The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 467

Chapter 467

Good thing the glass was bulletproof. Otherwise, Nicole would have died right there.

Mitchell and the others shouted in panic, but Zeph never took his eyes off the road. His calm was almost unsettling.

The Hummer had been modified from top to bottom. The windows were bulletproof, and even the tires had been reinforced against spikes and gunfire.

Of course, if Mitchell’s team hadn’t been in the car, Nicole probably would have told Zeph to stop. She would have sent those robbers straight to hell herself.

Gangs were everywhere now. The researchers and the herbs mattered more, so there was no point in picking a fight.

When they reached Grayport, the once-thriving megacity had been reduced to rubble. Aside from a few fortress- like high-rises still standing, all that remained were broken walls, collapsed buildings, and sunlight glinting off shattered glass.

Grayport had suffered no less than Westbridge. No photo or description could do the devastation justice.

Everywhere they looked, there was only ruin and despair.

Buildings had fallen. Walls had caved in. Somehow, people were still surviving. Some lived in makeshift shacks, others had dug shelters under the rubble.

Nicole turned away. She couldn’t keep looking.

Following Mitchell’s directions, Zeph pulled the Hummer up outside a residential complex not far from city hall. The research institute had collapsed, so the team had moved here temporarily.

The moment they returned, several staff members rushed out to meet them.

“Did you find anything?”

“We found quite a bit, but it was rough out there. Luckily, we ran into good people who helped us. Otherwise, we never would’ve made it off Mount Graypine.”

Mitchell thanked them again, then carefully pointed out which parts of Grayport were dangerous and absolutely off-limits.

Zeph nodded, turned the Hummer around, and drove off.

Compared with Westbridge, Grayport was still relatively safe. The military headquarters was here, and more troops were stationed throughout the city to maintain order.

There were roadblocks everywhere, forcing them to detour again and again. It took a full hour just to get out of the city and onto the road to Halloway.

Worried Zeph would get too tired, Nicole took turns driving with him.

During the extreme heat, nearby cities had all sent people to the military base in Halloway for water. The

roadblocks along this route had been cleared, and the road itself had been packed smooth. Compared with driving through the city, this was much easier.

Poppy and Cola sat in the back, eating snacks and playing.

1/2

+15 Benus

While traveling with Mitchell’s group, they had kept their meals as simple as everyone else’s. Even then, they had to ration what they ate.

After eating a meat pie, Zeph held a sandwich to Nicole’s mouth, worried she might get hungry.

“Woof!”

“Zeph, I want one, too.”

Zeph had nothing to say. He really couldn’t let his guard down for even a second.

Nicole took a bite of the sandwich, switched on the stereo, and lifted her coffee for a sip. 1

Before she could swallow, Zeph’s face tightened. “Careful!”

Good thing she had been through enough by now. Otherwise, she would’ve sprayed coffee all over the dashboard

A sharp curve lay ahead, and something was stretched across the road.

Zeph’s expression darkened. “Spike strip.”

No question about it. They had run into highway robbers.

It made sense. This road led to both the military base and the government-run shelter.

For survivors, it was a death trap. For robbers, it was easy pickings.

Survivors and vehicles passed through every day. The gangs barely had to hunt for targets.

Of course, they still knew better than to touch the water convoys from the cities. Provoking the military base would only get them wiped out.

The military had sent troops to clear them out before, but the gangs always came back. Wipe out one group, and another would take its place.

Many of them had once been survivors trying to reach the base themselves. Some had been robbed along the way. Others ran out of food and couldn’t go any farther. So they stayed, banded together, and became the same kind of people who had preyed on them.

2/2

400

+15 Benus