18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel Chapter 591

Upon hearing that Daniel was safe, Staff Officer Si didn’t linger with Stella. He turned to Collin and asked, “Dean Marshall, how are you feeling? If you’re up for it, could you possibly lend a hand at the hospital?”

Though Collin wasn’t feeling his best, he could manage, “Yes, I can.”

Stella’s face lit up, “Thanks, Staff Officer. I’ll take the professor with me then.”

In these extraordinary times, Staff Officer Si and his team didn’t want to occupy the treatment room any longer than necessary. Those who could help stayed, while the rest went back to the guest house to wait.

Once the door was closed, Stella pulled out a set of protective gear from her bag, “Professor, make sure to take care of yourself.”

Collin couldn’t help but chuckle; she hadn’t changed a bit.

The hospital was swamped with patients, so busy that there wasn’t even time for a bathroom break, let alone to eat or rest.

Stella could cope due to her youth, but the professor was getting on in years, and she couldn’t afford any mishaps with him.

Stella pulled out two lunch boxes, “Let’s grab a bite. We need our energy to work.”

Worried about potential conflicts between patients and medical staff, Stella had the foresight to request two soldiers to ensure Collin’s safety.

Upon hearing the latest updates, the hospital's loudspeaker blared, “Everyone, please form an orderly line, no pushing. Comrade Stella has specially invited her mentor, Professor Collin, to join us in consultation. Who is Professor Collin? He’s a national treasure of Australia, a distinguished physician with the honorary title of 'Miracle Healer'...”

Honestly, Stella could throttle the announcer.

It was okay to boast, but could it at least be plausible? It needed depth and sophistication.

Yet, the desperate survivors ate up the straightforward announcement.

Soon, patients were lining up in several orderly queues.

With a shortage of nurses, Vanessa organized a crash course for the soldiers to step in and help.

Things were progressing smoothly until gunshots suddenly rang out from the pharmacy.

Startled, Stella and Bran exchanged glances before hurrying to the pharmacy.

In the back kitchen of the pharmacy, a dead body lay in a pool of blood, while the soldier who had fired the shot was ordering others to drag the body away.

The dean arrived in a rush, “What’s happened here?”

The shaken pharmacy staff explained, pointing at the deceased, “I saw him sneaking something into the medicine cauldron. I tried to apprehend him and hand him over to the military, but during the scuffle, he was shot dead.”

The air was thick with moth powder, and without exception, every soldier wore a mask.

The shooter marched out...

Bran grabbed him and demanded, “Which unit are you from?”

The soldier tried to brush him off, “Peacekeeping force.”

“Peacekeeping force? Today, you’re under my command,” Bran said as he reached for the man’s mask. “You’ve got some nerve, firing before an investigation is clear.”

The soldier swung at Bran, attempting to break free.

Stella kicked out swiftly, knocking him to the ground in a few moves.

Bran held him down and gave him a couple of sharp slaps, “Dare to strike a superior? Who gave you such guts?”

At the sound of gunfire, more peacekeeping soldiers quickly arrived.

When his mask was pulled off, no one recognized him, and his uniform didn’t fit right.

An impostor!

Fortunately, the discovery was timely; the deceased had not managed to contaminate the medicine being prepared.

Stella examined the sachets carefully. The white powder was colorless and odorless, invisible to the naked eye, but it was definitely not anything good.

All the medicine was checked, the powder sent to the medical office for analysis, and the mysterious soldier taken away for interrogation.

The dean was grateful as he looked towards Bran. While he may have been a bit of a sycophant, he had thought everything through.

Had the saboteur succeeded, countless patients would have suffered, not to mention the hospital...

No, it wasn’t just about the hospital’s reputation. Stella would have been the primary victim.

She had donated the medicine, prescribed the treatments.

Lifted to the status of a deity only to be brutally cast down.

It was a cruel and lethal gamble, risking the lives of patients.

Eventually, due to shortage of help, they volunteered to distribute the food themselves.

After finishing the food distribution, they took over for Stella and Collin, urging them to eat and rest.

Over a decade of disaster had honed the siblings' medical skills; they were actually quite competent, just overshadowed by Stella’s presence.

Stella and Collin finally took a breather, sitting down in the break room and sipping some sweetened water to revive themselves.

Reenergized after eating, they dived back into work.

It wasn’t until past two in the morning that all patients had been seen.

Many medical staff were so exhausted they collapsed and fell asleep on the spot. Stella was so tired she could hardly lift her legs, and Jasper had to carry her home.

Bran escorted Collin back to the guest house, not forgetting to hand him a steaming bowl of chicken soup, “Dean Marshall, this is from Stella. She made me promise to make sure you finish it before you rest.”

Collin was both amused and touched.

No exaggeration, after shedding the protective suit, it felt like being fished out of water, drenched in sweat and stickiness.

After a shower, Stella collapsed into bed and slept.

Daniel, concerned, came by after she fell asleep, “The moths are nearly wiped out. Let her sleep in tomorrow.”

The next day, she woke up close to ten in the morning.

As consciousness returned, Stella rolled over, while Daniel had already taken command at the control center.

With the previous night's experience, the soldiers managed the moth infestation with order and efficiency, far from the initial chaos.

The hospital was still overflowing with patients, but after the previous day’s efforts, the workload for follow-up consultations had significantly decreased.

Another day so fulfilling it brings tears to your eyes.

The farm kept up its donations, and as the patients' conditions improved, their spirits started to settle down.

Bran showed up like clockwork every day, his gift of the gab in full swing, spitting out all sorts of exaggerated phrases left and right.

When he hit the emotional peak, tears would spill out on the spot. "Folks, to snatch lives from the clutches of the Grim Reaper, our comrade Stella has gone without sleep for five days and nights straight,” he said, voice thick with emotion. “She barely took two minutes to wolf down a meal, worked herself to the point of a bleeding ulcer without a peep. She says Griffith is her home, and she wants every single one of us to be alright. Let's stand together against this moth plague, folks. After the storm, there's sure to be a rainbow..."