Chapter 457

Cole wasn't exactly sure what was missing. "I heard it was around 30 cases," he said, "all parts for the automatic dredging ship."

The mention of the automatic dredging ship immediately brought to mind the South China Sea's island-building giant, the Tianjin.

"It seems like the parts that were lost weren't the big ones, but with machinery, even losing a single screw can prevent it from working properly."

So, the island-building project was on hold. The higher-ups were still figuring things out and keeping it under wraps. The folks on the ground, the survivors, were clueless.

After dinner, Cole thanked them and headed out.

He also lived in Area B2, not too far from Stella and the others. "Next time I get a day off, dinner's on me."

That's the way social currency worked-give and take kept things running smoothly.

Once the door closed behind him, Rosie started clearing the table while Stella sat on the couch, lost in thought. The stuff they had salvaged from the seabed could very well be parts of the automatic dredging ship. Twenty-five cases in total, which was pretty close.

But there was no way she could just go to the base and ask, "Hey, did you guys lose some parts that we happened to fish out and store in Arcadia?"

The containers were sealed, and even if they forced them open, she wouldn't recognize the contents.

"Should we return them?" she wondered aloud.

Jasper considered it. "Returning them is the right thing to do, but how we do it is the tricky part."

Hope Point's territory spanned hundreds of nautical miles and was patrolled by guard ships. It was a national base with fighter jets and warships-not some small private operation. Handing it over within the base's territory could get them caught; dropping it off outside could lead to other survivors from different countries finding it and using it for leverage or trade. Returning it was the right thing to do, but not at the expense of their own safety.

Jasper spoke carefully, "There's no rush. We're settled in at the base now; we'll find a foolproof way."

Stella agreed-her safety had to come first.

If an opportunity came up, they would return the parts. If not, they wouldn't.

Days turned into weeks, and Stella found herself lounging around at home.

Rosie, new to the workforce, faced her own challenges. Some people, seeing her youth as a weakness, tried to push her around with backhanded compliments or by trying to curry favor selfishly.

She might have been inexperienced with office politics, but under her siblings' guidance, Rosie understood the principle well-don't get played.

meant not losing out

her, and she could endure most things, but when push came

face, her words were clean but sharp, leaving her opponents

those trying

they learned she lived in Area B2, their attitudes

her

month flew by, and she came home one day, holding a bunch of greens triumphantly, "Sis, I've been made permanent at

overjoyed except for Rosie, who was visibly distressed, just

behind her back, thinking her a fool for trading protein

protein wasn't an

doing well, and Stella was pleased. "We'll

the greens, and Stella ate with relish, unable to help but compliment, "Mmm,

they're expanding the maggot farm, adding a

her with an extra piece of chicken,

twinkled with joy. "You're

on, and another month

their door, asking if she needed

a high survival rate, and he had managed to trade

he had acquired quite a few supplies

noticed Monkey had put on a bit of weight lately-he seemed to

need food. "Bring me some

sis. I'll make sure to bring you the

a good luck charm. Every deal

been a windfall, enough to

"I haven't lost out

Monkey out, she went back to

more survivors reached Hope Point, her siblings' workload increased, with Jasper often

a nine-to-five job with weekends off were laughable if

Cole, and others were off work, they'd get together now and then to chat, but such occasions were

time, Stella began to feel the

when an

Justice

demeanor was as serene as ever when he got straight to the point. "Stella, I've come to ask

Stella was puzzled. "Nitroglycerin?"

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