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?"

was taken aback, not expecting this to be his first reaction to Arcadia. Even Jasper had never said such a thing. Her heart numbed, warmth rushed to her head, making her eyes

to regain her composure, she asked, "Do you

Daniel did not.

left me at the orphanage, she left the pendant as well." Stella revealed the truth, "A couple of days before the

eyes. "If we trace it back to its origins, Arcadia is technically yours, but it became bound to me through a

up creating Arcadia in your hands.

yours. Having missed your upbringing, I've failed as a father. If it keeps you safe in this apocalyptic world, I can

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

silent for a long moment before responding, "Of course I

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 twenty acres, and the base housed thousands.

an entitlement, and when desires can no longer be met, resentment follows. Daniel wouldn't risk

that despite everything, you've maintained such a

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

composed. Did he know something? It made sense. She had traded rare metals for a submarine at South

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

surprised;

nation, with Australia no longer as it once was, its culture and

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 heart. Jasper

returned at noon to find Daniel awake, her tears uncontrollable. Stella didn't intrude but went into the kitchen to cook with care. The meal that shouldn't have been