18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 544

Stella squinted in the direction he pointed, barely making out a patrol boat skimming the ocean's surface.

The crew seemed to be wearing uniforms from the Southern Base. Sure, there were patrols in these waters, but they were still over ten nautical miles from the dock. With fuel being so scarce, expanding the patrol area this much wasn't standard procedure.

Had something gone wrong?

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

Gunshots echoed, and several crew members dropped into pools of their own blood.

One of them, clutching a sharpened ice pick, was lunging toward Stella's back...

Jasper fired his gun.

Stella spun around, quickly drawing her weapon, and took down the crew members scrambling toward the cockpit.

Did they really think they could pull one over on her? She had just let them dig their own graves.

The captain, terrified, stumbled backward, frantically trying to explain himself. Stella raised her gun and sent him to meet his maker.

The patrol boat was closing in, and if they got much closer, they'd spot the cargo ship.

Without hesitation, Jasper took over the controls to stop the ship, while Stella dashed to the hold, releasing all the packaged glass and camouflaging it properly.

Up on the third deck, she released other supplies: steel rods, plates, several hundred pounds of aged grain, and medications.

This was a scavenger's pirate ship; nothing was out of the ordinary.

After setting everything in place, she hurriedly slid down the rope and launched the fishing boat into the sea, struggling to hook the two vessels together with the cargo ship's large iron hook.

Climbing back aboard, she saw the patrol boat even closer, gradually slowing to a stop.

One of the patrol soldiers picked up binoculars and began to scrutinize the scene.

About ten minutes later, the patrol boat approached the freighter and started hailing through a megaphone.

"Attention to the folks on the cruise ship, you have entered Griffith Base's territorial waters. If you are not survivors from Australia, please leave immediately."

fight against marauding pirates. She walked to

got closer, they were surprised to recognize Bran

Bran saw who was on the

climbing up eagerly, asked, "How'd you

sweat off her forehead with her blood- stained sleeve. “Your brother-in-law and I went out scavenging for supplies. We stumbled upon pirates hijacking a ship and nearly lost

of pirates, everyone instinctively drew their guns. "Are

the night before last, wounded more than half of them before we were captured. But they started infighting,

saw the remnants of a gasoline fire and bullet holes on the deck, confirming a fierce

here under the guise of a patrol to find you. You and bro-in-law need

a beat.

infection, and he's been unconscious

at the base. Aunt Shu hasn't made it public

mind buzzed, nearly losing her footing, but Jasper

go back immediately; I'll handle the

long as it wasn't from Kindle Chest, the base wouldn't

hopped onto the patrol boat, and Bran instructed his soldiers to escort the

sped off, the wind whipping past

stiffly, her

been

a lung infection and fallen into

from mild to severe, but causing unconsciousness

her hand, finding it

was only forty minutes away at

not for Jasper's quick reflexes, Stella

"Stella, don't worry too much. There

in turmoil, and she sat silently against the car window as they

at the

the hospital director were discussing Daniel's

she

trembled. "What about

been waiting for

medication available at the hospital, the antibiotics

was a miracle he had held

the right medicine, it would've

for days, both her body and spirit on the

Seeing Stella return, she couldn't hold back

her face set as she walked

they instinctively followed, Jasper stepped ahead, "Stella wants to be alone

ashen and lifeless,