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.

the coal 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

presented the work order from the center, and the coal yard staff quickly arranged for the pickup. Machinery was scarce; they had to wait in line for

Loading seventy tons of coal wasn't a

loaded and ready to

a fully-loaded truck meant they

night was falling

a voice crackled over the radio,

spotted a shadowy figure on a nearby path in the

frowned, "The Cyclone

it," Rosie kept watch. "Seems like some local

outside world; she had no time to make

and even the truck windows were swapped for bullet-resistant

approaching, and whether it came to

wary of the nearby military trucks also transporting coal or had other plans, they kept their distance,

heading back to the base, Stella directed the

fell quickly, and as the military convoy split

in the

along with Cooper, sat down for a break,

a tent. "Once we deliver the coal

agreed. "It's secluded here, should be safe. Let's call

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

leader approached the tent flap, but a faint noise made him

the pitch darkness, he saw nothing and dismissed

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

beside the tent, her expression chilling in the dark as she toyed with a weapon. And pressing against his head was a gun. Beside her stood a

the tent, the snoring

then-it

employer had warned that this group was tough, so they'd brought extra

Stella and Jasper had used

forward, gun aimed, her