18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel Chapter 585

The group huddled together, brainstorming. They had to lose the tail that was stubbornly sticking to them.

But China was clinging on like a leech, and shaking them off wasn’t going to be a walk in the park.

It was enough to make anyone want to unload a barrage of bullets in frustration.

Stella, however, was the picture of calm. "Captain, do you think our custom sub can go head-to-head with China’s nuclear sub in a collision?"

She remembered how Hans and the others, when provoked by China on the seabed, had just gone full throttle, ramming right into their adversary’s sub and blowing it to bits.

Cole looked a bit taken aback but answered promptly, "The main strengths of a nuclear sub are its 'nuclear' and 'stealth' capabilities. 'Nuclear' means it's built for nuclear strikes, and 'stealth' essentially means it can stay hidden, attack strategic land targets, sink transport ships, disrupt enemy shipping lanes, target large surface vessels and subs, and carry out mine-laying, reconnaissance, rescue, and special ops missions.

To achieve 'stealth,' it needs to avoid detection by enemy radar, which requires special materials. But those materials aren’t exactly indestructible."

So, nuclear subs weren’t invincible; they had their Achilles' heels.

The southern military’s custom fleet of 3000 subs, however, was designed to withstand monstrous tsunamis and earthquakes, not so much for 'stealth.'

Hence, they were tougher and more resilient than the typical military sub.

The lightbulb went off in Stella’s head. No wonder Hans’s sub could tear through China’s.

The materials were completely different.

If China wanted to keep playing hardball, then it was time to knock them out of the game.

Jake and the rest were raring to go. "Stella, let me at 'em."

They’d had enough of China’s antics; it was time to smash them to pieces.

Cole stepped in, "Our subs are solid, sure, but their 'stealth' function isn't on par with nuclear subs, making them easier for China to spot. If they launch a nuclear attack, it could be extremely dangerous."

Going out meant risking a nuclear strike; staying put meant being followed.

Stella didn’t waver. "I’ll go."

"No way, Stella. You’re the backbone of the salvage team; we can’t afford to lose you."

The others started volunteering. "We have our own nuclear subs. We can cover the seed subs. When China’s distracted, that’ll be our moment to strike."

Stella wasn’t just blowing smoke. "It’s too risky for you guys. I’ll be in and out in no time."

The team knew that with Stella’s unique abilities, she was the safest bet for the mission.

But they didn’t feel right letting her face the danger alone. She was their one and only super-powered asset. What if something went wrong?

The debate raged on until Jasper spoke up, "I’ll go with her."

Night fell, and the sea grew restless. The nuclear sub began its slow ascent, and Stella, suited up, dove into the ocean with Jasper.

They plunged into the sea and immediately entered Arcadia.

The nuclear sub continued to lure the persistent tail.

Inside Arcadia, Stella and Jasper timed their move, calculating China’s speed. Around 40 minutes later, they would re-emerge in their sub.

China was laser-focused on what lay ahead, completely oblivious to the new threat sneaking up on their flank.

And it was dangerously close.

Despite its small size, the custom sub charged at full speed.

China’s nuclear sub was huge but slow, unable to turn in time to dodge.

Using sonar, they detected that the incoming sub was significantly smaller, which gave them a sigh of relief.

Such a small vessel posed no threat to their top-tier nuclear sub.

But China wasn’t about to play nice. They unleashed a barrage of torpedoes.

Who dared to mess with them? Go to hell!

They watched the control panel with smug satisfaction as the torpedoes sped towards the tiny sub.

But in an instant, their faces drained of color.

The little sub had vanished from their monitors!

That was impossible!

At such a close range, their systems couldn’t be wrong.

Inside the Australian nuclear sub, the crew erupted in cheers, hugging each other.

Decades of pent-up frustration were finally unleashed.

It felt damn good!

Meanwhile, Stella lounged in Arcadia’s living room, watching TV and savoring a fruit platter.

Ah, the joys of solitude.

After her snack, she indulged in a hot bath before leaving Arcadia gracefully.

China’s nuclear sub was lost to the deep sea, while Cole and the others waited in place.

Stella signaled her return, piloting the sub back to Griffith.

The two subs glided through the depths, heading in the same direction.

As they approached Griffith, Stella brought the transport ship to the surface.

It was a familiar sight: countless eyes fixed on the harbor, eagerly anticipating the surprise of opening a blind box.

The dockside was a veritable meat market, with the singles of the so-called "Desperate to Wed" brigade showing up in their Sunday best, hoping to catch the eye of a member of the wealthy salvage crew. They were decked out with the intention of getting hitched on the spot, seeing it as a golden ticket to a life of comfort, warmth, and a charming red-brick house.

The special ops team was petrified to even set foot off the ship. Was the dating scene really this intense?

It wasn’t just the eager singles at the docks; even some of the well-meaning military brass were looking to play matchmaker for them.

What a dilemma. What to do? It was a real headache.

Meanwhile, Stella, who was happily married, felt none of this pressure and even scoffed, "Take care of yourselves, folks."

She was in a hurry to get home to her dog, striding away with Jasper without a second glance back.

But just as they stepped onto the dock, the sentry on guard duty noticed something alarming. A fleet of speedboats suddenly sprang into action, followed by the swift departure of a modified coast guard vessel, and then three submarines dove into the deep.

Alarms blared, and the dock went into high alert mode.

Stella frowned. What on earth was going on?