18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel Chapter 380

The tarp was yanked back, revealing a truck bed filled with weathered barrels caked in mud and rust. Each container looked like it had survived a bombing raid, dented here and bulging there.

The warehouse worker couldn't help but wonder—what on earth was inside?

He scrubbed off the mud, chipped away at the rust, and finally, the emblem on one of the barrels came into view—Titanium?

He cleaned a few more, revealing Tungsten, Beryllium...

"My God, these were rare metals—the kind the base had been scouring the earth for, with no luck. Production at the factory was hanging by a thread.

The worker's jaw nearly hit the floor. "All of this, in both trucks?"

"Yep." Stella wiped her dirt-streaked face, her voice tinged with urgency and anxiety. "Buddy, are these any good to you? We busted our backs and bet the farm to trade for these. If they're useless, we're done for."

Considering the barrels' shabby state, the worker wasn't sure whether the contents were still intact.

"I honestly don't know." He got caught up in Stella's dramatic demeanor and grew nervous himself. "Hold tight, I'll get some folks from the research and testing department over here."

He dashed into the office and radioed for assistance.

After briefing the situation, he reminded them, "Yes, yes, it's two trucks full—send someone quick."

These metals were like industrial MSG—a pinch in the mix and you're golden. And this—this was a motherlode!

Twenty minutes later, a vehicle rolled up, unloading a few uniformed personnel.

As they caught sight of the two trucks' worth of barrels, their jaws dropped in shock.

The team leader, snapping out of his amazement, commanded: “Let's move, get these unloaded and sampled for testing.”

The trading hub's staff scrambled to help.

Stella hurried over. "Hey, where are you taking our stuff? You haven't even weighed it yet. You aren't thinking of swiping it, are you?"

The captain flashed a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, we're not thieves. Rare metals just need special storage. The last few years have been rough, and we need to test each one to make sure they're usable."

Stella frowned. "How long will this testing take?"

"We'll test a batch first, should take about three hours to get results. If it's all good, we'll need two days for the full check."

They weren't taking the cargo, just samples.

Although the barrels looked beat-up, when they carefully pried off the lids, revealing the refined powder inside, the experts were thrilled—the metals had been impeccably preserved.

Their experience suggested near certainty about the condition of the metals, but scientific testing was still needed for conclusive results.

Within three hours, the trading center's staff needed to clean all the barrels' exteriors.

Arcadia kept things fresh, so the metals couldn't be bad, but that wasn't something Stella could explain to the testers. All she could do was wait.

The trio and their dog weren't idle either, joining the workers in the cleanup.

Understanding the value of the metals, the staff handled each barrel with extreme care. When Stella and Jasper were a bit rough, causing the barrels to roll on the ground, the workers called out anxiously, "Easy there, easy! Don't damage the barrels."

To the uninitiated, one might think these sturdy containers were made of tofu.

The workers skipped lunch, focused on meeting the testing department's demands, cleaning everything as quickly as possible.

Word spread like wildfire throughout the trading center, attracting lone scavengers and groups eager for news. Seeing the haul, they were consumed with envy—if only such fortune had fallen into their laps!

Such a bounty could secure a lifetime's worth of necessities if traded.