Three days later, Ethan received a call from Connor West.
The deal had gone through.
Two guns. One hundred rounds of ammunition.
Expensive? Sure.
But Ethan didn't flinch.In a world heading toward chaos, that cold metal in his hands brought priceless peace of mind.
His final pharmaceutical order had also arrived—two crates of high-end imported medicine.
Another week passed.
Then came the big one.
Connor called again.
"Mr. Cross, your safehouse is ready. You can come inspect it anytime."
Ethan packed up his things and checked out of the hotel.He drove straight home to Oceanview Towers.
Connor was already waiting.
As Ethan stepped inside, his jaw dropped.
Ironshield Security hadn't just delivered—they'd overdelivered.
His apartment now looked exactly as it had before from the outside.But inside?
A fortress.
Every wall, ceiling, and floor had been reinforced with 100mm steel plating.You'd never know it by looking, but the place was bulletproof, blast-resistant, apocalypse-grade.
Connor gave him a full walkthrough.
"Ventilation system: military-grade, filters all toxins—absolutely airtight against chemical or biological threats."
"Insulation: arctic-research quality. The fireplace and materials we used retain 99.5% of indoor heat."
Connor smiled conspiratorially.
"We also added a little something extra—full surveillance across the entire building. 300 cameras. Every hallway. Every stairwell. You'll see it all."
Ethan was speechless.
Money really can buy anything.
Out on the balcony, he noticed the wall had been replaced with a floor-to-ceiling panel of reinforced transparent material.
"Bulletproof. Blast-resistant. Tougher than the steel plating," Connor explained."Lets in light, lets you see the outside. Better for psychological comfort."
Ethan nodded, thoroughly impressed.
Unless the military rolled in with tanks, no one was getting in.Even if the whole building collapsed, this room would still stand.
"I'm very satisfied," Ethan said simply.
Connor handed him a clipboard.
"Then if you could sign here, Mr. Cross. And please remember—final payment is due in three months."
Ethan chuckled and signed.
"Of course. I'll definitely pay you back."
Lies.
He wasn't paying a cent more.
This million-dollar fortress had cost him just a deposit.Absolute steal.
He sprawled across the custom sofa and stared up at his steel ceiling, savoring the moment.
Then… he frowned.
Water.
He'd forgotten something critical.
The source of life.
"Damn, how'd I miss that?"
In the ice age to come, it would be nearly impossible to get water from the frozen world outside.
Venturing out would mean risking his life every time.
Unacceptable.
He pulled out his phone and placed a massive order online—100 industrial water tanks.Together, they could store 500 cubic meters of clean water.Easily enough to last him years.
Plus, he still had access to bottled water at the warehouse.
Problem solved.
A few hours later, delivery drivers pulled up outside the complex with the tanks.
Ethan met them at the gate.
Security guard Mr. Yule waved them in after confirming with Ethan.
But of course, the neighbors gathered again.
"There he goes again…"
"More weird stuff?"
"Didn't they say he installed, like, ten-centimeter-thick steel plates in his place?"
"Maybe he's trying to build a bunker. What a nutcase!"
"Now it's water tanks? What, does he think Oceanview's gonna run dry?"
Ethan ignored them all.
Let them laugh.
They'd be dead soon enough.
Trying to explain himself would only draw more suspicion.
If anything, they'd accuse him of spreading panic.
They'd report him.Arrest him.
He wasn't about to play that game.
As he unloaded the tanks, Mr. Yule walked over.
"Ethan, what's all this for? Need a hand?"
Ethan glanced at him.
Mr. Yule was a retired soldier. No family.He'd worked security here for over a decade—always responsible, always kind.
In his past life, he'd shared his last food with a starving mother and child.And died of hunger.
One of the few truly decent people Ethan had met in the apocalypse.
So he nodded.
"This winter's gonna be rough. Temperatures are already weird. I've got a source that says we should prepare."
"If you can, stock up on food and water. Prices are gonna spike."
Mr. Yule trusted Ethan.And like many older people, he had a healthy sense of caution.
He frowned. "You sure?"
Ethan pointed to his stockpile.
"Would I go through all this if I wasn't?"
"Grab instant noodles. Canned goods. Water. Nothing wrong with having extras."
Mr. Yule nodded seriously.
He already had a habit of storing food—might as well go big this time.
But nearby, another neighbor—Mr. Tang—walked up with a frown.
"Ethan, you shouldn't say things like that. We live in a peaceful society. There's no shortage of supplies."
"Keep talking like that and someone might report you for spreading rumors."
Ethan rolled his eyes and walked away.
He'd done his part.
If they chose ignorance, that was on them.