18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel Chapter 468

Hans was no slouch when it came to professional skills, but when it came to quick thinking, he always seemed a step behind. Yet, even he could sense something was off this time. A vast stretch of sea and a sudden bounty of dew-kissed greens? It just didn't add up.

He stood there, dumbstruck for a moment before a jolt of realization hit him. He remembered the aid 2688 had given to 1926 and blurted out, “Hey, look at me with my forgetful head. This medicine, I got it from South Base. What my friend sent is a whole different batch. Wonder how they're doing after all this time? Would've been great if they'd come to Hope Point with me.”

As a soldier, Hans rarely lied, and now he was sweating bullets, his eyes darting around guiltily. But the injured man didn't dwell on it, saying, “So the mysterious Samaritan pointing us the way, the one sending food and supplies, they're from South Base?”

Bran chuckled, “Does it matter if it was a person or a ghost, where they came from? They meant well, didn't they? Otherwise, they wouldn't have helped you guys out of that tight spot, making sure you made it to Hope Point alive.”

“That's true,” the man admitted gratefully. The supplies from those ships saved over five hundred souls, something they would remember with gratitude for the rest of their lives. From Hans' story, it seemed like the mysterious benefactor was indeed from the southern military base.

To find such compassionate kin during a natural disaster filled him with pride. The others murmured in envy, “You guys got lucky. How come we never ran into them?” Some teased, others speculated; the truth behind the ghost ship was a matter of belief. But Bran's gaze on Hans was tinged with contemplation. He knew that Hans had met his sister and brother-in-law at sea.

After a few minutes, the bleeding miraculously stopped. The injured man couldn't talk much, so the ghost ship story ended there, and the conversation naturally drifted to other topics. As the night deepened, the party feasted to their hearts' content, saying their reluctant goodbyes before hurrying to catch the last ferry, as tomorrow was another early day of bricklaying.

Bran sat on the outermost seat, letting the cold sea breeze slap his face, his mind a tangled mess...

Stella was quite happy on her end. Rosie had caught the leadership's eye and was soon to be transferred to Area A as a reserve officer. In the few months since arriving at the base, she'd become livelier and made some new friends. They weren't the heart-to-heart type, but they were decent folks, and that was more than enough.

Stella felt good about herself too. The hospital was still short on doctors and medicine, but they did what they could with what they had. The herb garden was expanding, and she and Collin were busy teaching students. The base had its share of challenges, but the future looked promising. Life was moving in the right direction.

Turning around, she snuggled into Jasper's arms, “Jasper, are you happy with our life now?”

“I am,” he replied without hesitation. Having been given a second chance at life, not only were his loved ones by his side, but he'd also found a partner to share his life with. How could he not be satisfied?

He kissed her without holding back, and the kiss deepened unexpectedly. Stella didn't push him away, whispering a reminder, “Rosie and Cooper are still awake.” It took Jasper a few minutes to regain his composure. “I'll come to your dorm tomorrow at noon.”

She teased him, nipping at his ear, “Come early.”

The CPU-nearly-fried Jasper was speechless...