After browsing through the fortress customization options, Ethan quickly made his selections.
First—structural reinforcement.He ordered full replacement of all materials in his apartment:walls, floors, and ceiling would all be lined with 100mm thick steel plates.
For the windows—bulletproof acrylic glass.
Next—ventilation.He selected a premium air filtration system, capable of blocking all external toxic gases.
Finally—surveillance.He installed a complete 360-degree monitoring system with no blind spots, both indoors and out.
As for the doors?He replaced them with vault-grade alloy security doors—the kind used in high-security banks.Even explosives would barely scratch them.
In short, Ethan had one goal:
"Turn my apartment into an impenetrable steel beast."
After finalizing everything, he handed the tablet back to Connor West.
Connor glanced over the order—then widened his eyes in disbelief.
A 1,300-square-foot condo—turning into a literal bunker.
"Throw in a few guns, and you've got yourself a fortress," he muttered.
That made Ethan's eyes gleam.
"Oh? You're familiar with fortresses?"
Connor chuckled. "I did some time as a mercenary overseas. Let's just say I know my weapons."
Ethan leaned in, lowering his voice.
"Think you can get me a gun?"
Connor's expression froze.In America? Easy.But here? This was illegal.
"Mr. Cross… you know that's not something private citizens are supposed to have."
"You got enemies?"
Ethan played along.
"Yeah. Bad ones. Armed, ruthless. I need something to defend myself. I can't just hide and pray."
Connor shook his head, lips tight. "We're a legitimate business. I can't help with that."
But Ethan could read him like a book.
He wasn't unwilling. He was just cautious.
So Ethan dropped the bait.
"This project? It's costing me over a million dollars."
"If something happens to me, it won't look good for your company."
He paused—then stared directly into Connor's eyes.
"All I need is something to defend myself. If you help me out, I'll make it worth your while."
Connor didn't respond.He just frowned, clearly weighing the risks.
After a long moment, he said,"You should head home. I can't promise anything, but… I'll ask around."
Ethan smiled."Appreciate it. And please start construction ASAP."
"We'll be done in two weeks," Connor replied.
They signed the contract on the spot.Ethan paid a $150,000 deposit up front.
As for the rest?Yeah… no one would be around to collect it.
With his shelter project locked in, Ethan moved on to his next priority: weapons.
He called an old acquaintance—Ryan Lewis, who ran a private hunting reserve outside the city.
Ryan owned hundreds of acres in the western hills, stocked with docile wildlife for target shooting.
More importantly—he legally dealt in crossbows, compound bows, and air rifles.
Ethan had visited a few times before, so he had Ryan's contact info.
He offered to buy a full loadout—at above-market rates.
Ryan, a shrewd businessman, agreed immediately.
"Sure, Ethan. But hey—what's with the sudden interest? These are for hunting only, you know. Not for… anything else."
He laughed, but there was caution in his tone.
If something went wrong, he didn't want to be held responsible.
Ethan played it cool.
"Relax. I'm planning a hunting trip to a wildlife reserve in Africa. Lions, hyenas—you know how it is."
Ryan whistled."Damn, man. That's serious stuff. Just be careful out there."
"How soon can I pick them up?"
"I've got stock on hand. Swing by when you're ready."
Ethan didn't waste a second.
He drove out to the western hills and loaded up:
Five heavy-duty crossbows
Three high-end compound bows
Three hundred bolts and three hundred arrows
Two Damascus steel hunting knives
The gear filled his entire trunk.
Looking at the arsenal, Ethan felt a wave of reassurance.
All of it was legal.He had the permits.He'd even taken a hunting certification years ago.
When he got back home, it was already evening.
But he wasn't done.
Ethan headed straight to HaiDiBro, the city's most popular hot pot chain.
He devoured an entire meal alone—then placed an order that shocked the staff:
10,000 hot pot base packs.
The servers thought he was trolling them.Maybe a rival chain trying to sabotage them.
But their customer service training kicked in—they stayed polite.
The manager came out to confirm.
"Yes, I'm serious," Ethan said. "But I'll pay in cash. Upfront."
He wired over $150,000 on the spot.
The manager's eyes lit up.He even threw in 500 extra packs for free.
Ethan left the restaurant with a smirk.
The world was ending.But at least he'd still be eating well.