18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel Chapter 125

30 planting pots, made of plastic that was not resistant to low temperatures and could become brittle when frozen. However, they were thick, so as long as handled carefully, there shouldn't be a problem.

Four packs of compound fertilizer, each weighing about 50 pounds.

Satisfied with the goods, Stella pulled out a flask of liquor from her bag.

Monkey, initially upset about not making a profit, was pleasantly surprised. The liquor alone made the deal worthwhile.

Having secured his goods, Monkey departed.

Jasper, to make Stella's job easier, had stayed out of the transaction, waiting outside with Rosie. Once sure the coast was clear, Stella stowed the items away in the Arcadia.

As she was about to leave, she noticed Jasper talking to Monkey at a distance, apparently negotiating a deal.

Only after Monkey had left did Stella come out.

Back in their neighborhood, Stella didn’t rush home. She let Cooper out of her bag for a walk around the block. This guy was well-behaved and knew better than to whine while tucked inside the backpack.

While Stella walked the dog, Jasper watched over Rosie. They stood sheltered from the wind, quietly watching the two frolic in the cold.

The items exchanged were paid for by Stella, to which Jasper asked, “What do you want for today’s deal?”

They usually split the goods, but as Jasper was the one primarily looking after the potatoes, Stella didn’t want to take advantage of him. So, she included the cotton shoes in the deal, “Any chocolate left?” It was delicious, a bit addictive.

“Yes,” he replied.

Back on the 18th floor, the planters and fertilizer were temporarily stored in the Arcadia, and the cotton shoes were given to Jasper.

Jasper brought out two boxes of chocolate. Stella, being fair, only took one.

Once inside, Rosie looked up, “Jasper, I want some chocolate.”

“It has alcohol, kiddo. You can have some toffee instead.”

Two days later, Jasper dropped Rosie off at 1802, “I need to step out for a bit, can you look after Rosie?”

Stella agreed willingly; they’d been taking turns watching over the kid and the dog.

Just as she was about to make some instant soup for lunch at noon, Jasper returned, his backpack bulging.

Rosie, smelling the noodles, looked at him with longing, “Jasper, I want some.”

Since his dog had been fed by him, Stella felt obliged to offer, “Would you like some as well?”

To her surprise, Jasper agreed, “Alright.”

She added two more packs of soup to the pot, threw in some hams and fried an egg for each of them.

Stella’s apartment wasn’t big, and Jasper’s arrival made it even more cramped. But the presence of a dog and a child somehow added a strange sense of peace.

A month later, the residents of 1803 returned safely from their day shifts. This time they looked much better than last time, not as haggard and weary.

Despite the weather, they only suffered minor frostbites, thanks to the frostbite ointment they had.

In addition to their wages, they also brought back several valuable items, including a piece of gold weighing almost half a pound. All of these were handed over to Stella for safekeeping and to trade for more useful items in the future.

Work was different from school, but in just two months, Angela and Lukas had changed dramatically. Especially Lukas, who used to be reliant on women, now stood tall and strong, he had become a real man. Of course, he was still good to Angela, constantly praising his wife.

Cody was envious, while Stella could only shake her head.

In the past two months, they had faced many dangers but made it through each time, gaining valuable experience and resources in the process.