Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Apocalypse Survival Manual: Kabanata 341 - Kabanata 350

Nicole's look alone was enough to stop the vultures in their tracks. With a gun in her hand, all they could do was watch the vehicle pull away.When Nicole's group got to the checkpoint at the base of the mountain, they realized the uniformed guards were gone.The sea still roared. Waves slammed into the shore, spray reaching the road and splashing against the windows.Along the highway, survivors staggered forward in scattered groups, worn down to the bone. Whatever they had left had been washed away. Covered in injuries, they leaned on broken branches and walked in a daze, like they were running on nothing but instinct.A girl, maybe 12 or 13, stood barefoot by the roadside.As the Hummer passed, Nicole caught sight of her feet, torn and bleeding, her eyes swollen shut, her forehead still dripping blood.At that age, she should've been with her family, helping out along the coast, living a normal life. One wave had taken everything and left her alone.Nicole's chest tightene

Almost at the same moment, Zeph moved. The man with the gun didn't even register it before a red mark appeared between his eyebrows.When Zeph acted, he finished it.The pistol was fitted with a suppressor. He emptied the magazine, and seven men dropped at once.Nicole, who didn't even get a chance to make a move, was speechless. She hadn't even shot her gun before the entire checkpoint was wiped out.Zeph walked over to Poppy and wiped the blood from her face. "You're okay."Poppy rushed into his arms, shaking all over.Cola, meanwhile, was excited. He circled Nicole and wagged his tail, clearly looking for praise.Nicole waved him off and sent him back to the car, then walked over to the truck parked by the road.The tsunami had taken everything. Trade had slowed to almost nothing. They hadn't gathered much today, maybe half a truck of dried seafood, coarse salt, potatoes, and sweet potatoes, a mix of odds and ends.In the distance, a group of survivors was heading this way.

Nicole felt a flicker of emotion. She hadn't expected Gabrielle to keep her word like this. "Thank you.""No, we should be thanking you," Gabrielle said, taking her hand. "If it weren't for you these past two years, I don't know what we would've done."Nicole came off cold, and her words could be sharp, but she was always helping behind the scenes.If they hadn't been neighbors on the 17th floor, there was no telling if the Goodmans would've made it this far.Things weren't easy at the institute either, but it was still better than most. They got monthly food rations and some fresh water. Not much, but enough to keep a family going.Gabrielle pulled out a small paper bundle. "I asked around and managed to find some vegetable seeds. If you plant them right, you can harvest them in about two weeks. Don't eat them all. Save some to replant."There wasn't much, just a small handful."We picked up some seeds while we were out," Nicole said, not taking them. "When are you moving?

It wasn't unusual for a new development not to show up on the map yet.Zeph pointed out the general direction based on what he remembered from the rescue, and Nicole got a rough sense of where to go. Southwest seemed about right.That area was part of the city's expansion, a newly developed zone with more open space and newer buildings.Zeph drove while Nicole sat beside him, guiding him along the way.When they reached the development zone, they saw abandoned buildings everywhere, dried riverbeds, and cracked ground.They drove up onto an overpass. Nicole took out a pair of binoculars and scanned the area, spotting a few buildings with signs of life while ruling out the older ones.They circled around, and sure enough, it was Oakhaven Gardens.It was a high-end riverside development, with a grand entrance that looked both upscale and thoughtfully designed. There were more than a dozen buildings inside, spaced far apart.If the disasters hadn't happened, homes here would've eas

Nicole finally understood. Oakhaven Gardens only took people who had the ability and the mindset to work together and survive.Alex paused, then smiled. "Ms. Floyd, you've got a good eye. Yes, we have a well. One of our residents knew how to dig it, and everyone pitched in. Each household gets about half a bucket of water a day. Do you still think ten pounds of grain is expensive?"From their conversation, he had already made up his mind about them and clearly wanted them to join.The community had people with all kinds of skills, but no doctor, and their defenses weren't strong. They needed someone like Zeph."We'll think it over and get back to you in a couple of days."They were used to staying cautious. A place that looked like a safe haven in times like this could just as easily be a trap. They didn't rush inside to look at the units. It was better to understand everything about Oakhaven Gardens first than walk in blind.They drove off, but didn't head home. Instead, they