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?"

had never said such a thing. Her heart numbed, warmth rushed to her head, making her eyes sting.

"Do you know

Daniel did not.

she left me 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

its origins, Arcadia is technically yours, but it became bound to me through a twist of fate. Maybe you can

ended up creating Arcadia in your hands. That's the bond between you and it. Since it chose you, it belongs

in him. "Moreover, you are my daughter; what's mine is yours. Having missed your upbringing, I've failed as a father.

say. After calming down a bit, Stella spoke again, "You've spent your life serving the country and its people, don't you want to use the supplies from

long moment before responding, "Of course I do, but haven't

need to save more people, he might not have been able to refrain from asking, but now things had settled. Arcadia was only about twenty acres, and the base

years of disasters, the 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

relieved that despite

patted her on the shoulder. "As long as I stand, you won't have to

slightly, tilting her head back, struggling to stay composed. Did he know something? It made sense.

lay back in bed to 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 room. Back in her room, she recounted the events to him.

wasn't surprised; from

decided to stay, he knew this day would come. He wasn't surprised by Daniel's decision either. Having completed his duty to the nation, 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 remainder on

base Griffith, some seeds had already begun to sprout. The love of a parent for their child entails far-reaching plans. And Stella, after this event, had truly accepted Daniel in her

uncontrollable. Stella didn't intrude but went into the kitchen