18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel Chapter 157

Monkey crossed out the items beyond his capabilities. "I can get the rest of them, but it would take some time."

Stella inquired, "How long?"

"About five days," Monkey replied, not hesitating to ask for a high price. "After sifting through both hot and cold climates, it's hard to find many things, and they're not cheap. It would cost at least 1000 pounds of potatoes."

A thousand pounds of potatoes? Stella nearly burst out laughing.

After much haggling and negotiating, Stella, feeling flustered and irritated by the heat, finally settled on 500 pounds of potatoes.

They agreed on a meeting point for the trade. Stella, riding the mountain bike she had earned from Mikey, hurried home to escape the heat and preserve her life.

At nightfall, Jasper called her from walkie-talkie, asking her to come to the parking lot.

The Hummer, at last, was repaired. With its dismantled parts reassembled and a few parts swapped out from a salvaged collection, the shiny new Hummer made its appearance once again.

To be honest, she had always craved this type of vehicle.

Considering the super off-roader she had stashed away in Arcadia, Stella remained calm, although excitement still fluttered in her heart.

Jasper was quite the guy, skilled in everything from fighting and killing to car mechanics. Stella was irresistibly curious about him. "What else can you do?"

The parking lot was pitch dark, and he turned off his flashlight before embracing Stella. "Take a guess."

In the darkness, Stella allowed him to hold her, clearly smelling the scent of his sweat. It didn't stink, but rather felt reassuring.

Stella didn't guess, instead waiting for him to surprise her.

The parking lot was deserted, and under the cover of darkness, she stashed the Hummer in Arcadia.

The next day, Lukas stood in the parking lot looking bewildered. "Jasper, where's your car?"

Jasper replied casually, "I hid it somewhere else to prevent jealousy and sabotage."

"Jasper, you're always so thoughtful."

A new day began and the work continued.

After several days, Jasper and his two apprentices managed to assemble two off-road vehicles. Some parts were salvaged, others were supposedly traded by Stella from "outside", deducted from their stockpile of medicines.

Day in and day out in the parking lot, it wasn't surprising to be followed. But Jasper wasn't naive. He had noticed someone lurking in the shadows. So, he signaled to Cody and Lukas.

"What, the engine doesn't work and we need to find another one? How long will that take?"

"Half a month. Isn't that too long?"

A few simple but vital parts were not installed, and they could finish it until the day they left.

Late at night, Jasper drove the Hummer, taking Stella to the trading point to collect the goods.

This was Stella's second time in his car.

The first time was when the typhoon was approaching, and he gave her a lift. Now, by a strange twist of fate, they had become a couple.

Thinking about it, it all seemed unbelievable.

Jasper focused on driving. "Why are you snickering?"

Stella quietly gazed at the night outside the window, feeling as if she were in a dream. "Nothing."

At the secluded trading point, Monkey drooled at the sight of the Hummer.

Having a car and being able to drive it, was definitely not something ordinary people could do. He was impressed. She’s a big client! This woman was extraordinary in every way, except for her stinginess and knack for taking advantage of people.