18 Floors Above the Apocalypse
Chapter 247

Having settled their nerves, they chose to continue their journey.

Jasper was meticulous in his caution, avoiding areas where landslides or rock falls had occurred previously. They encountered a few close calls, but they narrowly escaped each time.

Twenty-six hours later, after experiencing the variations of all four seasons in one day, they successfully reached the mountain's peak.

Below them, clouds rolled like a sea and upon the rocks, and sturdy pines grew. The mountain was wreathed in mist, which entwined itself around the peaks. It didn't appear like an apocalyptic disaster zone, but rather a breathtakingly beautiful landscape. Rosie, who had never seen such a sight before, was stunned. Cooper was equally entranced in the face of such beauty.

But there was no time to admire the view. Jasper scanned the area. Soon, his gaze locked onto a patch of green on the cliffside. Emerging from the base of a withered vine, it was only a few inches tall and looked incredibly fragile.

He gave Stella a tap on the shoulder, excitement poorly concealed in his voice. "Stella, we've found it."

Following his pointing finger, Stella squinted at the patch but was unable to identify it amidst the various herbs and plants.

No matter. They decided to collect it first and identify it later.

The cliff was dangerous and collecting the plant required careful skill. Jasper took out his climbing gear. "You guys wait here."

Stella quickly interjected, "The cliff isn't safe, and the rocks might not be able to support your weight. Let me do it."

"You're not experienced in climbing. It's riskier for you." Jasper decisively refused. "Don't worry, I'll be careful. Besides, I've done this before."

He put on his protective gear and started towards the cliff.

Stella was extremely nervous, her left hand gripping the rope that Cooper and Rosie were attached to, her right hand resting on the climbing rope to prevent any mishaps.

Jasper, like a gecko, slowly and steadily moved forward, inching closer to the plant. The sound of falling gravel made Stella's heart leap into her throat. She even forgot to breathe. Rosie clasped her hand over her mouth, afraid that her gasps would startle Jasper.

His slender hand reached into the crevice and began to dig around the plant with a small shovel. Once the soil was loose, he carefully uprooted it. The plant was undamaged, roots and all.

Once he had safely returned, Stella hugged him tightly, unable to speak for a long while.

The mountain was not just volatile in weather, but also perilous.

The roots of the plant were sparse, and it was uncertain if it would survive. They continued their search.

The plant seemed to favor growing in cliffs, as the new sprout was hidden among withered vines. If it wasn't for Jasper's remarkable memory, they wouldn't have found it. Fortunately, this time was not as risky. With some effort, they successfully collected it. The roots were intact and Stella happily said, "It'll survive. Let's head back."

The new sprouts had barely emerged from the soil and the process of collecting them was too risky. They decided to take what they got back and cultivate them carefully instead of risking Jasper's life again.

Every adventure came with risks, and not every risk guaranteed safety.

Jasper didn't insist further.

They descended the mountain.

The climb had been difficult and the descent was no easier, leaving their knees trembling. However, the journey was significantly shorter, and they were able to return to the original path in just ten hours. Once they had successfully retreated from the valley, they returned to their Hummer. They washed their faces with wet wipes, had a hot meal, and then fell into a deep sleep due to exhaustion. When they finally woke up, fully recovered, 24 hours had passed.

Beer, Sprite.

Boiled beef, fried fish, and mashed potatoes.

They indulged in the meal, and Cooper almost ate himself into a round ball, his mouth shiny with oil.

With the life-saving medicine sorted and Collin's various prescriptions at hand, even

Stella couldn't figure out the perfect medicine, the least they could do was maintain their health. The weight in their hearts finally lifted. As he was stretching their legs and waiting for their full bellies to settle, Jasper asked, "Head back to Griffith?"

Stella considered it. "We're not far from the military base. Why don't we go there and see how Lukas and the others are doing?"

Survival was a basic human instinct, and emotional connections were spiritual needs. Since they were already here, taking a detour to visit them would also put their minds at ease.

Jasper didn't object. And so, the trio and the dog set off again.

The road to the military base was much wider, and they even passed a few rundown cars going in the opposite direction. If their guess was correct, these were survivors from the base, scavenging for resources. Their imposing Hummer attracted many curious and envious glances, but no one dared to mess with them within the military's territory.

The journey was smooth, and they arrived at the 30-mile mark in no time.

From a distance, they could see the military base, built around Pearl Lake, with countless houses stretching as far as the eye could see.

The base, capable of housing 300,000 people, was staggering in scale and layout. Even without seeing the full picture, they were immensely awed.

They followed the highway and when they were about 5 miles from the base, they encountered a checkpoint.

Armed guards, upon seeing that the vehicle didn't have a pass, signaled them to pull over. "What's your business?"

Stella rolled down the window. "We're here to replace someone."

"Who?"

"Our cousin and his wife. We separated during the extreme heat. They took some supplies to the base and left some things at our house, promising to return for them. It's been over a year and we haven't heard from them." "Get out of the car and walk to the hut on your right. There are staff there who can help you look them up."

Stella hadn't expected the military base to be this accommodating and thanked them.

Given that the dog couldn't leave the car, she decided to let Jasper and Rosie wait in the vehicle. She walked down the road to the right and after about 500 meters, there really was a hut with several shabbily dressed people lining up. After a few minutes, it was Stella's turn. She handed over her ID. "Could you please help me look for Lukas? He came from Griffith over a year ago."

After verifying her identity, the staff member searched their computer. "What's the name?"

"Lukas, L-U-K-A-S."

"There's a Lucas, with a C, in his 40s."

Stella was taken aback. How could there be no Lukas? This was illogical. Could something have happened to them on the way to Lincoln?

Stella was flustered and her feelings were mixed. She quickly asked the staff member to check for Angela and Cody.

There was no Angela and the three Codys they found were all the wrong age. Stella was dumbfounded. What on earth had happened?

She left the hut and returned to the car, her mind in a whirl.

In this world of natural disasters, life and death were unpredictable. Jasper tried to console her. "Don't worry too much. Maybe they changed their minds and went to another city instead."

Stella found this unlikely. The food they took, minus what they would have had to give to the base, would have lasted them a long time. Besides, Jasper had clearly warned them that the military base was much safer. Under ordinary circumstances, most folks would opt for a military base.

"Don't forget, Angela has more than just parents. She's got her brother, sister-in-law, nieces, and nephews. You think she's just going to let her kin suffer?" Jasper speculated, "It's possible Angela's family can't muster up enough food to trade, so they resort to the public shelters instead.

Even if they can, with Angela hauling around a whole brood of relatives, even if she herself fits the bill for the military base, they might not take her."