18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 392

After Cody and his crew left, Stella sank into the couch, leaning quietly against Jasper's shoulder.

Jasper wrapped an arm around her. "What's up?"

"I'm just really happy, content," Stella said, hugging his neck. "Jasper, thank you."

He chuckled. "Thank me for what?"

"For everything." Stella smiled at him. "For meeting, getting to know each other, falling in love, being understanding, forgiving..."

Everything felt so perfect. She wanted it to last forever, to grow old together without parting.

Jasper held her close, his heart filled with contentment.

In the kitchen, Rosie pretended not to notice her brother and sister-in-law's intimacy as she washed the dishes. She saw nothing, knew nothing.

But Cooper, the rascal, was sneakily peeping from the doorway. Rosie dragged him back by his ear, "Not allowed."

The next day, waking up naturally, Stella savored Rosie's homemade oatmeal and chatted with Jasper. "We don't have much on today. How about we haul the coal back?"

The base was about fifty kilometers from the coal yard, and with many places needing coal, trucks made the trip regularly, which was relatively safe.

Jasper had no objections; it was better to bring it back early and store it in Arcadia to avoid any potential issues.

After their home had been tampered with, they couldn't take any chances. Anything of value needed to be secured.

Jasper plucked a few hairs and stuck them in the door jamb as they left.

The road to the coal yard was clear, but the muddy track was so rutted and bumpy from repeated use that it nearly shook their guts out.

Armed soldiers guarded the coal yard, which was operated by the Kindle Society, and all the office staff were military dependents.

miners, they were offenders not bad enough to be executed but still required to pay their debt through labor. If manpower was short, survivors from the base would also be drafted to work. The difference lay in the workload: offenders had heavier duties

arranged for the pickup.

came. Loading seventy tons of coal wasn't a

they were loaded and

a fully-loaded truck meant they couldn't

night

the radio, "Sis, we're being

Jasper, leading the convoy, had spotted a shadowy figure on a nearby path

frowned, "The

kept

had barely interacted with the outside world; she had

and even the truck windows were swapped for bullet-resistant glass. The only real concern was

and whether it came to defending themselves or escaping, they

military trucks also transporting coal or had other plans, they kept their distance, stalking but

back to the base, Stella directed

military convoy split off, the pursuers

at a bend in the road, and Stella

with Cooper, sat down for a break, munching on some granola

the coal tomorrow, we

secluded here, should be safe. Let's call it a day; we've

human and canine alike, with Cooper's deep rumbling snore sounding as if not even thunder could wake him. Silent

flap, but a faint noise made him look

the pitch darkness, he saw nothing and

the tent flap again, only to feel the cold

he turned on a light and saw Rosie standing beside the tent, her expression chilling in the dark as she toyed with a weapon. And pressing against his head

tent,

then-it was

that this group was tough, so they'd brought extra men. Now, they were

Stella and Jasper had

her