The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 176

Chapter 176

Nicole and Zeph stayed alert the whole way, cutting through side routes until they reached the outskirts of Liora Estates.

Zeph didn’t move in right away. Instead, he circled the area from a distance, then led Nicole into an office building. He pulled out binoculars and started observing.

He wasn’t watching the main gate. His focus was on the upper floors of the residential towers.

“They’ve got lookout points,” he said quietly. “Counter surveillance.”

Nicole’s heart skipped.

No wonder it had taken so many lives in her previous life to wipe out the Drakebane Guild. The people leading them weren’t ordinary criminals.

When it came to reconnaissance, Zeph was clearly in his element. He marked several suspicious lookout positions, then adjusted his angle to avoid them and shifted his focus back to the entrance.

After watching him stand there for a long time, Nicole couldn’t help asking, “What are you looking at?”

“Their conversations.”

“You…read lips?”

“A little.”

Nicole covered her mouth.

Good thing she had never badmouthed him before.

The more she thought about it, the colder she felt. 1

Anyone in special operations had to master a wide range of skills, including reading lips and analyzing micro expressions. Otherwise, how could they make split-second decisions in life-or-death situations?

A chill ran through her.

Did she even have any secrets left in front of him?

Noticing the stiffness in her posture, Zeph lowered the binoculars. “What’s wrong?”

“Uh…” Nicole forced herself to stay calm. “What did they say?”

“They need a pass to get in. And a password.”

“What password?”

“I’m not fully familiar with this part. I’ll need time to analyze it.”

Nicole didn’t buy that for a second. He clearly knew more than he was saying.

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Chapter 176

+15 Bonus

“Most people turn their backs when they speak, so it’s hard to read clearly. Based on how often their mouths move, you can estimate the number of words. It’ll take some time to figure it out.”

They stayed until evening. The air felt even colder than before.

On the way back, Zeph suddenly said, “Something big’s coming up for the Drakebane Guild.”

Nicole looked at him, surprised. “What?”

“Their leader’s birthday. A lot of people are preparing gifts. They’re probably planning something big.”

Nicole could only be glad he wasn’t her enemy. Someone like him was dangerous.

That was right. The Drakebane Guild’ leader’s birthday was a major event. It wasn’t just a celebration, but a show of power.

She hadn’t seen it herself back then, but just hearing about it during the trials had been enough to make

her uneasy.

That also meant it was the best opportunity.

The next few days passed quietly. Nicole stayed in, while Zeph went out from time to time.

Late one night, someone knocked on the stairwell door.

Victor was back. He had something to discuss with the people on the 18th floor.

After hearing what happened, he hadn’t been able to sleep. He had taken time off just to come back.

He brought a battery pack with him and had also built a converter that could be attached to the bike, generating electricity through pedaling.

The battery could store about 20kilowatt hours, but Victor wasn’t thinking about charging phones or lighting.

“A reinforced door alone isn’t enough to keep both our floors safe,” he said. “I want to run electricity through the three doors on the 17th floor. If they try to break in, they’ll get shocked.”

The group stared at him.

The idea worked. Anyone forcing their way through would get hit hard enough to drop, maybe worse.

Jeremy raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure it can generate enough power?”

“It can,” Victor said honestly. “It’ll just take some effort. “My grandma’s too old, and my mom’s busy during the day. That means the pedaling falls on you guys.”

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