Chapter 3 Fortress Blueprint
The lifeblood of capital is quietly converging.
Wenyu is like a sophisticated financial heart, pumping blood from credit loans, online loans, usurious loans, and even the future stock market in the same direction—survival.
But money is just a tool. A true fortress needs to be born from blueprints.
July 16th, 9:00 AM.
Wen Yu stood halfway up Cuiping Mountain on the outskirts of the city, facing a forgotten villa. A mountain breeze swept through the woods, carrying the scent of grass and earth. In the distance, the city skyline appeared and disappeared in the thin mist, like another world.
This location met all his requirements: it was far from the city center, with the nearest residential area being three kilometers away; it was situated on high ground, backed by mountains, with a wide view in front; there was a dilapidated cement road leading down the mountain, with the entrance hidden in the woods; and most importantly, it had abundant groundwater resources, with the previous owner having drilled a deep well, and the water quality test report showed that it met the standards for direct drinking.
The villa was built ten years ago by a wealthy overseas businessman who left hastily due to business setbacks, leaving the house abandoned. The ownership has changed hands several times and is now held by a small asset management company, which has been listing it for over half a year without any takers.
The three-story European-style building has faded beige stone facades and several broken windows. The courtyard is overgrown with weeds, and the swimming pool is dry and cracked. But the main structure is intact, and more importantly—it has a basement, and not just any ordinary basement.
Wen Yu entered the house accompanied by a real estate agent.
The real estate agent was a middle-aged man in his forties, surnamed Li. He had a professional enthusiasm on his face, but his eyes betrayed his lack of hope for the sale: "Mr. Wen, you've seen the condition of this house. Maintenance costs are high, and the location is indeed remote. If you're looking for a weekend getaway, the newly developed resorts at the foot of the mountain would be more suitable..."
"Let me take a look first," Wen Yu interrupted him, her voice calm.
The first floor features a high-ceilinged living room, dining room, kitchen, and two guest rooms. The second floor contains a master bedroom, study, and two secondary bedrooms. The third floor is a large suite with a terrace. The decor was in a luxurious style from ten years ago, but now it's just dilapidated.
The focus of Wenyu is not here.
"Where is the basement entrance?" he asked.
Li, the real estate agent, paused for a moment, then pointed to an inconspicuous wooden door next to the kitchen: "It's here, but it's just a regular storage room downstairs, a bit damp..."
Wen Yu pushed open the door. A dimly lit, downward-facing concrete staircase led down. He turned on his phone's flashlight and went down.
The basement was larger than I had imagined. It was about 150 square meters, with a ceiling height of three meters, and the floor and walls had undergone basic moisture-proofing treatment. Some discarded furniture and building materials were piled up in the corner. There was a faint musty smell in the air, but it wasn't pungent.
Wen Yu's gaze fell on the innermost wall.
It was an ordinary-looking brick wall, but the lines between the bricks were too neat. He walked over and gently tapped the wall with his hand.
The sound was muffled, but somewhere it seemed... slightly different.
"What's behind this wall?" he asked Li, the intermediary who had followed him in.
"Behind? It should be the mountainside," Li the intermediary said uncertainly. "This house is built against the mountain, and there are rocks behind it."
Wen Yu didn't speak. Having survived the apocalypse in his previous life, he had an almost instinctive intuition about building structures and hidden spaces. He crouched down and carefully examined the joint between the wall and the ground—there was an extremely fine, unnatural wear mark.
He stood up, took a few steps back, and surveyed the proportions of the entire basement. From the outside, the depth of the villa and the length of the basement seemed mismatched.
It's about three or four meters shorter.
"Do you have architectural design drawings?" Wen Yu asked.
"Well… I'll have to ask the owner." Agent Li took out his phone. "But the blueprints for this kind of old house might not still be available."
Wen Yu didn't press the matter further. He had already made up his mind: there was likely another hidden space behind this wall. It might be a vault or wine cellar built by the previous owner, or... simply an unused space.
Either way, it suited his purposes perfectly.
"How much is this house?" Wen Yu walked out of the basement and back into the bright sunlight of the first-floor living room.
