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."

antics, Stella braved the question, "Dad, Bran

of a

curling in embarrassment, "he can

a few times. He's quite measured in his words. He's a

Measured?

bewildered Stella stood silent.

Rosie returned from the

rushed over, hugging

the scent of sweat, not

was like sunshine, utterly warm and

the work on

hardworking, admitted, "It was tough at first, but I'm

work the

have to set

their last conversation. Rosie was

the apocalypse for years, wouldn't easily respect

but also

for a difficult

took to the fields herself. Despite her age, she worked as hard as anyone, ensuring

inside and out, challenging the old hands who thought to

adversity, as long as there are no 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,

base, it was a drop in the bucket. They

greens with root crops like sweet potatoes,

could

spoke of her venture, Rosie's eyes shone with excitement mixed with a hint of anxiety. "Sis, I've made a decision without consulting

calm, "What

want a stake in it, offering land and maggots

poultry had caused a stir across the base. Ordinary survivors could only envy, while the military, who ran the place,

the 20-acre greenhouse, and the prospect

strange if they

military-operated, presenting them with an

for a moment, "Have you told my dad

Uncle Daniel. He's in favor, but I

exact share with

military wasn't just Daniel's to