18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 438

The sea was a chaotic mix of vessels-fishing boats, cargo ships, warships, and sleek black aircraft. But Iran's innate narrow-mindedness and extremism, coupled with a lack of vision and generosity, led to creations that were limited and never quite reached the grand stage. Their so-called warships? Well, even if they managed to build something sizable, their Chinese benefactors would never allow it. Beyond the boats, wooden towers sprouted over the sea. Metal piles were hammered into the seabed, topped with wooden platforms, stacked densely until they resembled a hornet's nest. It seemed Iran had lucked out finding such a prime spot; otherwise, they'd have been torn apart by ocean storms long ago.

Stella did a quick count and estimated there were several hundred people. Clothes were hanging outside the wooden houses, belonging to men, women, and children-these were the homesteaders. Many others lived on the ships, likely the Iran who ventured out for plunder.

They survived by capturing sea life, and after a few years, had all turned into grotesque monsters. Even the children were covered with lumps and tumors, a sight that sent shivers down your spine.

Three people and a dog against several hundred Iran? That was a tall order. Blue Blue caught the attention of the Iran, drawing out two ships in pursuit, with guns and harpoons at the ready.

Seizing the opportunity, Stella retracted her periscope and started to steer the 2688 away from the area. With so many Iran, capturing them all would need a well-thought-out plan.

After leaving the area by several dozen nautical miles, the submarine found a calmer region of the sea to stop. Both the ship and the sea constructions were substantial, and the Iran, being adept swimmers, were on high alert after several losses-they even had watchtowers on the wooden towers. Approaching them would easily give away their position.

intelligence, 2688 would have been exposed already. After waiting half an hour on the seabed, Blue Blue returned. Jasper and Stella

back. But what about Cooper? Dogs don't have diving suits. Surely they couldn't leave him in Blue Blue's care? He would be swallowed whole. And with the Iran mutated by the virus, an infection

their move or to attack when the Iran went out to plunder. Whichever method they chose, they needed to know the enemy

patrol, centered around the lair. Blue Blue, though not understanding, insisted on following. After seven or eight leisurely hours underwater, the sonar from the submarine detected an obstacle at six o'clock. Besides the terrain, there seemed to

live on the ocean floor in such numbers and for so long without moving. Certainly not fish. Blue Blue issued a warning and nudged the 2688 to leave promptly. An entity even the queen of the ocean feared? Stella's curiosity was piqued; she wanted to know what

intently on the sight before her. As the view came into focus, there appeared to be something writhing. Staring through the lens, she spotted several tentacles. Large, long, purplish-red,

"This might be the colossal squid Hans mentioned." The colossal squid, or the giant squid of the North Pacific, is the world's largest, stretching

reigning over the ocean's hierarchy with sheer strength. A colossal squid of 9-10 meters was normal before the calamity, but now, nine years post-calamity, they

were also incredibly temperamental. Even alone, they would dare to fight sperm whales weighing 50 tons, and they had a high win rate. With such numbers,

Stella's mind. "Can our submarine outrun them?" Jasper was surprised by her audacity. "Squids are known as the swords of the sea, and they're incredibly fast because..." They jetted through the water using the funnel

of 150 kilometers per hour. 150 kilometers per hour? Stella felt her sanity slipping. The submarine was no match, but perhaps the yacht could give it a run. The yacht's top speed was 70 knots, about 130 kilometers per hour. Colossal squids only reached bullet-like speeds when bursting from the deep