18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 562

A thick tangle of seaweed hid the creature's identity, leaving Amelia with nothing but the sharp pain in her calf as a clue to what had just bitten her. None of them had expected a snake to lurk in these crystal-clear waters, especially after they had been so cautious.

"Probably using the seaweed as camouflage," Stella mused, trying to make sense of it.

She meticulously cleaned Amelia's wound, disinfected it after studying its shape, made a small incision with her knife, and then squeezed the blood out with force. Whether the sea snake was venomous remained a question, but they weren't taking any chances.

Arcadia was stocked with several kinds of antivenom, but Amelia and the others hadn't gotten a clear look at the snake. Using antivenom haphazardly could be as dangerous as the poison itself; it wasn't something to be administered lightly.

"Only if it's absolutely necessary," Stella reminded them, as she applied a poultice of crushed herbs to Amelia's wound and bandaged it up. To keep Amelia from panicking, Stella offered soothing words, her tone casual, "Most sea snakes aren't venomous. Don't worry. If you feel off, just let me know, okay?"

Amelia had a military upbringing. She had survived a decade of brutal disasters, which had honed her resilience beyond that of an average person. She'd heard that venom could kill quickly and without much suffering a mercy compared to the alternatives: heatwaves, famine, dehydration, hailstorms, toxic fog, tsunamis... Every disaster imaginable was a worse way to go.

Adjusting her mindset, Amelia assured Stella, "I'm fine, sis."

a year younger than Stella. Having lost her family and lover years back, she cherished life but held no fear of death. It meant no regrets and possibly a reunion with her loved ones. She remained sanguine about life and death, determined to fight for survival but accepting of whatever end might come. As they conversed, Stella discreetly passed her a piece of guava-flavored candy. Touched, Amelia remembered mentioning in passing how she loved these cheap childhood sweets, a treat her grandmother would secretly buy her every weekend. Peeling off

at least. Still, she did regret not

no way out, she wouldn't be consumed by regret. She had experienced it all. Yet, deep down, she longed to witness a better tomorrow, having fought so hard to see this

that Stella wasn't much for conversation, but she couldn't help herself. Stella asked

more. What sort of strength and determination had it

admirer of Daniel, Stella's

just listening, she was carefully monitoring Amelia's condition. "How are you

site. Relieved that the sea snake wasn't venomous, she

had passed, Stella still prescribed her medication. A faint scent of herbs permeated the submarine. Over time, the crew had come to recognize Stella's importance to the team. Initial shock had given way to profound respect and now, deep gratitude. Medicine was precious in a disaster-ridden world; not everyone would share it so freely. Of course,

stumbled upon not one, but two! The chests were not far apart, likely remnants of a duo of submarines that

currents, their seasoned skills overcoming the challenge.

being exposed, she didn't want the crew to know that living beings could seek refuge within it. The more they knew, the greater the temptation to commit crimes-especially considering

and massive, became dizzy with the chase and began ramming the Kindle Chest. It was