18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 420

Even the hardest of hearts craved company in the end. Humans, after all, were social creatures at their core.

After nine relentless years of natural disasters, bloodied hands from endless battles against both nature and man, loneliness had been the least of their worries. But after leaving the Kindle Society, interactions with others had dwindled to almost none.

Day in and day out, it was just the three of them and a dog, sharing each other's breaths, either eating or sleeping-especially confined in such a cramped space, with no end to the disasters in sight. They didn't lack for food or essentials, and with a well-stocked survival kit, they could always cheat the odds in Arcadia, turning misfortune into fortune no matter the calamity.

Stella had it a million times better than other survivors, but perhaps there was some truth in the saying that human hearts are greedy. Or maybe idleness bred illness.

Content as she was, Stella felt like she was suppressing something. Days passed without joy or sorrow, just an occasional sense of ennui. A doctor by trade, Stella had witnessed the bombardment of disasters over the years, until the land itself sank into the sea, leaving hope a faint glimmer. A mild depression began to take hold.

It wasn't just Stella; Cooper was similarly affected, often listlessly sprawled in the submarine. Rosie, usually so jovial, couldn't help but let a worried frown slip through her smiles. All were repressing something, Jasper included, though none spoke of it. Something had to be done to break these chains, or they'd surely lead to ruin.

The appearance of a similar yacht sparked an unexpected anticipation in Stella, a feeling of joy she couldn't quite place. She longed for the outside, to interact with her own kind. Humans were indeed strange creatures.

The other vessel seemed to have spotted the 2688 and halted, just a few hundred meters apart, silently facing each other in the deep sea. Jasper, sensing the moment, asked, "Should we hail them?"

Without hesitation, Stella replied, "Yes."

Lukas and the others? And there were coordinates left by the Eastern Air Force she had promised to broadcast. She

beam signaled inquiringly, asking if they were friend or foe. In plain terms-it

now, they were down to the most primitive methods. Each military branch had its own signals and codes; Stella knew only a few, taught to her by Mr. Cristian

other side kept signaling. Stella and Jasper climbed to their second

it. As a principle of

been 2639. Stella couldn't help feeling a tad disappointed but remained hopeful. With the land submerged and Earth a water world, encountering others

a face appeared in the circular window. Through the telescope, Stella saw a distinctly

different, especially those on the fireseed mission. No one knew when the disasters would end, and even with

Seeing the same model sub, he must have

Jasper was wary, demanding badges and numbers. They complied, pressing them against the glass of their window. Stella's suspicions eased, and she decided to surface for a meeting. The two subs

salty sea breeze, the long-missed sun-it had only been a few days, but it felt like another world. The air of freedom eased the oppression in their hearts.

from the other side. Both men were

in his tone, "We're the ones who asked for your navy numbers. This is my comrade, Wang

armory. We got lucky and found some, helping you out of a tight spot. We had so many credits we didn't know what to do with

the head instructor for the sub unit. He trained me too

laughter, "What a coincidence, turns out we're

"Sister in arms."

"Brother in arms."