The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 311

Chapter 311

The rentals in the market district were a mess, so Nicole talked it over with Zeph.

“What if we try our luck in the villa district?”

The area wasn’t only packed with lower-level survivors. Plenty of sharp-eyed wealthy people had also rushed here.

The villa district sat on a hill a little over two miles from the main beach, close to the marina and harbor. From the coastal road, rows of elegant villas drifted in and out of view between the trees, half-hidden in the greenery.

The drive didn’t take long. At the foot of the hill stood a security booth with about 15 guards, all armed and patrolling.

The moment they saw a car approaching, they went on alert and signaled from a distance for it to stop. They all wore matching security uniforms.

The man in charge looked about 30, his skin darkened by the brutal sun. “What are you here for?”

Nicole rolled down the window. “Do you have any houses for rent?”

Good grief. The sour smell of sweat from inside the car nearly knocked the man out.

He covered his nose and took a step back. When he saw how shabby Nicole’s group looked, not to mention the beat-up car they were driving, his face immediately tightened with impatience.

“No. Get moving. This isn’t a place you can afford.”

Before the disasters, Nicole had dealt with plenty of people like him while chasing clients and sales. She didn’t take offense. She simply pulled a pack of cigarettes from her pocket and handed it over.

“Come on, help us out.”

The second the man saw the cigarettes, his eyes nearly popped out of his head.

God knew he hadn’t smelled tobacco in two years. He used to smoke a pack a day, but now he could barely get enough food, much less enjoy a cigarette.

These days, that kind of thing only existed in dreams.

He snatched the pack and stuffed it into his pocket, afraid that if he moved any slower, someone else would notice and demand a share.

A smile spread across his face, and his tone made a complete turnaround. “Sure, sure. There are still houses available. The rent’s just a little high.”

He sneered inwardly.

Rich people really knew how to play the game. They had dressed like this on purpose because they were

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afraid of getting robbed. No wonder he had misjudged them.

Looking more closely, their clothes might be filthy, and their faces might look half-starved, but the weight on their bodies didn’t lie.

Nicole asked, “How much is the rent?”

“These are all villas, so they’re rented by the whole house. Most of them have already been taken by people with money. Only a few near the top of the hill are left.”

The man’s name was Ronnie Mason. He smiled and said, “Just call me Ronnie.”

Once a man accepted a gift, he owed a favor.

Ronnie quickly launched into an explanation. The district had more than 100 villas. After the deep freeze passed, the houses had been repaired, and wealthy people moving toward the coast had gradually started renting them out.

Renting one was simple enough as long as they met the conditions.

Each villa could house no more than eight people. Everyone had to register with ID, and during the rental period, tenants couldn’t bring outsiders in whenever they pleased. Daily entry and exit would also be monitored by security.

“There are a lot of rules, but it’s all for the tenants’ safety,” Ronnie explained. “This place is pretty secure. We run patrols around the clock, and we’ve got solid connections higher up. Regular refugees wouldn’t dare force their way in. If you live here, you won’t have to worry.”

Nicole nodded like she understood and smiled. “And the rent?”

“Three hundred pounds of grain per month. No dried seafood or salt.”

Three hundred pounds of grain?

Nicole sucked in a breath. On the way here, they had run into villagers from the fishing community trying to recruit tenants, and their monthly rent was only eight pounds of grain.

Still, this was a villa district. Of course, it was a different story.

Nicole glanced at Zeph, silently asking what he thought.

They had brought Poppy and Cola with them, and they had come here to stock up. Safety mattered more than anything.

Zeph had no objection. The rent was definitely expensive, but Nicole could grow crops in her storage

space, so it wasn’t a serious problem.

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