18 Floors Above the Apocalypse
Chapter 373

Stella was fresh off the bus, lugging a duffle bag and wearing an expression that screamed "new in town." Her local guide, Mike, a seasoned guy who'd seen it all, took it upon himself to clue her in.

"Joining the military's no joke," he said, chewing on a toothpick as they strolled down the dusty roads. "You go through hell every day, but at least you get a solid meal and a roof over your head. And if Mother Nature throws a fit, the base has got your back." "Factory workers have it rough too," Mike continued. "They're busting their butts all day, but they get dorms. Not fancy, but better than being out in the sticks."

"Scavengers used to have a decent gig, sort of. Risky business, but if you got lucky, you could make a killing. One good haul could cover your bills for months. Those days are gone though. Now, going out is just a waste of time."

Outside the base, scavengers were reduced to fighting each other for scraps.

"They keep it civil on base," Mike said. "But outside, it's a free-for-all. Winner takes all."

"And some even raid mob hideouts. It's a jungle out there."

Mike noticed Stella and her friend seemed overwhelmed. "You might want to rethink this scavenger gig," he said. "It's no walk in the park."

Stella managed a wry smile. "We'd enlist in a heartbeat, but we've got a kid to think about."

Everyone's got their burdens, Mike figured, so he didn't push it further. It was their choice.

Back at the main hall, Stella laid out her bartering goods: four packs of stale cigarettes, five bottles of premium liquor, and six pounds of tea.

The real estate office wouldn't give her a price, directing her to the trading post to convert it into credits.

So they headed to the trading center, only to replace out they needed an extra thirty pounds of food to cover half a year's rent.

Stella wasn't about to dip into her food stash, so she bartered more tea.

With paperwork done and keys in hand, she noticed there was still daylight left. She was curious about the submarines at the harbor, but Jasper, her friend, wasn't keen on the idea.

"Kindle Society has its own rules," he said, running a hand through his messy hair. "We're not dodging gangs here; it's the military we've got to be careful about. We just got here; it's not smart to go snooping around. We'll replace another way to get the info." Stella trusted Jasper. He knew the ins and outs of the armed forces.

They drove back to their new place at 196 B Street, a modest two-story house with three bedrooms and a living room, about 800 square feet of no-frills living space.

First order of business was to sweep for bugs. Jasper was thorough, nearly tearing the walls down and even checking the drains.

The houses were packed tight, with barely fifteen feet between them. Speak too loudly, and the neighbors could hear everything.

Once they were sure it was clear, they hung curtains for privacy. No need to broadcast their lives.

Stella had only brought the essentials: a bed, a desk, a couch, all secondhand stuff from her old apartment.

After a few hours of setup, they finally had a makeshift home.

They scarfed down a quick lunch and then retired to their rooms for some rest.

Leaning against Jasper's shoulder, Stella sighed. "If only the disaster would end, and we could live a simple life like this."

Nine years had passed since the disaster began. Stella had grown from a nineteen-year-old girl into a 28-year-old survivor, and Jasper was no longer the young guy he used to be, pushing thirty.

In a couple of years, even little Rosie would be grown up.

Settling in a new place was the easy part; it was the constant struggle for survival that wore them down. When would it end? Or would it ever?

Jasper wrapped an arm around her. "As long as we don't give up, maybe there'll come a day when it all stops."

They fell into a deep sleep, only to be roused by shouting from below.

Stella thought it was a dream, too tired to come to her senses until Jasper nudged her. "Stella, someone's calling for you."

Considering they had Cooper, their trusty watchdog, on guard, they had allowed themselves the luxury of deep sleep.

The voice sounded familiar. Stella got up and pulled back the curtains to see four uniformed figures standing below-two men and two women.

My God, it was Cody, Lukas, and the others.

Stella was overjoyed. "You made it in?"

Not only had they made it, but they'd enlisted too.

In the midst of her excitement, Stella didn't forget to stash the decent furniture and swap it with more worn pieces.

She rushed downstairs for a heartfelt reunion hug.

Lukas was visibly moved. "Did you replace Jasper?"

Stella beamed. "Yes, we did. He was badly hurt. We had to lay low for a few months before making it to Kindle Society. Just rented this place at noon, and we were planning to look for you guys later. Didn't expect you'd show up so soon." Relieved to hear Jasper was okay, the group quickly settled down on the bare living room floor. "Having a roof over our heads is a luxury these days," they said, dismissing the lack of furnishings.

As they caught up on each other's stories, Stella learned that the group had been injured and had to recuperate for a month in a safe haven.

Without transportation, they had trekked over a hundred miles to Kindle Society, encountering refugees and highway robbers. But they were survivors, seasoned by years of living on the edge. They dealt with the threats and even snagged some supplies along the way. Once at Kindle Society, their priority was to locate Stella and Jasper, but to no avail.

They signed up for the military assessment, and Angela's past scuffles, which had gotten her kicked out of her previous town, came to light.

Just when they thought they'd be turned away, the military officials surprised them by offering Angela a three-month probationary period if she passed the assessment.

Stella was puzzled. "Since when does the military bend the rules? What's the catch?"

The military kept mum, and it took the group some time to piece together the possibilities.

One, Angela's brawling was a matter of record, but given her tragic family history, her actions were somewhat understandable.

Two, they had all served as security volunteers in Griffith, with commendable records easily accessible to the military.

Three, they were in prime physical condition with nerves of steel, acing the assessments with flying colors.

And four, perhaps the most significant factor, was that Kindle Society had a shortage of capable women, especially those skilled in survival. Angela, being of childbearing age, fit the bill perfectly.

Under the same catastrophic conditions, she might have a higher chance of survival than most women.

The Kindle Society has another name The Torchbearers.

The torch doesn't only carry the flame of human civilization and technology but has an even more crucial mission: the continuation of life.

Only by sustaining life can we perpetuate humanity, and only then can the torch be truly ignited.

When disaster struck, Angela's generation, regardless of age or physical condition, were in their prime. The younger ones suffered great losses to the calamity, while the older ones had already lost their ability to bear children, their physical strength waning with each passing year.

The disaster has been raging for nine years, and it might well continue for another nine. If the catastrophe were to end within this period, they would still possess the ability to procreate.

Therefore, when the base selects outstanding Torchbearers, as long as there are no issues with their character, they are given a certain preference.

But this policy cannot be made public. Whether or not one grasps the underlying reasons varies from person to person, but it's undeniable that the base has a severe imbalance in the male-to-female ratio.

That's why, in the past two years, under equal conditions, the rate of women passing the selection has been somewhat higher.

Stella was taken aback; she hadn't expected the government to consider things so thoroughly, their foresight far surpassed that of the average citizen.

Still puzzled, she asked, "But how did you guys decide to enlist?"