The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 152

Chapter 152

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Chapter 152

Even though Nicole was working, and she trusted Cola as a reliable partner, she still didn’t fully turn her

back on him.

Every so often, she would glance behind her, staying alert in case someone tried to snatch their stuff.

And then she turned around and saw Poppy pulling a large kitchen knife out of her backpack.

Well, well. The little thing had learned how to use a blade now.

Nicole instinctively looked at Zeph. “You taught her?”

He didn’t deny it. “Is that a problem?”

“No, not at all. It’s good.”

This world forced people to grow up fast. From the typhoon to the floods to this deep freeze, plenty of innocent kids had already learned how to hold a knife.

Poppy couldn’t afford to fall behind.

Fall behind, and death would come knocking.

It was brutal, sure, but effective.

Cutting bamboo went quickly. They sawed the stalks into equal lengths and tied them together with rope.

Poppy volunteered to drag some back herself. Zeph actually tied a few sections for her. “No complaining halfway.”

“I’ll get it home,” she said firmly.

There were plenty of people on the mountain. Some kids were dressed in rags, still hacking away at wood with all their strength.

She had warm clothes and good food. She had to work harder. She was determined not to drag Zeph down.

Once the bamboo was ready, Zeph asked Nicole, “You want some firewood?”

She had plenty in her storage space, but she couldn’t just take it out openly. “You?”

“Some.”

They worked together to cut down a pine tree, planning to split it between them. Any more than that, and they wouldn’t be able to haul it back.

Derek and Victor each cut one as well, and even that would be a struggle to carry. Office workers weren’t built for this kind of labor.

Climbing up was hard. Getting down was worse.

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The snow had turned to icy grit. One wrong step, and they would go tumbling down the mountain with the wood. Bad luck meant death.

They moved carefully, helping each other, inching their way down.

Poppy led the way with her knife. Cola stayed at the rear, watching for ambushes. The teamwork was

seamless.

Nicole almost laughed, then felt a pang of sadness.

This world had forced a child to grow up too fast.

They made it to the bottom without incident. Cola trotted over with the sled, clearly proud of himself.

Go on, load it up.

Seeing how confident he was, Nicole didn’t hold back.

A log went down first, then the bamboo stacked on top. The bamboo had dried a bit from the cold, making it lighter. Nicole even added her share on top.

Cola braced and pulled.

But it wouldn’t move.

He cursed Nicole for being mean.

But he had already boasted. There was no way he would back down now.

Poppy dragged her three bamboo sections, pulling steadily.

The ice made it slippery, but it was still manageable.

Zeph carried a log on one shoulder and dragged a bundle of bamboo with his other hand, still walking upright without strain.

Derek and Victor could only feel ashamed. This guy was built differently. He could do anything.

Cola tried again.

This time, it moved.

He glanced back and saw Nicole pushing from behind. Instantly fired up, he pulled harder. The two of them worked together, drawing envious looks from everyone around them.

That dog was something else. Way easier than raising a kid.

People glanced at their own children, feeling bitter. These guys burned through food and weren’t even half as useful as someone else’s dog.

Mount Westbridge was a few miles from the complex. They took breaks along the way to conserve energy, eating a little to keep going.

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