The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 612

Chapter 512

Nicole nodded.

“Yes. Do it,” Gabrielle said urgently. “Michelle gave her life trying to bring this baby into the world.”

However, Nicole needed them to understand the risks first.

“Michelle was in labor for a long time, and she didn’t have any prenatal care during the pregnancy. We don’t know whether the baby is healthy.

“If it s been without oxygen for too long, it may already be gone. And even if it’s still alive, prolonged oxygen deprivation could have caused permanent brain damage. You need to understand that before I try.”

Gabrielle didn’t hesitate. “This is Michelle and Victor’s baby. If there’s even the slightest chance it’s still alive, we have to try.”

Then Victor spoke, his voice hoarse. “No.”

Michelle was already gone. Why did they still have to cut into her body?

She had always cared about her appearance, and she hated pain. He couldn’t bear the thought of anything else being done to her body.

Gabrielle knew Victor was devastated, but she couldn’t let grief make this decision for him.

“Victor, I know you’re hurting, but Michelle gave her life trying to have this baby. She wanted the baby to live. She fought for this child until the very end. You can’t take away its only chance now.”

Derek and Lydia tried to reason with him, too.

But Victor was too consumed by grief to listen. He clung to Michelle and refused to let anyone near her.

Gabrielle grew frantic. She knew he might regret this for the rest of his life once the shock wore off, so she told Derek and Lydia to pull him away.

Victor held on with everything he had. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t make him let go.

Finally, Lydia lost her patience and slapped him across the face. “Snap out of it! Remember Michelle’s last words!”

Michelle made them promise to save the baby no matter what happened to her.

“You promised her!” Lydia sobbed, hitting him again. “You promised her yourself! You can’t break that promise now! You can’t let her final wish mean nothing.”

Victor finally broke down. He buried his face against Michelle and sobbed as his arms slowly went slack.

Derek immediately pulled him away and took him into another room.

Lydia rushed off to heat water. Gabrielle had lived through too much to be squeamish, so she stayed behind to help Nicole.

Every second counted. Nicole had never performed anything like this before, but she knew enough anatomy to understand what she needed to do.

Over the past few years, she practiced basic surgical techniques on cuts of pork whenever she had the chance. Taking a steadying breath, she lifted Michelle’s shirt and carefully made the first incision.

After several tense minutes, she finally managed to deliver a tiny baby covered in blood.

Gabrielle quickly took the newborn and wiped away the blood and fluids.

The baby couldn’t have weighed more than four pounds. Its skin was red and wrinkled, and its face had a bluish-purple tint.

+15 Bonus

Gabrielle checked for breathing and immediately panicked. “The baby’s not breathing.”

Nicole had never resuscitated a newborn before, but after a moment’s thought, she took the baby back.

The baby’s airway had already been cleared, and its body was still warm.

Nicole turned the baby face down and gave it several firm pats on the back. She had seen something like this done before, and at this point, they had nothing to lose.

Pat. Pat. Pat…

After several attempts, just as Nicole was starting to lose hope, the baby suddenly twitched.

A second later, a faint cry escaped it, barely louder than a kitten’s mewl.

“It’s alive!” Tears streamed down Gabrielle’s face. “Michelle, the baby’s alive! Thank God!”

Nicole left the baby with Gabrielle and Lydia. Out of respect for Michelle, she carefully stitched the incision closed and covered her body again.

Derek and Victor came rushing in as soon as they heard the news. Victor stood frozen, staring at the tiny baby bundled in blankets, unable to make sense of everything he was feeling.

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