18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 49

Both sides were cautious, wary of each other's intentions, the vast expanse of floodwater between them was the perfect buffer.

202 pounds of wild boar meat was traded for 202 pounds of fresh rice, with another transaction scheduled for 7 p.m.

Upon returning, Stella had already prepared everything: a frying pan, salt, spices, crushed chili peppers, and supplies for the night.

Concerned for Angela's safety, Lukas was also asked to stay.

Upon seeing them, Drew, with a broad grin, blocked the staircase. "Where are you folks off to? Running around like this must be exhausting. How about we lend you a hand and bring everything back in one trip?"

They had a few rubber boats follow the residents on the 18th floor in the morning, but Jasper had managed to shake them off. Despite their daily excursions, the supplies Drew brought back were dwindling, causing dissatisfaction among the group members. They often compared their haul to that of the 18th floor. All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

"Just a few bundles of firewood, there's no need for Mr. Drew to worry." Stella replied with a tight- lipped smile, "Our resources are limited. Even if we were to bring back a few bundles of firewood, I'm afraid there wouldn't be enough to go around."

"Stella, you misunderstand. It's just a neighborly gesture. We wouldn't take your things."

"Well, we can't accept." Stella was firm. "There's no such thing as a free lunch, is there? You've already borrowed our boats; you wouldn't want to borrow our firewood too, would you?"

Drew choked on his words, his face turning green. These stubborn people, they better not fall into his hands.

The journey to Ivywood Estates was far; it took more than an hour by speedboat and was almost at the edge of the city. Ignoring the floodwaters beneath their feet, it was indeed a beautiful natural haven. Green mountains and forests could be seen, along with distinctive, chic villa clusters.

The lower terrains were already flooded, the floodwaters had already reached the front yards of the higher terrains, and everyone had been evacuated.

All the collected supplies were centralized in the highest building of the villa. There were furniture, water tanks, several unused gas cylinders, scattered boxes of charcoal, and more.

Jasper and Cody went up the mountain to bring down the wild boar, while Stella cleaned the kitchen to prepare the brine.

Grilling raw meat was too slow. It was quicker to first boil it in a pot to lose the water, then grill it over charcoal. When the wild boar was brought back, Jasper cleaned it up and cut it into thin strips according to Stella's instruction.

When the time was right, they took the boar and Cody to trade.

When the two left, Cooper was put on guard at the door while Stella took out a solar energy storage box, shredder, and induction cooker from Arcadia.

The shredded lean meat was poured into the pot, with seasonings and chili added, and then continuously stir-fried on the stove. To prolong the shelf life, the meat sauce was stir-fried until very dry, smelling especially tasty.

When Jasper and Cody returned around nine o'clock, two large pots of meat sauce had been prepared, and thin slices of meat had all been braised and placed in a basin to drain. Hearing

Cooper's warning, Stella put everything that shouldn't appear back into Arcadia.

Cody was almost taken aback when he saw that most of the work had been done, "Stella, your efficiency is soaring, isn't it?"

"Well, that’s me," she responded.

Stella started a fire to grill the meat. "How's your trade going?"

"We met at the place where we killed the pig last time. We only had these two, and plan to finish the trade by tomorrow morning," Cody replied.

After gathering several hundred pounds of new rice, Cody breathed a sigh of relief. "Once this batch is done, we won't have to worry for a year or two. By then, order should be restored, right?"

Stella echoed, "Perhaps."

Once they'd survived the extreme cold and the floodwaters had evaporated, the country's base should also be completed. If they were willing to go there, there's still a chance to survive.

The three of them sat around a charcoal stove, placing the drained braised meat on the grill. When the meat loses most of its water, it grills particularly fast.

Cody tasted a piece, "So salty!"

"The weather is too damp; only with more salt can it be preserved longer," Stella explained.

After teaching the two how to grill, Stella went to braise more meat. Once ready, they could be taken back to the 18th floor to be heated up and then served.

Smelling the meat aroma, Cody couldn't help but swallow. He grabbed a knuckle and began nibbling directly.

Finally, the whole pot was brought down, and the three of them, along with the dog, ate their fill with bread. It was a hearty feast.

Cody, being a foodie, couldn't help but make a sarcastic comment, "Such a great cooking skill, I don't know which lucky man will benefit from it in the future."

Stella glanced at him and calmly replied, "As long as it's not you."

Jasper quietly ate and didn't say anything, but he instinctively looked at her.

"Woof!" The lonely Cooper ran over to join in on the fun.

Stella stroked its head, "I'll live with Cooper."

"Don't be ridiculous." Cody joked, "You can't cross species!"

Stella ordered, "Cooper, growl at him."

The dog immediately lunged over, baring its teeth, ready to spray him with drools.

Cody immediately begged for mercy, "Ah, I was wrong. Mr. Cooper, please spare me."

Jasper coughed coldly. Cooper not only did not let go, but also scratched Cody with its paw.

After a full meal of laughter and noise, they continued to grill meat in the night. A pound of raw meat was grilled into half a pound of dried meat. A large bag full of it weighed several dozen pounds, plus meat sauce and braised pork.

Once everything was done, it was already past three in the morning. With another trade scheduled for the morning, the group decided to stay in the villa.

The beds were still there, and all they needed to do was change into their own sheets and clothes. With Cooper on night watch, everyone slept soundly.

When Stella woke up, Jasper had already completed the trade, exchanging four wild boars for over 800 pounds of new rice. They cooked a pot of soup, ate their fill, and departed.

Back at the 18th floor, Stella called Jasper over to check his wound. He sat down and Stella began to check his wound, finding that it was bleeding, "Why didn't you say anything yesterday?"

"It's not a serious wound."

"Rosie is still young. You should take it seriously." Infections could be deadly in their situation, with a lack of medication and frequent exposure to water.

Stella disinfected and re-bandaged the wound, "Don't touch water for a few days."

As they were close, Cooper tried to get in on the action, stretching his paw out to Stella. It’s like he also wanted to be bandaged.

Stella chuckled, "Go away, buddy."

With 860 pounds of rice, 72 pounds of dried meat, 30 pounds of meat sauce, and other miscellaneous items, Stella took her share and focused on reading and exercising at home, leaving the others to handle Ivywood Estates' affairs.

Cody and Lukas had been on the move for several days, hauling back a water tower and stacks of firewood.

There was construction going on at Ivywood Estates, so the pair managed to salvage a fair amount of piping. They were figuring out how to install the water tower on the rooftop.

Rosie had been quite shaken up, but kids were resilient. Before long, she was back to her cheerful self.

Jasper's injury hadn't fully healed, but he came over every day to spar. He was only able to use one hand, which made it difficult for Stella to go all out. She feared it wouldn't be a fair fight if she did.

Young and robust, Jasper met the criteria for having his stitches removed in just five days. Angela's injuries were more severe, and she didn't get her stitches out until day ten.

After the wild boar incident, Angela stopped seeking Jasper out for sparring sessions. She realized his skills were far beyond her reach.