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

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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.

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