The real estate agent, Li, quoted a figure: "The owner listed the house for 8.8 million, but it's negotiable. However, Mr. Wen, I must remind you that after the transfer of ownership, the subsequent repair and renovation costs may be higher than the house price. Moreover, there is no natural gas on the mountain, and the electricity is supplied by lines at the foot of the mountain, which occasionally experience power outages..."
"I will take care of the electricity issue," Wen Yu said. "Seven million, full payment, all at once. I require the homeowner to cooperate and expedite the transfer of ownership; all formalities must be completed within a week. If they agree, we can sign the letter of intent today."
Agent Li's eyes widened. In his more than ten years in the business, he had never seen such a decisive buyer—especially for a house that was clearly a "scam".
"Mr. Wen, won't you... reconsider? Or perhaps look at other options..."
"This is the one." Wen Yu's tone left no room for argument. "Seven million, transfer within a week. You go and communicate with them. If the owner doesn't agree, I can increase it to seven and a half million, but the timeframe can't be delayed."
He needs this land, he needs this ready-made framework. Time is more important than millions.
Li Zhongjie swallowed hard, realizing that the young man in front of him was serious. He immediately went to the side to make a phone call, his tone becoming excited and urgent.
Wen Yu then walked into the courtyard and looked around.
The villa occupies approximately three acres and shows signs of a collapsed wall. Both the front and back yards are spacious enough to accommodate numerous solar panels, and could even support a small wind turbine. The lush trees provide natural shade. The side road leading from the main road at the foot of the mountain is well-hidden, making it suitable for setting up a first line of defense.
A preliminary blueprint for the transformation quickly took shape in his mind.
Half an hour later, Agent Li returned, beaming: "It's done! Mr. Wen, the homeowners have agreed to 7.2 million, full payment, including taxes. They urgently need cash flow and have promised to fully cooperate. We can complete all the procedures in as little as five days!"
"Very good." Wen Yu nodded. "We'll sign the letter of intent and pay the deposit today. We'll start processing the formalities tomorrow."
That afternoon, Wen Yu returned to the city and did three things.
First, funding is accelerating.
In the securities account, the stock price of "Haichuan Bio" began to fluctuate in the afternoon, with a small amount of funds quietly flowing in, slowly pushing the price up to 12.50 yuan. Wen Yu's 680,000 yuan had already been used to buy 55,000 shares at an average price of 12.33 yuan.
He glanced at it and closed the software. He knew the real surge would come two days later.
Next, he checked the status of the other funds received:
The total amount of credit loans received is 450,000 yuan.
I received 250,000 yuan in online loans.
The loan of 910,000 yuan at usurious interest rates has been received (after deducting upfront fees).
The mortgage loan is progressing smoothly; the bank has accepted the application and expects to disburse the funds within three days.
The company has over 1.6 million yuan in readily available cash. With upcoming stock market profits and subsequent loans, the first phase of the funding pool is rapidly accumulating.
But that's not enough. Far from enough.
He needs nearly a billion. This is the figure he estimated in his notebook—it includes purchasing a house, a complete renovation, sourcing top-tier materials globally, and a huge amount set aside for operation and maintenance costs.
Second, intelligence trading, the first pot of gold.
A new email lay quietly in that encrypted mailbox.
The sender was an unfamiliar corporate email address; the domain belonged to an overseas holding company. The email contained only one sentence:
"The 'White Deer's' path is very interesting. I'd like to hear more 'interesting' stories. How can I contact you?"
There was no signature, but Wen Yu knew it was Zhou Lin.
He replied with the same concise message:
"Tomorrow night at 8 PM, on the encrypted communication channel'Signal,' the number is below. We'll only talk for three minutes."
Attached is a newly registered Signal number that is completely separate from the real identity.
He couldn't reveal any real information. Dealing with a tycoon like Zhou Lin was like asking a tiger for its skin. What he needed to sell was "intelligence," not himself.
Third, fortress design and activation.
Wenyu didn't hire a large design firm. Those firms have cumbersome processes, require various approvals, and keep copies of the drawings, which can easily leave traces.
On a professional architects' forum, he posted an anonymous request under the name "Private safe house design, no budget limit, top-notch requirements, urgent, cash payment." At the same time, he contacted several reputable "independent engineering consultants" through dark web channels—these people don't ask about the client's background, they only take money and do the job, and they are good at handling various gray-area construction needs.
