The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 473

Chapter 473

It was a harsh reality, but reality often was.

The military base was humanity’s seed base. It accepted only the most capable survivors with the fewest dependents.

That made the population easier to manage and gave humanity the best chance of surviving whatever disasters

came next.

Nicole accepted Zeph’s explanation. “Maybe they’re doing just fine at a government-run base.”

Whether she was comforting herself or refusing to believe the worst, it was easier to hold on to that hope.

Now that they had found the herbs, they turned the Hummer around and headed back to Westbridge.

The vehicle climbed mountains, crossed rough terrain, and plowed through every obstacle in its path. Six hours later, they arrived safely back at Oakhaven Gardens.

They had been gone for several days. She couldn’t help wondering whether the rabbits had survived.

The moment she opened the door, she found them alive and well. Better yet, they were nothing like the aloof rabbits she had left behind. Every one of them crowded around her feet, nuzzling against her legs.

Snowy was especially clingy, licking her and wrapping himself around her calf as though he refused to let her leave again.

Had they finally realized who had been keeping them alive, or were they just tired of eating hay?

The answer came the instant Nicole pulled out a bundle of fresh grass. The rabbits abandoned her without a second glance.

Ungrateful little freeloaders. They had been born con artists!

Even so, they’d had a rough few days.

Nicole rewarded them with a bowl of peanuts and chopped meat.

They dove in eagerly.

As she cleaned out the filthy, foul-smelling hutch, she discovered one of them had become a mother again and given birth to another litter.

Back inside, Nicole soaked in a hot bath until every trace of dirt was gone, then enjoyed a steak and a cold beer before climbing straight into bed.

When she woke up, it was a little after 6 p.m. During polar day, the sun still hung high overhead, blazing like a giant floodlight without the slightest hint of setting.

The place was quiet. Zeph was teaching a class. Downstairs, Poppy and Cola raced around with Molly frantically chasing after them.

Nicole leaned against the balcony railing, laughing as she watched them through her binoculars.

As she scanned the distance, something at the edge of her vision caught her eye.

She paused, looked again, then went back inside and pulled the curtain open just enough to get a clearer view of the fields inside and outside Oakhaven Gardens.

1/4

+15 8gnus

When Zeph returned with the two little ones, he found Nicole coming downstairs.

“What were you doing upstairs?”

“The crops are almost ready.”

He immediately understood. “You think someone’s planning to steal them?”

The endless daylight had accelerated crop growth. The sweet potatoes, corn, and potatoes would all be ready for.

harvest soon.

Everyone had poured their hearts into them, making sure not a single bit of fertilizer went to waste.

It wasn’t a record-breaking harvest, but producing even this much under apocalyptic conditions had taken enormous effort.

The women and children spent nearly every day in the fields. Whenever temperatures dropped, they covered the sweet potato vines with dried weeds to protect them from freezing, while the cold-resistant potatoes needed the opposite treatment.

Who wouldn’t be tempted by a bountiful harvest?

Grain wasn’t just a way to buy a house. It meant survival.

At first, Nicole thought she had imagined the movement she caught through the binoculars. After watching more carefully, she was certain people were hiding in the distance.

Growing food was difficult. Protecting it was even harder. If a mob showed up to seize the harvest, how could Oakhaven Gardens stop them?

Hand it over? After more than six months of hard work and finally earning enough points, only to lose everything at the last moment?

Fight? No matter the outcome, people would get hurt.

And anyone bold enough to target Oakhaven Gardens would almost certainly come with overwhelming numbers.

Nicole frowned. “I’m worried they won’t be after just the crops.”

They could steal the harvest, wipe out everyone in Oakhaven Gardens, and take the entire place for themselves.

It wasn’t an unreasonable concern. As Pinewood’s construction progressed, both the government and ordinary survivors were steadily relocating there. Fewer and fewer decent people remained behind in the city.

And the fewer decent people there were, the more lawless the city became.

Zeph picked up the walkie-talkie, but Alex didn’t answer. The battery was probably dead.

He grabbed a power bank. “I’ll go talk to him and see what he’s planning.”

Nicole let him go and started thinking about what to make for dinner.

Less than an hour later, Zeph came back. After washing his hands, he sat down at the table.

“The patrol spotted them around noon today. There are definitely people watching Oakhaven Gardens.”

Alex had dug up a potato to check on the crop. It still needed another two weeks to fully mature. The corn was still filling out, and the sweet potatoes weren’t ready yet either.

2/4

+15 Bgnus

After six months of hard work, harvesting early wouldn’t just hurt the flavor and quality. It would also reduce the yield by at least 30%.

Nicole frowned. “So what’s the plan?”

Alex had suspended all scavenging runs and reassigned everyone to patrol duty. The scrap iron, steel pipes, and other metal the scavengers had collected were being turned into weapons, while thorny brush was being spread around the fields.

“Protecting the crops is important, but has he considered that harvesting takes time if they decide to attack?”

She was more worried about the people of Oakhaven Gardens than the crops themselves. If the attackers killed everyone first, they could simply wait for the crops to ripen.

As for why they weren’t waiting until harvest, they were probably betting Alex was smart enough to have the government send trucks once the crops were ready.

The harvest would be loaded directly onto the trucks as it came out of the ground.

Who would dare steal government grain? They might get away with it today, but sooner or later, a bullet would catch up with them.

Which made now the perfect time to strike.

Nicole couldn’t help sighing. Staying alive really wasn’t easy.

Oakhaven Gardens had once seemed like paradise, but there was no Garden of Eden in the apocalypse.

If you were weak, people preyed on you.

If you were strong, you painted a target on your back.

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