18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 425

Stella felt a pang of regret for rushing off so quickly that day. If only she had taken a moment to check things out first.

Jasper chuckled at her thoughts, "You know, you can actually train to hold your breath underwater."

Most people can manage a minute or two underwater, but world record holders can last up to 22 minutes. It's amazing what humans can do when pushed to their limits.

You can also train for speed while free-diving, with the best reaching speeds of a hundred meters per minute. So, Iran's ability to stay underwater for long periods wasn't all that surprising. Stella couldn't help but marvel at the world's wonders. The sea stretched endlessly, and the sky was painted with the fiery hues of a sunset.

Tired of being cooped up in the submarine, the trio and their dog decided to enjoy a meal in the open air. They had been living on bland box lunches, so they opted for a spicy hot pot instead.

They set up a folding table and chairs, placed a portable gas stove on top, and laid out plates of thinly sliced beef, lamb, meatballs, mushrooms, seaweed, winter melon, tofu skin, and an assortment of greens. The broth bubbled fiercely, its spicy aroma carried away by the sea breeze.

Jasper popped open a bottle of red wine, and the glasses clinked in the golden light. Rosie laughed, "To my favorite brother and sister-in-law, cheers!"

Cooper, who couldn't handle the spice or the wine, barked pitifully, pawing at the ground and turning away from his bowl of chicken breast and bones. He glanced longingly at the ocean, drool betraying his discontent.

some freeze-dried treats. After the fiery meal,

seemed to be nothing a good hot pot couldn't fix. Full and content, they submerged the submarine

sea, predicting another day of serene weather. After Blue Blue

Cooper dashed up and down

a close watch for any rapid changes in the weather, which could be as quick as

a breeze picked up, but it wasn't severe. The pair went down for a nap, and Stella told Jasper to take over

mask, lounging in a beach chair and scanning the sea

Could it be that they hadn't properly cleaned up after the flying fish last time? Impossible, Jasper was meticulous about

that a Thai fishing boat? Damn it, a ghost ship? They were more than

on the fishing boat and the ongoing stench nearly made her hurl. With the wind blowing their way,

up the scent, and he barked twice before rushing out. Jasper and Rosie, hearing the

the deck, they saw Stella standing firmly, her gaze locked on the distant object. Stella handed Jasper the binoculars,

the fishing boat, but there seemed to be a mass of dark, heaving things gathering around it. A dark current? No, the winds weren't strong enough to spread such a thing so quickly. It was moving too fast, catching up with the fishing boat, swarming around it, and climbing up its sides in

like a dark tide, making even Jasper, who had no fear of insects, shudder. Lowering the binoculars, he wanted to tell Stella they needed to flee, but Rosie's scream cut through the

dark mass of insects had climbed aboard from the opposite side. They were swarming up the yacht at an alarming pace, so many that their movement created a rustling sound. With their

brought the bugs inside with them, the whole vessel would be infested. What were these monsters? Stella wasn't sure, but their eagerness for the fishing boat meant they were carnivorous. Leaving the luxurious yacht would be like amputating a limb to survive. She had a ship, sure, but