Apocalypse Star House Hoarding-Chapter 118

Yu Xi and her parents made their way upstairs. They didn’t need to pack everything, but to keep a low profile, they organized five large travel bags—those same bags Yu Xi had used to store coffee, feminine products, and paper goods from her supermarket run.
To prevent anything valuable from being stolen and to avoid suspicion if anyone opened their bags, Yu Xi and Fan Qi sewed a layer of black fabric at the top of each bag. Beneath it, they stuffed useless items like old cardboard, foam plastic, and a few stones to add weight. Finally, they put a thin layer of essentials on top.
The two bags disguised as food contained mostly instant noodles, rice, biscuits, bottled water, and instant snacks. The other three personal-use bags were filled with napkins, sanitary pads, towels, and stainless steel travel cutlery. Of course, all five bags had combination locks—they were being extra cautious.
In addition to these five bags, Yu Xi prepared a backpack specifically for carrying supplies from the Star House storage, planning to wear it on the front for easy access. Fan Qi and Yu Feng also each carried a smaller backpack with essentials: a bottle of high-temperature perfume, a stun gun, a fully charged phone, a multi-tool, a small bottle of water, band-aids, and some simple medications. They also packed ready-to-eat foods like fried rice, spring onion noodles, pre-sliced fruit, and homemade sandwiches—just enough for a day’s worth of food.
From S City to N City, the entire drive on the highway would take about four hours, but they didn’t need to go all the way to N City. Their destination was on the outskirts, just a twenty-minute drive away. Additionally, the all-terrain vehicles (UTVs) they were using could easily reach speeds of 90-100 km/h on rough terrain, so once they left the city and hit the highway, their speed would only increase.
Unless the road was blocked or they encountered a large group of mutated creatures, they expected to arrive in about six hours.
For safety’s sake, the three of them made a final trip to the bathroom, even using adult diapers. They also changed into a set of more secure protective clothing and set up transparent phones that could function as walkie-talkies, which they strapped to their wrists.
Once everything was ready, they closed the door of the Star House and took one last look at their real apartment before walking away and locking it behind them.
Yu Xi had her parents take the luggage and use the elevator to the basement while she walked downstairs. She planned to make a stop at the professor and his wife’s apartment.
The couple next door had already moved to another floor due to the termite issue. The other neighbor on this floor lived at the far end and didn’t meddle in other people’s business. Yu Xi gently knocked on the door, and when they opened it with surprised expressions, she spoke up, “It’s me, Yu Xi.”
“Oh, it’s you, Xi Xi! Why are you all wrapped up like this? Are you going out?”
Yu Xi didn’t answer immediately. She stepped inside, closed the door behind her, and placed a medium-sized eco-friendly shopping bag by the shoe cabinet. “We’re leaving for a while, temporarily moving out of S City to another place. This is a batch of dumplings and wontons my parents made. They’re raw and can be kept in the freezer for a while.”
The elderly couple tried to refuse, as food was the most valuable thing right now.
“Please accept it. We don’t know when we’ll be able to meet again. This is a gesture from my parents, and it would be rude to refuse.”
Eventually, the elderly couple accepted. Yu Xi then asked if they had any cooling balm, explaining that theirs had run out. If they had some, she asked to buy a box.
“Buy? I have some at home. I’ll go get it for you.” The woman went into the room, and her husband followed her, probably worried she wouldn’t find it.
Taking advantage of the moment, Yu Xi quickly made her way to their storage room and placed a larger travel bag inside. She was quick—no more than five seconds—and when the couple returned, she was still waiting by the door.
“Well, I’ll be going now. Take care. The longer people are stuck in the building, the more likely conflicts will arise. This isn’t the peaceful era anymore, so be careful. Even if it’s not for your own sake, at least for your family’s sake, be cautious. Avoid opening the door to strangers like last time.”
“Hey, Xixi, dear child, we understand, you’re thoughtful, your whole family is thoughtful. Be careful on the road.”
“Yes, I’ll call you once we arrive.”
Yu Xi bid farewell to the professor and his wife, then turned and left.
It wasn’t until that evening that the elderly woman discovered the extra large travel bag in her storage room. Upon opening it, she found it filled with all sorts of long-lasting, compact survival food.
Canned luncheon meat, instant rice, military rations, dehydrated vegetables, canned fruit, bottled water, compressed biscuits—all neatly packed.
There were also two bottles of insecticide, a large box of essential oil and cooling balm, disinfectant spray, Yunnan Baiyao, iodine, gauze, band-aids, and antibiotics. At the very bottom, there were two short sticks, which, when picked up, revealed that they were stun guns.
Inside the travel bag was a letter written by Yu Xi. The main idea was that these supplies were compact, long-lasting, and could be used as a last-ditch reserve food stash.
“An innocent man carrying a precious gem may be punished,” she wrote. “Be sure not to let others know. Right now, no one will come to steal, but when food runs out, who knows what could happen. People’s hearts change easily, and I know you two have spent your lives educating others, always with good intentions. But now, with the apocalypse upon us and the world changing drastically, human nature can’t always be trusted.”
