18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel Chapter 520

Stella had a feeling Russia would agree, but she didn’t expect it to be this easy. Jasper was on board too, ready to teach the Russians how to fly planes.

Once the deal was set, a few Russians showed up to learn how to grow vegetables, and Jasper went over to teach them the ins and outs of helicopter flying. With snowmobiles at their disposal, commuting daily was a breeze.

Jasper had a daily ritual of heading to the reef where the ice was breaking, marking it and watching it rise a bit more each day. It wasn’t growing quickly, but there was always something new to see.

The latest from the Russian hunting squads was that with summer on the horizon, the Arctic ice was starting to melt. Hearing that mountains were forming, some teams that had stocked up for winter were already setting sail for distant shores. They yearned for land, hoping to find a new place to settle.

But they were out of fuel, drifting with the wind and currents, unsure of where they’d end up. Still, hope was alive in their hearts. Was the sea risky? When wasn’t there a risk in the face of natural disasters?

The wealthy elite, upon learning that Stella and her crew were planning to leave, were antsy too. Their crew was solid, leaving a hundred people to guard the ships along the coast. These ships had planes and plenty of fuel. The richest folks weren’t doing too badly in the Arctic, but who didn’t want a better life?

So, they sent someone to snoop around, asking where Stella and her group were headed. With her usual flair, Stella replied, "I’m tired of the Arctic. I’m off to Ocean Point Naval Station for a vacation to clear my head."

The wealthy folks left in a huff, their faces stormy. Stella chuckled. If she had said they’d go wherever the wind took them, would they have believed her? They might have thought she was hiding something.

Rosie always thought growing vegetables was straightforward. But teaching the Russians was a different story. Even her usually good temper was tested.

"Guys, they are really… something else," one of the helpers couldn't help but complain. "Taking notes is one thing, but they insist on using measuring cups for the nutrient solution and weighing the fertilizer. I said just eyeball it, and they ask what that means!"

Each vegetable had its own needs, and they should learn through trial and error. But the Russians were meticulous, thinking Rosie had an attitude and was holding back valuable information. Every question about each vegetable had to be answered repeatedly, including hourly temperature, humidity, and the different heat outputs of various fuels.

With the language barrier, they often had to resort to hand gestures. Rosie was going nuts. Why were they so stubborn?

Worried Rosie might lose her mind, Stella called Ivans over. But Ivans, that rascal, after spending just half a day with Rosie, couldn’t take his eyes off her and even said he didn’t want to leave that night.

"Rosie, you’re truly beautiful," he declared.

Stella nearly stuffed his mouth with crocodile dung to shut him up. Jasper, upon hearing the truth, wanted to smack Ivans with an airplane wing. Only after noticing their murderous glares did Ivans come to his senses, clutching his chest and saying, "Ginger, are you really leaving? You’re taking my heart with you."

Damn, he had fallen in love during a disaster. Was this love? Ivans didn’t think so. It was more like Rosie was a blooming ice flower, catching the eye and inspiring hope. She was beautiful and filled with promise.

Regardless, Ivans learned how to grow vegetables and took hydroponic equipment back with him. Jasper’s lessons also wrapped up. The Russians asked them to stay a few more days to fully master the technology.

Groups clashed fiercely over the mansion, their eyes filled with malice, almost willing to kill each other. Ivans kicked them all out, meticulously checking the mansion inside and out. The mansion had left behind many items: unburned crocodile dung in the corners, bones tossed aside, artifact boxes chopped up for firewood, and shattered porcelain. Beyond that, there was nothing left.

Ivans chuckled to himself; Greve and his crew were always so paranoid. He had lost not only two friends but also the lovely Rosie had flown away. Looking up at the sky, the Black Hawk was long gone.

Ascending to 600 meters, the helicopter offered a panoramic view of the endless ice fields. Rosie released the five from their box. Cooper, used to helicopter rides, quickly comforted his startled mate and kids. Snowflake was panicking, scratching at the floor incessantly, "Woo... woo..." The sound was filled with sorrow and reluctance. Perhaps this was its way of saying goodbye to the Arctic.

The three pups huddled beside it, their curious eyes taking in their new surroundings. For safety, Rosie put on a parachute and secured the husky wolf couple with a rope. The three pups were placed in cages and tied to the rope, handed over to Stella. To save fuel, Stella had all other supplies stored in Arcadia.

The Arctic was vast, and despite the Black Hawk’s speed, it took over an hour before they could see the blue expanse of the ocean. Along the glacier coast, a variety of ships and colorful tents were anchored. Those who arrived early were completely frozen in the snow and ice. They lacked the ability to break through the ice and could only wait for the thaw to move. Those who arrived late were closer to the sea.

Stella peered through her binoculars, observing the myriad of human conditions in the post-apocalyptic world. Russia was feeling generous, filling both the main and auxiliary fuel tanks to the brim. Jasper switched the chopper into emergency flight mode, activating additional power sources. The fully-armed Black Hawk was ready to cover a distance of 2000 kilometers.

For over an hour, all they saw was the vast expanse of the sea. The helicopter was moving fast, and Rosie was concerned about the altitude over land not being sufficient. She kept sweeping the ocean with her binoculars, searching relentlessly. After almost a thousand kilometers, Stella squinted at the horizon and noticed a brownish object on the surface.

Land ho!