The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 469

Chapter 469

There was no time to run. Some were blown apart, others thrown into the air, bodies scattering like fireworks.

The group behind the Hummer saw everything. Shock held them in place for one brief second before they scattered like startled birds.

The Hummer rolled forward and stopped smoothly in front of the spike strip.

Once they were sure no one nearby was watching, Nicole and Zeph put on bulletproof vests and steel helmets before getting out.

The spike strip was well made. It would make a useful trap back home.

Nicole couldn’t bring herself to leave it behind, so she and Zeph lifted it onto the roof together and tied it down tight.

Then, they kept driving.

They ran into two more groups along the way, but neither had many people or heavy weapons. Once they saw the Hummer bearing down on them like a war vehicle, they hesitated for a long time and never dared to surround it.

Mount Cedar was about 20 miles from Halloway.

After leaving the highway, they drove slowly toward the mountain forest. The ruins of old homes appeared every so often along the road, but there wasn’t a soul in sight.

In the distance, Mount Cedar rose against the sky, tall and steep.

They followed the rough, broken road until they found a flat, safe spot at the foot of the mountain.

They didn’t get out right away. Instead, they ate a meal in the Hummer. After cracking the windows to air it out, they reclined the seats and went to sleep.

They hadn’t had a proper night’s rest in two days. They needed to recharge before heading into the mountains.

Even though the remote wilderness was rarely visited and the Hummer was bulletproof, Nicole still left the windows cracked. That way, Cola would notice the slightest movement at once.

They slept for eight hours straight. After getting out to stretch, they came back, ate another meal, and put on their protective climbing gear.

Nicole stored the vehicle, and the four of them headed into the mountains,

Cola usually loved charging ahead to scout the path, but after Nicole scolded him several times, he finally behaved. He stayed obediently beside them, following the rule that he couldn’t go more than five steps ahead.

Zeph was the same. He wouldn’t let Poppy leave his sight for even a second.

The geological structure here was completely different from Mount Graypine’s. Mount Cedar was built from countless layers of rock and soil, and after the massive earthquake, its stability had dropped sharply.

When they reached the hiking entrance, Nicole froze. Huge rocks and collapsed earth had blocked the way in.

Zeph reminded her, “Be careful.”

The earthquake had happened only a little over six months ago. The mountain was at its most unstable now, far more dangerous than it would be five years later.

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That was why he hadn’t wanted Nicole and the others to come. In his previous life, three team members had died here trying to find the medicine that could save lives.

Even after being reborn, those memories were still carved into his bones.

To be honest, the sight made Nicole uneasy as well. She didn’t want Poppy and Cola taking this risk.

But leaving them alone was dangerous, too. What if thugs found them?

The two little ones could probably handle a handful of people together, but what if an entire mob showed up?

That was the hard part about looking after the two of them.

After thinking it over, Nicole let Poppy and Cola decide. “The mountain is dangerous. Do you want to find somewhere safe to hide and wait for us to come out?”

The moment Cola heard the word “dangerous,” he clamped his teeth around Nicole’s pant leg.

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