18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 322

Austin had seen so many high society ladies like this, and he wasn't one to be easily impressed. A few pleasantries were usually all it took to send them on their way.

Every week, Stella made her way to the serene town of Swan Hill. If Collin was too tied up to accompany her, she'd seek out Hugh. She never showed up empty-handed, sometimes bringing a bag of cornmeal, other times a sack of stale bread—gifts for whoever could spare the time to mentor her, a sort of tuition fee.

After several visits without a glimpse of Collin, Stella couldn't help but ask, "Hugh, what's been keeping Dr. Collin so busy these days?"

"Word has it that the eternal night might be drawing to a close. There's been a catastrophe up north, and it might just ripple down here. Dr. Collin's been run ragged these days, working closely with Dr. Garcia—sometimes they barely have time for a meal."

Dr. Garcia? That must be the old professor who cracked the smog virus.

Feigning nosy, Stella prodded further, "What kind of disaster struck up north?"

Hugh, with a gifted and alert apprentice like Stella, had no reason to hide the truth. "It hasn't been announced yet, but the news leaked from the capital. That cursed place, notorious for its nuclear waste mismanagement, was hit by the strongest earthquake in a millennium. An undersea volcano erupted, swallowing the entire country in no time."

To obliterate a nation, the volcanic eruption had to be colossal, and unimaginable amounts of ash must have been spewed into the air.

Stella felt a cold shiver run down her spine. The smog was coming. The sudden demise of that nation was the harsh reality behind the smog disaster.

Growing anxious, Stella asked, "Is there any way to predict what sort of virus the smog might carry?"

Hugh's expression was one of concern as he explained, "The finer the volcanic ash particles, the deeper they penetrate the respiratory tract. Once inhaled, they accumulate in the respiratory system, leading to numerous diseases. Exposure to coarse particles can harm the respiratory system and trigger asthma. Fine particles may cause heart and lung diseases, respiratory infections, reduced lung function, and pose significant risks to the elderly, children, and those with preexisting heart and lung conditions."

These were merely the physical damages; the environmental impact was obvious. Besides creating smog, the ash caused severe damage to building exteriors. If a storm or rain came, the wet, heavy ash could collapse roofs.

Hugh tried to reassure her while continuing the lesson, "Don't worry too much. The research institute has been cultivating medicinal herbs for such events for years now. You've got to have faith in our doctors—they'll overcome this challenge."

Stella nodded, "Yeah, I believe you guys can pull it off."

After the session, she packed her things and left.

Reaching the ground floor, she saw Collin emerging from the glasshouse, accompanied by a few students and a septuagenarian. He was lean, with graying hair but appeared lively and robust.

Stella greeted him, "Dr. Collin, it's been a while."

Collin was pleased to see her, "Stella, good to see you. Just a moment, I have something to discuss with you."

After seeing Dr. Garcia upstairs and instructing his assistants, Collin finally approached her. "I'm sorry, I've been swamped lately. I haven't even had time to see you when you visited."

"It's alright, I can figure things out on my own. Don't let me hold you up from important matters," Stella replied understandingly.

Collin, still pressed for time, got straight to the point. "I heard about the volcanic eruption in the island nation. The ash could spread our way, and although we're far, we might face a smog disaster. We don't know what diseases the smog will bring, but we're in for a tough fight—it's time to test our mettle as medical professionals. After years of calamities, we've lost many great talents. Our mission is daunting. News has reached every city, and they're gathering medical staff urgently. Soon, the remaining medics from Phoenix Bay, Raven Port, and Mount Barker will converge on Swan Hill to face this battle together. We must win, or the disaster will be unimaginable. Stella, are you interested in joining us?"

Stella's mind buzzed, and it took her a moment to find her voice. "Yes, I am."

She had been looking for a reason to get involved. To win this battle, she had been preparing for years.

"Good, you need to be ready at all times. As soon as the smog hits and we see clinical cases, we'll be racing against time."

Stella was about to ask about the institute's preparations, but the words caught in her throat. The disasters destroyed most of the diagnostic equipment, and even basic protective gear like masks might not be available.

Driving back to Griffith, her heart was heavy. That night, after much thought, she approached Austin, "Austin, is there any way to get hold of some protective gear, masks, or alcohol?"

"Stella, it's been years since the disasters. Even if we did have those supplies, they'd be expired by now."

Stella realized the truth in his words. With the harsh climate cycles, even well-preserved items would be useless. She pondered her stockpile of medicinal herbs, thankful for the abundant mugwort she had grown. Turned into moxa, it could serve as an antimicrobial agent.

"I saw Dr. Garcia today," Stella said, describing the old man to Jasper. "Is that him?"

Jasper nodded, "Yes, that's Dr. Garcia."

Stella also mentioned Collin's invitation for her to join the research team but expressed concern for Jasper, Rosie and the dog. "Maybe we could all go together when the time comes?"

If the smog virus remained unchanged and the two crucial herbs were prepared, this battle might not be as hard as the last.

Jasper didn't object. "Sure, we'll decide when the time comes."

The eternal night persisted, and half a month passed in a blur. One day, Stella was jolted awake by an unfamiliar brightness. Opening her eyes, she saw sunlight filtering through the window—not blinding, but dim and dusty, as if veiled by countless particles. Belongs to (N)ôvel/Drama.Org.

Realizing the significance, Stella reached for the curtains.

Daybreak had come. The eternal night was over.

She saw the sun, a sun obscured by smog, dimmed to a mere shadow of itself, as if shrouded in a thick layer of dust.

She had anticipated the butterfly effect but hadn't foreseen its compounded damages. According to Jasper's memory, the smog had arrived about half a month after the end of the eternal night. With no wind, it spread slowly. At first, it was just a light haze, mistaken for fog, until people began coughing and those who stayed out long enough found their faces covered in ash. Visibility eventually dropped to less than five meters in the thick smog.

The eternal night had barely lifted its shroud when the smog rolled in, relentless, offering no quarter to those who had weathered the darkness.

No, the smog was there before the night even had a chance to retreat, its presence masked by the pervasive darkness, invisible and insidious.

Stella's heart raced with sudden anxiety. She checked her pulse quickly, taking deep breaths and holding them to test her lung capacity. All seemed well for the moment.

Jasper stirred awake at her movement, his eyes widening as he peered through the window at the thick fog outside. It took him a moment to gather his wits, and he couldn't help coughing twice, the air already feeling heavy on his chest.