life with an excited voice:

no doubt, his voice tinged with a mix of exuberance and a

Stella let out a sigh

I want to treat you and the

needed to be shared, and since Stella had returned half of the medicine, he had exchanged some

was finding a place to cook, and his culinary skills weren't up to

had some credits left, which she probably wouldn't need anymore, so she generously offered: "You're my brother, so save those credits for yourself. I'll treat you to dinner to celebrate your