18 Floors Above the Apocalypse
Chapter 167

Evening was the liveliest time, when countless survivors would come out to mingle. Some would set up stalls selling barbecued food, grilled squid, octopus, seaweed, and fish. Without oil or seasoning, the taste was so pungent it could make you retch.

The barbecue was tolerable compared to the seafood soup stalls, which were even more overwhelming. They'd crush various seafood into a pot and cook it. The smell would waft three miles in the wind.

Stella may not be used to it now but in her past life, she didn't even have the opportunity to eat such food. This life was simply a stroke of luck.

There were many who could not afford to eat, their hunger gnawing at them due to their limited supplies.

Many villagers from nearby fishing villages sold water by the roadside. Even though it had the salty taste of the sea, it was still much better than directly drinking filtered seawater. However, the number of potential buyers was few compared to those who inquired. In the distance there were many people lined up at the relief station to receive relief food with their passes.

The beach was crowded with people. Whether for safety or mood, Stella didn't want to go there, opting instead to line up for rations.

The rice balls were the size of a fist, and you could get one per day for the first seven days with the card. They were made from crushed fresh seafood mixed with flour or cornmeal, shaped into balls. They didn't look appetizing, but they could fill one's stomach. Stella, Jasper, Rosie each got one.

The taste was truly unpleasant, and eating it was hard on the throat, but no one complained. This was life-saving food, after all.

Just as Jasper was about to eat, he noticed a child running towards the soldier distributing the relief food. The kid looked at him pitifully and pleaded, "Sir, I'm so hungry."

The soldier was young, barely in his twenties and looked rather thin. He held the last rice ball in his hand. It was his own meal.

Seeing the child before him, he handed over his rice ball without hesitation, giving the kid a small smile. "Eat up."

The child grabbed the rice ball, stuffing it into his mouth without even saying thank you, and then turned and ran off.

At the same time, several other children ran up, surrounding the soldier and begging for food. "Sir, I'm hungry too, please give me something to eat." They clung to him, refusing to let him go.

The soldier looked pained, but there was no way he could produce food out of thin air. He could only look helplessly at the children, his voice choking. "I'm sorry. I can't help."

His eyes reflected guilt, as if he had committed a grave mistake.

After about ten minutes, the children finally gave up and left, disappointed.

Jasper walked over and offered his rice ball to the soldier. At first, he refused. But whatever Jasper said convinced him, and he finally accepted the rice ball and began to eat. However, he began to cry as he ate.

Rosie, clutching her rice ball, turned to Stella, her eyes questioning. "Stella?"

Stella didn't stop her. "If you want to go, go."

Rosie ran over to the soldier and handed him her rice ball. Then she gently hugged him. Only when he had finished the rice ball did Rosie return, looking particularly happy. When Jasper returned, he sat in silence.

Stella divided her rice ball into four parts. "Let's all have a taste."

The food tasted salty and rough, but no one wasted it. Jasper accepted his portion, chewing slowly, and after a while, he finally spoke. "Stella, do you think I'm a deserter?" Every time he saw them, he felt awful.

"I don't think so," Stella pondered. "There are many ways to serve. It doesn't have to be the way you insisted on before.

"Remember that shot in Unity Village? If it weren't for your decisive action in killing the leader of The Chaos, who knows how many soldiers and survivors would have been sacrificed, and the food seized could save many people."

In the dim moonlight, she looked at him intently. "Look at him, giving up his own food, and likely his own safety when danger comes, but how many people can he save?

"And then there is Mikey, who seems weak but designed the mousetrap, preventing many survivors from being bitten by rats. No epidemic or plague occurred. Who would say he's not a hero?

"Jasper, I believe that even if you don't walk the old path, you will have your own way of doing things, and because of this, more people will survive.

"You're a human, not a god, and you can't bear the burden of this apocalypse alone. Don't put too much pressure on yourself."

Stella held his hand, their fingers tightly interlocked. "And, I believe you've done enough. You have no regrets, for your family and your country. What's left is to live well, for yourself, for your family, and for those who love you and those you love." Jasper held her hand tightly, the moonlight hiding the redness in the corners of his eyes. "Stella, thank you."

No thanks were necessary. Stella was just like him. If she hadn't met Jasper, her character might have been sharper, but now it was much softer.

The beach was crowded at night. It seemed lively but danger was lurking everywhere. Stella and the others didn't linger. They got into their old car and returned to the villa.

Once home, they didn't rest. They handed over the guarding task to Cooper and Rosie, while Stella and Jasper went to the rooftop to install solar panels overnight.

They planned to go to the docks early the next morning to check fresh seafood, and then make detailed stockpiling plans.

Jasper was quick to learn, reading the manual and installing the system while Stella assisted. After several hours of hard work, they had the solar power system up and running.

After taking a shower and sleeping in a luxurious villa on a six-figure comfy bed, Stella still found it surreal. Oh well, she thought, just enjoy it while it lasts. Who knows how long they have left? Live every day as if it's their last.

At two in the morning, the alarm clock rang on time. Stella was still half-asleep when she was awakened by the dog.

Smart as he was, he knew the alarm meant big things were about to happen, and he eagerly urged Stella to get up.

Being strangers in a new place, Stella put all the important things into her trusty Arcadia and took Cooper and Rosie with them in the car.

The dock was in another direction, just a few miles from the beach. By the time they arrived, the dock was already bustling, with several fishing boats unloading their catches.

Numerous merchants were waiting to select the best goods, some with trucks, others with tricycles, all from nearby Swan Hill. Those from far away didn't come, fearing the seafood would go bad before they could sell it.

Not only the merchants, but also community groups were there, all trying to make ends meet.

Also, Stella noticed several water trucks lining up to load water, which would then be transported to other places for sale.

The freshly unloaded seafood was extremely fresh, some of it still wriggling. It came in all shapes and sizes, too many to count.

There were three types of trades. Those who handpicked their seafood would receive one and a half pounds of grain in return for every pound of seafood. For those who didn't mind the type or size and just grabbed whatever, a pound of seafood equaled a pound of grain. As for seaweed-like marine vegetables, it was two pounds in exchange for a pound of grain.

It may seem inexpensive, but in reality, seafood was hefty, and a pound didn't amount to much.

Moreover, only private fishing boats were allowed to partake in this trade. Official fishing boats did not sell to the public. Aside from distributing a fixed amount of food as charity rice balls daily and providing assistance to new survivors, everything else would be dried and stored.

The dock was teeming with all kinds of people. Stella bought over twenty pounds of shrimp, squid, yellow croaker, and blue crabs. She pretended to put them into a Styrofoam box, but in reality, she stored them in Arcadia for preservation.

Retail prices were steep, and even if you had a mountain of gold and silver, it was not enough to stock up. You'll need to replace another way.

Stella was considering trying her luck at Odeberg International and Aqua Base.