MasukThrough the observation window, Nicole saw countless creatures moving through the water. Squid, octopuses, sea snakes, sharks, glowing jellyfish, and plenty of species she couldn't even identify.The deep blue ocean and strange marine life were breathtaking.She could also make out other submarines in the distance, all from the military base.Nicole watched the creatures outside and frowned. "Don't they look...bigger than they used to?"And not just bigger. Uglier, too.Jacob explained, "During the extreme heat, the polar ice caps melted and released ancient viruses into the ocean. A lot of marine life mutated. "They didn't just grow larger. Some became deformed, and many turned much more aggressive."Once, I took a group of trainees out and we ran into a pack of bull sharks. They were several times their normal size and actually attacked the submarine. "Their bite force was incredible. If the hull hadn't been made from reinforced materials, they might've damaged it."It was
The noodles were boiled in plain water with no oil, just a handful of dried vegetables thrown in.Nine years into the disasters, noodles were already a luxury. If the navy didn't get better food rations than most departments, even this would've been hard to come by.Nicole didn't want to owe anyone a favor, so she pulled six plain buns from her bag, along with a container of pickled vegetables and some cured meat.No matter the situation, it never hurt to stay on the instructor's good side.Jacob knew Nicole and Zeph had earned plenty of points, so after politely refusing once or twice, he accepted the food, heated it up, and joined them for dinner.Nicole felt a little awkward. "I didn't know we'd be staying on the submarine, so I only brought a couple packs of dried noodles. I'll make breakfast tomorrow. Once we're back on shore, I'll replace whatever food we use."Jacob smiled. "Don't worry about it. You spent a fortune in points on this submarine. The navy can at least feed
Nicole still had plenty of questions, but with Jacob there, she and Zeph couldn't talk about them openly.Before long, the deep-water dock came into view. Dozens of submarines rose faintly above the surface, their dark gray hulls looking like massive beasts resting in the water.Only a few dozen were visible from where they stood, but far more were stationed below the surface.Even a mid-sized military submarine was enormous, about 160 feet long and 25 feet wide.Jacob called over his assistant, who began walking Nicole and the others through the submarine's exterior, basic systems, propulsion, and other features.Technically, Cola wasn't allowed inside. Animals could be disruptive, and in an emergency, they might panic or become hard to control. If one accidentally bumped a control or flipped a switch, the consequences could be serious.Nicole insisted, "He'll be fine. We've trained him almost like a military dog over the years. When we first got to the base, the K-9 unit nearly
Arthur's eyes warmed at Nicole's concern.Maybe because he seemed so approachable and sincere, Nicole added without thinking, "Don't brush it off. You need to stay healthy if you want to keep serving the country and its people."She genuinely admired people like him; people who devoted their lives to serving their country.The base was enormous, practically the size of a county. Keeping a place like that running wasn't a responsibility just anyone could handle.There weren't many people Nicole truly admired. Alex, Mitchell, Wesley, and now, considering how well Arthur ran the base, probably Arthur, too.Arthur nodded. "Alright. I'll get myself checked out."Nicole paused. Something about the way he said that sounded a little strange, but she couldn't figure out why. She opened the door and left.Seeing that Zeph, Poppy, and Cola were all perfectly fine, Nicole finally relaxed.Trevor escorted them downstairs, where an instructor from the submarine unit was already waiting. Th
Trevor stepped forward politely. "Ms. Floyd, please go in."Nicole and Zeph didn't get a chance to speak, but when their eyes met, Zeph gave her a reassuring look.The office was spacious but plain. Aside from several stacks of files on the desk, everything was neat and orderly.Arthur was on the phone, discussing official business. "Give me a moment. I'll be right there."After hanging up, he looked at her. "Nicole Floyd?"Nicole was a little surprised. She didn't expect to see the same important-looking man whose car broke down on the road that day.He seemed less intimidating than before, and there was even a faint smile in his eyes. For some reason, Nicole relaxed a little.Then she caught herself. Someone in his position wasn't a person to underestimate.She kept a polite smile on her face. "Hello, sir."Arthur studied her face for a moment, then gestured to the chair. "Have a seat."Every alarm bell in Nicole's head was going off, but she sat across from him and acted
Irene refused to believe Arthur knew the truth.The base hospital couldn't run paternity tests, and even if he suspected something, years of disasters had wiped out most of the evidence. There was no realistic way for him to dig up what happened more than 20 years ago.Besides, ever since she and Camila arrived at the base, neither of them mentioned Nicole. Even when Arthur first asked where they had been living before, Irene never brought up the villa community."Don't panic. I'll ask."Irene took a deep breath, picked up the radio, and stepped onto the balcony to contact Arthur's secretary.-The military strategic zone was more than 20 miles from the residential district. On the way, they passed the base hospital, farmland, the industrial sector, and the airfield before finally reaching the coastline.Once they entered the restricted zone, Nicole saw armed guards at their posts, military units running drills, and radar arrays rotating steadily on raised platforms.The parkin
Nicole jolted, then immediately checked with her mind.The storage space was still there. The supplies were still there, too. She tested it; she thought of an item, and a coal briquette appeared in her hand.Sweeping the space again, she noticed the glowing timer had reset to zero.That was when
After paying the deposit, Nicole drove straight to the largest outdoor gear store downtown.The outdoor gear market was fiercely competitive. The store was in full clearance mode, shutting down with brutal discounts. Some items were marked down to 20% of the original price.Perfect timing.Nicole
"Ah!"Nicole Floyd jolted upright in bed, gasping. Sweat streamed down her forehead, her eyes unfocused and hollow.The sight in front of her cut through the haze in her mind.This was her old apartment, the one from before the apocalypse.Ding, ding…Text alerts kept chiming. She grabbed her p
Nicole didn't hesitate. She blocked Edward right away.Less than a minute later, her phone rang again. It was an unfamiliar number.She didn't need to guess; this was Edward's classmate or one of his friends.Given a second chance at life, Nicole had zero interest in being taken for a fool. She w







