18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel Chapter 551

Feeling under the weather, Daniel couldn't sweat the small stuff, so he laid out three tasks for his team to tackle.

First off, the base needed to ramp up its industrial game and collect more Kindle Chests pronto. Second, it was high time to get the lime and coal mines up and running. Third, they had to sort out the staffing shortage, stat. He threw down the gauntlet, giving them a three-day deadline to cook up some workable solutions. Daniel headed home to recharge his batteries, while the senior staff stuck around to hash things out.

...

Stella didn't trust Bran to handle the greenhouse project; she knew all too well how he could botch things up. She planned to check out the southern plantation, but as she hit the door, she ran smack into Nicholas, the land management guru. Thanks to a nasty dust storm and some dodgy rain, the crops in the southern fields were toast. The harsh climate was already a kick in the teeth for the harvest, and now it was even worse. Thankfully, the potatoes were early birds and didn't take as big of a hit, but the sweet potatoes were only half-baked.

Looking at the mess, Nicholas felt like he'd been sucker-punched. "When will this lousy weather pack it in? People are at their breaking point." Stella offered him a grin and some comforting words, "Once we get the greenhouse up, you'll get the first batch of top-notch sweet potatoes." Eyeing the stacks of glass, a glimmer of hope sparked in Nicholas. "Here's hoping this is a fresh start." "Relax, Nicholas. Victory's just around the corner for us."

Stella painted him a picture, "Imagine: ten acres of potatoes and sweet potatoes, ten for herbs, and ten for mulberry trees. Mulberries grow like weeds and aren't picky about the soil. We'll raise them in the greenhouse and then transplant them to the wasteland. They'll not only break the wind and hold the soil, but we can eat the berries and raise silkworms on the leaves. In no time, Griffith will be a green city."

Stella wasn't just optimistic; she was downright confident. Nicholas believed her, not because she was the boss's daughter, but because her skills were plain as day. In no time, she'd brought back two hauls of goods—meds, glass, fuel, cars, and weapons, all stuff Griffith was dying for. And now, she was the talk of the town. If her status wasn't so special, folks would've beaten a path to her door. If those 20 acres of greenhouses actually took root, it might not feed all ten thousand base residents, but it would sure take the edge off. For the base, it was a game-changer.

Dreaming of the future, he couldn't help but look on the bright side, "Stella, when we're rolling in crops, what'll you trade for?" "Anything that solves the base's problems. If we pull together, we can bring back Australian civilization." Stella said with poise, "What's good for everyone is the real deal. I don't fancy eating a mouthful of dust with my dinner or kicking the bucket after a rain shower. Once the land goes green again and the food chain's back to normal, this crazy weather will start to chill out."

After leaving the plantation, she went with Nicholas to handle some land transfer paperwork, signing off on the computer and putting her John Hancock on it. Just like that, Stella was the proud owner of 20 acres of land. Before she left, she didn't miss the chance for a little brown-nosing, "Nicholas, seeing you work through sickness, that's really something." Nicholas had to laugh, "No meds in the hospital, so I just tough it out. If I can't anymore, well, it's lights out for me." "I studied a bit of traditional medicine under Professor Collin. If you trust me, I can take a look at you."

The boss's daughter offering to treat him? Nicholas was floored. He'd hung on for over a decade; dying was the last thing on his mind. The word was out that the boss was laid up, and although it wasn't public, the gossip mill was churning. Even the hospital director was in and out, a sure sign of a crisis. But once Stella returned, the boss was on the mend. It was clear she wasn't just skilled in medicine; she had the drugs to back it up. Nicholas had been sick with no improvement, worried he'd end up with pneumonia.

He exchanged a couple of pleasantries before eagerly agreeing, "I'd be much obliged for your help, Stella." So, Stella checked his pulse, positioning her fingers on his wrist with the practiced ease of a seasoned healer. She then administered acupuncture, deftly inserting needles at specific points along his body. When it was time to remove them, she didn't leave without a word of advice, "I've got some herbal remedies at home. I'll have someone drop them by later." Nicholas was effusive with his gratitude.

He wasn't sure if it was Stella's exceptional skill or simply a placebo effect, but he felt the fever seemed to recede considerably, and his mind became clearer. "Stella," he said, "these remedies are quite precious. Is there something specific you would like in exchange?"