18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 391

It was obvious that the intruder had been super cautious, trying to slip in unnoticed. But when it came to expertise, Jasper was the grandmaster. Anything that had been touched couldn't escape his sharp eyes. When Stella had left, she packed up everything valuable, leaving behind just the bare essentials. When they got back, they chatted casually while subtly inspecting the place. There were faint signs of tampering, but no bugs. Jasper gave Stella a knowing look. If the military had been involved, they would've been so professional that no trace would be left behind.

The two of them headed to the kitchen, lugging the groceries. Stella had only bought a pound of bacon but pulled several more from her stash in Arcadia, along with a variety of veggies and her homemade hot pot mix. After treating herself to some comfort food, she didn't forget to soak in the hot spring to ease her fatigue. She woke up to an evening sky.

She picked up the walkie-talkie to reach out to Cody again. This time, she got through. They weren't out at sea but were instead doing physical drills and first aid training on land. They had just wrapped up and were back in their quarters.

They had been training so hard they were out of the loop about Stella's recent exploits. When they found out she and Jasper had hit the jackpot on a scavenging run and wouldn't have to worry about provisions for a long time, they were genuinely happy for her. Stella was known for her resilience, never one to be knocked down by adversity. "We'll be right over," they said.

It was a rare get-together, and everyone was excited. Despite Stella's insistence that they didn't need to bring anything, they couldn't show up empty-handed. They brought a bottle of wine, some smoked ham, and sugar cubes.

others, bringing his own contributions. Old neighbors from the villa district,

but lucky to have made it that far. After months in the service, Cody knew quite a bit. "The army's not bad

tossed his gifts on the table, and gave Jasper a big hug, sweet-talking him with gratitude for the secret guidance that had helped him pass his assessments. Jasper couldn't help but be charmed by

between men and women. However, he didn't

her eyes, remembering that Bran actually had two biological sisters. Bran, ever the charmer, brushed it off with a laugh, "Ah, but

valuable survival skills they'd acquired. As members of the 'Seed of Fire' program, this knowledge was essential, not just for themselves but to pass on, should the disasters ever come to an

they joked about the ranks they could've had if they'd joined the

ham with dried vegetables, and steamed smoked fish.

who had grown up with frugal meals due to his father's strict diet, found himself suddenly without an appetite despite the mouthwatering aroma of the hot pot. Stella, noticing this, encouraged him to eat up, reminding him that once he

moment, enjoying each other's company with good food and drink, and putting