18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel Chapter 327

Scrambling to beat the clock, they was still a minute too late.

Swan Hill Institute of Herbal Medicine was shrouded in smog, packed with people seeking remedies for their ailments. Coughs echoed everywhere, droplets flying chaotically through the air.

Armed soldiers stood guard at the main entrance, behind the police tape, forbidding anyone to enter.

Stella quickly turned her car around and headed for the institute's back door. She didn't hide her concern, explaining the situation as it was.

Without official authorization, no outsiders were allowed entry. "I'm a student of Dr. Collin," Stella insisted, "I was invited over especially. Please, could you pass on the message?"

The guard at the rear was an institute staffer, unyielding in his refusal.

Stella smiled, stepping out of her car, and from the folds of her oversized coat, she pulled out a five-pound bag of rice, slipping it to him discreetly. "Do me a solid, will you? No worries if it doesn't pan out. I'll take the fall if anything goes wrong."

Who could resist the lure of a five-pound bag of rice in these times? The guard risked a reprimand to help her make contact.

After a thirty-minute wait, an assistant dressed in protective gear came out to fetch her.

The research center was small and had already filled up its temporary wards with over a hundred cases, categorized into asymptomatic, mild, severe, and critical. The hallways were crowded with patients.

The smog had came suddenly, compounded by a relentless darkness. Even some of the institute's doctors had fallen ill in the past couple of days, overwhelmed with the workload, many still working through their sickness.

Collin still managed to get Stella inside, clearing out two rooms in the family area.

The institute lacked a veterinarian, so they had to treat Cooper as if he were human, with Collin himself taking charge.

After examining both patients, he confirmed the symptoms were mild and similar to those in the early stages of the infection. "You're lucky to have spotted it early. Timely treatment should make a significant difference."

Seeing Stella and Jasper symptom-free, Collin asked curiously, "How have you been preventing it?"

"We followed the recipe you gave us before, brewing herbal tea daily since we got the news from you."

"Hmm, the recipe is effective. Whether it can cure the virus depends on the severity of the symptoms and the individual's immune system." Collin instructed, "Luckily, some kind-hearted folks from Griffith have donated plenty of remedies. Dr. Garcia has tailored treatments for different symptoms. You can pick some up from the office area and drink it—cure or prevent."

Seizing the moment, Stella inquired, "Dr. Collin, how's the research progressing?"

Collin's eyes were bloodshot with fatigue. "Herbal medicine doesn't have a silver bullet. We're constantly adjusting treatments for different symptoms. We're still exploring, but once a patient's condition worsens, it deteriorates rapidly, making clinical observation and treatment challenging."

Rosie and Cooper shared a room, while she and Jasper were next door. The likelihood of infection for Stella and Jasper was high. Though it hadn't manifested yet, they were prepared.

Seeing Rosie and Cooper stable and self-sufficient, they decided it was better to join the institute's efforts than to wait passively for the disease to strike.

The staff was stretched thin, and the smog virus was relentless. Waiting for a cure could mean many more lives lost.

Having come this far, Stella wasn't about to sit idly by. A day earlier with the cure meant a day sooner she could get the medicine.

Back from the office with the medicine, she noticed it tasted similar to her own brew, confirming the presence of two key ingredients.