That evening, he received seven resumes and preliminary proposals. Wen Yu quickly screened them, eliminating those that were too academic or flashy, and kept two.
One is a former structural engineer from a military research institute, in his fifties. He retired early due to his unsociable personality, but he has extremely strong professional skills, especially in reinforcement, explosion protection, and concealed engineering design.
Another is a freelance designer in his forties with a background working at top overseas architectural firms. He later went independent and designs various "special purpose" residences for the wealthy, ranging from nuclear bunkers to underground shelters.
Wen Yu made brief communications with each of them using encrypted phone calls. He did not reveal his true purpose, only saying that he needed to build a "comprehensive living space that can withstand extreme weather, social unrest and external intrusion," located in the suburbs, with no budget limit, but demanding absolute confidentiality and the fastest possible speed.
The two reacted very differently.
The former engineer paused for a moment, then asked, "Seismic resistance requirements? Explosion-proof standards? Radiation protection considerations? Expected capacity? Self-sufficiency target (how long can it sustain operations without external supplies)?"
Every question hit the nail on the head.
Independent designers are more concerned with: "The balance between spatial comfort and psychological tolerance? The possibility of integrating the internal ecological circulation system? How much room for aesthetics is left when functionality takes precedence over everything else?"
Wen Yu needed a combination of both approaches. He proposed a solution: engineers would be responsible for the design of core systems such as structure, security, energy, and water circulation; while designers would be responsible for spatial layout, living flow, warehouse planning, and internal environment optimization. The two would each produce drawings, and Wen Yu would then integrate them himself.
The fee is five times the market rate, with a 30% prepayment and the remaining balance paid upon approval of the drawings. However, a strict confidentiality agreement must be signed, and all design materials must be destroyed electronically upon completion, leaving only one copy of the paper drawings for Wen Yu.
They both agreed.
July 17th.
Wen Yu went to sign the purchase contract for the villa in the morning and paid a deposit of two million yuan. The owner's representative was a middle-aged man who looked tired. He was both grateful for Wen Yu's straightforwardness and a little suspicious, but he didn't ask any questions. When money is involved, curiosity is a luxury.
In the afternoon, the stock market reported its first piece of good news.
Haichuan Biotechnology saw a sudden surge in trading volume and its share price jumped from 12.60 yuan to 13.20 yuan in the final minutes of trading, a gain of over 6%. Rumors circulated that a "major positive development" was about to be announced.
Wen Yu knew this was just a warm-up. The market value of his holdings had already increased from 680,000 to over 720,000. He didn't make a move, patiently waiting.
In the evening, he drove up the mountain again, this time bringing a laser rangefinder, a geological detector (rented), and a camera. He needed more precise data for his design.
He used a laser rangefinder to measure the thickness of every room and wall in the villa, as well as the dimensions of doors and windows. He probed the basement walls and confirmed that there was indeed a cavity behind the suspicious wall—about four meters deep and the same width as the basement. It could be a wine cellar, or it could be for some other purpose.
He used a geological instrument to conduct a simple survey of the surrounding soil and rock structure to assess the stability of the hillside. The results were positive; the hillside was solid granite with no risk of landslide.
He also went to inspect the deep well. The wellhead had a rusted metal cover, which he pried open with tools. Shining a flashlight down, he saw the water was about fifteen meters deep, deep and clear. He took a water sample, intending to send it for testing.
As night fell, Wen Yu stood on the third-floor terrace. A mountain wind was biting, the stars hung low, and the city lights below formed a dazzling sea.
Beautiful, yet fragile.
He took several panoramic photos of the villa and its surroundings before heading down the mountain.
July 18th.
The stock market opened at 9:30 a.m.
Haichuan Biotechnology unsurprisingly hit its daily limit up. At 13.89 yuan, the buy orders at the limit up price exceeded 500,000 lots. Market sentiment was electric, and various "insider information" were circulating in small circles.
Wen Yu's holdings are worth over 760,000 yuan, with a floating profit of over 80,000 yuan.
He still hasn't sold. It'll likely hit the daily limit again tomorrow.
At noon, he received preliminary concept sketches from two design teams.
