Countdown Day 10, 4:30 AM
Top floor of Yun Ding Tian Gong Building No. 1.
With the five thousand tons of pure water finally filling all storage tanks in the space, the system interface in Lin Qi’s mind—intertwined in crimson and deep blue—finally froze at a perfect “100%”.
【Ding! Full-home smart defense core base code successfully loaded!】
【Please initiate highest-level biological authority binding!】
“Buzz—”
At the center of the dark living room, a piercing deep-blue beam suddenly descended. Within it, countless streams of code cascaded like a waterfall, converging into a floating light sphere filled with futuristic technological aesthetics.
Lin Qi stepped directly into the beam without hesitation.
“Retina scan… match confirmed!”
“Blood flow and heartbeat signature locked… match confirmed!”
“Voiceprint registration… match confirmed!”
【Binding complete! Host Lin Qi has obtained the highest-level control authority of the apocalypse fortress!】
As the final system notification fell, the floating sphere emitted a soft white glow. Then, a mechanical male voice devoid of any human emotion yet astonishingly smooth echoed throughout the entire 1,200-square-meter residence:
“Respected host, the full-home intelligent defense core has fully taken over all hardware systems of the fortress, including ten military-grade generators, a 2,000-square-meter photovoltaic array, reverse-osmosis water circulation system, constant-temperature aurora greenhouse, and all physical armor defenses.”
“I am your dedicated intelligent butler. Please assign me a name.”
Lin Qi looked at this AI—far beyond anything seen even in science fiction—and curled her lips into a cold smile.
In the apocalypse, betrayal is as common as breathing. Even blood relatives can turn their blades for half a piece of moldy bread. She had already learned this in her previous life.
But now, this AI—directly bound to her life signs by the system—was the only entity she could trust completely.
“From today onward, your name is Zero,” Lin Qi said coldly.
“Command received. Butler ‘Zero’ at your service.”
Zero’s voice echoed through the empty hall. Immediately after, the holographic projection shifted.
A three-dimensional radar map of the entire fortress, centered on the building, hovered in midair.
“Master, the ‘Absolute Defense Red Line’ has been activated. Current detection radius: 50 meters outside the fortress perimeter. Any unauthorized biological entity carrying lethal intent or weapons will trigger the highest-level alarm upon entry.”
Lin Qi nodded in satisfaction as she looked at the crimson boundary line.
With this tireless “all-seeing eye,” nocturnal assassins trying to sneak in would be nothing but walking corpses.
Just as she was about to go change clothes for her flight to M Country—
Beep! Beep! Beep!
The radar interface suddenly erupted in piercing red warnings.
Zero’s calm voice instantly turned cold:
“Warning! Two high-risk hostile targets detected carrying lethal weapons!”
“They have forcibly crossed the Absolute Defense Red Line!”
“Current location: three meters outside the main fortress door!”
“Behavior prediction: violent forced entry!”
Lin Qi’s steps halted abruptly, her eyes flashing with excitement.
Perfect timing—someone was delivering herself to her doorstep.
She had just been wondering what level of lethality this “iron turtle fortress” she spent billions on truly had.
And now, idiots had come knocking.
“Zero, show me the exterior surveillance feed,” she said calmly, sitting down and even pouring herself a glass of ice water.
“Understood.”
The projection shifted.
On the dim corridor screen stood two men in black clothes and masks, each holding heavy demolition tools, sneaking toward the massive 3.5-ton titanium vault door.
Lin Qi recognized them immediately—local underground “cleaners” hired for dirty work.
Clearly, the spoiled young master she humiliated at the sales office had hired them to retaliate.
“Boss… why does this woman have a bank vault door in her house?” the thinner one muttered nervously.
“Shut up. The client said: break in, strip her, take photos, and grab her card. We’re set for life,” the scar-faced leader growled.
He stepped forward, gripping the titanium handle.
Lin Qi’s smile deepened.
“Zero,” she said softly.
“Authorize elimination. Maximum physical suppression.”
“Command accepted. Authorization granted.”
Zero’s voice became the voice of death itself.
“Defense Matrix—100,000-volt invisible high-voltage grid: ACTIVATED.”
The moment the scar-faced man grabbed the handle—
BOOM—CRACK!!!
A deafening thunderclap erupted in the corridor as brilliant blue lightning exploded outward.
The entire titanium vault door transformed into a massive Tesla coil.
A terrifying current surged through the man’s body instantly.
“AAAAAAHHH—!!!”
His scream lasted less than a second.
Heart stopped. Blood boiled. Nervous system carbonized.
The blue arcs danced across his bones like living snakes.
The second man froze in terror—but it was already too late.
A bolt of lightning leapt from the door and struck him directly in the chest.
He was sent flying like a truck had hit him at full speed, slamming into the wall and dying instantly.
Within seconds, both intruders were reduced to charred corpses.
Absolute annihilation.
Lin Qi watched the scene through the monitor, her heartbeat slightly accelerating.
This was the Absolute Defense Red Line.
Inside this fortress, she was a god.
“Zero, clean up the footage and erase all data,” she ordered.
“Also notify property management?”
“No need. I’ll handle it.”
She put on insulated gloves, walked out, and stored the corpses and tools into her spatial storage.
Within a minute, the corridor was spotless again.
As if nothing had ever happened.
“Lock all doors. Activate first-level sleep defense. Anyone crossing the red line—electrocute them to ashes.”
“Understood. Safe travels, Master.”
Lin Qi slung her bag over her shoulder.
The moment the vault door closed behind her, she exhaled deeply.
The domestic preparation phase was complete.
Now—it was time to truly unleash herself.
She stepped into her Porsche Cayenne and sped toward the airport.
Her eyes burned with predatory greed.
“U.S. mega supermarkets… pharmaceutical cold vaults… hidden underground armories…”
“And those people who once tore me apart…”
A cold smile spread across her lips.
“Wash your necks and wait.”
“Your grim reaper is coming.”