18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 430

A Cry for Help?

Well, that made sense.

barnacles.

Every creature's got a spirit, and whales are some of the gentlest giants of the ocean. We've heard plenty of stories about them seeking human help when they're in a tight spot-like getting caught in fishing nets or ropes, or when their bodies are riddled with painful Blue Blue circled our submarine, letting out plaintive cries.

Had our casual scratching actually formed some sort of bond?

Stella found herself in quite the dilemma. Blue Blue was massive, and with its mutation, getting close was no small feat. Pulling out that harpoon? That could easily result in us becoming a quick snack.

Blue Blue's relentless and increasingly forceful battering made it clear-it needed help, or things could get ugly.

Stella quickly did the math. The sub's top speed was 30 knots, while a normal blue whale cruised at around 20 kilometers per hour, with sprints reaching up to 50 km/h. The speeds were close, but the mutation threw a wrench in the works.

No one was keen on risking their lives, so Stella and Jasper made a unanimous decision: run for it.

They cranked the power to the max and bolted.

The three of them, plus their dog, crossed their fingers that maybe, just maybe, Blue Blue wouldn't follow.

But reality had other plans.

Not only did Blue Blue catch up, but it was even faster than they'd feared.

When 2688 veered left, Blue Blue followed suit. When 2688 turned right, the whale mirrored its movements. An hour into the chase, Blue Blue showed no signs of letting up.

Stella was at her wits' end. "What do we do now?"

Jasper frowned. "Maybe we should help it get that thing out?"

If they kept this up, the injury would worsen, possibly provoking the whale into a violent rage, and tearing the sub to pieces.

against a giant like Blue Blue, a quick kill was out of the question. Provoking

halted the sub and

and Cooper stayed inside, while Stella and Jasper

in its back, about 20 centimeters wide.

harpoon wasn't from their sub. Whoever attacked Blue Blue wasn't from

baffled. "Even if some submariners were desperate for food,

whale could

around 40. If they succeeded in hunting Blue Blue, they wouldn't worry about meat for years. But how would they preserve it? It had to be more than one sub involved,

Jasper,

minutes. Only when it sensed no harm did it slowly

Instead, she gently stroked Blue Blue,

began to seep into the sea

reacted with surprise,

Blue was a

where was the

protection, a calf wouldn't typically fall prey to other animals. Yet, the

harpoon in Blue Blue's back,

touching, Blue Blue moved

firmly. Blue Blue flinched in pain at the touch

creature, even a slight movement could cause countless waves, nearly flipping the

seemed to understand they were trying to help, as its thrashing

efforts, Stella and Jasper embraced the harpoon again and gave

blood spraying, Blue Blue let out a pained

firmly in place, Stella could feel her ears ringing,

harpoon was heavy, and Jasper struggled to keep

only to surface again, shooting a column of water high into

and as sunlight hit the dispersing mist, a rainbow formed, resembling a burst of

amazement. "Is

incredulous.

rolled in the water as if to express gratitude, inadvertently sending the dinghy drifting further