The engineer's sketches were filled with hardcore symbols and annotations: wall reinforcement schemes (internal and external steel plates, carbon fiber cloth, and interlayer damping material), roof load-bearing enhancement, foundation impact resistance design, independent structure safe house (located in a hidden space in the basement, with walls pre-designed to be one meter thick reinforced concrete with steel plates), escape route planning...
The designer's sketches are even more visual: three-dimensional spatial layout, functional area division (residential area, storage area, planting area, energy area, command and control area), internal circulation analysis, natural lighting and ventilation optimization schemes, and even consideration of the impact of color and materials on the psychology of long-term confinement...
Wen Yu printed out two drafts and laid them on the apartment floor. He lay there, using a red pen and ruler, and began to integrate them.
This is not a simple patchwork. He needs to use his ten years of survival experience in the post-apocalyptic world to judge which designs are necessary, which are redundant, and which have potential vulnerabilities.
For example, engineers suggested installing a high-voltage electric grid around the perimeter. Wen Yu argued that in the mid-apocalyptic world, when electricity might become a scarce resource, the deterrent effect of the high-voltage grid would diminish, and it could potentially reveal the fortress's location. He preferred multiple layers of physical barriers and concealed sensor alarm systems.
For example, the designer wanted to retain large glass windows for good views and lighting. Wen Yu rejected all of this, replacing them with small, high-strength bulletproof glass observation windows, plus electrically retractable alloy armor plates. When it comes to survival, a good view is insignificant.
He was so engrossed in it that he forgot about time.
His phone vibrated, pulling him back to reality.
It was a call from Signal, an encrypted communication software. An unfamiliar international number.
It was exactly 8 p.m.
Wen Yu took a deep breath, answered the call, but did not turn on the camera.
"Hello." A steady, slightly magnetic male voice came through, speaking Chinese, but with a very standard accent, almost without any regional characteristics. It was Zhou Lin.
"Three minutes." Wen Yu began, his voice slightly altered to sound like a steady man in his thirties. "'Bailu' will turn north within 48 hours, making landfall near Zhangpu, Fujian, as a strong typhoon. This is the first point of verification."
"The price?" Zhou Lin didn't waste any words.
"Let's verify it first. If you need more information, such as the financial report bombshell of 'Jinhai Technology' next Monday, or 'the sudden political upheaval in a South Pacific country on August 2nd,' we can discuss the price." Wen Yu brought up two events he remembered clearly, but which had limited impact on the global situation. The former was a US-listed Chinese company, and the latter was a small resource-rich country.
There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone. Zhou Lin was clearly quickly assessing the value of this information and whether it matched the intelligence he already possessed.
How do you prove your credibility?
"Wait for 'White Deer' to turn. That's a free sample," Wen Yu said. "After verification, if you're interested, contact me next week at this time, using the same encryption method. No more waiting."
"Deal." Zhou Lin said decisively. "If 'White Deer' is as you say, I will prepare the reward. I hope your 'more information' is worth the price."
The call ended. It lasted two minutes and eleven seconds.
Wen Yu put down his phone, his palms slightly sweaty. Even through the radio waves and the voice changer, he could feel the invisible pressure from Zhou Lin. He was a man who truly controlled vast resources and was accustomed to deciding the life and death of others.
But Wen Yu had no other choice. He needed Zhou Lin's money, and he also needed to use this method to make Zhou Lin remember "there is such a mysterious intelligence source" before the apocalypse. This might become an unexpected bargaining chip or lightning rod in the distant future.
July 19th to July 21st. Three crazy days.
In the stock market: "Haichuan Biotechnology" hit the daily limit up as expected. On July 19th, it was 14.57 yuan; on July 20th, 15.30 yuan; and on July 21st, it opened and immediately hit the limit up at 16.07 yuan. The market was in a frenzy, with retail investors flocking in.
On July 21, the moment the price limit was lifted, Wen Yu sold all 55,000 shares without hesitation, at an average price of 15.95 yuan.
The funds returned to the account instantly: the principal plus the profit amounted to over 876,000 yuan. A net profit of nearly 200,000 yuan.
Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately transferred the funds out after selling off his entire position. The stock's mission was complete.
Fund pooling:
The mortgage loan of 300,000 yuan has been received.
Subsequently, all the credit loans and online loans were received, adding another 700,000 yuan to the account.
