Before the Fall: Rise of the Apocalypse King-Chapter 43: (dont unlock this ,its vol.3 chap)

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Only a month and a half remained until the apocalypse, and the signs were already everywhere. freewebnoveℓ.com

Cities were crumbling under the pressure of the water crisis. Rivers had dried up, and the government had started rationing drinking water.

warer comes once in a week.Riots broke out every day. Hospitals were flooded with people suffering from dehydration. Many were dying — quietly, painfully, and forgotten.

For the rich, though, it was a different kind of problem. They had water, food, and electricity. Their only worry was how much more money they had to throw around to stay safe. The divide between the rich and poor had never been wider.

Roman had seen all this before. In his last life, he had been too late to act. But now he had time. He had money. And more importantly, he had memories.

He first went to a high-end real estate agency in Moscow. His face was calm, his steps firm. The agent, a man in a sleek black suit, welcomed him warmly, sensing a wealthy client. Roman didn’t bother with small talk.

"I want to buy a secure property in central Moscow," he said flatly. "A villa — top-grade security, access to private water".

The agent hesitated for a second. "That’s not going to be cheap, sir. That area is for the elite — old money, foreign investors, celebrities..."

Roman pulled out his phone, showed a bank transfer slip, and smiled. "A hundred million dollars. Should cover it."

In less than two hours, the deal was closed. Roman now owned a villa in one of the most secure zones in Moscow — a place where the military and police still patrolled, where the rich would survive the first wave of chaos.

But just owning a house wasn’t enough. He needed to build something more — strong, self-sufficient, hidden beneath the surface.

Next, he visited "PIK Group" Russia’s top construction company. A polite employee welcomed him and asked, "What exactly are you looking to build, sir?"

"Can you people build a fortress for me?" he asked.

The employee stared blankly for about three seconds before widening his eyes and asking,

"What?"

Ivan patiently explained, "I’m talking about a doomsday fortress, the kind that can withstand a nuclear explosion.

Do you know about that? Of course, my requirements are."The highest level of security."

The employee was shocked after hearing what he said. For a moment, he thought—either this guy is crazy or he’s some rich VIP.

Just to be safe, he decided to call his manager.

With a polite smile, he said, "Please wait here for a moment, sir. I’ll go let the manager know."

"While you wait, please enjoy a cup of coffee," he said, signaling to the staff.

A moment later, a uniformed employee arrived with a tray and gracefully set a steaming cup of coffee in front of Ivan. The rich aroma filled the air, mingling with the faint scent of polished wood and leather.

Shortly after, a burly man with a crew cut entered the room.

He wore a black suit, giving off an impression of a refined brute.

One couldn’t help but worry that his suit might burst from his muscular frame.

But such a person instilled a sense of security in clients.

"Hello, sir. My name is Dmitri Sokolov, business manager. How can we assist you?"

Ivan sipped his coffee and said, "I need you to build a safe house for me."

"One that can withstand the apocalypse, the highest level of safety."

Upon hearing this, Dmitri Sokolov’s expression turned serious.

To others, such a statement might sound laughable.

But for PIK Group, it was no joke.

The wealthiest and most powerful people often feared death the most.

Years ago, billionaires abroad had spent billions on underground shelters.

In recent years, many wealthy people worldwide have followed suit.

Some genuinely feared large-scale natural disasters.

Others had too many enemies and sought extra security.

PIK Group’s doomsday shelters emerged to meet this market demand.

Dmitri Sokolov became more courteous upon hearing Ivan’s request for an apocalypse-grade shelter.

Such large orders were rare annually.

"Mr. Ivan, PIK Group is a world-class security and construction company. We can certainly meet your requirements."

Ivan immediately asked, "If I need you to remodel an entire villa, could you do it?"

Dmitri Sokolov found this request unusual. Typically, such shelters were stand alone structures or underground bunkers.

Few clients chose to build shelters within residential properties.

But PIK Group aimed to please its clients.

Dmitri Sokolov confidently replied, "Absolutely! We’re the top in the world when it comes to fortified structures."

"With our technology, we can fulfill your request."

Hearing this, Ivan was satisfied.

If so, he would turn his newly purchased villa into a fortress.

Dmitri Sokolov handed Ivan a tablet.

"Our services are fully customizable. You can select what you need from here, with prices listed for each feature."

In the digital age, everything was at your fingertips.

Ivan took the tablet and carefully reviewed the options.

There was no doubt that PIK Group was a professional company.

With enough money, they could meet almost any requirement.

From building underground shelters 100 meters deep to constructing underwater safe houses.

However, these large projects were too slow for Ivan, who only had less then a month and a half.

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After going through the details of the safe house, Ivan quickly picked out the features he wanted.

