18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 246

Scrambling to escape was a luxury they couldn't afford. The place was exploding, like the Fourth of July fireworks.

The group behind the car witnessed the entire scene, their jaws dropping, before dispersing like a flock of startled birds.

The Hummer didn't stop. It drove straight ahead, stopping right before the spike strip. Ensuring that no one was watching, the two of them put on their bulletproof vests and helmets before stepping out of the car.

The spike strip, sturdy as it was, could make a decent trap back home. Not wanting to waste it, Stella and her companion hoisted it onto the roof of their car and secured it.

They continued to drive.

They encountered two more roadblocks, but the people were few and unarmed. Upon seeing the intimidating Hummer, they hesitated and didn't dare to surround them.

Mount Murray was about 30 kilometers away from Lincoln. They left the highway behind and slowly drove into the forest.

Along the way, they passed by ruins of old farmhouses, now devoid of any human presence.

The high and steep Mount Murray came into sight. They managed to drive the car to a flat and safe area at the foot of the mountain.

Not in any rush to get out, the group first had a meal in the car. After airing out the smell of food, they reclined their seats and went to sleep. They hadn't had a proper rest in the past few days, and they needed to recharge before climbing the mountain.

Despite the seemingly deserted mountain and their bulletproof car, Stella left a small gap in the window.

If there was any rustling, Cooper could detect it immediately.

They slept soundly for seven to eight hours. Upon waking, they stretched their limbs, recharged with some food, and then geared up for the climb.

Securing the car, the three of them, along with Cooper, set off for the mountain.

Cooper had a habit of taking the lead, but with Stella's stern warning, he stayed obediently by their side, strictly following the rule of not straying more than five steps away.

The same applied to Jasper. He would not allow Rosie to leave his sight.

The geological structure here was unlike that of Mount Greenwood, composed of countless rocks and soil. After the mega-earthquake, the safety index had plummeted.

Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, Stella was taken aback by the sight in front of her.

The entrance to the mountain had been blocked by massive rocks and landslide debris.

"Be careful," Jasper warned.

The earthquake had occurred just over half a year ago. The structure was unstable and much more dangerous than it would be five years later. This was also why he didn't want Stella and the others to be here. In their quest for the life-saving medicine here in his past life, three of their teammates had lost their lives. Even if given another chance, the terrifying memory was deeply ingrained in his bones.

Truthfully, Stella was also somewhat worried. She didn't want to risk bringing Cooper and Rosie along, but what if they encountered villains when left alone?

Sure, they could handle a few, but what if a large group came?

Sigh, the worries of parenting. Content held by NôvelDrama.Org.

After some thought, Stella left the choice to them, "The mountain is very dangerous. Do you want to find a safe place to hide and wait for us to come back?"

Upon hearing the word 'dangerous', Cooper decisively clung onto her trouser leg.

Rosie was determined, "I want to follow you guys."

Stella and Jasper exchanged glances, ultimately deciding to bring them along into the mountain.

They climbed over the rocks and carefully tread on the landslide debris, leaving a trail of footprints behind. The mountain path was destroyed in many places, and they could only walk where it was safe.

Back in Mount Murray, looking at the mountainous terrain and vegetation, Jasper's memory became increasingly clear. He led the way to where they had found the Dragonlily in his past life.

Afraid of getting separated or encountering danger, Stella came up with a good idea. She tied a rope around their wrists at a certain distance, securing the other end around the dog's neck. If they encountered danger, she could pull everyone into the Arcadia in an instant.

They waded through water and climbed mountains, stepping on soft ground which often collapsed under their weight, causing rocks to tumble.

After two hours, they finally reached the depths of the valley. Compared to five years later, the valley was barren and lacked greenery. Jasper was worried. Just because they found the medicine five years later, didn't mean they could find it now. It was very likely that it hadn't even grown yet.

Scanning the area, he found no sign of it.

Stella reassured him, "Don't worry, we've got time."

Using their walking sticks, they moved aside the dead leaves and weeds, looking out for unnoticeable green shoots.

After two hours of searching, Stella noticed a very short green shoot that looked very similar to Dragonlily.

After confirming repeatedly, they were sure it was Dragonlily, a young shoot that had just sprouted. Stella took out a shovel and carefully dug it out, soil and all.

"Here's another one," Rosie excitedly pointed out.

"Woof, woof!" The dog joined in the excitement, barking at the weeds.

After turning the valley upside down with caution, they found twelve Dragonlily plants in total. Unfortunately, there were none in Mount Greenwood, or else they could have split half of them with Collin's group.

Of course, she didn't forget the real reason why they came to Mount Murray. Back then, Jasper's group had also found the Dragonlily without much trouble. But what came next was the real danger and test.

Another type of medicine grew at the peak of the mountain, shrouded in clouds all year round.

Mount Murray was about 2000 meters above sea level, and the climb was especially steep. It took eight hours to reach the peak along the mountain path. This was the speed of physically fit people before the apocalypse. Now, after the earthquake, things were only going to be more difficult.

The last time, it took Jasper's group two whole days to climb up.

Since they were already here, giving up was not an option. But he was more nervous than the last time, as he was with the most important people in his life. There was no room for any mishaps.

Jasper led the way, followed by Rosie, Stella, and Cooper.

As they were walking, the path suddenly disappeared. A large part of the mountain path had collapsed. The mountain was steep, so they took out their climbing claws and carefully climbed up.

They were all tough people, but they were genuinely tired. They took breaks intermittently.

The journey was fraught with danger, and it took them a whole day to reach halfway up the mountain.

They took out high-energy food like BBQ ribs, chicken soup, vegetables, and bread, replenishing their energy for the climb ahead.

Just as they were about to continue their journey after a hearty meal, Cooper suddenly let out a sharp bark. Something was rapidly descending from above.

"Damn," Jasper's face paled, "It's a rockfall."

Stella looked up. Although she couldn't see anything, the rumbling sound was getting louder.

"Run!"

One of Jasper's teammates had been killed by a rockfall last time, so his first instinct was to protect Rosie, who was right next to him.

The rockfall was upon them in a flash. In the nick of time, Stella pulled everyone into the Arcadia.

Jasper responded quickly, pressing his sister's head against his chest, "It's okay, Rosie. Just close your eyes."

Used to the comfort of her brother's voice, she instinctively shut her eyes.

They found themselves in the quiet solitude of Arcadia. On recognizing the familiar surroundings, Cooper quickly calmed down, nudging Stella with his head repeatedly. Stella ignored him, focusing instead on her wristwatch.

After roughly five minutes, she shared a glance with Jasper and then abruptly left Arcadia.

There were signs of impact and crushing from huge boulders on the ground. The mountainside was eerily quiet.

Jasper let go of his sister, saying, "It's all over."

Rosie opened her eyes, a little scared and hesitant to embrace her brother. Instead, she darted into Stella's arms.