18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel Chapter 539

Stella had just finished taking Daniel's pulse and knew all too well the toll his relentless work ethic had taken on his body. She deftly administered acupuncture, aiming to balance his energies, but she was under no illusion about the nature of his commitment. "Acupuncture isn't a quick fix," she said matter-of-factly, "You should come by in the evenings when you can. Don't brush off your health."

It was a peculiar sight, a high-ranking officer like Daniel being scolded by his daughter, yet he couldn't help but feel a warmth in his heart.

His life had been devoted to serving his country, and now, despite having a partner, it was Vanessa who took the initiative in matters of the heart and home. He really had no clue how to bond with his daughter.

Decades of military discipline had hardened him, and as fate would have it, Stella had inherited his stoic nature.

Wary of upsetting her with an offhand remark, Daniel changed the subject. "The meds you brought back should trade for a decent stretch of land. What do you plan to plant? Potatoes, maybe some sweet corn?"

Stella could see he was as stubborn as ever, always putting his ailments on the back burner.

She couldn't help but feel a twinge of frustration. "I don't know. We'll just plant something simple when the time comes."

Daniel offered his perspective, "Anyone can grow those, but the real issue is the harsh climate and poor soil. Once those improve, food scarcity will diminish. Your efforts might not make much difference."

Stella bristled at his meddling. Always the patriot, he worried about everyone else except for his own well-being.

Yet she held her tongue, though her voice grew colder. "And what is your grand solution, Mr. Daniel?"

He mentioned the recent discovery by the field teams—a Kindle Chest containing specially treated silkworm eggs, most of which were still alive.

"The military brought a variety of seeds with the hope of creating a green oasis on this new continent. Sadly, after two years of effort, most were wasted," Daniel recounted.

Only a fraction of the trees, including mulberry, had survived the cruel elements, and now, without mulberry leaves to feed the silkworms, the precious eggs were perishing.

Stella was surprised. "You want me to cultivate mulberries for silk farming?"

Daniel thought it was a practical idea. "If not that, then cotton. I'll arrange it."

People need the basics to survive – food, clothing, shelter, and transport. With natural disasters plaguing them for over a decade, the base had countless pressing issues. Their clothes were in tatters—some were barely clothed at all.

Stella considered the option. "I have stocks of mulberry and cotton seeds, but silkworm eggs are precious. Will others object if you allocate them to me?"

Daniel rubbed his forehead, feeling the weight of the situation. "The base houses nearly 5,000 military personnel. Their duty was to defend the nation, and during these times, it's natural they take on additional roles. But they're not omnipotent.

The base must advance quickly; otherwise, another disaster could wipe out humanity. Right now, the survivors can barely feed themselves. Someone must lead."

The soldiers were stretched thin—cultivating land, defending the base, scavenging for Kindle Chests, brick-making, and construction. Even if they were machines, they needed the bandwidth to manage it all.

Stella understood. He was grooming talent to meet the base's civil developmental needs.

Military and civil responsibilities were entirely different—defense versus governance and development.

In a world struggling to recover from apocalypse, they were all running ragged, but it was also an opportunity to build legends.

Stella accepted the challenge. "If you trust us, we'll give it a try."

To thrive in the aftermath of catastrophe was Daniel's specialty. "There are a few at the base who are skilled in agriculture. Consult with them, and don't worry, we have plenty of books on the subject."

After the acupuncture session, Jasper helped move the portable toilet next door.

Seeing the unexpired medicines, the director was ecstatic. "Stella, you're really willing to trade these?"

Stella nodded, her commitment clear. "I'm a Griffith resident. It's my duty to contribute to its growth. These meds are from America and have been proven safe, but they'll still need your professional verification."

The deal was struck on the spot. After some calculations, the director gave Nicholas from land management the figures.

Nicholas, in his forties, had the stance of a former soldier. "Stella, do you want undeveloped land or arable?"

Undeveloped land required fertilization, while arable was ready for planting. She also had the choice of paying a lump sum or annual taxes—buying outright would secure less land, but paying taxes meant installment payments.

Stella was taken aback, yet somewhere deep down, she could grasp the rationale behind it. The way life unraveled its secrets was often as perplexing as it was fascinating. She stood there in her comfortable jeans and oversized sweater, a quintessential image of a Western girl lost in thought.

The day had started just like any other, with a steaming mug of coffee and a couple of buttery croissants for breakfast. She had planned to hit the gym, followed by a casual brunch with friends at the local diner - the one with the killer eggs Benedict.

However, as the sun arched high into the clear blue sky, an unexpected encounter turned her routine day on its head. She had bumped into an old college friend, Jake, who was now a lawyer, someone she hadn't seen since their graduation ceremony. They had decided to catch up over a slice of apple pie and a couple of milkshakes.

As the conversation meandered from nostalgic college memories to their current lives, Jake had shared a piece of news that was as bizarre as it was intriguing. It was this revelation that left Stella momentarily speechless, her fork halfway to her mouth, a dollop of whipped cream threatening to slide off the pie crust.

Yet, as she digested the information, Stella began to see the sense in it. After all, hadn't she always believed that life was a never-ending journey of learning and discovery? With a playful roll of her eyes, she finally broke her silence, her voice laced with a hint of irony and wonder.

"Well, if that isn't the most unexpected twist since 'The Sixth Sense'," she quipped, referring to the famous American psychological thriller. "But you know what, Jake? Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction."

They both laughed, the sound mingling with the soft rock tunes playing from the diner's jukebox. The rest of the afternoon was spent in lively banter, as they exchanged stories and pondered over the curious turns their lives had taken.

As dusk settled and the neon lights of the diner sign flickered on, Stella hugged Jake goodbye. She walked back to her apartment, her mind buzzing with thoughts, a contented smile playing on her lips. Life, she mused, was full of surprises, and she was here for every single one of them.