The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 382

Chapter 382

Zeph didn’t actually know how to run a cruise ship.

Either way, having it on hand couldn’t hurt.

Out of everything, Zeph was far more interested in the weapons.

Everything Felix had stockpiled was top quality. He started checking them.

“When we get a chance, I’ll teach you how to use a sniper.”

With the AC running, they slept straight through until morning.

Before 6 a.m., Zeph woke Nicole to pack up the RV, then carried the still-sleeping Poppy into the Hummer.

Breakfast was simple, milk and waffles, but it came with a quiet sense of comfort.

With Ironvale Base gone, things should settle down for a while.

The sun climbed quickly. Even after a full night, the heat hadn’t eased. Another day of relentless scorching began.

Vegetation had withered without water, the ground cracked into dry ridges, and the wind blew hot like exhaust, carrying grit and dust that stung the eyes.

This had once been fertile southern land, rich with rivers and fish farms. But now, the waterways were gone, and the old systems that sustained life had disappeared.

Dust, plastic bags, and dead leaves spun through the air under a blinding sun.

It felt unreal, but this was the world now.

Zeph drove back to Westbridge and parked outside the research institute’s residential building.

After everything, it was clear how resilient people could be. Survivors had flipped their routines, hiding indoors during the day to escape the heat and coming out at night to work and survive.

In the early morning, some residents took advantage of the brief relief, fanning themselves or doing light exercise. Others sat in small groups under the shade, talking about life before everything fell apart and wondering what came next.

Gabrielle was downstairs, too, glancing toward the street now and then as if she were waiting for someone.

When she saw the familiar Hummer, her lined face lit up. She hurried over.

“Zeph, Nicole, you’re finally back!”

In a world like this, people disappeared every day and never came back.

Even knowing the two of them could handle themselves, Gabrielle had still been worried. There were fewer and fewer people she could trust. Even the friendliest neighbor could turn dangerous the moment you let your guard down.

She found herself missing life at Crownview Residences, the quiet and ease, not this constant tension where everyone wore a mask.

So seeing them again felt like seeing family.

Nicole smiled when she saw her. “Hey, Gabrielle.”

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Not wanting to draw attention, Poppy and Cola stayed in the car while Zeph went upstairs with Gabrielle to get the rabbits.

To avoid being noticed, they packed them into a cardboard box before carrying them down.

When she heard the building had developed cracks and shifted, Gabrielle couldn’t help but sigh. She had lived there for over 20 years.

After seeing them off, she went back inside and noticed something wrapped in a newspaper on the corner of the table. When she opened it, she found that it was a slab of cured meat, a little over a pound.

She hurried to the balcony, but the car was already gone.

“Nicole, that girl…”

Gabrielle’s eyes filled with tears as she held the meat tightly.

With the AC on, Cola climbed into the back, busy nudging his little companions with his paw.

Nicole looked ahead. “Oakhaven Gardens?”

Zeph nodded. “We’ll check it out first. If it works, we can stay there until the new district is rebuilt. If not, we’ll find somewhere else.”

It would probably take about a year for the new area to be finished.

Every day in this world felt like a grind, but somehow, two years had already passed. Now that they had each other, another year didn’t feel so long.

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