18 Floors Above the Apocalypse
Chapter 133

In the darkness, Jasper gently embraced her, "How do you feel about me, Stella?"

Stella's mind was buzzing, her body slightly stiff, but she didn't push him away. After a while, she responded, "It's... it's okay."

"Stella, this is the first time I've ever liked someone, and it is also the first time I've ever treated someone well. If there's anything I'm not doing right, don't hesitate to tell me. Don't keep it to yourself." "I..." Stella thought for a moment, then said with some hesitation, "I was pretty silly before. I had a little crush on Hector, even gave him gifts. Does that bother you?"

Jasper held her tighter, "Did you like him?"

Stella paused, thought for a while before answering, "I did at that time. It felt like I was under a spell. But now that I think about it, it wasn't really like. More like chasing the light."

People tended to want what they didn't have. Stella had her own flaws. She was prone to obsession and negativity.

Hector was like a ray of light, shining into Stella's imprisoned heart. Having seen light in the darkness, one would instinctively chase it. Little did they know that it was not light, but a mirage.

Hector and Jasper gave off completely different vibes.

Stella could feel Jasper's steady presence. Standing next to him gave her a sense of security, as if she didn't have to worry about too much.

Jasper knew she still had reservations, so he refrained from being overly affectionate. He gave her a kiss on the forehead, then opened the door. The light streamed in, illuminating her delicate features, like a red rose blooming in the snow. Back home, Stella changed her clothes and crawled into bed, her hand resting lightly on her forehead where he had kissed her. Her heart skipped a beat.

The potatoes hadn't been harvested yet when Katie showed up carrying a large bag.

"Stella, this is a growth accelerator that Mikey brought back. He said that if you mix it into the soil, it can speed up the growth of the potatoes, and you should be able to harvest them in about two months."

Mikey had brought back a bucket of the stuff. Katie generously poured half of it into a tub, "The community will distribute it in a few days, but with the amount you guys planted, it won't be enough." A growth accelerator?

In her past life, there was no such thing. Her potatoes had started to wilt under the sudden intense heat, and the harvested potatoes were no bigger than a fingernail, not even enough to fill a gap in her teeth.

Who would have thought that this time there would be a growth accelerator? It seemed that the higher-ups really believed that the intense heat would come, and they wanted the researchers to replace a solution, to allow the people to harvest a crop of potatoes before the heat arrived, otherwise, who knows how many people would starve.

Stella had planned to rest after this harvest, but now it seemed she could plant another crop. Who would complain about having too much food?

Even with the growth accelerator, time was still an issue.

Stella dug up a pot of potatoes, and they were already quite mature.

The fertile black soil, combined with Jasper's abundant light supplementation, had made them mature quickly. But if they had more time to grow, the starch content would probably be higher.

Jasper commented, "The starch isn't important. What matters is that we have enough to eat."

So they started pulling up the crops and planting at the same time, mixing the freeze-resistant and growth accelerator together, and planting the last batch of cold-resistant potatoes.

When the time came, they would supplement the light as much as possible, and harvest before the intense heat arrived.

The second batch of potatoes yielded over 1500 pounds. Stella only used 1000 pounds for trading, the rest were all stored in Arcadia, just in case.

Cold-resistant potatoes were in high demand. She traded them for 20 high-grade gas masks and 10 oxygen tanks.

She and Jasper both had diving suits, which would come in handy in case they had to escape or work underwater.

The potatoes grew quickly with the growth accelerator. Stella didn't forget to apply some compound fertilizer, hoping they would grow faster. She also tried to extend the light exposure time as much as possible. One month later, Jasper suddenly said, "Stella, the temperature has risen."

So soon? According to the timeline, there should still be a month left.

"How much has it risen?"

"It is now minus 69 degrees."

The extreme cold had been maintained at minus 72 degrees for a long time, and it hadn't changed for several months. Now it had suddenly risen by 3 degrees, perhaps indicating that the extreme cold was about to end.

In her past life, Stella didn't have a thermometer. Even with all her clothes and blankets on, she still felt bone-chillingly cold. Frostbite, like ringworm, kept recurring.

She wasn't sure if the temperature had risen, but she clearly remembered that it seemed to warm up for a few days, then the ice melted overnight, and the temperature skyrocketed.

Jasper, who had been involved in the rescue operation throughout, had a clear memory. "The temperature did rise slowly, but survivors without adequate heating didn't notice it until it rose sharply later."

So they started to record the temperature every day, and it was indeed rising.

In preparation for the impending intense heat, Stella started making ice. Several soup pots, buckets, and basins that came with the induction cooktop were cleaned and filled with water in Arcadia, then brought out and placed in the living room. At minus sixty degrees, the water quickly turned into hard ice.

There weren't enough tools at home, so she also used those from 1801.

Large ice blocks were used for cooling, and small ones could be used for eating. It had been a long time since she had enjoyed the taste of iced tea or iced cola, and she almost drooled.

Jasper helped her make ice. "You're just like Rosie, always craving for something."

"That's us girls. We live to satisfy our mouths, don't we?"

"Who says that?"

Speaking of which, Stella couldn't help but be curious. "What are you interested in?"

He didn't seem to demand much in terms of food, clothing, and living. He seemed indifferent to everything.

Jasper looked at her, the corners of his mouth curving up slightly. "You."

Stella was taken aback at first, then her face reddened, and finally, she picked up a small ice cube and threw it at him. "In your dreams."

After half a month of making ice, they had enough to last for several years. By then, the temperature had risen to minus fifty degrees.

Stella didn't let her guard down, and once again reviewed the materials needed for the intense heat.

Water purification tablets, electric fans, air conditioning fans, mosquito nets, mosquito coils, insecticides, and disinfectants...

What she had prepared, Jasper almost had as well. They should be able to meet their needs, but they still discussed it, and decided to replenish what was missing before the end of the extreme cold.

Jasper suggested, "We can trade for some stainless steel screens to nail up the gaps in the balcony to prevent cockroaches, snakes, and rats from climbing up."

They would need to secure several layers, as red-eyed rats had sharp teeth.

Thinking of the bug infestation, Stella felt goosebumps. The scene was too horrified to imagine.

After eliminating what they needed, she thought about it again and said, "We might have enough, but Lukas and the others don't."

Jasper thought for a moment, "Lukas and the others have left things here with you. If you can trade for them, do it. If you can't, we have some extra. We can give them some."

With his words, Stella felt slightly relieved. They had moved to the 18th floor a little over a year ago, and their relationship was still quite pleasant. Beyond their friendship, Stella held a deep sense of empathy for them. She wouldn't stand by, not while they were struggling, not as long as she could help it.

She took stock of what they needed and rolled up her sleeves to get started.