18 Floors Above the Apocalypse



In terms of monthly provisions, each survivor received three pounds of sweet potato or potato powder.

But let's be honest, it was just dried and ground sweet potatoes or potatoes-nothing fancy. The taste was nothing to write home about. The main goal was survival.

On top of that, the base allowed survivors to take on credit for three pounds of potato seeds, which could later be used to offset housing and supply debts once harvested.

The living quarters were cramped, barely enough room for three people and a dog to turn around.

Stella, having her own stash of supplies, was planning to get a room for each person.

The base was struggling, and offering credit was a huge concession to ensure as many people survived as possible. Stella didn't want to take advantage of their generosity since she had her own resources.

Seeing Hope Point, which was a hundred times better than she had imagined, Stella felt a sense of relief. Humanity was much stronger than she had thought.

Unsure of how long they'd stay, Stella opted for a monthly rental. She pulled out nine pounds of aged cornmeal to pay for the rent and secured three pounds of potato seeds.

The staff, surprised by her wealth, smiled and asked, "We have other seeds available. Would you like to trade for some?"

So, Stella exchanged an additional three pounds of grain for a variety of vegetable seeds.

After processing the paperwork, the staff recorded their information and issued new resident IDs. Stella's number was 0012730.

With 14 billion people before the catastrophe and only 12,730 accounted for now, she couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions about the fate of the rest.

Impressed by their service, Stella asked, "Are there many survivors from South Base?"

"There are some," the staff replied. "A navy ship and a few submarines have arrived so far, but I believe more will come in time."

Stella mentioned Cody and the others, "Could you check if they are here?"

After a quick search, the staff member responded, "No records found."

A wave of anxiety washed over Stella, "What about the leaders of South Base?"

The staff didn't recall such individuals but still asked, "What's the name?"

"Daniel."

"No, I'm sorry."

Stella was taken aback-how could that be? As a leader of South Base, Daniel should have known about East Base's mission to rebuild their homeland and should have arrived by now.

Rosie, with a hint of hope, asked, "Are there any survivors from the official Goldbridge base?"Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

"It seems so," the staff found. "A ship with over 200 survivors arrived not long ago."

"Anyone named Dylan?"

"No."

After checking for Austin and also finding no match, Rosie hid her disappointment to avoid worrying her brother and sister-in-law.

Given their A+ health check, Stella and the others were assigned to Area B.

Those without physical or mental issues went to Area B, those with mental issues were placed in Area D, physical ailments in Area E, and those with both in Area F, and so on.

Before leaving, Stella couldn't help but ask, "Comrade, will we always live at sea, or is there a chance we'll return to land?"

The staff member paused, then

smiled, "The base has plans for land

reclamation; once 20 platforms are constructed, we'll build an island

around them. Rest assured, we will return to solid ground."

Stella wondered, as everything seemed so orderly, what exactly had they lost? If only some spare parts were missing, she decided not to reveal her goods prematurely.

In the Kindle Society, with battleships in the sea and fighters in the sky, even a slight misstep could expose Arcadia.

Leaving Area A, Stella, Cooper, and Jasper made their way back to the submarine.

Area B lacked a deep-sea port, so the submarine remained at Area A, and they had to rely on water transport to reach their home.

The base provided a ferry service running every three hours between platforms.

Being new arrivals, Stella, with Cooper concealed in her backpack, preferred to avoid too much interaction with strangers, so they returned to the submarine to let Cooper out for some air.

Discussing their living situation, Stella and Jasper agreed that the base's cramped quarters wouldn't suit them, but they decided to take a look before settling.

If it wasn't suitable, they could always stay in the submarine, bringing their potato plants aboard during the day to keep them safe from prying eyes. Thus, neither Stella nor Jasper committed to staying.

After enjoying a hearty meal on the submarine and a brief rest, Stella stowed Cooper in her backpack, and they set out in their inflatable boat toward Area B.

The motor roared to life, cutting through the rolling waves as they approached the giant platform of Area B.

From a distance, the octagonal structure of Area B seemed modest, but as they drew closer, the grandeur of the buildings became apparent, dwarfing them like ants.

The weather was clear, with survivors either basking in the sun or tending to their chores.

Clothes hung out to dry, and plants were set out for photosynthesis.

During the day, the men usually went to earn their keep, while the women either stayed behind or chose lighter tasks.

After nine years of disasters, complete families were a rarity.

So, when Stella and her companions stepped onto the platform, they drew curious glances from the seemingly numb survivors.

Even in their worn clothes, they appeared better off than most.

No matter how good one's disguise, it's hard to hide a well-fed body.

Ignoring the uncomfortable stares, Stella led her group to the living management office.

Handing over their paperwork, they were assigned three adjacent rooms in section 4 of floor 3. They were instructed to keep their quarters tidy, and that water could be drawn between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., with each person entitled to half a bucket from the desalinated supply.

On the first floor, at the southeast corner of the platform, there was soil for those who wished to plant, and as for fertilizer, it was a matter of self-sufficiency during these extraordinary times.

Stella's eyes widened in astonishment, "You mean to tell me the soil was dredged up from the ocean floor?"

The site manager nodded affirmatively, "Yep."

With the ocean being so deep, she pondered, "Did they use a cutter suction dredger?"