18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 526

No matter what's inside the Kindle Chest, brute force ain't gonna crack it open. Crafted from some kind of special material, crowbars, power saws, and drills are useless. Only the military brass has the remote control and the codes.

If you're lucky enough to never come across one, great. But if you do, there's no ignoring it.

Stella tucked 1037 into Arcadia. She probably never guessed it, but the arrival of 1037 had everyone, including the dogs, in high spirits, leading to a celebratory seafood feast that night.

That night, Stella had a dream. She was leaving Griffith for the Kindle Society when a military vehicle blocked her path, and a guard motioned for her to stop. Daniel stood beside the vehicle, looking all serious and stern, but his eyes widened in surprise when he saw her step out. In that moment, he knew exactly who she was.

Stella woke up in the middle of the night to the soft sound of rain tapping against the window. Jasper stirred beside her. "What's up?"

She wrapped her arms around his waist. "Had a dream."

"What about?"

"Something from a long time ago."

Sensing her mood, Jasper pulled her closer. "Good or bad?"

Stella thought for a moment. "I guess... it was good."

They slept in until they woke naturally, only to hear Rosie yelling from outside, "Cooper, where did this dead snake come from?"

out early, playing,

big, and they couldn't identify its species, but it didn't have venomous fangs. It must've been

felt an unprecedented premonition: maybe

weren't poisoned, the family continued their journey and soon stumbled upon an abandoned fishing boat. The inside was surprisingly clean, free of silt. Stella found fish bones nearby, figuring survivors had landed there but couldn't make it on land, so they took

Eve. They planned to celebrate, but instead found themselves facing

looked more like a high plateau basin formed from severe drought, with dried mud crusts here and there. They came across marine skeletons

what was available in

after breakfast on New Year's Day, they took out a helicopter to cross the sands. Stella piloted with Jasper assisting. It

they faced sandstorms, other times scorching sun and pelting rain. With no end

ravine, their dogs suddenly perked up, alerting them to danger. Cautiously, they approached until Jasper found a spot to hide and

was babbling incoherently, clutching sticks, looking like the living dead. After three months of harsh travel, they finally saw other living people,

Stella remembered a harsh saying: refugees are no longer human. Having seen darkness, she felt no need to challenge the hungry for their humanity. Jasper suggested, "Shall we find another way

got up to leave, but the others noticed and gave chase, shouting and wielding their sticks. The dogs prepared

fast, keeping up for half an hour. After a long time without running, Stella was out

them looked at each other, and

but laugh. It was a

journey was desolate, but they occasionally encountered other survivors. It was either Stella's group running or the others fleeing. Those who had survived this long

they wandered for half a year, from winter to late spring, astonishing even Stella

source of water, Rosie would plant a