Chapter 319
After years of sharing a bed, it was the first time Ste realized Jasper was having a nightmare, so
she nudged him a few times to wake him up.
Jasper''s eyes shot open, and he gasped for air. His mind seemed foggy, and his expression looked
lost and pained.
Ste waved a hand in front of his face. "Jasper?"
At that, Jasper seemed to snap back to reality, then suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace.
"Ste, don’t leave me." The usuallyposed and level-headed man was now a picture of panic
and vulnerability. It seemed he also had his own demons from the past, and they had just never
surfaced before.
Ste wiped the cold sweat from his brow. "Bad dream?"
It was probably the haunting memory of Molly''s tragic childbirth that had triggered this nightmare. In
his dream, he saw Rosie as nothing but a skeletal frame, and then he found love with Ste, but in
this cruel fantasy, Ste died giving birth to his child.
"It''s just a dream, good for nothing but forgetting," Ste reassured him.
Ste wasn’t one to recklessly risk her life, but life was unpredictable, and idents could happen
out of the blue. What if one day, despite all caution, she fell pregnant?
Molly''s miscarriage was a shock Ste hadn''t been present for, so it hadn’t hit her as hard. But
Molly''s death had struck her to the core.
A constant sense of crisis reminded Ste that she had many weaknesses to address and
knowledge to acquire. Otherwise, if the time came, she wouldn''t even have the chance for ast-
minute prayer.
After breakfast, the radio broadcasted thetest news—the night market was reopening. After two
years of silence, the market was back in business. With perpetual darkness, the authorities had
adapted, christening it the night market.
This was a surprise for Ste; she hadn''t expected the officials to implement such a policy,
encouraging survivors to venture out and barter for needed supplies, but advising them to travel in
groups rather than solo.
The government''s bold move indicated a significant improvement in public safety during the eternal
night.
On her visit to the market, Ste noted the street lights were on, and there were no thugs to rob her.
Clearly, treating criminals as walking bounties was a sessful policy.
Every system had its ce, and over the past two years, bounty hunter groups had thrived, with the
more capable among them even livingfortably.
Some savvy operators had even startedpanies to recruit like-minded hunters and conduct
training in various skills, but this practice was eventually halted by the authorities.
During these extraordinary times, no private armed groups were allowed—if anyone attempted to
form one, they would be treated as walking bounties themselves!
The new policy sent ripples of excitement through the neighborhood, especially among the wealthy
who had endured two years of hardship. Grown men wept like children in relief.
"Ha ha, ha ha ha, I finally made it through!"
Ste had little interest in the night market, but she wanted to visit the Swan Hill Institute of Herbal
Medicine to see if she could find any obstetrics and gynecology materials.
She wasn''t the only one with psychological scars; Jasper was also struggling. "I’ll go with you," he
said.
Despite the darkness, the authorities hadn''t given up on infrastructure. The edges of Swan Hill and
Griffith were now connected, with military police at the city limits for security. The safety was
reassuring.
So, with the Humvee packed and ready, Ste and Jasper set off. Before leaving, Ste didn’t forget
to bring gifts—a car full of medicinal herbs, part of their cultivation contract due to the institute.
Considering the liver and lung diseases that would follow in a year, she gave more than was
required.
The dim street lights stretched down the road, offering courage and hope to those who traveled it.
Jasper drove while Ste kept watch. They encountered military patrols and even a few bandits, but
they arrived safely at the Institute of Herbal Medicine.
Two years had passed, and now military guards stood at the entrance. Without official permission,
nobody was allowed inside the research facility. Ste hadn''t expected such tight security, but it
made sense for a special unit like the Institute of Herbal Medicine to have strict management.
Fortunately, she was prepared. "We''vee to deliver herbs as per our contract. Could you please
contact Dr. Collin for us?" She opened the trunk to reveal the medicine.
After inspecting the contract and the herbs, the guards made an exception and contacted Dr. Collin
with their walkie-talkie.
With proper registration procedures and about half an hour of waiting, Ste saw Dr. Collin rushed
out in his military coat, greeting them warmly. "Ste?"
Their reunion was joyful, with a hearty embrace. The Institute had faced several attacks during the
chaos of the eternal night, and the military presence was there to secure it.
Dr. Collin had been worried about Ste''s safety, given her affluent background, which would make
her a prime target for thugs. Thankfully, they were both safe and seemed to be doing well.
Ste felt nostalgic; two years had passed, and she wasn''t sure if she had aged, but Dr. Collin
certainly looked older and thinner. His temples were now touched with gray.
Upon learning her purpose, Dr. Collin was delighted. "We have books on obstetrics and gynecology
that you can copy and study."
Additionally, the Institute had taken in a few doctors who had spent thest two years studying and
compiling surgical knowledge.
No one knew when the natural disaster would end, but if the unfortunate day arrived, even if they
couldn''t make it to the end, they would leave behind a treasure trove of knowledge for future
generations to rebuild civilization.
Knowing that Ste had some surgical knowledge and had likely continued her studies, Dr. Collin
was eager to introduce her to his colleagues.
Ste was more than willing, and she didn''t forget to present the medicinal herbs she had brought.
"Dr. Collin, this is the share due to the Institute as per our contract."
The herbs were light, but the bags were packed tight, weighing at least a couple hundred pounds.
Dr. Collin inspected the delivery and was surprised to find that her crops were even better than
those grown by the Institute. It was clear she had tended them with great care, unlike other
contractors whose products were subpar and adulterated.
With theing of eternal night, many had cut ties altogether, but Ste persisted in fulfilling her
contract. Time revealed all.
As Dr. Collin called his assistant to move the herbs, he led them into the Institute.
The Institute consisted of just one office building; the rest of the space was dedicated to growing
medicinal herbs. In the darkness, ss greenhouses glowed with lights, revealing rows of various
herbs. To maximize space, the greenhouses employed staggered, multi-level nting.
The trio of greenhouses, with their glistening panes, upied less than an acre—a modest patch
compared to Ste''s sprawling Arcadia back home. Nurturing a variety of nts demanded a
meticulous bnce of temperature, as each herb thrived under its own climatic conditions.
It was, without a doubt, a financially draining endeavor, and it was a marvel they had managed to
keep it afloat thus far. But giving up was not an option. The thought of how many lives would be at
stake if they ceased their efforts was chilling.
N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.
Gazing out at the soft glow of the greenhouses in the twilight, a surge of admiration for Collin and
the others filled Ste''s heart. It was their relentless determination, their willingness to risk
everything in search of cures, which had ultimately led to conquering the smog virus that once
threatened to choke the life from their world.