18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel Chapter 152

However, as they moved forward, the sunlight behaved like a murderous assailant wielding a deadly weapon, relentlessly pursuing them.

Even with climate-controlled clothing, the 50-degree heat was unbearable. Sweat continued to pour from their bodies, making them as drenched as if they'd just stepped out of a shower.

Thankfully, Jasper had a good sense of direction. The four-story factory, their destination, was already in sight. The factory stood tall, its name and logo glaring in the sun, reflecting a metallic sheen.

Once they reached the rooftop, they used a crowbar to pry open the rooftop door.

The water had receded by over three feet, so the damp, peeling ceiling and piles of finished goods and raw materials were now visible.

It was clear that the factory had attempted to salvage their property, moving valuable goods to the fourth floor. But even that effort wasn't enough to outmatch the cataclysmic flood.

Jasper was not interested in the finished products, but the raw materials—rare metals like lithium, beryllium, titanium, and tungsten, colloquially known as industrial seasoning.

Adding just a pinch of these to conventional materials could yield unimaginable results, like resistance to extreme heat, friction, and hardness.

These were scarce resources, and the base would send scavengers to find such metals.

Taking advantage of these resouces, their survival would be ensured for a long time.

After extraction, these rare metals existed in powder form, sealed in cylindrical barrels, much like oil drums.

Swimming over, they found that the topmost label was for beryllium. Exchanging confirming glances, they decided it was a target worth hoarding in Arcadia.

These rare metals were absurdly expensive, but this factory was loaded. Stella managed to collect dozens of sealed barrels, making their trip worthwhile.

After a rough count, they had over a dozen types of rare metals. If they ever decided to enter the base, this would be their ticket.

As for the other finished goods, Arcadia space was running low and needed a recharge.

There was so much to collect, it was impossible to hoard it all. They had to leave some behind for others.

Upon returning to their neighborhood, night was just falling.

Lukas and the others, who had been inside all day, were out with Rosie and the dog on the rooftop for some fresh air. Seeing Stella and Jasper return, they quickly came downstairs.

Before they could approach, they pinched their noses and stepped back, “Wow, where have you guys been?”

Their bodies were soaked in sweat, a smell so strong it could knock a person out. The dog, however, didn't seem to mind, jumping up and wrapping itself around Stella.

As soon as Stella closed the door to her room, she immediately jumped into Arcadia to take a shower, cleaning herself from head to toe.

After resting and regaining her strength, she prepared a meal of roast chicken with pepper, Salt & Pepper Pork, Garlic Roasted Veggies, and a large pot of white rice, inviting Jasper and Rosie to join her.

Rosie, recognizing the cook through the taste, smiled brightly, “Stella, this is delicious.”

Cooper lifted its head proudly, looking particularly smug. Its owner's cooking was much tastier than the food from the trainers.

After they had eaten their fill, Stella sneakily handed a piece of watermelon to Cooper and Rosie, "Eat this in your room. Don't let anyone see."

Cooper and Rosie happily closed the room door, savoring their treat.

That day, on their way back, they had encountered a team of professional salvagers whose boats were loaded with goods, all covered in dirt and yellow mud.

Based on the shapes they could see, it looked like clothes and fabrics. Most likely, they had gone to a clothing factory. So they had to continue the next day, getting a head start before others could.

"Where should we go next?" Stella asked.

Jasper pondered, "We have the steel bars now. After the earthquake, we should be able to get a housing quota if we donate them. Then we'll need to decorate the house. How about we look for some tiles?"

Stella's Arcadia already had cement, lime powder, paint, and a few boxes of tiles, but not much.

"Good idea," Stella agreed. Anything extra they collected could be donated later.

The city had an entire street of shops dedicated to construction materials, but the tiles in the stores were merely samples. Customers had to get the goods from the factory. It would be faster to go straight to the factory rather than collecting samples from different stores.

They flipped through the map and quickly locked onto the biggest tile factory in Griffith.