18 Floors Above the Apocalypse
Chapter 157

Monkey crossed out the items beyond his capabilities. "I can get the rest of them, but it would take some time." Stella inquired, "How long?"

"About five days," Monkey replied, not hesitating to ask for a high price. "After sifting through both hot and cold climates, it's hard to replace many things, and they're not cheap. It would cost at least 1000 pounds of potatoes." A thousand pounds of potatoes? Stella nearly burst out laughing.

After much haggling and negotiating, Stella, feeling flustered and irritated by the heat, finally settled on 500 pounds of potatoes.

They agreed on a meeting point for the trade. Stella, riding the mountain bike she had earned from Mikey, hurried home to escape the heat and preserve her life.

At nightfall, Jasper called her from walkie-talkie, asking her to come to the parking lot.

The Hummer, at last, was repaired. With its dismantled parts reassembled and a few parts swapped out from a salvaged collection, the shiny new Hummer made its appearance once again.

To be honest, she had always craved this type of vehicle.

Considering the super off-roader she had stashed away in Arcadia, Stella remained calm, although excitement still fluttered in her heart.

Jasper was quite the guy, skilled in everything from fighting and killing to car mechanics. Stella was irresistibly curious about him. "What else can you do?"

The parking lot was pitch dark, and he turned off his flashlight before embracing Stella. "Take a guess."

In the darkness, Stella allowed him to hold her, clearly smelling the scent of his sweat. It didn't stink, but rather felt reassuring.

Stella didn't guess, instead waiting for him to surprise her.

The parking lot was deserted, and under the cover of darkness, she stashed the Hummer in Arcadia.

The next day, Lukas stood in the parking lot looking bewildered. "Jasper, where's your car?"

Jasper replied casually, "I hid it somewhere else to prevent jealousy and sabotage."

"Jasper, you're always so thoughtful."

A new day began and the work continued.

After several days, Jasper and his two apprentices managed to assemble two off-road vehicles. Some parts were salvaged, others were supposedly traded by Stella from "outside", deducted from their stockpile of medicines.

Day in and day out in the parking lot, it wasn't surprising to be followed. But Jasper wasn't naive. He had noticed someone lurking in the shadows. So, he signaled to Cody and Lukas.

"What, the engine doesn't work and we need to replace another one? How long will that take?"

"Half a month. Isn't that too long?"

A few simple but vital parts were not installed, and they could finish it until the day they left.

Late at night, Jasper drove the Hummer, taking Stella to the trading point to collect the goods.

This was Stella's second time in his car.

The first time was when the typhoon was approaching, and he gave her a lift. Now, by a strange twist of fate, they had become a couple.

Thinking about it, it all seemed unbelievable.

Jasper focused on driving. "Why are you snickering?"

Stella quietly gazed at the night outside the window, feeling as if she were in a dream. "Nothing."

At the secluded trading point, Monkey drooled at the sight of the Hummer.

Having a car and being able to drive it, was definitely not something ordinary people could do. He was impressed. She's a big client! This woman was extraordinary in every way, except for her stinginess and knack for taking advantage of people. They made the trade, goods for potatoes.

They drove the car to a secluded corner where no one was around. Under the cover of the thick night, Stella stashed it in Arcadia.

Using their flashlights, they walked hand in hand back to the residential area. Halfway there, someone foolishly jumped out, "Robbery!"

The mood was ruined. Jasper kicked the intruder away, leisurely continuing to walk hand in hand with Stella.

Back on the 18th floor, Stella brought out some surplus supplies from Arcadia - more than 20 packages of sanitary pads, 40 pieces of salted fish, and 20 packages of salt.

The fish had been caught from the reservoir and turned into salty dried fish. Stored in sealed packages, they could be preserved for a long time.

Additionally, due to heavy sweating in the heat, there was a need to replenish salt regularly, otherwise, physical health would be affected.

She turned on the walkie-talkie and asked Cody and Lukas to come over and move the stuff. They too were packing up. They were leaving in a couple of days.

Seeing the huge pile of supplies, the usually carefree Lukas couldn't stop his tears from falling. "Stella, are you really not coming with us?"

Everyone had their own path to choose.

Stella invited them to sit down. "You remember the seeds we collected from the office building? Besides the vegetable seeds, the rest have not been used. How do you want to divide them?"

Cody spoke up. "Seeds are precious, but the three of us don't know how to plant them. It would be a waste to give them to us. Besides, Jasper has helped us repair two cars, which is something we couldn't repay even with all these supplies."

It was unanimously decided in apartment 1803 to leave the seeds to Stella and Jasper.

The two of them smiled somewhat sadly. "Stella, when you manage to grow rice and wheat, Lukas and I will come back to ask for food."

Stella took a deep breath. "Alright, I'll be waiting."

Apart from the seeds, Cody had something else to leave behind. He thought ahead. Although it was only 300 kilometers to Lincoln, the road was fraught with danger. Many people had set out for the base during this period, but many were robbed halfway. Among them were survivors from the upper echelons of society who drove. Not only were their cars and food stolen, but they were also beaten and injured. They stumbled back to Griffith, their shoes worn out and feet blistered from burns. Cody, Lukas, and Angela discussed and decided to leave a third of their food and medicine behind. In case they were also robbed, this would be their last resort. Stella was stunned. "You want me to keep it?"

Cody nodded. If they could safely reach Lincoln, that would be best. They would come back for the food and medicine later. Even if they didn't get a chance, considering Stella's care over the past two years and the survival skills Jack had taught them, they wouldn't be at a loss for giving these supplies to her.

Stella didn't refuse. "Alright, since you trust me, I'll keep them for you. You can come back for them whenever you need."

These guys were finally learning to plan for the long term and prepare for contingencies.

The three of them packed up their stuff overnight and brought over 100 pounds of rice and over 100 pounds of sealed dog food.

Dog food had a long shelf life and was quite filling. It was the perfect stored food. Besides, if they didn't come back, it could be fed to Cooper.

Stella brought out a large amount of vegetable seeds from her room. "It's hard to plant rice and wheat, but it's easier with vegetables. You can exchange them at the base or plant them on your own."

The seeds were leftovers from the inexhaustible greens in The Garden. Those that were obtained from the Monsanto, were barely touched due to their high research value and the fact that they were never short on food.

Dogs had a keen sense of human emotions. Cooper seemed to sense the impending departure, whimpering softly.

Rosie hugged them in turn, looking up reluctantly and asked, "Guys, when will you be back?"

Having spent almost two years together, Lukas had grown fond of this adorable child. He suppressed his sorrow and slightly lifted his head, "Remember to listen to Stella and Jasper while we're gone." Rosie obediently nodded, "Okay."

Children might not understand, but adults did. They knew what farewell meant.

The three in turn embraced Stella, "Stella, take care."