18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 132

As a trainer, handling dogs was a walk in the park for Jasper, but he chose to be patient instead.

Stella couldn't help but laugh as she called Cooper to come home. "Come on, Cooper. Time to go."

As she reached the door, Cooper gave one last intimidating glance towards Jasper.

Jasper, who had been on the receiving end of Cooper's threats, sighed in exasperation.

The residents of apartment 1803 returned, carrying their beddings. The 18th floor was lively once again.

Stella had brought over 30 pounds of winter potatoes.

The generous trio didn't take it for free, though. Angela returned the favor by giving Stella 10 pounds of dog food. "Stella, are we having meat tomorrow?"

Stella had a balanced diet of meat and vegetables, but she kept this to herself.

"Sure, what would you guys like to have?"

"Anything would do as long as it has meat."

Cody brought home a few frozen sausages, planning to let Jasper take over the cooking.

Jasper surprised everyone. "Tomorrow, Stella and I will treat you all to a meal."

Angela was taken aback, but Lukas was quick to respond, grinning mischievously. "Great, we've been looking forward to this."

After saying this, he shot meaningful glances at Stella and Jasper.

Stella frowned at his impure intentions. Well, why not? They had been together for a while, and it was better to admit their relationship themselves than to be discovered by others.

What would happen in the future? Who knew? They would just take one step at a time.

Just as she was about to leave, Lukas found an excuse to keep her, and had Jasper leave. "So, how far have you guys gone?"

Stella was speechless. Did Lukas really think everyone was as casual as him?

Angela gave him a light kick.

"Honey." Lukas affectionately embraced Angela. Nôvel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

Angela found him annoying. "Stella, you have much better taste in men than I do."

As a friend, she genuinely wished Stella well. She was glad Stella had found a good guy like Jasper.

"Honey, are you annoyed with me?"

"Yes, I was blind when I chose you."

Another round of sweet bickering began, and Stella made a quick exit, leaving a helpless Cody behind.

The next day, they had a feast. They cooked ribs with winter potatoes, pork trotters stew, and stir- fried sausages with dried cabbage.

Finally, the cat was out of the bag and the people of 1803 no longer had to pretend.

Jasper nodded approvingly. "Stella is wonderful. I consider myself lucky to have met her."

Stella nudged him secretly. Stop showing off. They said couples who were overly affectionate were doomed.

Jasper smiled and put a piece of pork trotter in her bowl.

Cooper immediately came over. Jasper was a master at dealing with people and dogs, and he gave Cooper two pieces.

After a month of close monitoring, Cooper started to lower his guard towards Jasper, as he remained consistent and Stella didn't seem to disdain him. Cooper stopped staring at Jasper all the time and started to check up on him occasionally.

Cooper would even play with the little girl, and show her the rabbits.

The temperature finally stopped dropping at -72 degrees and stayed steady for a week.

When it was almost time for the potatoes to be harvested, Stella went out to sell them. Jasper wanted to accompany her, but she refused. It was too cold outside, with their eyebrows freezing instantly. Some people would collapse while walking and never get up again.

Despite wearing a thermal suit and arctic gear, Stella still felt chilly. She covered herself with heating pads, put on windproof goggles, and wrapped herself in several scarves.

Selling individually was too risky, so she went directly to Monkey. He was truly dedicated, still involved in trading even at -72 degrees Fahrenheit.

"You're amazing. You've managed to get so many winter potatoes."

"Yeah, I am well connected."

She traded 1,000 pounds of potatoes for 6 sets of acid-resistant, waterproof protective suits, complete with oxygen tanks, and 6 pairs of acid-resistant boots.

Jasper had these items, but only two sets. Stella wanted to keep some extras just in case.

"Alright, we don't have these in stock, but we can help you find them."

Due to the freezing weather, Stella waited inside a department store. Unable to stand the cold, she took the opportunity to warm up in Arcadia while using the restroom.

Not wanting to waste any time in Arcadia, she cooked rice and made several dishes to store.

After about three hours, Stella went to the agreed-upon location to meet Monkey. He arrived as promised, panting heavily. "We found them. The items are well-protected and haven't been damaged by the cold. However, the seller is only willing to give 3 sets of protective suits and 6 pairs of boots. I don't think it's a good deal. Do you want to trade for something else?"

No, even 3 sets were more than enough.

This was the advantage of collecting supplies off-peak. If acid rain did fall one day, it wouldn't be a problem that could be solved with 1,000 pounds of potatoes. It would be a matter of life and death. Moreover, she wanted the highest level of protection.

"Let's make the trade."

Monkey was surprised. When had Stella ever made a bad deal? Why was she making a mistake this time? Well, he didn't mind as long as he could make a profit.

They went to get the goods, and met at a secluded office building.

Stella arrived early and made sure there were no surveillance cameras around before entering the building. With a higher vantage point, she could see further. After more than an hour, she saw Monkey carrying a large hemp bag, and she took out the potatoes from Arcadia.

1,000 pounds of potatoes filled several large bags.

The protective suits were brand new and wrapped in layers of white thermal film. They looked high- quality, and the boots were the same. Stella was very satisfied. After inspecting the goods, Stella took her items and left.

"Do you have more goods, Stella?"

"Yes." Stella thought for a moment. "I need gas masks and oxygen tanks."

"No problem, I'll keep an eye out for you."

When she returned to Sunrise Sanctuary, Jasper was walking Rosie and Cooper downstairs. Seeing his owner, Cooper immediately activated his four-wheel drive and rushed towards Stella like a bullet.

Jasper walked over. "Are you cold?"

The cold was bone-chilling, and even with a thermal suit, she was shivering. She wondered how the survivors managed to endure the cold.

Jasper took out a hot water bottle from his coat. "There's a charcoal fire upstairs."

Holding the hot water bottle, Stella hunched her neck and headed upstairs. "Have you been waiting long?"

"No, I just came down."

As if she would believe him. Rosie had been chasing Cooper around for who knows how many rounds and was panting heavily.

Rosie was very energetic. "I'm not cold."

Yes, she had been trained by Jasper. Her boxing, crossbow shooting, and posture with a knife or gun were all standard. She was a little powerhouse with a cute face.

When she opened the door to apartment 1801, a wave of warmth greeted her. At that moment, she felt a bit of happiness.

Jasper poured her a cup of hot water, and after drinking it, she felt much better.

After resting for a while, Stella went into the master bedroom and took out the protective suits and boots. Jasper meticulously inspected, taking both acidic and alkaline liquid samples, "All clear."

Dealing with Monkey's crew wasn't new to him, and they had proven to be reliable. Stella looked at him with a newfound respect, "They are planning to deliver the next batch of potatoes, and I've requested gas masks and oxygen tanks."

Jasper didn't object, "These supplies will be hard to gather in the future. Now is the best time to trade for them."

"Was Cooper behaving today?"

"Not bad. He's not as hostile towards me as before."

The old dog seemed to be turning over a new leaf, proving that Jasper indeed had some tricks up his sleeve still.

"And you?" Jasper closed the door, plunging the master bedroom into darkness.

Stella perked up instantly, "What are you up to?"