18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 549

Daniel had been mulling it over for ages, even tried to put it in motion, but the results were downright disappointing.

Sure, they were family, but Stella didn't hold back. "You've split the duties, yet you haven't really separated them."

On paper, the roles looked distinct, but the management was still all military.

People's mindsets and personalities get set in their ways; you can't change that overnight.

Expertise is key. A military leader, decisive and efficient in battle, might stumble in a civilian role, possibly even coming up short compared to an average Joe.

Daniel got her point. "We've sifted through the survivors but haven't found anyone with a knack for civil administration."

Stella shot back, "Are you absolutely sure about that?"

Daniel, always sharp, asked, "You mean Mark?"

They had approached him, not once but three times, and he had turned them down every single time.

Turned them down? Stella was surprised but quickly figured it out.

"Did you have a proper plan for transferring power before you asked him?"

That made Daniel pause.

It wasn't that he didn't want to; it was about power and trust-too many factors in play.

He thought for a moment, "Do you trust him that much?"

Stella laid out Mark's track record in Griffith. "He's a rare talent in civil administration, but military and civil are two different beasts. He knows the real civil power isn't in his hands, so he probably fears he'll end up failing and getting blamed, which is why he's turned you down."

Daniel pondered briefly. "Stella, military-civil reform is a huge deal. Big, bold changes face massive resistance, but Griffith needs to grow fast; reform is a must."

He knew deep down Stella's concern was for his health.

Reform was something he had always wanted to push. They were stuck with limited manpower and harsh conditions that made even basic survival tough. His team, all military experts, were great in combat but struggled in civil roles.

take time. I'll get

bag of carefully packed staples, a link of smoked sausage, and a

mouth to refuse but ultimately

too noticeable, so Stella suggested, "How about we put a gate in

that

courtyard wall, making it

he installed a range hood for

but he took longer than

he did return, something about him

taken aback. He seemed more upright but more relaxed,

she asked,

glass of water and calmly said, "Stella,

a moment before responding, "But

struck, preventing him from

reduced to bones by the time

a decade of grief-filled rescue work, he

chance, he

the point. Jasper had seen this coming since he first arrived in Griffith and agreed

"Stella, whether it was escaping from Willowbrook or our ordeal in the Arctic, I don't want you to

to protect you, not to flee when

strength, no predator could

wanted to provide Stella with a home, a place for peaceful living, not endless

deification project,

was already laying the groundwork to

Jasper first to gauge their

father-in-law hopes their son-in-law will be strong enough to protect their daughter, to

just a preliminary test. With Jasper's agreement,

object, "What department is

climbing the ranks was never

Daniel was paving the way for

habitual dinner guest arrived right on

medical supplies found on a cargo ship, “Just finished

could Rosie say? She silently set another