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.

soldiers, saluted them for a

members for the nuclear submarine, while Stella and Jasper took the helm of vessel 2688. The rest boarded the cargo ship, heading for a destination 500 nautical miles

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

led the way, the freighter following

affair, but dinner was a communal event on the submarine. As team

military life, the team was a bit

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

relaxed, and two female members

but only five dishes, all hearty

took on dish duty, promising to rotate the cooking and cleaning duties. They chatted some more before planning to return to the transport ship, but to their shock, the sea was empty except for

massive ship had...

that time, both captains and Stella had been topside. Confused, they had no

the captain's already resting. Pick a room and get some sleep. Don't

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

Jasper's room, he was alert. "You

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

potatoes and

They served under the commanding officer, and with his daughter and son-in-law on the mission, it was both a personal and professional boon

eventually

nautical miles away. Based on sonar, the seabed

it took the sub more than

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

team members divided tasks: some monitored

on her

far, but underwater, it's a different world. The deeper they went, the greater the pressure, and past a certain depth, each meter down became unbearably painful. The headlamp revealed a large, angular