18 Floors Above the Apocalypse
Chapter 228

As the group brainstormed solutions, various ideas were thrown into the mix. "Let's scatter shards of glass beneath the walls. If they dare to climb over, they'll be skewered."

"We also need to secure our water well with additional locks. If that gets taken, we're done for."

They immediately set to work, determined to construct the wall before dawn, keeping danger at bay.

For safety, everyone stepped in, braving the heat to lend a hand.

Jasper was hard at work too, consulting with Mark about the best way to lay the posts for a more secure barrier.

Stella didn't venture downstairs. Instead, she immersed herself in the darkness, tinkering away. She was no mechanic, but after listening to the recording multiple times and puzzling over the machine for a good while, she finally managed to set up the sprinkler. She even took it in the Arcadia for an experiment. Ah, with this, watering wouldn't be a problem anymore.

They worked until the break of dawn, successfully dividing Eastwood Eden into two with a barrier built by countless hands.

Numerous bricks, cement bags, and heaps of sand are placed beneath the wall with the intention of keeping them secure and undamaged.

Everyone was exhausted, but nobody took a break. They went back to reinforce each building, quickly distributing the well water that was pitifully scarce.

As Stella was having her breakfast, she asked, "Should we enclose the building with an electric fence?"

After some thought, Jasper replied, "If a riot breaks out and a horde of people swarm in like zombies, the fence will be useless."

The place chosen by the officials for the refugee camp would need to accommodate at least a few thousand people. An electric fence could keep some people out, but not a large group. If they wanted to cause damage, they would replace a way.

And if the fence was damaged, that would be a problem.

They hoped that the military would arrive soon, for the potential dangers were too great.

Rosie was watering sweet potato sprouts on the balcony when she suddenly tensed up. "They're here!"

She hurriedly started to hide things, moving the planters indoors.

Stella stepped onto the large terrace, only to see a black mass of people approaching on foot. The line of people seemed unending. Each person looked gaunt, dirty, and emotionally numb, like emotionless zombies. Although the people of Eastwood Eden were also thin, there was a stark difference in both physical condition and spirit. The sight was utterly depressing.

After moving all the planters and the sunshade from the terrace, Stella called Cooper and Rosie over. "From today onward, you two are not allowed on the terrace. Stay inside the room."

Although they had built a barrier, the distance between building 5 and 6 was just a few dozen meters. It was too close for comfort.

On one side were people starving, and on the other were a kid and a dog. Who wouldn't salivate at the sight?

Stray dogs had a strong sense of good and evil. Cooper, with his stern face, was tense.

Jasper re-examined the stairwell, electrifying all the stainless-steel doors downstairs.

As the refugees streamed into the neighboring area, not only did Eastwood Eden increase its patrols, but it also shortened the intervals between them. Most of their energy was focused on building 5. Mark turned on the walkie-talkie. "Jasper, be extra careful in building 5. If you notice anything off, immediately inform us."

All the planters and sunshades had been moved indoors, and all rooms not only had privacy glass but also curtains.

Building 6 was right across the study, where Jasper sat, occasionally glancing at the other side as he read.

From morning till evening, each floor of the three buildings was crammed with people, probably no less than three thousand.

Five staff members, two police officers, ten security patrollers, and two trucks arrived with today's supplies.

Each person received a coarse grain bun the size of a fist and less than a third of a bowl of water. The refugees, their faces grimy, came down from the buildings.

There were elderly and children, but most were young and middle-aged adults. There were women too, but not many. Their clothes were ragged, and they all eyed each other warily.

Even from behind the wall, Stella felt as though she was being watched. Jasper felt the same. "There are too many people. We have to be careful."

Being careful wasn't the problem. The main issue was the stark contrast. Although conditions in Eastwood Eden were harsh, they still had a home and family. The ground still bore traces of their harvest. It was like placing a roast beef in front of a starving person. The temptation was too great. That night, Stella woke up several times to faint sounds of movement in the living room. Even the dogs were anxious.

In the morning, she found Cooper lying in front of her door. He wanted to protect her again. Stella crouched down and gently stroked Cooper's head.

Jasper spent the morning in the study and the afternoon upstairs, only coming down in the evening. His years of honed instincts were correct. There were a few forces within the refugee camp, all surreptitiously observing them. Moreover, one person had fallen from the building in the morning, and two more in the afternoon. "Fell from the building?" Stella frowned. "Was it an accident, or were they pushed?"

The buildings were newly constructed and hadn't been fitted with railings or windows yet. It was indeed easy to fall by accident.

But Stella wasn't naive. Everyone knew to be wary of others during these hard times. Who would venture into dangerous areas without a reason?

Jasper speculated, "Someone wants to create trouble, forcing the officials to negotiate with Eastwood Eden, and allow them to move into the safer buildings with doors and windows."

As soon as the incident happened, many refugees surrounded the staff, questioning why they weren't allowed to stay in better buildings in Eastwood Eden.

The troublemakers continued to cause a ruckus, while others kept their eyes on the body that had fallen, even as it was carried away by the security patrol.

Of course, he didn't share these thoughts with Stella and Rosie to avoid causing them worry. But he did tell Mark, urging him to communicate with the officials and ask when the military would arrive.

In the middle of the night, they were suddenly awakened by a scream. It was just one scream, and it disappeared very quickly.

Stella woke up to replace herself in Jasper's arms. "Go back to sleep, it's nothing," Jasper reassured her.

The refugees had just arrived, and even if there were ill-intentioned people among them, they wouldn't act rashly without knowing the situation here.

Stella placed her gun next to her bed and went back to sleep.

In the morning, Jasper didn't let Stella go downstairs. He went to fetch water from building 2. He returned over an hour later, carrying less than 10 liters of murky well water.

The drought continued, and the water level had dropped again.

Not only had Jasper been following the refugee buildings, but Mark was also keeping a close eye on the situation.

Building 1 was far away, and they hadn't heard the scream in the middle of the night, but the patrol team had. They also noticed that the staff members wouldn't dare to step into the refugee buildings without the company of police officers or security patrollers. What did this imply?

In an apocalypse, what was most sensitive was the human heart. Facing thousands of ravenous refugees, the staff were equally fearful and hesitant to step foot into the shelter unless it was absolutely necessary.

The military was yet to arrive and the local police force was stretched thin. An air of tension hung heavily around everyone. And so, they spent three nerve-wracking days on pins and needles.

Mark managed to withstand the pressure, and the authorities too had their concerns. They did not agree to the refugees' request to change shelters. After all, there were several shelters around Griffith, none of which were truly secure. They had to consider not just the refugees, but the safety of the local community too.

At sunset, Jasper, sitting in his study, saw a car pull up all of a sudden. It whisked away two policemen and five community watchmen in haste.

The security forces were already limited, so why the sudden dispatch? Unless there was some major incident, the police station wouldn't just remove the officers and community watchmen.

Jasper had a bad premonition. "Stella," he said, "I reckon we're in for a rough night."