The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 20

Chapter 20

+15 Bonus

Chapter 20

That morning, Beatrice had listened at the stairwell for a long time.

The night before, a girl who lived alone on a lower floor had her door pried open. She was assaulted by several

men in turns.

They wore masks, so no one knew who they were.

“You and Hughie need to be careful, too,” Beatrice said quietly. “This floor isn’t safe anymore.”

There had been noise the night before. Nicole wondered why Beatrice hadn’t noticed. Then, she saw the marks on Beatrice’s neck and understood immediately.

The two had gone too hard and slept like the dead.

With water, power, and gas all gone, there was nothing to pass the time. People exercised. A lot.

When disasters kept coming one after another, surviving as an adult was already hard enough. Pregnancy would be a death sentence.

Nicole felt awkward. She had no experience with this and didn’t know how to bring it up.

So she asked indirectly, “Beatrice, don’t you have a competition next month?”

“Yeah.” Beatrice sighed. “With this damn weather, who knows when it’ll end. Training’s been totally messed up. I can only practice at home. Last night, I got itchy hands and used Hughie as a punching bag.”

Nicole figured that since Beatrice was still thinking about competing, she probably took precautions. Once they fully accepted that the apocalypse was real, Nicole could remind her properly.

On the way back, Nicole glanced at the tightly shut door of 1801.

Before dawn, the intruders hadn’t even made it upstairs when Beatrice started pounding on Nicole’s door.

When Nicole opened it, Beatrice was empty-handed. Hughie held a knife. At the same time, the door to 1801 opened.

Facing the residents of the 18th floor standing together, the men prying locks hesitated for a second. Then they straightened up, waving knives and shouting threats.

“Hand over the food if you know what’s good for you! Otherwise, don’t blame us if our knives slip.”

Nicole’s voice was cold. “Who says we have food?”

“That’s crap,” the leader sneered, brandishing his blade. “If you didn’t have food, why would you install doors like this? We’re starving to death while you all look fed and healthy, locking yourselves in and eating alone. How could you be so cruel? Cut the nonsense! Give it up, and we’ll spare your lives.”

In truth, Nicole only ate until she was about 80% full. Most of her calories were burned off through intense training. That, and she didn’t go out much.

But compared to people who were starving, gray-faced, and hollow-eyed, it showed. Vitality couldn’t be hidden.

These people were already starving past the point of reason. Talking sense to them was pointless.

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Chapter 20

+15 Bahus

Nicole didn’t bother arguing.

“Fine,” she said. “If you want it, come take it.”

She shot Beatrice a look.

There were only a few knocking, but nobody knew how many were hiding in the dark. If they didn’t make an example today, more would keep coming.

Beatrice understood immediately and pulled Hughie behind her.

Seeing the residents of the 18th floor act so arrogantly, the men kicked open the stainless-steel door and rushed up with knives raised.

Nicole stepped aside and slashed at the leader.

Ever since witnessing the mother and children jump, Beatrice had been under heavy emotional strain. Seeing these men made her fists itch. She dodged forward and drove a heavy punch into one man’s stomach.

He rolled down the stairs and slammed into the door below, collapsing and unable to get up.

Zeph didn’t move from his spot. He simply grabbed someone and dislocated the man’s arm. Screams echoed through the floor, chilling in the darkness.

Nicole struck several times in quick succession, deliberately avoiding vital spots. Even so, blood sprayed freely, splattering the floor in shocking streaks.

Six men in total. Three were slashed, and one had his arm torn out of place. The rest were beaten half to death by Beatrice. Hughie didn’t even get a chance to step in.

Nicole stood at the stairwell, holding her bloodied knife.

“Food,” she asked calmly, “or your lives?”

The leader clutched his mangled arm, blood pouring out as he screamed in rage, “M-Murder is illegal!”

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