The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 581

Chapter 581

Some had abandoned their old lives for good.

Others had gathered whatever supplies they could find and disappeared into the mountains.

A few still moved around in small armed groups, but they were hardly any different from the raiders and thieves. who had come before them.

Danger was still everywhere, but overall, things had finally begun to stabilize.

After refusing several requests, the neighborhood eventually started distributing a small number of birds. Chickens, ducks, and geese were out of the question. The most anyone could hope for was a pair of quail.

Even then, they weren’t given out for free or at random. Every pair went to someone Villa 50 considered worth supporting.

Priority went to households that had remained on good terms with Villa 50 and were unlikely to cause trouble.

Sven lowered his voice as though sharing a secret.

“There aren’t many to spare. The people at Villa 50 know you’re good folks, so they made an exception and set aside a pair for you. Keep it quiet, though. There aren’t enough to go around.”

The recipient was genuinely touched.

Maybe Villa 50 wasn’t as cold or unreasonable as people claimed. From now on, they would have to think for themselves instead of blindly following the crowd. In a world like this, choosing the wrong side could get you killed.

Only a handful of pairs were distributed. If cared for properly, they would eventually provide both eggs and meat, but Villa 50 had no intention of giving anyone enough resources to become too comfortable or independent.

Poppy turned ten during the polar night.

When Nicole first met her, Poppy was a shy little girl with a soft, round face. Somehow, five years had passed in the blink of an eye. She was much taller now, and the last traces of baby fat were beginning to disappear.

Even so, she was still as sweet and adorable as ever.

Good looks ran in the Dawson family. Zeph was strikingly handsome, with sharp features and a naturally intimidating expression. Judging by Poppy’s face, she would grow into a beautiful woman, too.

But beauty wasn’t always a blessing in the apocalypse. It drew the wrong kind of attention.

To protect herself, Poppy would have to become stronger than most people around her.

With enough food and proper nutrition, children grew quickly. Zeph didn’t plan far enough ahead, and Poppy had already outgrown most of her clothes.

Nicole had plenty of clothing stored away, but none of it seemed right for Poppy. In the end, she found some fabric and tried sewing a few new outfits herself.

Seeing two children tagging along with the adults on patrol was definitely unusual.

Some people had seen Poppy kick a security guard hard enough to dislocate his jaw, so no one dared underestimate her. A few even found themselves envying Zeph.

The comparison was humiliating.

While Zeph’s little sister was out braving the cold, their own spoiled children were still sleeping under warm blankets as their parents risked their lives on patrol. At this rate, they might as well have been raising house pets.

The next day, several more residents joined the patrol.

A number of former billionaires dragged their sons and daughters out of bed. After holding their frustration in for far too long, they finally snapped, pointing and yelling at their children.

“Look at the people from Villa 50!

“Forget the ten-year-old girl. You can’t even hold your own against their dog!

“Starting today, you’re going to train and learn how to survive. Otherwise, when the raiders break in, you’ll be on your own.

“I didn’t raise you just so you could sit around eating, sleeping, and waiting for someone else to keep you alive!”