18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 564

When Stella walked in, Daniel's face lit up with a warm smile. "Stella, you're back."

Stella nodded, "Yeah."

There was a brief, awkward pause before Daniel continued, "You've lost some weight."

Team missions often meant you couldn't just feast all the time.

But Stella was upbeat, "I'm doing alright."

She led him inside and asked with genuine concern, "How have you been feeling lately?"

"Your Aunt Sue has been giving me acupuncture daily, and the medicine you left has kept me in check. I'm almost back to my old self."

Stella took him to Arcadia for a follow-up. The CT scans showed the pneumonia was gone, but some damage was irreversible. They'd have to be careful moving forward.

After running all the necessary tests and treatments, Daniel couldn't hide his good mood. "How was your trip?"

"Eventful but safe."

Stella gave a brief rundown of the mission, including how they'd salvaged 26 crates of fabric.

The fate of the 21 trucks' worth of essential supplies they'd collected before the land sank would depend on how the military handled these materials. Deciding whether to hand them over could wait.

Daniel had returned early, so the special team's salvage report hadn't reached him yet.

But it was clear that these supplies were key for Australia's recovery. Whoever collected them deserved generous compensation, including those who gathered resources on land.

Over the past month, his workload had lightened, but his concern for his daughter and son-in-law had only grown.

Seeing Stella safe now, he could finally relax.

Not one for emotional displays, Daniel said, "I've learned to cook a few dishes. Come over for dinner tonight."

Stella didn't argue, "Do you need anything? I can bring it."

"No need, Rosie drops off supplies every few days."

question, "Dad, Bran hasn't been too much of a handful,

much of

embarrassment, "he can be quite blunt, and I was worried he might

Bran came up, Daniel's tone was light, "I've met him a few times. He's quite measured in his words. He's a sharp and entertaining young man. If he stays grounded, his future is

Measured?

stood silent. What

Rosie returned

hugging

scent of sweat,

sunshine,

work on the

at first, but I'm

work

I have to

was skeptical. She remembered their last conversation. Rosie was young

hands, having survived the apocalypse for years, wouldn't easily respect her, not just for a few pounds of

wasn't just jealousy but

for a difficult

Despite her age, she worked as

and farming techniques inside and out, challenging the old hands who thought

issues of principle. Rosie took a drink of water and sat down to report on the farm. "Sis, I've started two acres of mulberry seedlings, medicinal herbs, hay, and five acres of greens. We're also growing potatoes, cotton, sweet potatoes, and corn. Everything's sprouted, and we've already harvested the greens once. We've

it

cycles, integrating greens with root crops like

they could

Rosie's eyes shone with excitement mixed with a

remained calm,

but want a stake in it, offering land and

stir across the base. Ordinary survivors could only envy, while the military, who ran the

the 20-acre greenhouse, and

if

factory was military-operated, presenting them

thought for a moment, "Have

"I spoke with Uncle Daniel. He's in favor, but

with the

just