18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 149

Before the big chop, Jasper made sure to snap a few pictures of Stella with his phone. As the buzz of the electric razor filled the air, a growing pile of hair littered the floor.

Rosie scampered over, eyes widened as she took in Stella's newly shaved head. "Wow, Stella, you look like a boy."

Stella took a look at herself in the mirror, and... well, she didn't look bad. The buzz cut suited her, even. It gave her a certain edge, a dash of toughness she hadn't had before.

In this post-apocalyptic world, where smiles were far and few between, this new look gave her a certain 'don't mess with me' vibe. With her buzz cut, whenever Stella didn't smile, she looked like she was ready to throw down.

The next day, she went out to the rooftop to fetch some water and bumped into Cody and Lukas, who were popping some popcorn. Both of them were taken aback. "Good lord, when did we get a girl gangster on the 18th floor?"

Stella decided to play along, flipping her water bucket at them. "Stick 'em up."

They handed over half a bowl of popcorn to her. "You know, Stella, that haircut really suits you. It's cool, badass, and refreshing."

"Are you guys just buttering me up?"

As the sun set, three buzz-cut figures were having a jovial time on the rooftop. Cody went downstairs and came back with three cold beers. They sat on the rooftop, enjoy beers.

As they drank, Stella noticed that Cody was downing his beer pretty fast. Lukas was a bit slower, but he too looked troubled. Having practically grown up together, Stella could tell when something was bothering them.

"What's up?" She asked.

They didn't answer, and Stella didn't push.

...

Stella had been tending to a few sweet potato vines in The Garden for over a month. They were finally long enough to be cut into two sections. Just as she was about to bag the sweet potato vines, Jasper appeared.

Over time, Stella had learnt that Jasper had a sneaky side. He would often send Rosie off with Cooper, so he could have some alone time with her. Today was one of those days, with Cooper busy munching on popcorn next door. This content belongs to Nô/velDra/ma.Org .

Seeing her bag the vines, Jasper looked surprised. "Aren't you worried about damaging the vines?"

Stella didn't have a choice. The Garden in Arcadia was fertile and the sweet potato vines were thriving. It would be suspicious if she gave them to 1803 in such good condition. She decided to bag them and let them wilt a bit before giving them away.

After finishing her chores, Stella sat on the couch, tuning the radio. The local government announced that the provincial base was officially open to survivors.

There were two bases - an official one and a military one. Each base could accommodate up to 300,000 people. The first phase of both bases was already completed.

Two years into the apocalypse, the bases were finally ready.

The official base was located in Goldbridge, situated in the northeastern direction of the province. It was a typical mountain city with underdeveloped industries, focusing on green agriculture. It was about 500 kilometers from Griffith.

The military base was in Lincoln, located in the northern direction of the province. It was a semi- industrial city, boasting the province's most abundant water resources, Lincoln River and Echo Lake. It was around 300 kilometers from Griffith.

The two bases were about 200 kilometers apart, which wasn't too far by car.

Stella didn't have a radio in her past life, so she only heard about the bases later. But what good did knowing do? She didn't even qualify to enter.

To enter the official base, each person needed to pay 20 kilos of grain. The military base required 50 kilos.

Stella couldn't understand, "Why is there such a big difference?"

People from the lower class couldn't even afford 20 kilos of grain, let alone 50.

Jasper explained, "The official base is hosted by the provincial government and jointly established and managed by various municipal governments. The military provides basic order.

The military base, on the other hand, is arranged by the state. Soldiers establish and manage it entirely, so there's a fundamental difference."

He paused before revealing a cruel truth, "The military base, also known as Kindle Society, is humanity's last hope in a crisis. The 50 kilos of grain is only a basic requirement. They also conduct rigorous selection. Not just anyone can enter."

Stella vaguely understood. The 50 kilos of grain was just the price of admission. Whether you were low class or high class, if you were capable, getting 50 kilos of grain wasn't impossible. In other words, the military base accepted capable people.

"It's not just about capability. You also need a clean record. Those involved in illegal activities or who have a criminal record won't stand a chance. Survivors who enter will be under military management. Those who don't follow orders or cause trouble will be expelled after three strikes. Those who commit crimes will be executed."

Stella was shocked, but it made sense. Even though it seemed harsh, special times called for special measures. The military's mission was to help survivors live and continue human civilization.

A large base of 300,000 people couldn't be managed without strict rules. Otherwise, it would inevitably lead to chaos. As the apocalypse worsened, the outside world would become increasingly hostile.

Stella thought for a moment. "Do you want to enter the base?"

Jasper had thought about it, "The initial intention of establishing the base is good, but people are complicated. The official base not only accepts politicians' children, but also countless upper-class elites. As the number of people increases, problems will arise. The fight for power and survival of the fittest will become prevalent. The legal system will only restrict the powerless. The military base has strict management. Survivors who enter will be assigned jobs. As long as they are willing to work hard, they can get enough food. However, the military has absolute control."

People who entered the base would be first assigned to participate in later construction or produced and stored grain, which were all hard and tough jobs. He didn't mind it for himself, but he didn't want Stella and Rosie to suffer.

Even though they could stay home and live off of Arcadia, they should never underestimate the military base's ability to discover secrets. They could hide it for a year or two, but not for five or ten years. Once Stella's Arcadia was exposed, who can guarantee her safety and freedom? Perhaps they wouldn't kill her, but they might take her for research or force her to do things against her will.

Having sacrificed a decade in his past life, this time, Jasper only wanted to protect those he cared about.

"We'll stay in Griffith with Rosie and Cooper. If the environment becomes too harsh to survive, we can seek refuge in the base."

The catastrophes in different regions varied. What Griffith went through was cruel, but at least he had lived in this city for ten years. Now that he got a second chance, he could plan ahead to ensure they wouldn't suffer too much. Right now, it was time to plan.

Jasper asked, "Stella, can you collect supplies underwater and put them in Arcadia?"

Stella was puzzled, "What do you want to collect?"