When Wen Yu encountered obstruction from his mother and younger brother in mortgaging his house back home, he directly contacted a local gray-market intermediary, paid a high fee, and used some "special means" to complete the mortgage within three days, receiving 500,000 yuan (the house was undervalued, and the operation was risky, resulting in a significant discount).
Regarding the lottery, he carefully purchased numbers he remembered from different websites, winning several second prizes and a number of smaller prizes, netting him 650,000 yuan after taxes. This last sum was the cleanest; he kept it separately.
At this point, the total amount of cash he had on hand had reached:
Initial capital and cash out: approximately 600,000
Loan amount (credit loan + online loan + usurious loan + mortgage loan): approximately 2.46 million yuan
Stock market profit: Approximately 200,000
Hometown property mortgage: 500,000
Lottery revenue: 650,000
Total: Approximately 4.41 million yuan.
We're still two orders of magnitude away from our billion-dollar goal. But a crucial leap is on the horizon.
July 22nd.
The weather forecast was urgently revised. Typhoon Bailu's path indeed veered significantly north at the last minute, heading straight for the Fujian coast. The warning level was continuously upgraded.
At 10:00 AM, the signal sounded again.
"I received the samples." Zhou Lin's voice was devoid of emotion. "'Jinhai Technology' and South Pacific, what's the price?"
Wen Yu quoted a figure: "Five million US dollars per item. Eight million for the whole package. Half deposit upfront, balance upon verification. No bargaining."
This price is outrageously high for two pieces of business and political intelligence. But Wen Yu knows that for someone of Zhou Lin's caliber, the accuracy and timeliness of information are far more valuable than this figure, especially during this turbulent period.
There was a full ten seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.
"Account," Zhou Lin said, uttering only two words.
Wen Yu gave him an offshore company account in the Cayman Islands—a shell company account that he had set up in 24 hours at great expense through dark web services. It was multi-layered and difficult to trace.
An hour later, a deposit of four million US dollars (equivalent to approximately 28 million RMB) was transferred in four installments from different overseas accounts.
Wen Yu stared at the astonishing numbers on the screen, his heart pounding steadily. He immediately sent the details of the intelligence (the specific data and reasons for Jinhai Technology's financial report collapse, the exact date and key figures of a coup in a South Pacific country) via encrypted message.
He knew that Zhou Lin had a way to verify the authenticity of this information in a very short time.
July 23rd ~ July 24th.
Jinhai Technology's stock price plummeted 65% after the US stock market opened, marking its largest drop in history. The reason was exactly the same as the information provided by Wen Yu.
News of political turmoil in a South Pacific country has also begun to appear in international media.
The final payment of four million US dollars arrived as scheduled after 24 hours of silence.
At this point, all eight million US dollars (approximately 56 million RMB) from Zhou Lin had been received.
Wen Yu's cash pool instantly swelled to the level of 60 million yuan.
Meanwhile, the design of the fortress entered a fever pitch.
Based on Wen Yu's feedback, the engineers and designers further refined the drawings. Wen Yu worked almost non-stop, communicating intensively with the two through phone calls and emails.
He made numerous detailed requests:
Structure: It must not only be earthquake-resistant and blast-resistant, but also take into account the thermal expansion and contraction stress under extreme temperature differences, the sealing performance under flood immersion, and even the contingency plan for local collapse in case the mountain is attacked (such as by blasting).
Energy: The design includes three independent and seamlessly switchable power supply systems: a solar photovoltaic array (covering the entire roof and part of the south-facing hillside), two wind turbines installed in a concealed location on the hilltop behind the building, and three diesel generator sets (used alternately, with underground, explosion-proof fuel tanks). An additional backup power generation system (fitness generator) will also be provided.
Water circulation: Deep well water is the primary water source, supplemented by rainwater harvesting. A four-stage water purification system (sedimentation, filtration, reverse osmosis, and ultraviolet disinfection) is designed, along with a closed-loop system that recycles domestic sewage into greywater (for toilet flushing and irrigation). Water storage facilities include multiple stainless steel pressure tanks and underground concrete reservoirs, with a total target storage capacity of 500 tons.
