18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel Chapter 249

When they woke up naturally, it was already ten in the morning.

After washing up and having breakfast, Stella kept flipping through the "Complete Guide to Herbal Medicine", but she still couldn't figure out the two plants that she brought back from Mount Murray.

What the hell was so mysterious about these plants?

Unwilling to give up, she continued to scour the resources on botany that she had downloaded before the disaster, almost driving herself to frustration.

Nevermind, she thought. She'd plant them first and figure them out eventually.

With only two of these plants, Stella treated them with extreme care, gently planting them in her garden.

She also had hundreds of different types of herbs that she had collected from Mount Greenwood. She organized them by their medicinal properties and noted them down in her notebook.

Though there were many herbs, not all of them were suitable for treating illnesses on demand.

Stella made a list of common ailments and then made corresponding prescriptions. She checked what she had and what she was missing. To her surprise, she realized that she was missing a lot of essential ingredients. She made a note of the ingredients she was lacking, planning to go out and find them when she had the chance.

Jasper showed up at dinner time. He came down from upstairs and said, "Those people aren't interested in the crops. They're scouting Eastwood Eden."

Stella thought for a moment, "What do you suggest?"

Did they have to deal with refugees, bandits, or organized crime? She and Jasper could leave without a problem.

If it was within their ability, they could lend a hand from time to time. If it was a large-scale conflict, and the enemies were armed, they wouldn't rush into the fray.

"Did Mark ask you to join?" she asked Jasper.

"He asked for my opinion, but he didn't ask me to join."

This made Stella feel a little better. She was willing to help in a life or death situation, but she didn't want people to take their help for granted.

Dependency could become a habit. If Mark took their help for granted, Stella would refuse, and they might even move away.

Actually, some people in Eastwood Eden had suggested that Mark should involve them in the decision-making process. Mark considered it, but in the end, he said, "Given Jasper and Stella's abilities, they won't have trouble finding a place to stay. They're just passing through Eastwood Eden.

“Besides, they've already done so much for us. The last time the bandits attacked Eastwood Eden, they saved us. If it weren't for them, we would've been wiped out before the police or the army arrived.

“They don't owe us anything. I know you're scared and want someone to protect you, but they're not obligated to do so. We need to rely on ourselves. If you always depend on others, what will you do if they leave?

“Listen to me, don't go looking for them. If anything happens, you'll only have yourselves to blame.”

With that, Mark continued to arrange work, "We'll split into four groups. If it comes to a fight, everyone but the old and the young will have to fight."

...

Stella didn't openly ask about what was going on in Eastwood Eden, but she kept an eye on things.

When she went downstairs to fetch water, even though people still greeted her with a smile, she could tell something was off. However, they didn't say anything, and the old man who fetched water was the same as always.

On her way back, she bumped into Christian, who was on patrol, "Stella, the Agricultural Institute is distributing seeds. Are you going to pick them up yourself, or should we do it on behalf of the community? If it's the latter, we need to register with IDs."

"I have to go out for a bit these days. I'll pick them up on the way."

Christian nodded, "Alright, just remember to pick them up on time. I'm worried they won't distribute them if you're late."

At night, Jasper came out of his study, "There are more people outside. They might make a move tonight."

The midnight sun meant there was no real night, but most people's biological clocks were still set to sleep at night, making it the perfect time to strike.