The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 214

Chapter 214

Weasel forced down the surge of emotion and slipped back into a practiced smile. “Miss, want some

meat?”

“What kind?”

“I’ve got pork and beef.”

Nicole had taken in 68 pigs. Pork was the last thing she worried about.

Beef was a different story. She only had 200 pounds, and once you trimmed it down, it barely amounted to much. Each time she ate it, she had to cut off just a few ounces and make it last.

It was never quite enough.

So she hesitated for a second, then gave in. “How much do you have?”

“How much do you want?”

“As much as you’ve got.”

Weasel’s eyes sharpened. “You can actually handle that much?” 1

He was already wondering if she was trying to cut into their business. She had sold fish to them before.

“That’s none of your concern. Just tell me if you’re selling.”

Turning down business made no sense. Weasel led her to a quieter corner, lowering his voice. “Just so we’re clear, we don’t take cash anymore.”

Nicole understood right away. He had learned that lesson the hard way.

“Obviously. Even the government won’t take it.”

Weasel, hit right where it hurt, fell silent. He took a breath and steadied himself. “The beef’s fresh, just slaughtered. What are you trading?” 1

“What do you take?”

“Gold, silver, gemstones, grain, oil. Anything that holds value.” He paused, then added, “Got fish? Five pounds of fish for one pound of beef.”

Nicole liked fish, and so did Cola. Even though she had a lot stored away, cleaning and gutting reduced the weight quite a bit. If she somehow lived long enough, she would regret trading it off now.

Five for one wasn’t worth it.

Everything else in her storage had its purpose. The things she had picked up along the way would only

become more valuable later.

Vegetables were an option, but taking them out would draw too much attention.

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She thought it over, then settled on something she wouldn’t need now or later, but others would. 1

Lowering her voice, she said, “I’ve got rubber. Interested?”

Weasel blinked. “Rubber?”

What was he supposed to do with rubber?

Then it clicked.

Oh, that rubber!

His eyes lit up. “Yes. Definitely.”

Nicole kept her tone even. “What’s your rate?”

She had nearly 3,000 of them sitting unused. She might as well trade for something practical. 1

“Twenty for a pound of beef.” 1

Nicole didn’t even respond. She turned and started to leave.

“Hey, wait, we can talk about this,” Weasel said quickly, reaching out to stop her. “Fifteen for a pound.”

“Let go.”

“Ten.”

“I said, let go!”

Weasel looked like he was about to lose it. “Eight. That’s as low as I can go!”

Nicole did a quick calculation. “One.”

Weasel nearly choked. “Are you serious?”

“The going rate is one rubber for five pounds of grain. And that’s for low-quality ones, even used ones. Prices are still climbing. What I have is imported, brand new.

“Regular people can’t afford them, but your customers aren’t regular people. The wealthy don’t worry about food. They’re not short on meat. The ones who can’t afford meat won’t have grain to trade for it

either.

“You’re selling to people with resources. Even flipping it once, you’ll double your return. If you hold onto them, they’ll only be worth more later.”

Weasel felt his patience thinning. He had dealt with tough negotiators before, but this was something else

“Every deal comes with risk,” he said, trying to keep his voice level. “We need a margin too, but you’re pushing it

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“If you think it’s unfair, forget it.” Nicole didn’t argue. She turned to go.

“Wait!” Weasel gritted his teeth. “How many do you have?”

Nicole said calmly, “As much beef as you’ve got, I can match it.”

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