18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 473

Stella knew it had to be done. If they were going to settle down after all this time, they needed to find the safest spot possible. Survivors from around the world had wandered aimlessly and eventually found their way to the Arctic. Stella and her family weren't the only ones. Setting up camp near the edge of a glacier meant a high chance of running into other survivors. In life-or-death situations, you really don't want to test human nature. Safety became paramount. Jasper agreed wholeheartedly. The Arctic was vast, and finding a secluded spot was their best bet. As the temperature plunged, the ice thickened to a comforting solidity, and Jasper suggested they take The Marauder out. This heavy-duty vehicle had excellent traction, making it perfect for the icy terrain.

No one wanted to get out of the car in such foul weather, even if the ice seemed unstable. If things got dicey, Stella could always retreat to the Arcadia and switch to survival gear.

So, Jasper drove, and Stella kept a lookout from the passenger seat. It was kind of funny. Before the disasters, the Arctic was a treacherous place, perpetually covered in ice and snow. Driving here would have been nearly impossible. But after several natural cataclysms, the reshaped Arctic had become less complicated. The sea refroze, snow piled up, and new icebergs formed.

Jasper, an old hand at navigating such conditions, drove The Marauder at a steady pace, covering only about 200 kilometers in a day. At night, they parked near snowdrifts to shield themselves from the wind. The cold sucked away any desire for entertainment.

Stella brought the vehicle into the Arcadia, had a warm dinner, and enjoyed a soak in a hot spring before stepping back out. Just as she was about to lie down, distant lights caught her eye.

Blues. Greens. Luminous hues. Different colors spread across the sky, moving like the gentle sway of arms. The lights grew brighter, painting the night in vivid colors. It was a breathtaking sight, impossible to ignore.

Stella had never expected to see the Northern Lights in her lifetime, but here they were, fulfilling a long-held wish amid a decade of disaster. She was in the Arctic, watching the Aurora Borealis.

Rosie had never seen anything like it and finally asked, "Brother, what are these lights?"

"The Northern Lights," Jasper replied. The Aurora Borealis is a stunning natural light display in the polar regions, caused by charged particles from the magnetosphere or the sun colliding with molecules and atoms in the upper atmosphere. Jasper explained the science to his sister, who didn't fully grasp it but was awestruck nonetheless.

"Brother, did the Northern Lights exist before the disasters?" Rosie pondered.

"Yes, sometimes you could see them at the very northern tip of our country," Jasper said.

Northern

believed

the vehicle, mesmerized by the dazzling display. Rosie hoped that with light in the Arctic, the disasters might keep away. With hearts full of hope, they

the snow was so deep that even The Marauder struggled, half-buried in the blizzard. They traveled hundreds of kilometers into the Arctic Circle, an environment so harsh that ordinary

area with binoculars and spotted a large snowdrift about three to four kilometers away. They trudged on, finally reaching the drift after much effort. The snow atop was frozen solid, providing

high up, the endless expanse of white was blinding, so Stella quickly reminded

the wind and a perfect spot for keeping watch. It was an ideal place to call home. Next, they discussed how to establish

-20 degrees Celsius year-round, with some areas dropping to -71 degrees. Besides the cold, there were distinct seasons, with winter lasting up to half a year. During winter, heavy snowfalls induced a near-hibernation state in all life -a situation only worsened by

an RV, vital components would likely freeze and break over time. Stella didn't want to

transform

least for shelter against wind and snow. Arcadia housed numerous containers, and Stella chose the sturdiest one-Bran's container, originally housing three luxurious off-road vehicles. She thought of Bran, a smart man who had even warned her. She felt grateful and hoped

back to the present, Stella retrieved the

wasn't easy. They needed ventilation, warmth, and interior design. The container was spacious enough for two bedrooms and a living room. Opening the doors, they stepped

tools for this task. Drills, welders,

dark once closed, so the first priority was to create ventilation and lighting holes. They couldn't make too many, or the cold air

and survivors migrated, they couldn't afford to let their guard down, needing a thoughtful design for security. Stella touched the container's inner

the wind but not the cold; at night, it was easy to sleep and never wake up. They needed a heating solution. Having seen many

circular and honeycombed, and cut 20

they planned to create