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.

for 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

arranged for the pickup. Machinery was scarce; they had to wait in line

came. Loading seventy tons of coal wasn't a

loaded

a fully-loaded truck meant

there, night was

a voice crackled over the radio, "Sis,

a shadowy figure on a nearby path in the dim light and

"The

look like it," Rosie kept watch. "Seems like

world; she had no

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

night was approaching, and whether it came to defending themselves or escaping, they

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

base, Stella directed the truck towards

fell quickly, and as the military convoy

a bend in the road, and Stella

Cooper, sat down for a break, munching

deliver the coal tomorrow, we can head back to base

be safe. Let's call

snores filled the air, human and canine alike, with Cooper's deep rumbling snore sounding as if not even thunder could wake him. Silent figures crept closer to the tent, drawing

approached the tent flap, but a faint noise

pitch darkness, he saw nothing

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

as she toyed with a weapon. And pressing against his head was a gun. Beside her stood a muscular dog,

the tent, the

realized then-it

group was tough, so

Stella and Jasper had

aimed, her voice icy: "Talk.