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."

the others? And there were coordinates left by the Eastern Air Force she had promised to broadcast. She could just make out a light turning on in

inquiringly, asking if they were friend or foe. In

miles away, but 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

climbed to their second observation window, signaling back

sub lacked the fireseed box riveted to it. As a principle of the South

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

telescope, Stella saw a distinctly Eastern face, gaunt features, eyes a bit sunken,

Pirates lived by the sword, indulging in the moment without stinting on food or drink. But soldiers were different, especially those on the fireseed mission. No one knew when the disasters

with its own code. Not just soldiers, but even common laborers and scavengers had numbers. Seeing the same model sub, he must have thought Stella's group were military too. So when Jasper signaled back his scavenger

the glass of their window. Stella's suspicions eased, and she decided to surface for a meeting. The two subs rose slowly, their snorkels emerging above water. Body armor on, weapons hidden

world. The air of freedom eased the oppression in their hearts. Stella shielded her eyes from the sun

Both men

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

base was short on rare metals, almost shutting down the armory. We got lucky and found some, helping you out of a tight spot. We had so

his face. "He's the head instructor for the sub unit. He

in the laughter, "What a coincidence, turns

"Sister in arms."

"Brother in arms."