BEFORE THE WORLD FROZE, I BUILT MY OWN KINGDOM

Chapter 20: The M-Hunter, the Fierce Warlord

On the way back to Ravenmoor, Ethan looked at the two luxury SUVs escorting his car from the front and rear, and something felt off. Then he realized what it was.

He himself was riding in a locally built SUV worth a little over a hundred thousand dollars, and it was a rental. Yet his bodyguards were driving luxury cars. Did that make any sense?

"Sam, let's go to the car market first. I'll pick out a suitable car," Ethan told the driver in the front seat.

"Understood." Sam nodded crisply, without asking a single question. As expected of a bodyguard hired at a high price, his professionalism was top-notch.

His full name was Samuel Walker. He was one of the eight bodyguards assigned by Ironclad Defense, and he also served as Ethan's personal driver.

Besides Ethan and Sam, the car also held a bodyguard named Jack Morgan, who handled Ethan's close protection. Jack was the captain of the eight-man team, and he was quite remarkable. According to the manager of Ironclad Defense, Jack had served in an elite special forces unit of Valoria and had been one of its top soldiers. He wasn't just highly skilled. He was proficient with all kinds of military equipment, and his outstanding performance had earned him many awards. After joining Ironclad, he had successfully completed several special security assignments for some of the country's richest people. Of the one million dollars in monthly fees, three hundred thousand went to Jack alone.

Of course, the other bodyguards were skilled as well. They were all outstanding special forces veterans, tempered in real battle. Otherwise Ironclad would never have dared to ask such a high price. Judging from their resumes, they were all fairly young, mostly around thirty, an age that was both full of energy and mature and steady.

Ethan wanted to get closer to Jack. After all, money wasn't everything. If he could build some friendship with these bodyguards, they would be more willing to protect him.

So he chuckled. "Captain Morgan, I heard you were a top soldier in a special forces unit. Why did you leave at such a young age? Could you tell me some of your stories?"

Jack kept his cold demeanor. "Mr. Cole, my task right now is only to ensure your safety. As for your question, I'm sorry, but I can't answer."

"Hehe, no problem. I was just asking casually," Ethan said with an awkward smile.

His attempt to strike up a conversation had failed, and he felt a bit helpless. They stayed silent the rest of the way.

By the time they arrived at the Ravenmoor Auto Mall, it was already five in the afternoon.

After getting out of the car, Ethan told Sam, "Sam, take this car and return it to the rental company. I've sent the address to your phone."

"Yes, Mr. Cole." Sam nodded. But since Ethan hadn't left yet, he naturally couldn't leave either. He planned to watch Ethan walk away before driving off. That was the professional quality of a good driver.

"Hurry up. They'll close soon, and if I can't return the car today, I'll have to pay another two hundred dollars," Ethan reminded him.

Sam was slightly taken aback. This man was a multimillionaire who spent over thirty thousand dollars a day on bodyguards. Why would he care about two hundred dollars? But he could only think it. The boss had given an order, and he had to follow it.

He took out his phone, checked the address, then stepped on the gas and quickly drove out of sight.

Ethan nodded in satisfaction and walked into the mall under his bodyguards' protection.

He was only there to buy a car, and he didn't really want to be so high-profile. Originally, he'd wanted the bodyguards to wait outside, with only Jack accompanying him. But they wouldn't listen. They insisted their primary mission was to protect his safety, and wherever they judged a place dangerous, Ethan could not leave their sight. In the end, Ethan gave up and let them surround him in a big group.

The moment they entered the car mall, they became the center of attention.

Salespeople at the big dealerships sprang into action when they heard the news. They greeted him with smiles and promoted their cars with enthusiasm, even when the bodyguards stopped them.

Of course, not every salesperson came forward to promote their products. Staff from the cheaper brands could only watch enviously from the doors of their own shops. Ethan's commanding presence made his wealth obvious. How could someone like that be interested in an ordinary brand? They had that much self-awareness. And the top luxury brands, like Crestmoor, didn't actively chase customers, to protect their elite image. If someone wanted to buy a top luxury car, they would come on their own.

But despite all the brands' efforts, Ethan ignored every one of them. He didn't even go to the top luxury stores like Crestmoor. He walked straight to the Southwind Motors dealership.

"Can I pick up the M-Hunter today?" Ethan asked directly.

The Southwind staff were dumbstruck. They recognized the young man immediately. Wasn't he the lottery winner who had been trending online for days?

To their surprise, this newly rich man had chosen their Southwind Motors. Wouldn't a young, flashy winner like him be buying a glamorous, luxurious sports car? Southwind was just an ordinary domestic brand, nothing high-end. Its Warlord series was valuable, but it wasn't a luxury product, and most people had never even heard of it. It wasn't what a newly rich showoff would want.

Yet Ethan had come to their dealership and the first thing he asked for was the newly released Warlord M-Hunter. They hadn't expected that.

Despite their surprise, the dealership manager quickly understood. He told Ethan, "No problem at all, Mr. Cole. We happen to have a black one in stock, and it's the top model. If you like it, we can start the paperwork right now."

Ethan gave a slight nod. "Show me."

Led by the manager, he arrived at the Warlord M-Hunter showroom. The manager launched into a long, detailed explanation of the car.

THE M-HUNTER, THE FIERCE WARLORD

The M-Hunter is a high-end electric all-terrain extreme off-road vehicle launched by Southwind Motors. Its design philosophy and performance reflect a deep understanding of extreme off-road environments and the ability to handle them.

It is fitted with 37-inch oversized off-road tires and a chassis lift system derived from military vehicles, giving a minimum ground clearance of 425 mm, so it can easily handle every kind of rough terrain. A racing-grade nitrogen shock system provides durable, sturdy support even on the harshest roads. Removable off-road door panels improve traction on complex terrain. The entire body is built from aerospace-grade carbon fiber, which lightens the vehicle and improves stability and safety during extreme driving. It also comes with a satellite phone and offline maps, ensuring accurate communication and navigation even where there is no signal.

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Ethan already knew all of it. Since he had come specifically for this car, he had done his research beforehand. To him, the luxury of the vehicle didn't matter. Practicality did. There was no need to spend heavily on the brand name, because he wouldn't be using it for long anyway. After all, in the extreme cold of the apocalypse, snowmobiles would be more practical.

He waved a hand to stop the manager from continuing. "That's enough. This is the one. How much?"

"Hehe, Mr. Cole, this is the top-of-the-line Warlord M-Hunter, priced at five point two million," the manager said.

Ethan frowned slightly. That was a bit beyond what he'd budgeted.

"Can you lower it?" he asked.

"Ha, Mr. Cole, you're joking. We have a fixed price and can't lower it. But how about this. If you're interested in buying, our store will give you a luxury accessory package worth $300,000 at our own expense," the manager said with a smile.

"All right," Ethan nodded.

"Mr. Cole is truly decisive! Tom, quickly go and process the paperwork for Mr. Cole!" the manager said, barely suppressing his excitement.

"Wait," Ethan called after the staff member.

Facing the questioning looks of the manager and the others, Ethan asked, "Can you offer installments for this car?"

"Huh?"

Everyone present was stunned. As far as they knew, Ethan had just won $220 million today. With that kind of money, why would he need installments to buy a car that cost just over five million?

"What? Is there a problem?" Ethan frowned.

The manager quickly figured it out. With a fawning smile, he said, "No problem at all. Installments are possible. How many installments would you like, Mr. Cole?"

"What's the maximum?"

"Uh... sixty months, five years."

"Then give me the sixty-month plan," Ethan decided at once.

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