First, the entire villa would be upgraded. All the existing materials—walls, ceilings, and floors—would be ripped out and replaced.

The new structure would be built with 200mm thick alloy panels—a material used in aircraft, much lighter than steel but ten times stronger!

Using this would allow the villa to be reinforced like a bunker without stressing the building’s foundation.

The windows? Replaced with top-grade bulletproof glass, the best in the world.

Next came the ventilation system, upgraded with filters so powerful that no toxic gas or chemical would ever get inside.

A full surveillance system would be set up too—covering every corner, inside and out, with high-definition cameras.

Then, the doors would be swapped with bank-vault-grade security doors, made of heavy-duty material, almost impossible to break—even with explosives.

And finally, an underground plantation system—where Ivan could grow food if things really went bad.

In short, Ivan had one request:

"Turn my villa into a fortress no one can break into!"

Once he was done selecting the features, Ivan handed the tablet back to Dmitri Sokolov, the man managing the project.

Dmitri glanced through the list, and his eyes widened in surprise.

"This isn’t a house anymore," he muttered. "You’re turning it into a tank."

Ivan smiled faintly.

"Oh? You know about tanks?"

Dmitri let out a small chuckle.

"I used to be a mercenary overseas. I’ve seen my fair share of bunkers and warzones."

That gave Ivan an idea. He lowered his voice a little and asked:

"Can you get firearms?"

The question made Dmitri go quiet for a moment.

In Russia, owning guns without a permit is strictly illegal.

He spoke slowly, "Mr. Ivan, officially... such things are off-limits."

Then he leaned in, lowering his voice too.

"Are you in some kind of danger?"

Ivan saw his chance.

"Yes. I’ve pissed off some very dangerous people. They’re armed. They won’t stop until I’m dead."

"I just want something to defend myself. Locking the doors isn’t enough if they come armed."

Dmitri looked serious now.

"Mr. Ivan, I’m sorry. We’re a licensed company. I can’t help with that."

But Ivan could see it in Dmitri’s eyes—he wasn’t saying no because he couldn’t, but because he didn’t want to get involved.

So Ivan took a deep breath and said:

"This project will cost me over 800 million dollars. If anything happens to me, it won’t look good for your company either."

He paused, letting the words sink in.

"I’m not asking for much—just a few things for self-defense. If you help me, I’ll make it worth your while."

Dmitri stayed quiet, frowning, thinking hard. He had the contacts. But he didn’t know if Ivan was worth the risk.

"Go home for now," Dmitri finally said. "I’ll ask around. I can’t promise anything, but if I hear something, I’ll let you know."

Ivan didn’t press him. He knew guns were a sensitive topic.

He smiled and said,

"Alright. I’ll wait. Also, please speed up the safe house construction."

"Don’t worry," Dmitri replied. "It’ll be done in a month."

Ivan nodded and signed the contract on the spot.

He paid a 200 million yuan deposit up front.

As for the remaining amount? In his mind, there might not be a "later" to pay it.

As Ivan walked out of PIK Group’s office, he felt a little more at ease about his future safety.

But the next part couldn’t wait.

He got into his car and called tilo, an old friend who ran a private hunting ground near Moscow City, in the West Hills.

Tilo’s business included legal air rifles, compound bows, and crossbows for sport. Ivan had been there before, so they were already familiar.

He called Tilo and offered to buy a batch of weapons, even at a higher price.

Tilo, ever the businessman, laughed and said:

"Brother Ivan, planning to go to war? These are for hunting only, you know. You’re not gonna get into trouble, right?"

He was half-joking, but also being cautious. Even he had limits.

Ivan laughed, playing along:

"You’re overthinking. I’m planning a safari trip with some friends in Africa. Need some gear for the wild!"

Tilo clicked his tongue.

"You rich guys sure know how to enjoy life. Watch out for the lions though."

"I’ll be careful. How soon can I pick them up?"

"Come over anytime. I’ve got them ready."

Ivan didn’t waste a minute. He drove straight to the West Hills hunting ground and picked up:

Ten steel crossbows,

Three high-end compound bows,

600 arrows,

And two Damascus steel hunting knives—strong, sharp, and reliable.

Everything went into the trunk of his car, fully legal and backed by his hunting license.

Looking at the gear, Ivan finally felt a sense of security.

Now he was ready—at least, for the first wave of what was coming.

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Author’s note:-

Thanks for reading this far! If you’re enjoying Ivan’s dark journey from humiliation to power, let me know in the comments. Your feedback means a lot and helps me grow this story even stronger. Don’t forget to leave a review and share your thoughts—who knows, your words might shape the next twist!

See you in the next Chapter!

—Author

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