18 Floors Above the Apocalypse
Chapter 120

Cody was distracted, losing miserably at the game.

Thankfully, they were only gambling with snacks. Otherwise, in his current state, he would have lost his underwear.

In the afternoon, the Moore family paid a visit, bringing over a local delicacy from their hometown-deep fried doughnuts.

The residents of room 1803 reciprocated with some snacks. They weren't overly generous, but they made sure not to leave the Moore family feeling short-changed.

In the evening, they had dinner, watched some TV, and took the dog for a walk. That was how they spent Christmas, not bothered about working out.

On the next day, the food drastically deteriorated-overnight mashed potatoes, and pasta mixed with meat sauce.

Out of sheer boredom, the inhabitants of 1803 started working out. Rosie and Cooper trained together, while Stella and Jasper practiced with each other.

On the eighth day, bundled up in thick clothing, the occupants of 1803 prepared to go out for some fresh air. They were on the verge of going stir-crazy. "Stella, are you coming?"

Having survived three years in the post-apocalyptic world in her past life, Stella was used to the harsh conditions. "It's too cold," she replied.

Not long after the trio left, the walkie-talkie rang. "The cold-resistant potatoes are sprouting."

Even the sprouting of potatoes was enough to pique Stella's interest in these boring times. "I'm on my way."

Upon reaching Unit 1801's balcony, she saw the potatoes breaking through the soil, their tiny sprouts showing a hint of green.

She counted, and about seventy to eighty percent of the potatoes had sprouted. Assuming the rest would sprout in a few days, the survival rate was satisfactory. This was all thanks to the quality of the soil. It was fluffy and nutrient-rich. On the other hand, the Moore family's potatoes were not faring as well. Their soil, which was dug up from the outside, was hard, sticky, and lacking in nutrients. Even with Katie's farming expertise, their sprouts were weaker. "Do we start giving them light now?"

Stella shook her head. "Let's wait a few days until the leaves come out."

When Angela and the others returned in the evening, they seemed to have something they wanted to say. Stella, sensing their hesitation, pretended not to notice and tossed a pork bone into the pot to stew with the radishes.

Tonight was the last gathering during the holiday. From tomorrow, everyone would be eating their own rations. Stella was looking forward to finally eating the food she had hoarded from Arcadia. She was practically salivating at the thought. After dinner, Angela finally spoke up. "Stella, I want to apply for the security patrol job."

There were new job postings today. The city even set up a procurement department to buy things like firewood and charcoal.

Giving a man a fish feeds him for a day. Teaching a man to fish feeds him for a lifetime. Handing out relief food was not a long-term solution. The city was trying to encourage people to become self-reliant. There were jobs for farmers, coal miners, woodcutters, and various skilled workers.

Mikey's words had an impact on the residents of 1803. The disaster was not going to end anytime soon, and no one knew what the future held. During the holiday, the trio had been doing a lot of thinking and had decided to face reality.

With careful rationing, their hoarded supplies could last two years. But what about after that? If the harsh conditions continued, it would become even more difficult to replace supplies. They couldn't wait until they had run out of everything before starting to look for more. Besides, it was unhealthy for three adults to be cooped up at home all the time.

They couldn't do manual labor, nor did they have any special skills. After considering their options, they concluded that the security patrol was the best fit. It was a risky job and it only paid eight pounds of food per month. But at least it included meals and accommodation, and they got two days off every month.

The residents of 1803 knew they couldn't compare with Stella and Jasper, who could support themselves even without working. They needed to plan ahead.

Patrolling was dangerous, but everyone had to replace a way to survive. Stella couldn't reveal that Arcadia to provide for them, plus she didn't have the capacity to support them either.

"It's good, but remember to stay safe."

She would never work. Not in this lifetime.

Angela breathed a sigh of relief. "I'll fill out the application form tomorrow and see if I can get the job. If I do, then you and Jasper will have to guard this floor."

Unit 1803 hadn't contributed much, so they would make up for it by providing some food. Stella didn't say yes or no. She would wait to see how things panned out.

After six months of intensive training, even the most vulnerable person of room 1803 had become muscular.

The security patrol job was dangerous and required quick reflexes and good physical fitness, so there was less competition for it. When they went for their interview, the police officer and the patrol captain were quite impressed. "When can you start?" "Anytime."

The trio passed the interview but unfortunately, they weren't assigned to the same area as the Sunrise Sanctuary. It was so far away that they would have to live in the provided accommodations.

They would start work the day after tomorrow. But because of the distance, they would have to set off early tomorrow.

Stella helped them pack. "Did you all get assigned to the same team?"

"We're in the same area, but we'll be assigned to teams after we report for duty."

They took along crossbows, knives, and bulletproof vests made of color-coated steel plates. They also carried some guns.

For ordinary people, getting hold of guns was not easy. Angela and her companions had brought them along just in case, but they wouldn't use them unless absolutely necessary.

Stella agreed with their decision and reminded them, "Although they now allow us to carry weapons, guns are still prohibited. Make sure to hide them well. If they're discovered, they'll be confiscated."

After discussing, they decided to each carry two bullets and left the rest with Stella for safekeeping. "If anyone dares to attack the 18th floor, don't hesitate to fight back."

After that, they handed over a few boxes of unused medicine to Stella. "If you can exchange these for food, please help us get some."

Stella didn't refuse. "Sure, I'll keep an eye out for you."

The next day, before it was even light, the trio quietly left. They were afraid that others would notice their departure and get ideas about the 18th floor.

With their departure, the hallway of the 18th floor was eerily quiet. Not only was Stella not used to the silence, even Cooper was whimpering and kept going to the door to listen for noises outside.

Now that there were only Stella and Jasper left to defend the floor, they had to rearrange their chores. The electric gate consumed power every day, and Stella didn't want to pedal the bicycle to generate electricity. So she decided to contract out the electricity supply. The storage battery was charged in Arcadia, providing not only for the electric gate but also for Jasper's solar lamp, which was used to supplement light for the potatoes.

To avoid attracting attention, Jasper installed blackout curtains on the balcony, allowing them to provide light to the potatoes during the day.

The potatoes were doing well, sprouting and growing leaves in the freezing temperatures of minus fifty degrees.

"Stella, my brother has given me the task of looking after the potatoes," Rosie said excitedly. "I bring them inside every night so that they don't freeze."

Those were eyes yearning for praise, and Stella readily gave it. "Good job, Rosie. You're doing great."

Perhaps reminded by Jasper, Rosie no longer came over looking for dog or rabbits like she used to. If there was anything, Jasper would call on the walkie-talkie. For instance, when they ran out of pie.

Jasper took the initiative to call, "Would you like to make some pie?"

Stella thought for a moment, "Sure."

The environment was only going to get worse, so it wouldn't hurt to stock up more when they had the chance.