18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel 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.

"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.