The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 385

Chapter 385

The townspeople had come in aggressively, but after seeing what the two of them could do, no one dared speak.

Two of their own were already down.

No one wanted to be next.

Alex stepped forward. “Mr. Truman, I’ll say this one more time. We dug that well ourselves. If anyone tries to take it, we’ll fight to the last person. We’re not backing down.”

Since the heat wave began, the two sides had clashed five or six times. Today the odds weren’t in their favor, and staying would only cost them more.

Patrick Truman didn’t waste words. “Fine. We’ll see how this plays out.”

His gaze settled on the two newcomers.

If he wanted that water, they would have to be dealt with.

They had come in force and left with their heads down. Another day without water.

The residents had braced for a real fight, maybe even casualties, not expecting it to end so quickly. Looking at Zeph and Nicole now, their eyes were filled with gratitude and newfound respect.

The man was composed, the woman sharp, and both of them carried themselves like they knew how to handle trouble. When they acted, it was decisive enough to shut the other side down.

“Thank you,” one of the older women said to the couple, stepping forward with a warm smile. “You’re here looking for a place, right? Oakhaven Gardens is a good spot. We’ve got land, water, even power. You should stay.”

“That’s right,” someone else added. “We’re a bit out of the way, but conditions here are some of the best in Westbridge. We get water every day. Save a little, you can even irrigate. No one’s starving here.”

“We’ve got more land than people, and we follow Captain Landon’s lead. It’s not like outside, where everything’s a mess. People get along here.”

Voices overlapped as they tried to persuade them to stay, hoping to strengthen their defenses.

Their eyes were full of expectation, without a trace of jealousy.

Some people resent you when you’re only a little better than they are. They’ll drag you down if they can.

But when you’re far ahead, all they can do is admire you.

That was part of why Nicole stepped in when she did. It would save trouble later.

Alex spoke up at the right moment. “Alright, everyone. Back to your posts.”

The crowd dispersed quickly, some returning to work, others heading home.

Alex led the two of them into the security booth. “Thank you. If you hadn’t stepped in, this could’ve gotten ugly.”

Nicole kept her tone even. “It wasn’t much.”

Sensing they might have questions, Alex added, “This doesn’t happen all the time. We’ve handled it before. But water’s getting scarcer, and they’re being pushed to the edge.”

Nicole took the chance to ask, “Captain Landon, they’re coming more often. What’s your plan?”

1/2

+15 Behus

Alex shook his head.

“To be honest, this area sits near the old Westbridge River. It’s dry now, but the groundwater should still be better than most places.

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