The Apocalypse Survival Manual (Three Days Before Doomsday, I Stockpiled Billions) novel Chapter 615

Chapter 615

With the liver and lung disease outbreak expected to hit about a year from now, Nicole made sure to bring far more medicinal herbs than the contract required.

The streetlights were dim, but they stretched into the distance, casting just enough light to make the road feel less dangerous.

Zeph drove while Nicole kept watch from the passenger seat. They passed two military patrols and even encountered a group of thieves along the way, but they ultimately made it to the alternative medicine research institute without incident.

It had been more than two years since Nicole’s last visit, and armed soldiers were now stationed outside the entrance.

No one was allowed inside without official clearance.

Nicole didn’t expect security to be so tight, but given the kind of research being conducted there, it made sense.

Fortunately, she came prepared. “We’re here to deliver medicinal herbs under an existing contract. Could you contact Dr. Chapman for us?”

As she spoke, she opened the Hummer’s cargo area, revealing bag after bag of medicinal herbs.

After checking the contract and inspecting the shipment, the soldiers agreed to contact the person listed on the agreement over the radio.

Once they finished registering, they waited about half an hour before Mitchell came hurrying out in a military-issue winter coat. His face lit up the moment he saw her. “Nicole?”

He was so relieved to see her that they hugged.

It had been more than two years since they last saw each other.

Polar night was chaotic, and rioters attacked the alternative medicine research institute several times. More than once, the medicinal herb fields were nearly destroyed. That was why the government eventually stationed soldiers there.

Mitchell was worried something might happen to Nicole. Her family was clearly better off than most, which would’ve made them an obvious target for desperate people.

Thank God both Nicole and Zeph were safe. In fact, they looked like they had been managing fairly well.

Nicole was just as glad to see Mitchell. She couldn’t tell how much she had changed over the past two years, but Mitchell had definitely aged. He lost weight, and there was noticeably more gray at his temples.

When he heard why she came, Mitchell immediately brightened. “The institute has books on pregnancy and obstetrics. You can make copies and take them home to study.”

The conventional medical system had largely collapsed, but the institute took in several physicians who began studying alternative medicine alongside their original specialties.

One of them used to be a surgeon. Over the past two years of polar night, he continued his research while also compiling practical surgical textbooks for future use.

No one knew whether the natural disasters would ever end. If the worst happened, even if these researchers didn’t live to see civilization recover, the knowledge they left behind could become invaluable to future generations trying to rebuild.

Mitchell knew Nicole already had some surgical knowledge and assumed she had kept studying over the past two years. He was more than happy to introduce her to his colleague.

Nicole couldn’t have asked for anything better. She also hadn’t forgotten about the herbs she brought.

“Dr. Chapman, these are the institute’s share under our original agreement.”

12

+15 Bonus

Medicinal herbs weren’t especially heavy on their own, but the bags had been packed tightly. Altogether, the shipment looked to weigh at least 200 pounds.

Mitchell opened several bags to inspect the contents and was surprised to find that Nicole’s herbs were actually better quality than the institute’s own crop. It was obvious she had taken exceptional care of them.

Some of the institute’s other contracted growers produced herbs of questionable quality, and a few even tried mixing inferior plants into their deliveries.

Once polar night began, most of those growers simply vanished. Nicole was the only one who honored the contract and delivered the institute’s share.

Hard times had a way of showing who people really were. Mitchell called over an assistant to take the herbs, then led Nicole and Zeph inside.

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