Temperature control: The entire house is equipped with a high-efficiency capillary network radiant air conditioning system, combined with a ground source heat pump (utilizing the mountain's constant temperature layer) and a fresh air system (with high-efficiency filtration, dustproof, anti-toxic, and anti-biological agent). The requirement is to maintain the indoor temperature at 18-25℃ and humidity at 40%-60% under any external environment.
Security: This is the most complex part of the blueprints.
The perimeter consists of three lines of defense. The first line is a concealed roadblock and remote monitoring system at the mountain road entrance, one kilometer from the villa. The second line is a wall (rebuilt, four meters high, with a reinforced concrete foundation and an upper section of metal fencing disguised as wood, equipped with pressure and vibration sensors). The third line is the building itself.
Building: All doors and windows were replaced with bank vault-grade blast doors and bulletproof glass. Concealed firing ports and observation ports were added to the exterior walls. Sniper positions and a concealed drone take-off and landing platform were installed on the roof.
Interior: The core is the "ultimate safe house" located in a hidden space. It has independent ventilation, water supply, and power supply (embedded batteries), with 1.2-meter-thick reinforced concrete walls and steel plates. The door is a hydraulically driven circular explosion-proof door. The interior can accommodate two people for three months.
Monitoring and early warning: Whole-house infrared + thermal imaging monitoring with no blind spots, drone automatic patrol system, perimeter vibration/sound/infrared sensor alarm, and a simple laser tripwire alarm device.
Warehousing: Utilizing the basement and part of the ground floor space, a temperature and humidity-controlled intelligent warehouse is designed. The shelving is a heavy-duty steel structure with rails and elevators. Materials are stored in categories, and a barcode management system is established. Ample space is reserved for storing fuel, tools, and spare equipment.
Living Area: Designed to be as comfortable as possible while ensuring safety. This includes bedrooms, bathrooms (with a composting toilet option), a kitchen (equipped with a multi-energy stove), a study/workroom, a small medical room, a gym (also used for power generation), and a recreation room (soundproofed and equipped with plenty of hard drives and books). A small indoor hydroponic area is even planned for producing fresh vegetables.
Wen Yu meticulously reviewed each drawing, marking revisions in red pen. His past life's experience of struggling to survive in ruins transformed into countless seemingly obsessive yet crucial detail requirements:
"The bottom of the warehouse shelves should be at least 30 centimeters above the ground to prevent moisture and insects."
"All ventilation openings must be equipped with manually sealable metal grilles to prevent small animals or insects from entering, and must also have interfaces for anti-toxic filter modules."
"The safe house must be equipped with a manual water pump interface so that water can still be drawn from the storage tank in the event of a complete power failure."
"All door hinges must open inwards to prevent them from being forced open. Door locks must be at least Class C lock cylinders with internal physical bolts."
"Prepare at least three concealed emergency exits. The locations of the exits must be kept absolutely secret. Only the directions should be marked on the drawings, not the specific locations."
The engineers and designers went from initial surprise to gradual numbness, and eventually even developed a sense of awe towards Wen Yu—this young employer's understanding of safe houses was terrifyingly profound, as if... he had truly experienced some kind of long-term, harsh, and isolated survival.
July 25th.
The villa transfer procedures are all complete. The brand-new property registration certificate bears Wen Yu's name. The keys are in hand.
Wen Yu stood in front of his own villa, holding the final version of the design drawings, which was over a hundred pages thick.
The sun was blazing, and the cicadas' chirping was deafening.
For the past ten days, he's been like a machine running at full throttle, frantically raising funds, trading, and planning. His cash reserves have now surpassed 60 million, and he's steadily progressing towards several new stock market opportunities he recalls (within the next week) and another intelligence he plans to sell to Zhou Lin (regarding a sudden event in international commodity trading). The 1 billion target is no longer out of reach.
And the blueprint is ready.
A fortress built from lines and data on paper is about to rise from this barren hillside.
What he needed was the construction force to turn it into reality, and a massive amount of supplies enough to fill the entire fortress.
Countdown: 22 days.
Wen Yu turned around and looked down at the still bustling city below. His eyes were calm and still, like the surface of the sea before a storm.
The preparation stage is nearing its end.
Next came the actual construction and stockpiling.
A frantic construction race against the apocalypse is about to begin.