The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 312

Chapter 312

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Nicole rolled down the window, watching everything and listening for anything out of place.

Judging by the number of guards and their little patrol scooters, the villa district had better security than

most places.

Many of the trees on the mountain had survived the deep freeze, and the damp air had brought them back to life. Fresh green leaves had already started growing again.

The villas had been built along the winding mountain road, one every few dozen yards or so.

Most were two-and-a-half-story villas. Quite a few had solar generators installed on their rooftops, and every balcony window had been sealed off with stainless steel mesh.

Because the area sat close to the ocean, the wind was stronger here. The temperature changed sharply between morning and night, and the air carried plenty of moisture, so the drought wasn’t nearly as severe as it had been back in Westbridge. Lush emerald trees filled the surrounding hills.

The car moved slowly. Nicole even heard the rumble of diesel generators coming from some of the

villas.

A few homes had glass sunrooms, patio umbrellas, and lounge chairs. Pretty, fair-skinned women wore sunglasses and sipped iced drinks while soaking in the morning sun.

Anyone who didn’t know better might think this was some luxury vacation spot, and that the whole natural disaster apocalypse was nothing but nonsense.

When the car reached the middle of the mountain, Nicole looked down and saw children kicking a soccer

ball around on a rooftop.

She couldn’t help sighing to herself. Even in the same disaster, people’s lives could still be worlds apart.

The trees halfway up the mountain grew thick and full, cutting some of the heat. All the villas there had already been rented out, leaving only three empty ones near the top.

Ronnie stopped and opened the villa gate. “You can drive your car inside.”

When he saw a child climb out of the beat-up car, Ronnie didn’t look surprised. But when he saw Cola step down, powerful and imposing, he froze.

A few families in the villa district kept pets. Some had cats, and some had dogs, but they were all small

animals that didn’t eat much.

What kind of supplies did these people have to raise a dog this…solid?

Ronnie couldn’t help taking another look, only to meet the dog’s eyes. They were full of killing intent.

With that ready-to-fight posture, Cola looked like he might lunge any second and tear him apart.

Ronnie shivered hard in the morning heat and didn’t dare look again.

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Nicole waved her hand, and the fierce dog instantly turned into a lamb, circling obediently around her.

The villa was huge. The front yard had sculptures and a fountain, though the flowers and plants had all withered from the heat and drought.

The house looked grand and expensive from the outside. Each floor had four rooms, but almost all the decent furniture had been cleared out. At least the air conditioners were still mounted on the walls.

It was obvious someone had repaired and repainted the place before. Even the water pipes had been replaced. From the balcony, the blue ocean stretched fully into view.

So yes, expensive places had their reasons for being expensive.

Nicole was pretty satisfied, but she still went to look at the other two villas.

Their designs were mostly the same. The only difference was that the villas near the top sat higher up, with fewer tall trees around them, so they were noticeably hotter than the ones halfway down the mountain. But whether in terms of view or scenery, they were better.

Ronnie asked, “So? Are you planning to rent?”

Nicole didn’t answer right away. “Ronnie, I’ll be honest with you. We came here to do business. We want to trade sea salt and dried seafood. Is that kind of business doable here?”

“If you’ve got the connections, why wouldn’t it be?”

Unable to hold back his craving, Ronnie lit a cigarette. His eyes went hazy with pleasure for a moment,

but he soon started talking.

“This damn weather has pushed everyone to the edge. People are all running toward the coast now.

“There are too many people, and not everyone gets to survive. You need a boat to go out and fish, but the boats either belong to the government or are in the hands of rich people.

“Some people are smart and hardworking. They haul seawater and make salt, then sell it to shops or trade it for seafood. But with the heat this bad, salt isn’t easy to make either. Plenty of them have burned and peeled through layers of skin.

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