18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 547

Daniel felt like his head was spinning, the world tilting on its axis, but the moment he heard her voice, his mind snapped into clarity. Was this some fever dream, or...?

He couldn't quite believe it, yet the person holding him was quivering in his arms. He wrapped her in his broad embrace, murmuring, "Daddy's here."

When Stella came to, she was actually quite embarrassed. She had thought that having lived two lifetimes, she had seen through the mirage of emotions, those elusive tendrils that seemed so useless in a world ravaged by catastrophe. She had sealed herself off, faced the broken world with indifference, believing she would be immune to pain. But when her hard exterior shell was cracked, she found that at the end of the day, she was still a creature of emotion, unable to control herself after all.

She let go and stepped back, turning away to wipe her damp face haphazardly. Daniel snapped back to reality, scanning their surroundings. Shocked, but somehow not completely surprised.

"Where are we?" he asked.

Stella's head buzzed, at a loss for words for a moment. She took a deep breath, and after a while, she managed to say, "You can step through that door."

Daniel pondered, "Are you sure?"

Arcadia had a connection to him, but the beneficiary was her alone. Daniel, ever so sharp, mused, "Perhaps, but it could all be just a dream within a dream."

Stella understood what he meant, but since he had already figured it out, there seemed little point in keeping secrets. "The view outside is not bad."

Daniel pushed the door open, and a vista of lush farmland and herb gardens greeted him. He saw helicopters, cruise ships, submarines, fishing boats, an array of military trucks, various types of shipping containers, and even a Kindle Chest. Countless supplies were stacked with precision, dazzling to behold. Even as a leader accustomed to extraordinary situations, he was still profoundly moved. Daniel looked at her, his eyes betraying a hint of tenderness. "Was gathering all this tiring and dangerous?"

taken aback, not expecting this to be his first reaction to Arcadia. Even Jasper had never

composure, she asked, "Do you know how Arcadia came

Daniel did not.

at the orphanage, she left the pendant as well." Stella revealed the truth, "A couple of days before the typhoon hit, I accidentally activated it. It was only about an acre at first, but the

a pause, she looked Daniel in the eyes. "If we trace it back to its origins, Arcadia is technically yours, but it became bound to me through a twist of fate. Maybe you can find a

"The jade pendant is a family heirloom of the Gu family, passed down through generations. Yet, it ended up creating Arcadia in your hands. That's the bond between you and it. Since

her experiences, guilt welled up in him. "Moreover, you are my daughter; what's mine is yours. Having missed your upbringing, I've failed as a father. If it keeps

surprised her. She wanted to say something, but didn't know what to say. After calming down a bit, Stella spoke again, "You've

moment before responding, "Of course I

sunk and there was a need to save more people, he might not have been able to refrain from asking, but now things had settled. Arcadia was only about

malice in people's hearts was nothing new. Taking without working becomes an entitlement, and when desires can no longer be met, resentment follows. Daniel wouldn't risk his daughter's life on a gamble. Even if he decided to act, it would have to be

relieved that despite everything, you've maintained such

you think is right without any reservations," Daniel patted her on the shoulder. "As long

Did he know something?

recuperate, quickly falling into a deep sleep. Unlike his usual stern demeanor, his lips were upturned in a relaxed smile. Stella cracked open the door to find Jasper waiting in the living

surprised;

with Australia no longer as it once was, its culture and people would persist, passed down through generations. Having devoted his life to his country, it was faultless for him to spend

The love of a parent for their child entails far-reaching plans. And Stella, after this event, had truly accepted Daniel in her heart. Jasper was genuinely happy for her; this was something she had lacked in both her lives, and now she

into