The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 282

Chapter 282

Nicole had secretly tested it before.

Back when she tried collecting propane tanks, it hadn’t worked. But now, she could put things into storage from inside a bucket of water with no problem.

Whether she could store items underwater probably depended on depth, water pressure, and how much mental energy she could handle.

So honestly, she had no idea.

“The earthquake last time flattened most of the cities,” Zeph said quietly. “The bases won’t be spared, either. If they want to rebuild and restart industry afterward, they’ll need massive amounts of steel and construction materials. We should start preparing now.”

A lot of factories still sat submerged under floodwater. As the extreme heat continued, more and more of them would eventually rise back above the surface.

Zeph wanted to start collecting supplies before anyone else got there, especially specialty metals and

industrial materials.

If they ever entered a military base later, he could quietly release some of it when needed. It would keep them from fighting other survivors over resources, as well as make sure Nicole and Poppy could live comfortably.

“I don’t know if I can do it,” Nicole admitted, “but I can try.” 1

Getting ahead of everyone else never hurt.

Nicole also wanted to gather extra construction supplies and donate them to the city government. Once rebuilding started after the earthquakes, those contributions might help them secure housing in the new

urban districts. That meant safety.

Trying to hide out alone in the mountains or the outskirts sounded good in theory, but in reality, it only got people killed faster. 1

After the earthquakes thinned the population, survival outside would become even harsher. The farther the government’s patrol zones shrank, the smaller the safe areas would become.

Everything beyond those borders would turn into paradise for monsters. 1

Nicole and Zeph’s goals lined up perfectly. The two exchanged a quiet smile.

For once, Poppy and Cola weren’t around.

Zeph slipped an arm around Nicole and leaned in, about to steal a kiss, when the walkie-talkie crackled

to life.

Nicole bit back a laugh and shoved him lightly. 1

173

+15 Bonus

Hughie’s voice burst through, loud with excitement. “Zeph, the government finally announced the bases! When are we leaving?”

Hearing that Hughie’s group planned to go, Zeph glanced at Nicole. Seeing no surprise on her face, he answered, “Sorry. Nicole and I aren’t planning to enter a base.”

The other end stayed quiet for several long seconds.

Then, came a knock at the door.

The entire group showed up.

None of them could understand why Nicole and Zeph would stay behind. They were already worried about arriving too late and losing their chance at a spot.

The world outside kept getting worse by the day. No matter how capable the people on the 18th floor were, they weren’t living inside a fortress.

If enough people outside snapped and turned desperate, it was only a matter of time before they stormed the building like animals.

Even if base life turned out disappointing, it still had to be better than living out here, constantly on edge.

“Why, Zeph?” Hughie asked. “Why stay?”

The three of them looked genuinely confused.

This wasn’t something Zeph could explain in one sentence. He let them inside, then sat beside Nicole, his expression turning serious.

“Before I retired, I worked in tactical law enforcement. I know the military and police systems better than

most people.”

He carefully broke down the difference between military bases and government bases for them.

“The disasters hit too fast. Most of the bases are still under construction, so there’s work everywhere right now. But supplies are short, too. Even if you do heavy labor, you’ll probably only get enough food to keep from going hungry.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify