18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel Chapter 546

Stella was a bit surprised, not expecting herself to be so thorough.

Caught in Stella's gaze, Vanessa sheepishly said, "Military life isn't as complicated as the outside world, but with your dad's special status, pulling one thread could unravel the whole thing. In my panic, I wanted to get Rosie to help take your dad to the hospital, and just then, your friend came by. He mentioned something, and that's how we kept it under wraps, telling everyone your dad just had a cold."

Different perspectives reveal different realities. Her friend must have been Bran. The military is a closed society; even with strict discipline, where there are people, there will be interests and conflicts. The southern military was built and led by Daniel from the start. He was the top commander appointed by the nation, and the troops were his handpicked selection.

With him in charge, even those with lively minds had to hold back, serving the common goal and interest. But what if he were to fall? Who wouldn't want to climb higher? Would the third-in-command truly respect the second, or would the second tolerate the third's insolence? Without a ruthless heart, your position is unstable.

If Stella hadn't appeared and Daniel had just passed away, Vanessa, as the widow of a commanding officer, would likely have been well-treated. But now, Daniel had a daughter and son-in-law, and they showed up with a load of supplies. Even if Stella had no ambition, wouldn't they be suspicious?

Vanessa's twenty-year wait for Daniel made it clear she prioritized her emotions. Beyond work, there was only Daniel. Her world was simple, not deeply perceptive of the complexity and ruthlessness of human nature in a world ravaged by disaster. She was not wrong, but once Colonel Lin entered the hospital, the truth would be impossible to conceal. Once they harbored forbidden thoughts, they could no longer be suppressed. Even if Stella promptly returned, pulling Daniel back from the brink of death, the troops had changed. It wasn't good news for Stella's deification plan or Daniel's future leadership.

Stella sighed. Who would've thought a privileged kid would come through at a crucial moment? "Yeah, when all this is over, I'll treat him to dinner as a thank you."

After Vanessa left, Stella went inside to give Daniel his IV drip, massage his acupoints, and perform acupuncture. When all was done, half a day had passed. Vanessa returned at noon to see Daniel stable and then hurried back to the hospital.

In the afternoon, there indeed was a visitor. Not the base's second-in-command, but Mark. He had accompanied Daniel on an inspection a few days earlier and fallen ill after getting caught in the rain. Feverish, vomiting, and aching all over, he was younger and had a stronger constitution, so he managed to pull through. Still weak from his illness and pale, Mark had struggled to get out of bed and come over. "Stella, how's the commander?"

During dinner, Vanessa brought up the hospital's current situation. "There's something wrong with the recent rain; many people on the base have fallen ill." Stella followed up, "Is there a way to treat it?" "Drink lots of boiled water, and use acupuncture or massage. Only resort to medicinal treatment for severe cases." The medicine still came from exchanges with Stella. The hospital's herb harvest was poor, but they used what they had. It wasn't complete, but hopefully, it would be effective. Stella didn't know what to say, "Let's hope everyone can pull through."

Jasper took the first watch of the night. Stella patted his back. "You've been working hard these past few days." Jasper hugged her. "Taking care of my father-in-law is my duty. Things are looking up; it will be alright. Don't stress yourself out and get sick." "I'm fine." Stella returned to her room but tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Jasper didn't wake her, staying up the entire night.

After breakfast, once Vanessa had left, Stella continued Daniel's steroid treatment and then took him to Arcadia for a CT scan to check his lungs. The images showed a significant reduction in the pneumonia. The medication was working. Unable to contain her excitement, Stella took several deep breaths. She went into the inner room, intending to move Daniel, but found him slowly opening his eyes. They locked gazes for a long while. Finally, Daniel sat up from the machine, his voice raspy as he wiped Stella's face, "Don't be afraid, I'm still here."

Only then did Stella realize she was crying. Her emotions surged, a tidal wave breaking free of its restraints, and she clung to him tightly, her throat constricted with a choking sorrow. She was terrified that this too might be nothing more than a pipe dream. These past couple of days had been filled with haunting dreams, ones where the relentless beeping of the heart monitor turned into four unwavering lines, the sound as piercing and sharp as a scalpel's edge. Upon awakening, her heart ached with a pain that was all too real. "Dad, I'm so sorry."