18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel Chapter 488

Over a hundred people had shown up, scattered across the snowy expanse, and Belarus was the loudest mouth of the bunch. But when it came to a real fight, he was the first to back off. The snow didn’t hold them down, no surprise there.

Once they were sure it was all clear, the duo rushed back.

Sure enough, a few stragglers were clawing their way out of the snow, only to be swiftly taken down by Jasper’s deadly precision.

Even with bulletproof vests and steel helmets, caution was key. The trio ducked behind a trench, waiting for the perfect moment to strike as their enemies emerged.

After about ten minutes, a few more managed to crawl out.

Their minds fogged from suffocation, they couldn’t muster the strength to fire their weapons, even though they held them in their hands.

Stella, armed with a crossbow, took aim and sent them to meet their maker.

No more came out after that.

After lying low for a good two hours and ensuring there were no prying eyes, Stella deftly cleared the snow-covered area and stored it into Arcadia.

The family followed her in, shovels in hand, ready to dig through the remains.

The fallen had come prepared; the spoils were rich and made Stella so thrilled she nearly shouted out in glee.

Her guess was spot on: Union Base was indeed divided by skin color.

Aside from those who had perished in the icy blaze, there were 20 soldiers smothered by the snow, and the rest were ordinary members.

The soldiers were geared up with top-of-the-line military submachine guns, body armor, and some even had military exoskeleton suits.

The ordinary Blue Eyes had civilian submachine guns and no body armor.

As for others with different skin colors, they carried mere pistols, their bodies leaner and their clothing clearly less insulated.

The hierarchy was severe, with no equality to speak of—it was survival of the fittest in its rawest form.

After stripping over a hundred bodies, they had amassed 3 flamethrowers, 20 military submachine guns, 23 civilian ones, 60 grenades, hundreds of pistols, and a treasure trove of ammo.

There were also knives, watches, cigarettes, canned spam, and more.

Such bounty was like a generous gift from a loving father.

Stella was most pleased with the flamethrowers; she had been lacking such a tool.

The model they had acquired could spray over a wide area with a range of up to 50 meters, reaching temperatures of up to 1800 degrees Celsius.

After gathering the weapons, what came next wasn’t for the faint-hearted. Stella took Rosie back to the villa for some rest, leaving Jasper to handle the grim task.

“Jasper, you’ve worked hard,” she said with a mix of gratitude and relief.

What could the ever-dutiful Jasper say in response?

Cooper, overwhelmed by the grim task, decided to help out the drill instructor.

Stripped down to their underwear, the clothes were tossed into a shipping container.

It was grueling work, and by the end, they were all but drained.

Stella urged Jasper to take a shower and cleanse the bad vibes.

“Hard work, Jasper,” she said, offering not only praise but also a soothing massage to unwind.

Emerging from Arcadia hours later, they found the ice hut had melted in flames, charred bodies sprawled atop the icy surface.

The snowdrift remained, a barrier against the wind and snow.

Stella had no desire to relocate, and together they cleaned up the charred remains, leveled the blackened ice, laid down a fresh layer of snow, and placed wooden boards on top before retrieving the shipping containers.

They reinforced the ice with water, ensuring a thicker layer than before.

After dark, Stella visited the spot where the tank had sunk.

The explosives were potent, blasting a ten-meter hole in the thick ice.

The sea was in constant motion, and the hole would take time to refreeze. After half a day, only a thin layer of ice had formed.

Stella used a pole to break the fragile ice and dumped the bodies into the sea, a feast for the fish.

The ocean was swift, and soon there was no trace left.

Union Base had suffered another defeat, and their retaliation would only grow more furious.

Stella just wanted a simple life, but some wouldn’t grant her that wish.

Such was the apocalypse: a disaster of both nature and mankind, with no room for notions of good, evil, or reason.