18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 497

The gasoline fire spread like wildfire, turning the base into a blazing furnace. Flames hungrily consumed the circuits and surveillance systems.

In some control room, over half of the large monitors flickered and then went dark.

The boss was about to blow a gasket, cursing up a storm. "Get me that damn wolf!"

Explosions, flames, scorching heat, thick smoke, suffocation...

Base members flooded in non-stop. They navigated through the inferno-some aiming to attack Stella and Jasper, others choking on the smoke, and a few making a break for the outside.

Unity had never been their thing; they were a ragtag bunch held together by selfish motives. None had expected to miss out on the spoils while taking all the hits.

No one in their right mind would put anything above their own life.

And now, with the boss's legs chopped off, who was left to cling to?

Not to mention, this wasn't even the real boss, just one of his many stand-ins-a sub-leader who'd gotten separated from the main fleet during a massive storm at sea.

Separated? Who knew the real story?

After all, this fleet was under the command of the China National Defense Department, specifically tasked with transporting critical tech assets.

Despite the boss's formidable military might, internal strife within the faction was intense. The two parties would have gladly seen each other dead, while the sea, air, and land branches wracked their brains to swindle budgets from the congressional bigwigs. How else could you explain the exorbitant price tags on coffee cups and toilets?

Each department was its own little kingdom, with heads so powerful they wouldn't even listen to the head of state.

So it was very possible that this stand-in boss had intentionally gone AWOL with valuable assets in tow.

After all, why let someone else play king when you can sit comfortably on the throne yourself?

As the saying goes, once one starts running, others follow.

In the chaos, Stella and Jasper switched outfits, making sure to don gas masks.

The base was a melting pot of ethnicities, with plenty of Eastern faces, so in the confusion, those with slower wits failed to recognize the two.

Those who did recognize them, were swiftly dealt with.

They nabbed a high-ranking guy, trembling like a leaf. "Please, don't kill me, they're on sublevel three."

moment,

underwater base had three levels the lowest housing the grunts, the second for mid-ranking members and holding cells, and the third was the plush digs of the high-ranking officials, complete with entertainment areas and an armory. "Take us there," Stella ordered, her gun pressed to

"You need an iris scan to access the third floor, and

and

I can take you

at one point, only to be shot in the thigh by Jasper. He howled in pain, crumpling

are several checkpoints to get

then the iris scan, and finally a voice

the password; he was just looking for a chance

gun to send

get to the third floor, but I can take you to the holding cells," the man pleaded, his voice barely a whisper. "There are many people there; you might

Ivans had mentioned and

demanded icily. "Take us

not play any tricks and obediently led them to the

prison was massive

pick prisoners for their cruel amusement when they were bored. Their games were diverse, involving physical, psychological, and

prisoners never returned after being taken

Stella burst into the base, she found some members still indulging in their sick entertainment, with the victims not yet returned to their

opened one of the doors to

and bruised, cowering in a corner, clutching himself silently. Despite the chaos outside and the unlocked

had

hue, a familiar face, yet lifeless like

sharply, and she sent the man to his God

in God, right? What God

continued deeper into the prison, guided by

found the room and

woman lay on the bed, her clothes torn and body stained with blood. Her emaciated arms struggled

what had transpired before

Monsters!

the woman's initial

appear all the more prominent,

expression flickered

never expected to encounter Julia in the

was emaciated, her eyes sunken, scars marring her face

Arctic, only to end up imprisoned and tortured at Union Base. Stella felt no joy,

Julia's face for a moment, then