18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel Chapter 597

Partings are always bittersweet, and Stella did her best to smile. "Dr. Collin, I'm sure Willowbrook will flourish quickly. Maybe next time, it'll be us visiting you."

Deep down, she'd wanted to ask him to stay just a bit longer.

But Collin, ever the rational one, had turned her down. "With you at Griffith, I have no worries. Willowbrook needs me more."

His selflessness left Stella speechless.

Collin patted her shoulder. "Stella, people come and go. If fate allows, we’ll meet again."

The time had come, and the delegation began boarding the speedboats to the offshore docks.

Mentor and apprentice hugged, and Collin picked up the backpack she’d given him, waving goodbye.

Stella watched until he disappeared from view, her heart heavy with sorrow.

Not long after, a convoy of military jeeps rolled in.

Staff Officer Daniel and others disembarked, and folks like Reagan and Nicholas came to see them off, their laughter and genuine sentiments filling the air.

Stella approached with gifts in hand. "Dad, godfather."

The gifts were plentiful: tobacco, liquor, tea, and the quick-acting heart-saving pills she had made herself.

Her acknowledgement of family ties wasn’t public knowledge in Griffith, so when Stella called the staff officer "godfather," everyone was taken aback.

Before the staff officer could react, Nicholas's mouth twitched.

He felt like a fool, thinking he’d been so sly and discreet, only to find out they were all family.

His emotions churned, but as a seasoned warrior, he quickly regained his stoic demeanor as if nothing had happened.

The godfather, pleased with his gifts, grinned at Daniel. "Old Gu, this departure spans thousands of miles. You better take good care of my goddaughter; don’t let anyone push her around."

"I will," Daniel assured him.

"Don’t just say it; make sure you do. If even a hair on her head is harmed, I’ll hold you accountable," the godfather said, though his words carried a deeper message for the others listening in.

After exchanging pleasantries, the other higher-ups also shared their goodbyes.

In the crowd, Stella searched for Rosie, who was chatting with Dylan in a corner.

Dylan held a bag of hotpot ingredients, his gaze intense as if trying to etch Rosie into his very soul.

Finally, he said simply, "Rosie, take care."

Rosie nodded with a smile. "You too, Dylan. Stay safe on your journey."

As the Willowbrook military personnel began to board the ship, Dylan, as the staff officer’s guard, had to stay close by.

Even through the crowd, Stella could hear the sound of his heart breaking.

Rosie stood on the dock, waving at him from a distance, her smile forced.

Ten days later, the Willowbrook delegation departed.

They hadn’t come empty-handed, and neither did they leave Griffith without tokens.

Live poultry was inconvenient to transport, but they took plenty of fertilized eggs, as well as seeds for herbs and crops that Willowbrook lacked.

This was common knowledge among the survivors, but other matters were discussed behind closed doors.

Even Stella was in the dark about those.

As the Willowbrook submarine faded into the distance, Stella drove Rosie home, while Jasper had to attend a meeting due to his military rank.

Rosie was unusually quiet on the drive, seemingly lost in her thoughts.

When they had said their goodbyes in the New Town Villa District, Rosie had been a naive young girl. Having lived next to Dylan for years, she had developed feelings that were different from those for anyone else.

Stella didn’t intrude on her young friend’s thoughts.

It was late when Jasper returned home, and Stella was nearly asleep.

In other words, even if Griffith had been unyielding, the staff officer wouldn’t have engaged in a lose-lose battle.

The calamity was devastating enough; there was no need for further human tragedy.

His mission was to lead Willowbrook’s development and continue Australia’s five-thousand-year-old civilization.

He was on a mission, eager to spark a revolution that would sweep through the masses, a desire that burned within him far more fiercely than anyone could imagine.

Such grand aspirations were beyond the grasp of a power-hungry individual like Nicholas.

Some discussions weren’t laid out in the open conference room but held behind closed doors between Staff Officer Si and Daniel.

Despite Nicholas’s hustle, the arrival of the Willowbrook delegation didn’t quite play into his hands.

Stella couldn’t help but wonder how Daniel would handle the subordinates constantly throwing wrenches in his works.

The culprit behind the hospital poisoning had met an untimely end, leaving no evidence for the military to trace. Though no concrete proof was in hand, everyone seemed to have their suspicions.

Thankfully, Bran was astute; otherwise, Stella would have been the one to take the fall.

Power struggles were one thing, but dragging innocent lives into the fray was another level of contempt.

Yet, amid the turmoil, the atmosphere was subtly shifting.

Being exceptionally skilled was one thing, but having the military titan of Willowbrook, Staff Officer Si, take her under his wing as his goddaughter was another.

With the two cities forging a partnership, frequent exchanges were on the horizon.

Protected by two towering figures, it would be difficult for her not to rise to prominence.

Power attracts followers.

But Stella remained modest, carefully crafting her image as a figure of reverence.

With her path blocked, many turned their scheming eyes toward Bran.