The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 513

Chapter 513

Nicole didn’t bother hiding anything. “We built a greenhouse, so the temperature doesn’t swing as much inside. When it gets too cold, we use charcoal heaters.”

That explained it. Anyone still driving a Hummer three years into the apocalypse clearly had resources.

The institute, on the other hand, could barely afford a single greenhouse.

It wasn’t that the local authorities refused to help. Glass had become incredibly valuable after the earthquake, and whatever remained had been prioritized for food production so survivors wouldn’t starve.

The institute already had one greenhouse, and there was no chance of getting approval for another.

A single greenhouse could hold only so many medicinal plants, let alone support large-scale cultivation.

Nicole’s words gave Mitchell an idea. Just because the institute couldn’t build more greenhouses didn’t mean private growers couldn’t.

Three years into the apocalypse, anyone with medicine had something people would do almost anything to obtain

No matter how expensive it was, someone would buy it. If the government couldn’t grow medicinal herbs on a large scale, why not encourage private cultivation? It would preserve valuable medical knowledge, give survivors access to treatment, and benefit the community as a whole.

When Mitchell learned that Nicole’s greenhouse covered more than 1,000 square feet, his interest grew even stronger.

Nicole didn’t want a regular job, and the institute needed more growing space. It was a perfect arrangement.

Mitchell made them an offer.

“We’ll teach you how to grow medicinal herbs properly, along with basic herbal remedies, needle therapy, therapeutic massage, and other practical medical skills. In exchange, you’ll give the institute 20% of everything you grow. If we provide the seedlings, we’ll take another 10%. What do you think?”

Nicole pretended to discuss it with Zeph. After thinking it over for a moment, she nodded.

“That works. We’ll find the seedlings ourselves.”

They quickly reached an agreement and signed a contract on the spot.

Mitchell helped them decide what to grow.

“With the temperature swinging so wildly throughout the day, people get sick easily. Mild cases usually mean fever and respiratory symptoms, while more serious cases can turn into lung infections. Treatments for those conditions are in the highest demand right now.”

He wrote down a list of nearly 30 medicinal herbs that could be combined in different ways.

“Look for seedlings from this list. If you run into any problems growing them, come by the local center and talk to the staff anytime.”

Once the plan was settled, Mitchell carefully noted the best growing methods and environmental conditions for each herb. Then, he tested all three of them on their medical knowledge.

Zeph and Poppy knew almost nothing, but Nicole already had a basic foundation and had spent several years studying on her own. She could start with the introductory courses and help the other two keep up.

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+158gnus

That suited her perfectly. She still had all her medical textbooks.

Meanwhile, Marcus returned to the Robinson residence in a foul mood. Peter immediately sent for the family doctor.

Marcus kicked off his sandals and dropped onto the couch. “I’m not dying. Don’t bother.”

Nothing that happened in the neighborhood escaped Eric’s notice. He returned home soon afterward

When he saw the bruise on Marcus’s forehead, he forced down his anger. “What happened?”

“I hit the car from Villa 50.”

“What the hell are you trying to do?” Eric fumed.

If Marcus hadn’t been his own son, he might have thrown a glass at him.

They still had no idea what the people in Villa 50 were capable of. First, Marcus had defended them and offended half the neighborhood in the process. The others only kept their complaints to themselves only because they didn’t dare challenge the Robinsons.

Eric could overlook that. They were nothing but spoiled trust-fund kids living comfortably off their families’ wealth, with no idea how brutal the outside world had become. Spending too much time with them would only make Marcus dumber.

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