18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel Chapter 603

Years flew by in the blink of an eye, with the chasm between life and death growing ever wider. So many friends and family members, never getting the chance to reunite in their lifetimes. Stella felt incredibly fortunate that she had been adrift at sea, scouring the globe for resources. Otherwise, she might never have had the chance to find them. Maybe this was fate's way of giving her a chance.

Cody, still groggy, asked, "Stella, is this purgatory?"

Stella couldn't help but chuckle through her tears. "Nah, even the Grim Reaper wouldn't take you; said you're too skinny."

She continued to feed him spoonfuls of sugar water, and as his spirits lifted slightly, she recounted the past in a few brief sentences, "After the land rose again, I stumbled upon Griffith Base. Later, I joined the military's salvage team, wandering the seas for supplies. Never thought I'd run into you guys here."

She didn't let him talk too much. "You've just come back from the brink, rest up."

Too weak to even speak, Cody drifted back to sleep, a slight smile on his lips as if in a pleasant dream.

At dawn, Lukas also woke up, murmuring, "Honey."

Angela smiled at him, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Don't cry. I've still got to stick around for my darling wife. Can't get rid of me that easily."

The old couple, after so many years, and still, Lukas had that silver tongue that never failed to charm Angela. No wonder she was so smitten with him.

Hearing a snicker nearby, Lukas managed to turn his head, his pupils dilating in shock, "Stella?"

No way, was this a dream or an illusion?

Angela, relieved, spoke with a hoarse and choked voice, "Stella's here, and she saved you and Cody."

It had to be a dream. They looked weathered as old leather, while Stella was still like a fairy, barely changed at all. Lukas had always believed that Stella would do well but never dared to hope that they would meet again in this life.

Angela explained, "Stella was out looking for the Kindle Chest. We almost had a misunderstanding and came to blows..."

The joy of their reunion was like a shot of adrenaline, rejuvenating Lukas's pale complexion, "How are Jasper and Rosie doing? How have you been?"

"Jasper's out scouting oil fields, and Rosie's running a farm at Griffith Base."

Griffith, was that their hometown? Rosie was impressive, managing a farm now. It all sounded like heaven and hell – on one side, a barren wasteland, on the other, a green farm. It seemed like a dream.

Seeing his spirits lifted, Stella gave him an overview of Willowbrook and Griffith, "Both are military bases established by the national forces, especially the Ocean Point Naval Station, which is a national-level Hope Point. Griffith is established by South Base."

Maybe they had come ashore too early, or perhaps they had missed the Ocean Point Naval Station's search teams. They ended up on this barren continent, stumbling into being neighbors with China. Skirmishes every three days, bigger battles every five.

Whether China's headquarters were too arrogant to take them seriously, tied up in other matters, or perhaps lacking in slaves, they never sent a large force to annihilate them, giving the camp a chance to breathe.

Jasper spoke up, proposing that the camp leaders and special team sit down for a talk. The special team's goal was clear: they intended to take the Kindle Chest and leave, no matter what China said.

But before any conflict, they needed to make sure if the camp was willing to leave. Everyone yearned for a better life, but with thousands at the camp and over a hundred taken hostage, they couldn't just abandon them.

Jasper was clear-cut, "If you choose to leave, we'll find a way to help you rescue the captives. If you choose to stay, we'll take the Kindle Chest and withdraw. You need to be prepared for retaliation."

A decision affecting thousands couldn't be made in just a few words. Cody thought for a moment before responding, "We need to discuss this."

And so, the special team waited outside. Half an hour later, the camp finally made up its mind; they were willing to leave. Though Willowbrook was under the jurisdiction of the Australian national base, they were from the southern military and inherently leaned in that direction.

Experience had taught them that no matter how good Willowbrook seemed, Stella had no choice, and there had to be a reason behind it. Following her decision couldn't be wrong.

Whether for public or private reasons, they were more inclined toward Griffith Base. But the ranks were swelling, and many hearts were set on Ocean Point Naval Station, yet the brass seemed to unanimously favor Griffith Base. Left with little choice, the rest fell in line.

After all, they had weathered storms together within the confines of the camp, and sticking together in a new place offered a sense of solidarity. Venturing alone to Willowbrook was daunting — the thought of being strangers in a strange land was unappealing.

Thus, the collective decision was made for Griffith. With the decision set, the next hurdle was how to evacuate swiftly. Aside from the prisoners and the naval contingent at sea, the camp housed several hundred souls, and they had but seven submarines at their disposal. Even if they packed the subs to the gills, cramming every corridor to bursting, they could at best accommodate 400 people.

The more they overloaded, the higher the risk. But what of the remaining 600-plus? How would they manage?