18 Floors Above the Apocalypse
Chapter 163

A massive truckload of ice cubes was all set to be picked up at five sharp. Monkey and his crew, fearful of melting, had even prepared insulated boxes.

They agreed to meet not far from their previous saltwater trading spot. Stella drove around from another location.

Austin personally brought over the diamond raw stone, roughly the size of a basketball. One corner was cut open, revealing a glassy sheen. Its texture was finely pure and flawless.

Such high quality was a first for Stella. If it wasn't for this catastrophe, she wouldn't even have the chance to admire it up close, let alone hold it.

She scrutinized it carefully, then stuffed it into her giant backpack.

After storing the gemstone in Arcadia for a while, Stella examined Arcadia with her consciousness, her eyeballs nearly popping out.

Wow, it was huge! Really huge! She didn't have an estimate about how much bigger Arcadia got yet.

Stella instantly snapped back, "Austin, can you replace more gemstones of this quality for me?"

Austin chuckled, "There's definitely stock, but it's all in the hands of the wealthy. You have precious water resources. Why would you worry about not being able to trade for good stuff? When you return from Swan Hill, we will continue our partnership. By then, even if you wanted the moon, I would replace a way to get it for you."

Stella was overjoyed, "Thanks for your help during this time, Austin. See you again."

Austin also enjoyed working with the two. They were capable, reliable, and even reminded him of someone following him during their previous deals. Moreover, with the water they provided, he had met many high society individuals recently, and his business had grown. Back home, Stella brought Jasper into Arcadia.

Jasper took a quick survey, "Added about 1000 square meters."

"Not just that." Stella gestured for him to look up.

Jasper looked at the ceiling, and after a while, he said, "The ceiling's higher."

They took a tape measure and found that the ceiling, which was originally 3 meters, was now 3.3 meters. Only the first floor had changed; the other floors remained the same.

This Arcadia was really interesting.

No matter what, today's deal was particularly worthwhile, much larger than the accumulated volume increase over this period. This trip to Swan Hill was going to be a big one. With the ongoing heat and drought, more and more survivors began to flee from Griffith.

They lacked the capital to enter the base, so they could only migrate towards the coast. Sea water was still water. Where there was water, there was hope.

It was better to stock up early than late, otherwise, all the good stuff would be taken by others.

After all, not only the survivors were running out of food, but the local government was also running short. They couldn't possibly miss this opportunity. All coastal cities would fight for resources. Stella thought for a moment, "How about we leave tomorrow?"

Jasper had no objections, but her Arcadia couldn't hold living things, "What about the rabbits?"

That was a problem. Rabbits bred too fast, and now there were dozens of them, almost eating Stella out of food.

What's more, several female rabbits were pregnant now.

Stella made a tough decision and put all of Smoky and Snowy's grandchildren and great-grandchildren down and put them in Arcadia.

She then went downstairs to replace the Moore family and asked Amber to help for a while, "We're planning on taking a trip to the coast, and we're not sure when we'll be back. Do you need anything?" The Moore family was free at home, and they always helped each other out, so they happily agreed to help feed the rabbits.

Knowing the two had a vehicle, Katie asked them to bring back some salt. As for dried seafood, who wouldn't want to eat meat? But it required 4 pounds of grain to exchange for 1 pound of meat. "Stella, if the dried goods are cheap, please get us a few pounds."

Stella readily agreed, and then took down eight rabbits. In addition, she took a few hundred pounds of dry hay from Arcadia and left it in 1803, and left a water tower for the Moore family, "We may not be back for a while, so you can use it if you need." After making arrangements, she went upstairs to pack. She put all the valuables into Arcadia, leaving only some furniture as a facade.

Jasper carried out two large cardboard boxes, "Stella, you keep these."

Stella was surprised, "What are they?"

"Bombs."

Stella was startled and hurriedly opened the boxes. There were about a dozen in each box, which looked rather crude at first glance. So these were homemade bombs.

Stella wanted to know if there was anything Jasper couldn't do.

Before she knew it, he brought out two more large cardboard boxes. Inside were sealed pottery. A while ago, the two had collected a batch from a tile factory, and he had taken a few boxes.

Stella thought he'd taken them to take care of his need to go to the bathroom, not realizing they were for another purpose.

Jasper explained, "These are Molotov cocktails."

Thank goodness it was the end of the world; otherwise, they would be in serious trouble.

With these guys, Stella felt more safe.

At the same time, Jasper reminded, "There are those who collect protection fees on the road, so bring some potatoes."

Protection fees? Stella remembered. Not only had Austin warned her, but Monkey had also mentioned that some people had set up roadblocks, and their power was not small.

Stella was resistant at heart, but considering the purpose of this trip, she still took a few bags of potatoes.

At three in the morning, the alarm rang. Jasper woke Stella up, then woke up the Cooper and Rosie. They brushed their teeth, washed their faces, and changed into old, dirty clothes. Better safe than sorry, Stella used her make-up skills to disguise everyone as scruffy and unkempt, then put on clothes that reeked of sweat.

Let's go!

The dog was a bit excited, having been cooped up at home since the extreme heat. If he went out, his paws would be cooked. It was still hot at night, but at least the floor wasn't scorching.

They descended the stairs, put Cooper and Rosie aside, and Stella, under the cover of night, took out the seven-seater domestic miracle car.

This was what Jasper had brought back. Despite its battered exterior, he had replaced everything that could be replaced inside, even the air conditioning was good, and he had added privacy film. The tires were heat and wear-resistant.

To make room for cargo, all the rear seats were removed. They laid down cardboard and a mat, creating a comfortable spot for Rosie and Cooper.

Stella pulled the curtains to hide Cooper and Rosie, in case anyone peeked and had bad intentions.

To avoid unnecessary trouble, Jasper didn't turn on the headlights but put on night vision goggles.

The air conditioner was turned on, and they were off.

It was still dark, the car moving slowly, inching towards the seaside.

On the road, the occasional dim light would flicker, marking other night wanderers. Stella and her gang were in a car, while these individuals carried their bags on their backs, their faces masked with uncertainty for the future, and a desperate longing for survival. They trudged forward, numb yet resilient.

The daylight was too harsh, the sun melting the asphalt; the survivors lacked the courage to challenge its fiery rays.

Jasper tried his best to avoid them, yet they noticed him. Some people looked on with a mix of envy, jealousy, and resentment, others chased after the car, yelling, "Wait, wait, take us with you."

There were even bolder ones, attempting to throw themselves in front of the car, with the reckless attitude of 'if you won't take me, you'll have to run me over.'

Jasper gave them what they wanted, not by stopping the car, but by accelerating even more.