The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 130

Chapter 130

Nicole followed along what Zeph said. “You mean… We go up to the rooftop and collect snow?”

“Yeah. How did we not think of that?”

That was all it took. Everyone hurried upstairs.

The moment the door opened, freezing air rushed straight into their lungs. It burned just to breathe.

Nicole wrapped her scarf tight over her face and stepped out.

It was so cold that the falling snow had already hardened into ice. Her snow boots slipped without

warning.

Cola reacted instantly, charging forward to throw himself underneath her like a cushion.

But someone moved even faster. A long arm reached out and caught her firmly at the waist.

Cola froze for half a second, then his fur bristled. He shot a sharp glare over.

Why the hell did he get involved?

It had only been a small slip. Nicole could’ve steadied herself.

But in that split second, Cola lunged forward…and slammed straight into Hughie. Caught off guard, Hughie lost his footing and went down hard.

Sure, he was bundled up like a walking bear, but that didn’t stop the sting.

His pride took a hit. He almost called out to Beatrice to stand up for him.

But what could Beatrice even do?

Cola was basically their survival MVP. Zeph was on a whole different level physically. Was she really going to pick a fight with either of them?

A grown man taking a fall wasn’t the end of the world. He could deal with it.

Hughie wasn’t the only innocent casualty.

Jeremy had it just as bad. He had been walking half a step ahead of Zeph when he suddenly got shoved aside, his shoulder slamming into the doorframe.

Well… As long as Nicole was fine.

Nicole’s near fall left everyone with their own thoughts. Even Beatrice, usually so tough, felt something sour twist in her chest.

She looked at Nicole’s man, and then at hers.

Sure, Hughie had a face that could win people over, but everything else… It was hard to compare.

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Chapter 130

+15 Bonus

Zeph let go the moment Nicole steadied herself. “Careful.”

“Thanks,” she said, not thinking much of it.

“Woof!” Cola, thoroughly annoyed, started digging at the snow with his paws, protesting loudly.

“Cola, go back.”

Nicole thought he was just cold and tried to shoo him away, but without a proper mask, the freezing air was harsh even for the dog.

Being scolded only made Cola more upset. He tore across the rooftop, running wild in protest.

Jeremy groaned, “Hey! Stop running around! We’re collecting that snow for water. I’m not drinking anything that smells like your paws.”

That only made Cola run faster.

Fine! They could all drink his paw water!

Malinois are easy to excite. Once they get going, even chains won’t hold them back. It took Nicole a while to finally drive Cola off the roof.

The rooftop was wide. Overnight, a thin layer of ice had formed over the snow. They used shovels to break it up and collect it.

After months of rain, they didn’t trust the surface to be clean, so Hughie and Jeremy laid down a few insulated metal panels first. They had scavenged them from an unfinished construction site earlier, originally planning to block water from the balcony.

As it turned out. they were useful after all.

Each group took two panels. Between that and scraping ice off the water tank walls, they would have enough water to get by.

Solving the water problem lifted everyone’s mood. Working together really did make a difference.

They shut the rooftop door and headed back down, hands and feet numb from the cold.

Halfway down, a loud pounding echoed from below. Something heavy, like metal being struck and pried.

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