18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 556

Stella unzipped her waterproof bag and found a remote sensor inside.

No doubt, it was for unlocking the Kindle Chest. It must have been set up before the land went underwater. Copies of the remote sensor and codes were, without exception, in the hands of the top brass of every Kindle Society.

On a whim, Stella wanted to see what was inside the Kindle Chest in Arcadia. And she acted on that impulse.

She pressed the button on the sensor and entered the code. The sturdy, heavy Kindle Chest swung open.

It looked like a massive machine. After rummaging around for a while, Stella discovered an inscription on the machine: a desalination system.

Not huge, but definitely sufficient for a base of thousands. The base was close to the coast, where the water quality was poor, and the harsh climate bred countless germs. A careless gulp could make you sick.

It wasn't just people who were affected; the land suffered too. The desertification of the alkaline wasteland made cultivation difficult, unable to retain soil or lock in moisture, creating a vicious cycle.

Daniel was visibly relieved. "Stella, with this, we'll soon have an oasis."

Seeing his smile, a warm current flowed through Stella's heart. "I'll bring it back."

The next morning, Rosie fought back her sadness and worry, mustering a smile to see the pair off. The family dog, scrappy as ever, clawed at them, reluctant to let his humans go.

Daniel and Vanessa stepped out to bid farewell. "Stay safe, and come back soon."

Stella couldn't find overly sentimental words, so she simply gave him a hug. The two hopped in the car and drove to the docks, picking up a few teammates who were on foot along the way.

The team, specially selected, was comprised of 14 individuals, all skilled in their own right. They could operate cargo ships, submarines, planes, tanks - true special forces, capable of reaching the heavens and diving the depths.

Stella admired and respected them. Oh, and I forgot to mention – the cargo ship was equipped with a helicopter.

them for a safe journey.

the helm of vessel 2688. The rest boarded the cargo ship, heading for a destination 500 nautical miles

to the box numbers recorded, they were all filled with seeds. The conditions weren't right for hoisting, and opening the

sub led the way,

As team

military life, the

to enjoy Captain Jasper's cooking. We're on a mission, no need to

female members volunteered

people, but only five dishes, all hearty portions. They

chatted some more before planning to return to the transport ship, but to their shock, the

massive ship had...

captains and Stella had

captain's already resting. Pick a room and

mission, there were speculations that salvaging the Kindle Chest from the seabed wasn't feasible, otherwise, the base wouldn't have waited until now. But the mission was top-secret, with reports made only to the commanding officer. All roughly the same age, each had their suspicions, but military life and natural disasters had

inside Jasper's room, he was alert. "You rest; I'll keep

resting her head on his thigh. Jasper smiled knowingly, gently tucking a strand of her hair behind her

breakfast of sweet potatoes and

They served under the commanding officer, and with his daughter and son-in-law on the mission, it

would eventually

miles

due to the variations, it took the sub more than two hours to pinpoint the

and Jasper, decided to dive for a closer look. An astute team member noticed the value

remaining team members divided tasks: some monitored the underwater operation, some patrolled, and some stayed in the

switched on her

the greater the pressure, and past a