Alle Kapitel von The Apocalypse Survival Manual: Kapitel 71 – Kapitel 80

However, even getting rejected by a dog didn't shake Zeph. He bent down and spoke calmly to Cola."You're smart, and you're already strong. But the world out there is bad. If you want to protect yourself and the people you care about, you need to get stronger."Nicole rubbed Cola's head, smoothing things over. "Yeah, Cola. You'll protect me, right?"Cola's eyes flicked between the two of them.He liked Nicole. He liked the people on this floor, too. They had just fed him pork stew earlier. If he didn't get stronger, would he end up in a pot someday?After a moment, he gave in. He leaned into Nicole, pressing his head against her.He would protect her. She couldn't abandon him!Nicole smiled softly. "Don't worry. We're just one wall apart. You'll still see me all the time."Back at her place, she grabbed half a bag of kibble and handed it to Zeph. "Cola's smart, but he holds grudges. He's stubborn, too. If he doesn't behave, don't hit him or yell at him. Just tell me."Zeph gav

Nicole couldn't help feeling a little jealous.Luckily, Cola still knew who his human was.Every time training ended, he ran straight back to Nicole, pressing into her arms. Whenever she went out, he would grab his food bowl and follow.There was no helping it. Zeph's cooking was so bad that even the dog wouldn't touch it.Nicole had to prep kibble ahead of time.Watching how much Cola had changed, Beatrice couldn't help throwing shade at Hughie and Jeremy."Look at you two. Can't even measure up to a dog."It rained every day, but no one stayed idle.Beatrice had been training those two nonstop. It was hard to tell if their stamina improved, but judging by the bruises on their faces, they were definitely tougher.Nicole got curious and sparred with them for a bit. They dodged surprisingly well."Oh, you think you can hit us now? Not happening."They were grinning like idiots.Compared to the despair on other floors, things on the 18th floor were improving.Everyone was ge

Nicole blinked in surprise. The guy used to be in special operations. She wasn't even sure she could hold her own against him.Still, backing down wasn't her style. You only get better by going up against someone stronger. "Alright, let's do it."Truth was, Beatrice had wanted to challenge him for a while, but she never found the right moment. Nicole hadn't expected the chance to fall right into her lap.After a quick greeting, Nicole didn't hold back. She stepped in and threw the first punch.She fought like someone who didn't know fear, every move sharp and ruthless.But Zeph was on a whole different level. He moved like a seasoned master, barely using any effort to deflect her attacks.No matter how fast or hard she struck, he dodged with ease and countered just as smoothly, pushing her into a clumsy retreat.Three years surviving the apocalypse, plus her stubborn refusal to lose, lit something inside her. Her competitive edge flared, and her style shifted.It wasn't clean

Hearing Nicole say that, Zeph frowned. "You mean Poppy's timid? Scared of everything?"Nicole shook her head. "Not really. She's more of a people-pleaser. Like she's always worried about making someone upset, so she tries to keep everyone happy without even thinking about it."For example, Poppy would bring eggs for Nicole and Cola. When she did her homework, she would sneak glances at Nicole, like she was afraid of being disliked.It wasn't just with Nicole. Even with Zeph, she was careful. She pushed herself doing those training drills just to make him happy, even when she got hurt and didn't say a word.Nicole couldn't help feeling sorry for the little girl.Zeph stayed quiet for a long time. "Poppy is my parents' second child. They passed away in a car accident a couple of years ago. I was working out of town and couldn't make it back, so she had to stay with our uncle."She used to be lively, always smiling. By the time I came back after leaving the service, she was like a

Nicole stepped into the kitchen to help. She picked up a clean egg, dipped it into a bowl of vodka, then rolled it through salt before wrapping it tightly in plastic."Let it sit for a month, and it’ll be ready."She was just about to take a nap when someone knocked on the door.Zeph and Hughie’s group were heading out. Even Poppy had a raincoat on.Zeph wanted to take Cola and Poppy out for some real-world training. Cola was already bouncing with excitement. Nicole thought it over, then didn’t stop them."Wait."She went back inside, grabbed her makeup kit, and picked out a few darker shades, brushing them onto Poppy’s face.Letting Poppy see how harsh the world was mattered, but she looked too soft and clean. Going out like that would make her a target.Nicole kept working until Poppy’s face looked dull and worn. Only then did she stop, satisfied.Cola shoved his face over, whining. He wanted makeup, too.Yeah, right. With that dark brown coat, he already looked rough eno