The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 436

Chapter 436

The sudden withdrawal of armed police handed people like this exactly the opening they needed.

If they stormed Building 5, Nicole could retreat into her storage space and wait it out, even hold on until the military arrived.

However, the rest of Oakhaven Gardens would be exposed.

That was over 100 lives.

Nicole took a sip of juice. “If they really do it, what happens next?”

Zeph considered it. “They take the compound and turn everyone here, refugees and residents, into hostages and backup food. Then, they set up their own base and push back against the authorities.”

Nicole replied, “Even with limited manpower, the military will show up sooner or later. Can they really hold it?”

The answer was obvious as soon as she said it.

The apocalypse had warped people. They would burn, kill, do anything, but they couldn’t endure hunger.

If they moved fast, seized Oakhaven Gardens before the military arrived, and held enough hostages as shields, the army wouldn’t risk acting recklessly. That gave them leverage.

And these were desperate scavengers. They underestimated what the military could do.

They didn’t fear death. If something blocked them, they fought it. If they wanted meat or liquor, they were willing to gamble everything.

There was no shortage of people like that during the apocalypse.

Dinner that night was unusually generous, with seafood, chicken, duck, and fish. It looked more like a Thanksgiving dinner. 1

Poppy and Cola stared at the table in confusion.

Nicole picked up her utensils. “Eat. Don’t hold back.”

While speaking to Alex over the radio, Zeph laid it out plainly. “If they come over the wall tonight, patrols won’t hold. Take care of yourselves. Don’t come toward Building 5.”

Better to keep others out of it.

After the call, Nicole looked at him. “Are you planning to go all in?”

He simply said, “I won’t let them touch you.”

They had explosives, fuel bombs, and a few submachine guns. If things got out of hand, they could leave overnight and avoid dragging Alex into it:1

But the other side didn’t wait for midnight. They made their move around 9 p.m.

Cola let out a low, warning growl.

A muffled scream cut through the dark, though it was cut off almost immediately. Someone had likely been silenced.

Nicole’s chest tightened. It was probably one of the staff.

1/3

+15 Banus

She pulled on her night vision goggles and stepped onto the terrace. Across the way, shadows moved. Figures carrying knives emerged from the prefab housing. 1

That was where the staff stayed.

Soon, the barrier began to shake. People climbed over each other to scale it while others hacked at the wire. Hundreds gathered below, like wolves in the dark.

No barrier would hold against that.

They scrambled up and stood on the concrete slabs, pulling from one side while others pushed from the other. The barrier tore open, and the crowd surged through.

“They’re coming. Stay sharp,” Zeph said, then cut the radio.

They had a few leaders. After days of watching, it was clear that Building 5 housed only one family and was the easiest target.

They rushed straight for it, hands reaching for the entrance.

“Ah!”

Several screams rang out as people dropped.

Nicole had pushed the current to the maximum. Whether it killed or only knocked them out didn’t matter to her.

They caught on quickly. Some tried to form human ladders to reach the second floor. Others grabbed wooden poles and slammed them against the door.

Bang! Bang!

Fireworks suddenly burst above Building 1, flaring bright against the pitch-black sky.

It was Alex’s signal. He had coordinated it with the authorities. Continuous fireworks meant a riot attack and an urgent call for support. 1

This was it.

Alex stood on the rooftop, watching hundreds swarm Building 5, sweat running down his face.

This attack had been planned from the start. If they broke into Building 5, Buildings 1 through 3 would fall next, and the residents’ fate would be all but sealed.

As fireworks exploded overhead, Alex kept calling into the radio, but no one answered.

The display didn’t intimidate the attackers. If anything, it only made them hit the entrance harder.

Tonight was their best chance. They had to take Oakhaven Gardens before the military arrived.

Using thick wooden logs insulated against electricity, they hurled themselves at the entrance of Building 5 again and again.

Once the crowd below had grown large enough, Nicole yanked the tarp off the equipment she had concealed: a powered sprayer attached to a 50-gallon steel drum filled with a diesel-gasoline mixture.

Pity to waste good fuel on them.

She pulled out the spray wand, stepped onto the fourth-floor balcony, and squeezed the trigger. A broad cloud of fuel sprayed more than 30 feet before falling over the crowd in a fine mist.

2/3

+15 Bonus

She had to admit, Weasel sold reliable equipment. The sprayer distributed the fuel almost perfectly evenly. 1

She made a mental note to compliment him the next time they met.

Cool droplets landed on the attackers’ faces and clothes. They paused in confusion.

Was it raining?

No, wait. Why did it smell like that?

“Shit! It’s gasoline!”

None of them had expected fuel to come pouring down from above.

The slower ones looked up and spotted Nicole on the balcony, spraying the crowd below.

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