18 Floors Above the Apocalypse



By the time Stella and her crew rushed to the scene, they saw about a dozen soldiers storming in like a whirlwind, quickly taking control of the situation.

"Darn, didn't even get a chance to show off," Bran grumbled, "I was hoping to earn some stripes today."

Stella, trying not to laugh, said, "You did your part at the hospital. Maybe you can ask Justice for a little reward later."

The hospital? Bran nearly face-palmed.

Oh well, it's not embarrassing in front of his sister and brother-in-law.

Monkey's eyes lit up as if greased. "Sis, do we get rewards for making a mark?"

"Not sure, but I think so."

"Great, I'll do the talking later, aim for a bit of glory and a prize."

With his gift of gab, he should manage just fine.

Over a hundred pirates, even when caught red-handed, still refused to confess, defiantly shouting, "We're civilians! What right do you have to treat us this way?"

This wasn't their first attempt to infiltrate the base by pretending to be compatriots, but the scale this time was unprecedented. Once inside, they would extend their black hands towards the unsuspecting survivors.

This time it was an organized pirate gang, with murder and looting on their minds. They had come prepared, taking advantage of the changing weather at sea-a cold-blooded act devoid of humanity.

The base had an interrogation department that wouldn't let them get away with their lies.

Justice had no interest in debating with them and ordered everyone to be detained, to be interrogated by the relevant departments the next day. Upon seeing Stella and Jasper arrive, he immediately asked, "How'd it go on your end?"

"Brutal," Stella said bluntly. "Lucky we found out in time, or not only would our supplies have been at risk, but even the medical staff might not have been spared."

Same skin, same language. They had gathered some intel when the ship docked, but they hadn't anticipated such a comprehensive plan from the enemy.

If they had succeeded, it would have spelled disaster for the base.

Justice thanked them profusely. "You two really are brave and meticulous. You've definitely made a huge contribution this time. I'll file a report with the higher-ups..."

"Boss, this is more than just making a mark..."

When it comes to being thick-skinned, Bran is still a rookie compared to Monkey. He didn't care about recognition; a tangible reward was what mattered.

To make the life-and-death struggle seem more realistic, he even smeared his face with blood. "Boss, you have no idea how dangerous it was..." Not wanting to be embarrassed, Stella deliberately walked away.

True to his nature as a middleman, Monkey held onto Justice for a good fifteen minutes and wouldn't let him go, spinning a tale of a narrow escape from death.

Justice promised repeatedly to apply for their recognition and rewards.

An old hand at administration, he was no match for a bottom-rung middleman.

Finally, Stella couldn't stand it any longer and cleared her throat. "Director Jiang has other matters to attend to."

Monkey let go then.

The pirates' corpses were cleared away, and the rest were taken away for detention.

The wind and waves grew stronger, chilling to the bone.

When they returned to the hospital, they found Miranda anxiously waiting with the children.

The bodies and bloodstains had been cleaned up, and the hospital staff, still in shock, were relieved to learn that the pirates had been captured. They didn't forget to heap praise on Stella and the others.

Stella got keys for two rooms from the accommodation manager and led Monkey and the others to rest.

Back in the room, they quickly added layers of clothing and drank hot water.

The trio and a dog went into Arcadia for a shower, and when they came out, they added an extra sofa bed and pulled out thick blankets to ward off the cold.

Life at the base was orderly, and it had been a long time since there had been any disturbances.

Tonight's incident would not be the last.

As resources become scarce, the conditions at sea would only get harsher.

In the face of life and death, even if given the chance to choose again, the pirates would likely make the same choice.

Ocean Point Naval Station's vigilance and patrols needed to be stepped up.

Of course, these weren't Stella's concerns. She pondered how to return those screws without making a sound.

Creating something out of nothing was easy; the real challenge was passing the scrutiny of a base full of skeptics. But she'd cross that bridge when she came to it.

The cold weather was conducive to sleep, and though Stella was a bit chilly, Jasper was as warm as a furnace by her side. After breakfast, Jasper went to work, and Rosie, along with Miranda and others, took the ferry back to Area B. The resolution of the pirate invasion was somewhat expected by Stella, yet it also fell within her predictions.

It had come with the sea's turbulence and vanished just as swiftly overnight, as if nothing had happened.

Justice privately told Jasper that the matter needed to be kept secret.

The base would show no mercy to pirates who harmed their own. They needed to set an example.

After a decade of disasters, the survivors should have been united.

But who could really expect these pirates, hardened by a life of violence, to repent?

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They had lost the most basic human decency. The base did not lack workers, keeping the pirates only meant depleting the already scarce resources.

Releasing them would only bring harm to more survivors.

Moreover, the base did not want to be criticized by other nations or survivor bases on humanitarian grounds.

Quietly dealing with the matter was best; there was no need for public scrutiny.

Thus, most survivors were blissfully unaware of the incident.

Monkey received a 10-pound ration of food and half a year's rent waived, which delighted him to no end.

Indeed, sticking with his sister always brought good fortune.

Bran also received a reward, a promotion for the rookie soldier.

Stella and Jasper's rewards were delayed.

It wasn't that the higher-ups were stingy, but rather Justice was once again eager to recruit the pair into the military ranks.

His job was to unearth outstanding talent for the base's service.

Justice, with his keen eye, had noticed after a few encounters that Stella was the decision-maker.

So he approached her once again, willing to offer anything.

Stella managed a smile. "Director Jiang, the military's discipline is strict, and we're used to our freedom. If we had wanted to joinText property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

the military, we would've done so back in the Southern Command.

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While we're not considering it, you can rest assured that our loyalty and dedication will never waver. Should there be any future incidents within our capabilities, we will not hesitate to act."

Her words were eloquent, her stance resolute.

Justice found no angle to work with, but considering their actions, they truly deserved encouragement and admiration.

He finally gave up on the idea, but the reward was generous-a half crate of canned goods.

Fish cans, pork cans, rat cans-fifteen boxes in total.

These were all products from the old East Base factory, still within the expiration date, and constituted a substantial reward for the two.

Such items were hard to come by and could be traded for valuable resources.

Stella graciously accepted the gift and returned to her dorm, tucking it away in her Arcadia.

That evening, Bran came over with a

cheeky grin. "Sis, brother-in-law," be began playfully, "the soldiers from South Base are planning a little shindig over in Area B. You guys thinking of dropping by?"