The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 14

Chapter 14

+15 Bgnus

There was no key for 1803. Nicole was about to look for tools to pry the door open when Hughie pulled a strange- looking single hook from his pocket and started fiddling with the lock.

A few minutes later, it clicked open.

Nicole broke out in a cold sweat. For a split second, her own two doors suddenly felt very unsafe.

Beatrice laughed awkwardly. “We were worried we wouldn’t be able to get in. He’s been practicing at home for two days.”

Apartment 1803 had three bedrooms and a living room; it was roomy and well laid out. All the furniture was covered with cloth. When they lifted it, everything underneath was high-end. The owner probably wasn’t short on money and never bothered renting it out.

Breaking into someone else’s home was illegal. Beatrice felt uneasy and talked it over with Hughie.

“We’re just staying temporarily. Let’s not touch anything we don’t need. When we leave, we’ll put everything back the way it was.”

They picked the room with the least furniture and started cleaning. Nicole helped out a bit.

The apartment itself was great, except for the balcony. There was no glass enclosure, just thin stainless steel wires, so rainwater splashed in everywhere.

Nicole checked their supplies.

They still had about a bag and a half of rice left. Even with most of the noodles gone, it was enough to scrape by until the typhoon passed. She decided to hold off on offering more for now.

In this new world, she knew better than anyone: a little help earns gratitude, but too much may breed entitlement.

A few days earlier, she had anonymously sent Hughie and Jeremy each a basic supply pack. Nothing flashy. Just the essentials. Anything more would draw attention. How far they made it from here would be up to them.

Once everything was cleaned inside and out, the two of them looked exhausted. Nicole said goodbye and went back to her own place.

Being neighbors meant occasional visits. She hid anything that shouldn’t be seen, then treated herself to a decent lunch.

Chicken and mushroom soup, braised ribs, sautéed greens, and a thick slice of watermelon.

After her nap, the network went down.

The moment the connection dropped, the world seemed to have gone silent. The loneliness hit hard.

Restless, Nicole started working out.

She was in good shape. Back in college, she had joined several clubs. She was proficient in taekwondo and military -style self-defense. She learned kickboxing from Beatrice.

She learned a bit of everything and wasn’t a master in any of them, but she learned fast.

After training for two solid hours, she was drenched in sweat and exhausted to the bone, yet she felt strangely comfortable afterward.

1/2

If she wanted to survive and live better than others, she had to keep improving.

+15 Bonus

Nicole made a schedule. Two hours a day for physical training. Three hours studying traditional medicine. Another two hours teaching herself basic surgical knowledge.

The storage space held over 100 books, all quietly taken from the university library. She could work through them over the coming years.

She had also grabbed psychology books. Those needed attention, too.

In the apocalypse, people didn’t just die from disasters. The ones who survived longest were often/no longer normal. Some turned to suicide, self-harm, or went on a rampage.

Nicole herself wasn’t mentally fine.

She was irritable, anxious, and depressed. That was why she had stocked antidepressants this time, hoping she would never need them.

The windows were sealed tight, yet the apartment still felt damp.

Nicole took out large vacuum bags and packed away unused clothes and bedding. Damp clothes were hung to dry on the storage space balcony.

The black soil was strange. Time moved the same as outside, but the vegetables grew far better. Potato chunks had sprouted. The grapevine showed signs of budding, too.

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