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.

the fiery meal, they felt refreshed, the gloom lifted, their

hot pot couldn't fix. Full and content, they submerged the submarine

predicting another day of serene weather. After Blue Blue finished scratching an

dashed up and down the decks in a display

changes in the weather,

down for a

indulged in a luxurious face mask, lounging in a beach chair and scanning

properly cleaned up after the flying fish last time? Impossible, Jasper was meticulous about cleanliness. She grabbed

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

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

before rushing out. Jasper and Rosie, hearing the commotion, quickly followed

locked on 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,

no fear of insects, shudder. Lowering the

pace, so many that their movement created a rustling sound. With their uniformly black shells and eerie green eyes, their sheer numbers were enough to invoke terror. The creatures seemed to have a sharp sense of smell,

sure,