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.

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

yard staff quickly arranged for the pickup. Machinery

turn finally came. Loading seventy tons of coal wasn't a

they were loaded

fully-loaded truck meant

there, night was

over the radio, "Sis, we're being

the convoy, had spotted a shadowy figure on a nearby path in the dim light

frowned, "The Cyclone

like it," Rosie kept watch.

interacted with the outside world; she had no time to

even the truck windows were swapped for bullet-resistant glass. The

and whether it came to defending themselves

nearby military trucks also transporting coal or had

heading back to the base, Stella directed the

fell quickly, and as the military convoy split off,

in the road, and

sat down for a

the coal tomorrow,

should be safe. Let's

symphony of snores filled the air, human and canine alike, with Cooper's deep rumbling snore sounding as if not

the tent flap, but a faint noise made

pitch darkness, he saw nothing and dismissed it as

the tent flap again, only to feel the cold touch of metal against the

her expression chilling in the dark as she toyed with a weapon. And pressing against his head was a gun. Beside her stood a muscular dog, drooling at the sight of

tent,

realized then-it

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

Stella and Jasper had used

forward, gun aimed, her voice icy: