18 Floors Above the Apocalypse
Chapter 172

Austin was straightforward, "Besides the Azure Heart that he gave you last time, he can offer another uncut gemstone, one that's even better than the previous one."

Surely, medicine can save lives, but it wasn't as precious as a vaccine. He could have gathered all the needed supplies on his own, but it would have been a lot of hassle. So, he preferred to extend this token of goodwill. Stella understood his logic but found the quantity a bit overwhelming. She took out a pen and adjusted the quantity of the medicine, "This is the most I can provide."

Who knew how long one could live? In case they ended up living for decades, feasting on seafood every day, both she and Jasper might end up suffering from gout. Without medicine to decrease uric acid, they might die from the pain. Having worked with Stella for a while, Austin had anticipated her negotiation. He had made sure to leave some wiggle room in the quantity. Without haggling, he agreed readily.

The next day, Stella and Jasper brought the medicine for the trade.

Three thousand pounds of dried goods had been loaded onto the luxury yacht. There was even a crew member ready to teach them how to operate it.

Jasper politely declined, "No need, I got this."

Stella was surprised. Was there anything he didn't know?

During the handover, the crew member looked as if he had been robbed blind, "This is a Riva, the Rolls-Royce of yachts. The boss bought it for over 80 million, and he never even got to ride it once before the apocalypse hit." He kept rambling, sounding like his child was being taken away.

Admittedly, the Riva yacht was opulent. From its design to its paint job, from its performance to its craftsmanship, everything about it exuded superior quality and unrivaled taste. Its interior was extremely luxurious, making it stand out among the world's yacht brands. The top-tier double-decker yacht was a favorite among royalty, celebrities, and business tycoons in the West. Now, it belonged to Stella.

Austin rushed over with the uncut gemstone. It was larger than the previous one and its color was mesmerizing. It looked like a collector's item.

If not for the apocalypse, which had overturned the value of jewels, Stella would never have had the chance to touch it. Now, it was worth a bit. But in a few years, it might not even be worth a slice of bread. Otherwise, why would the Odebergs be willing to trade it for medicine? Such shrewd businessmen would never make a losing deal.

Stella handed the prepared medicine to Austin. After verifying that everything was in order, they completed the barter.

Austin eyed the yacht enviously. If he didn't have urgent matters to deal with, he would have loved to set sail for a bit.

Jasper went into the cockpit, checked the controls, and started the yacht. The luxury yacht shot out like an arrow. The harbor was filled with tumbling white waves.

The setting sun deepened from light to dark, from pale to rich, as if half the sky was splashed with fresh blood. The yacht stopped in the vast ocean, bobbing gently in the waves.

Stella stood by the yacht's railings, watching the setting sun reflect off the sparkling sea. It was blindingly beautiful.

Seagulls swooped low over the water, rapidly skimming the surface to snatch up small fish. The breathtaking view was intoxicating.

Suddenly, Stella was embraced from behind. It was Jasper, holding her gently, "What are you thinking about?"

Stella looked into the distance, "Isn't the sunset beautiful?"

"Yeah." Jasper followed her gaze. It was indeed stunning.

With their height difference, his chin rested lightly on her forehead, "We might still get to enjoy this beautiful sea and sunset when the apocalypse is over."

Stella looked at him, her eyes filled with a hint of confusion, "Can the apocalypse end?" It was as if she was asking him, and also herself.

"We're just starting. We'll wait until that day."

Stella thought about it. She was only in her early 20s, and Jasper was only a few years older. As long as they fought against the apocalypse, they might indeed witness a new world. She turned around and embraced him in the glow of the setting sun. For the first time, she initiated a hug.

Jasper kissed her forehead. The golden sunset stretched their overlapping shadows. However, the weather was too hot, and their embrace was uncomfortably warm.

As he leaned in for another kiss, Stella laughed and quickly pushed him away.

Jasper led her into the cockpit, "Stella, I'm worried that you might need to use the yacht when I'm not around. You need to learn how to drive it."

Stella paused, "Alright."

In the unpredictable apocalypse, who could guarantee that they would accompany each other until the end of life?

Jasper explained the functions of the yacht's control panel to Stella. When learning this life-saving skill, Stella was deeply focused, familiarizing herself with the controls after several tries. After grasping the theoretical knowledge, Jasper let Stella take the helm for some hands-on experience.

Starting, accelerating, steering, making turns...

After two hours, it was getting dark. Although not entirely proficient, Stella was a quick learner. As long as she stayed calm, she wouldn't have any major problems.

Because it was not entirely dark yet and it was not convenient to dock and moor the yacht, Stella sat in the luxurious cabin and pulled out a cold glass of watermelon juice to beat the heat. The sweltering weather was unbearable, but sipping a refreshing fruit juice was indescribably comforting.

Sitting next to her, Jasper asked, "Has Arcadia expanded?"

Stella suddenly remembered the important stuff. She quickly found the large backpack and took out the Azure Heart.

A necklace worth 120 million. In the past, she could only drool over pictures of it, never imagining she could actually wear it.

Stella was a material girl, and quite so. Unable to resist the temptation, she put on the 120-million necklace and took a photo as a memento.

Jasper didn't say anything but smiled.

After taking the photo, she tossed it into Arcadia. A moment later, she checked with her mind. The villa hadn't changed at all, but The Garden had probably increased by about 1500 square meters. The Azure Heart was indeed impressive, even Arcadia couldn't resist its charm.

Finally, it was the uncut gemstone. It was much larger than the previous one. After taking a photo as proof of ownership, she tossed it into Arcadia without hesitation.

Arcadia got about 3000 square meters bigger.

Warren was a good man. Not only was he honest in doing business, but he was also generous. He was a true entrepreneur.

The tape measure couldn't measure it anymore. Stella could only bring Jasper into Arcadia, using his long legs to measure it.

And he actually went to measure it. Unlike the average Joe, Jasper, a man of unusual profession, was quite confident in his stride. Arcadia had expanded by about 4800 square meters this time. As for the height, Jasper kept glancing upwards, "Stella, do you notice anything different?"

Stella followed his gaze upwards, feeling as though it was taller?

So, she took a broomstick and went up to the fourth floor, prodding upwards. Huh, she couldn't reach the ceiling.

She then had Jasper lift her, continuing to prod upwards. Jasper was tall, so he squatted down and cradled her legs, standing up with her.

It was a high reach, but still no luck.

Finally, Jasper clambered onto the rooftop of the fourth-floor storeroom, but still no result.

Overjoyed, Stella jumped into Jasper's arms, exclaiming, "We won't be running out of space anymore!"