Chapter 150
Ste had quietly tested it before, and it didn''t work when she tried to fetch a propane tank.
Now,,there was no problem when collecting things in the water bucket. Whether she could collect
things underwater or not was likely linked to the depth of the water, the pressure, and her mental
strength. So, it was really hard to say.
"With the severe damage from the earthquake, the city has turned into ruins, and the base would
also be affected. We need a lot of building materials and metals for reconstruction or technological
development. We need to be prepared in advance," Jasper said.
Many factories were submerged in the floodwaters, but with the ongoing heatwave, they would
gradually emerge from the surface.
"I''m not sure if I can collect it, but I can try," she added.
Ste wanted to gather a lot of building materials to donate to the local government. By doing so,
she hoped to secure a slot for a new home in the rebuilt city after the earthquake. That was the only
way to ensure a safe life.
Living in the suburbs or deep in the mountains was not an option. It would only lead to a quicker
death.
With the drastic reduction in poption due to the earthquake, the living conditions were getting
worse. The safety patrol coverage of the local government was also shrinking. Areas not covered by
the patrol would be a paradise for thewless.
Both had the same goal, and they exchanged knowing smiles.
Just as Jasper was about to lean in for a kiss, their walkie-talkie suddenly rang. Ste suppressed a
laugh and pushed him away lightly.
Lukas sounded excited on the other end, "Jasper, the government has announced the location of
the base. When are we going?"
Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.
Knowing that Lukas and his group were nning to go to the base, Jasper nced at Ste. When
he saw that she wasn''t particrly surprised, he said, "Sorry, Ste and I have no ns to join the
base."
There was silence on the other end, and nobody spoke for a while. Then, there was a knock at the
door. Everyone from Room 1803 came over. They couldn''t understand why Ste and Jasper were
unwilling to join the base. They were worried that if they arrivedte, there would be no slots left.
After all, they couldn’t stand a chance against a group of people. The living conditions were getting
tougher, and no matter how strong they were, they couldn''t fend off everything. One day, those
people would be desperate and attack the 18th floor.
Even if the base wasn''t as good as they imagined, it was still much better than outside. At least,
they wouldn''t have to live on the edge every day.
"Jasper, why?" They asked. They couldn''tprehend why the two of them were unwilling to
choose the base.
It was hard to exin in a few words. Jasper invited the upants of 1803 in, and sitting next to
Ste, he began exining in a serious tone, "Before I retired, I was a SWAT officer. I know the
military and police systems better than you do."
Hepared the military base with the official base, and gave a detailed analysis to the three of
them, "The disaster came suddenly. The base is still under construction. There''s a lot of work to do
if you go there now, but they alsock survival supplies. If you want to be full, it''s going to be tough.
You''d probably be able to get by if you''re doing heavy physicalbor.
“Ste has Cooper, and I have Rosie. She''s still growing. It''s not realistic for two people to support
four mouths withbor work.
“Staying in the city is a bit risky, but the city has aplete industrial infrastructure, and it''s easier
to gather professionals from various fields. It''s also faster to rebuild, so Ste and I n to stay."
After hearing Jasper''s analysis, Cody''s and Lukas''s eyes lit up. But then they seemed to remember
something and their expressions turned somber.
Ste suddenly got it. No wonder these two had been downcast these past few days. They were
nning to leave.
If she remembered correctly, Ang''s hometown was Lincoln. Despite her optimistic nature, she
wasn''t loose-lipped. Over a year had passed since the disaster, and she had never mentioned
wanting to go home. But of course she would miss home.
As the water level dropped day by day, it seemed she was preparing to go home and had discussed
it with Lukas.
Lukas was an orphan, with no home or attachments. He would undoubtedly choose to go with
Ang.
As for Cody, to be realistic, he wouldn''t get far on his own. So he had to make a choice.
But whether he stayed or left, he seemed to be the third wheel.
Ste actually hoped he would stay, but as an orphan, he was more sensitive. And since she and
Jasper were a bit colder in temperament, he would probably feel morefortable with Lukas and
Ang.
However, after all, he had grown up in Griffith. If it had been before the disaster, going to another
city wouldn''t have mattered, but now, it meant unknown risks and uncertainty about the future. And
besides, he would be going as the third wheel.
So, of the three, he was the most conflicted.
Actually, Lukas would rather not leave if he had a choice; the two of them especially hoped they
could stay and join the base together.
Ang also wanted the two to move together, as she was satisfied with the current situation. Once
she found her family in Lincoln, she would also try to get into a base. But she knew that Ste and
Jasper were capable and had more options.
In the end, they had to vote.
The result was inevitable. People from 1803 chose the base, while Ste and Jasper decided to
stay.
Still, Lukas was unsure about the future, "Jasper, do you think it''s better to join the official base or
the military base?"
They had food, but not a lot. To get into a military base, each person needed 50 kilos of grain, which
felt like cutting off their own leg.
"It depends on your choice. The official base is more free, while the military base will be safer. Each
has its pros and cons."
Jasper couldn''t give advice, but as a friend, he reminded them, "Once the water recedes, it would
be best to find a car before you leave. Walking to the base is not practical."
Once the news came out, many survivors with supplies would pack up their belongings and head
for the base.
No one knew who had supplies when everyone’s in their home, and roadside robbers wouldn''t get
much, but those moving their nests would be a different story.
Survivors moved quickly, but there were more robbers. They would set up traps along the road to
the base, waiting to harvest the survivors'' supplies.
Even Ang had forgotten about this. Reminded by Jasper, their faces turned serious. Cody looked
worried, "After the flood and extreme cold, cars have been soaked in water and frozen for a year.
Can there still be good cars?"
Jasper couldn''t guarantee anything. He could only give the best advice he could for Ste''s sake,
but he couldn''t interfere with their decisions.
"We''ll take it one step at a time," Ste chimed in. "Going to the base in a rubber boat is not realistic
right now. There''s garbage and corpses everywhere, and it''s easy to get infected with diseases. If
you encounter robbers who shoot your rubber boat and sink it, you won''t have a way to escape."
In her previous life, she had encountered those who had fled with all their belongings, only to return
empty-handed.
They were robbed just outside Griffith. It’s just lucky that the robbers still had a shred of conscience
left. They only wanted supplies, not lives. If they met heartless robbers, they wouldn''t even have a
chance to survive.
Feeling heavy-hearted, the people from 1803 got up and left.