18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 539

Stella had just finished taking Daniel's pulse and knew all too well the toll his relentless work ethic had taken on his body. She deftly administered acupuncture, aiming to balance his energies, but she was under no illusion about the nature of his commitment. "Acupuncture isn't a quick fix," she said matter-of-factly, "You should come by in the evenings when you can. Don't brush off your health."

It was a peculiar sight, a high-ranking officer like Daniel being scolded by his daughter, yet he couldn't help but feel a warmth in his heart.

His life had been devoted to serving his country, and now, despite having a partner, it was Vanessa who took the initiative in matters of the heart and home. He really had no clue how to bond with his daughter.

Decades of military discipline had hardened him, and as fate would have it, Stella had inherited his stoic nature.

Wary of upsetting her with an offhand remark, Daniel changed the subject. "The meds you brought back should trade for a decent stretch of land. What do you plan to plant? Potatoes, maybe some sweet corn?"

Stella could see he was as stubborn as ever, always putting his ailments on the back burner.

She couldn't help but feel a twinge of frustration. "I don't know. We'll just plant something simple when the time comes."

Daniel offered his perspective, "Anyone can grow those, but the real issue is the harsh climate and poor soil. Once those improve, food scarcity will diminish. Your efforts might not make much difference."

Stella bristled at his meddling. Always the patriot, he worried about everyone else except for his own well-being.

Yet she held her tongue, though her voice grew colder. "And what is your grand solution, Mr. Daniel?"

He mentioned the recent discovery by the field teams-a Kindle Chest containing specially treated silkworm eggs, most of which were still alive.

"The military brought a variety of seeds with the hope of creating a green oasis on this new continent. Sadly, after two years of effort, most were wasted," Daniel recounted.

Only a fraction of the trees, including mulberry, had survived the cruel elements, and now, without mulberry leaves to feed the silkworms, the precious eggs were perishing.

Stella was surprised. "You want me to cultivate mulberries for silk farming?" Daniel thought it was a practical idea. "If not that, then cotton. I'll arrange it." People need the basics to survive - food, clothing, shelter, and transport. With natural disasters plaguing them for over a decade, the base had countless pressing issues. Their clothes were in tatters-some were barely clothed at all. Stella considered the option. "I have stocks of mulberry and cotton seeds, but silkworm eggs are precious. Will others object if you allocate them to me?"

Daniel rubbed his forehead, feeling the weight of the situation. "The base houses nearly 5,000 military personnel. Their duty was to defend the nation, and during these times, it's natural they take on additional roles. But they're not omnipotent. The base must advance quickly; otherwise, another disaster could wipe out humanity. Right now, the survivors can barely feed themselves. Someone must lead."

were stretched thin-cultivating land, defending the base, scavenging for Kindle Chests, brick-making, and construction. Even if they were

understood. He was grooming talent to meet the base's

were entirely different-defense versus governance and

all running ragged, but it was also an opportunity to build

the challenge. "If you trust us, we'll

of catastrophe was Daniel's

Consult with them, and don't

the acupuncture session, Jasper helped move the portable toilet next door. Once alone, Vanessa asked, "How

feel much lighter all over," Daniel replied contentedly but then

look. "You can be so dense. If I

at

sorted through the items they'd received, she

Stella does care about you

show it. They say a daughter is a father's little cotton jacket. Try to lighten up and charm her more. In time, the walls between you will

her efforts.

off, focusing on his health. "You've got enough supplies for a couple of months. With proper nutrition,

corrected her gently, "It's

been neglecting

appreciate the thought, but these are valuable.

stern in his response, "What are you saying? Why make

only Stella could truly handle him—

study to work, Vanessa felt her headache

director

director was ecstatic. "Stella, you're

growth. These meds are from America and have been proven safe, but

was struck on the spot. After some calculations, the director gave Nicholas from

stance of a former soldier. "Stella, do you