Yu Xi advised them to be more careful, even a little selfish, especially if it meant being cautious for the sake of their family. Even if it was to see their son, daughter-in-law, or grandchildren again, they needed to be extra cautious.
The letter also mentioned some outside news. It stated that the government was indeed building large-scale shelters, but it was unclear how long it would take to evacuate the entire city.
S City might maintain its current state for a long time. She urged them to be prepared, and whenever there were airdropped supplies, they shouldn’t hesitate to take their share. The supplies were meant for everyone, and if danger struck, they needed to make sure to call for rescue.
The elderly couple held the letter, feeling a heavy mix of warmth and reluctance in their hearts.
The apocalypse had arrived, and although they were just neighbors, the fact that someone had patiently written all this and prepared so much for them—made them realize they had to be more cautious in the future, out of respect for such goodwill.
“In the future,” the elderly man patted his wife on the back and sighed softly, “only go up to the rooftop to get the airdropped supplies. Don’t go out unless absolutely necessary. If you’re feeling down, video call our son, see the grandchildren, or just talk to me.”
“Understood. We’ll also check what we have at home and see how many days we can last without airdrop supplies. Then we’ll find a few places to hide what we can, storing it little by little.”
After Yu Xi left the professor’s house, she took the elevator down. When she passed the 5th floor, the elevator stopped and didn’t open. Through the doors, she heard arguing outside, or rather, one side raising their voice “reasoning.”
“In this building, to be honest, the only ones with real skills are you few. We’ve been neighbors for so many years, and it’s been about looking out for each other. Now, in this situation, we are in this together. Since the world changed, I can’t speak for everyone, but our family has always stood by you, Xiao Yan. If you want to hold a meeting, we’ll have one. If you suggest something, we’ll listen. But now, you say you’re leaving just like that, without a word, and you’re taking the capable ones with you, leaving us behind—is that your way of getting rid of us? What, are you planning to leave us here to die?”
“Yes, we haven’t learned martial arts and can’t wield weapons, but in peaceful times, who would? We don’t have the skills or the courage to follow you out on an adventure, but that doesn’t mean you can just leave us behind like this!”
Yu Xi recognized the voice immediately. It was from the couple who had originally lived on the 13th floor. They had been caught in the aftermath of the termite crisis that night and had their ceiling damaged, causing their living room to be destroyed. Unable to stay there, they had reluctantly moved to another vacant unit in the building.
She had overheard them complaining about the 14th-floor residents during their move-in, blaming them for causing their problems. While their anger was understandable, now, what was happening?
Yu Xi pressed the door button and immediately stepped out.
On the 5th-floor corridor, Xu Yan was signaling Xiao Zhang to bring all the prepared travel bags from their room, then head downstairs with a few of them.
However, the middle-aged couple from the 13th floor was blocking the way. The woman, in her forties, was flattering Xu Yan while criticizing him. When she saw that her words had no effect, it was her husband’s turn to speak.
He pretended to pull his wife behind him, giving her a scolding look, and then smiled at Xu Yan. “Don’t mind her, she has a straightforward temper and speaks like that out of urgency. What we’re saying is, since you have a good place to go, it’s not right to leave us behind.”
“We’re all in this together,” he continued, “In this situation, we shouldn’t hide things from each other. If you’ve found a better place, we should all go together. We can continue supporting each other, just like before, right?”
The residents from other floors, hearing the commotion, reacted differently. Some nodded in agreement, saying, “Exactly, before, they acted all important, now they’re just running off without a word. No manners.”
Others sneered and mocked, “Who’s supporting whom? They’ve always been the ones helping you. If they want to go, let them go. It’s their business. Who are you to demand anything from them?”
The middle-aged man’s face darkened, and he shot a glance at the source of the comments. “Who’s talking behind my back? If you don’t want to leave, it’s your choice to stay here and die. We want to leave, so stay out of it. Shut up and get lost!”
The middle-aged woman couldn’t help but speak again. “Xu Yan, we’ve been speaking nicely to you, but you’re ignoring us. What’s the meaning of this? Just because you’re leaving, you’re done playing leader? You’re abandoning everyone now, aren’t you? We all stuck together when things were tough, but now you’ve found a good place, you only care about yourself. This is selfish, you’ll pay for it.”
Yu Xi felt her teeth grind in irritation. She hated these kinds of criticisms that seemed filled with righteous reasoning but were actually moral manipulation. Honestly, she didn’t have much patience for it. Her usual approach was to silence people with force.
But she wasn’t the one being targeted, and she didn’t think Xu Yan was a soft target. She believed he could handle the situation, and if not, she could step in.
Sure enough, after Xu Yan had taken out all the travel bags, he turned, locked the door silently, and then spoke the first words of the conversation.
“Move.”
“You won’t leave unless you clarify things today,” the middle-aged woman pressed.
“Fine. Let me clarify,” Xu Yan said. “First, even though you’re older than me, you’re not my parents, and we’re not related by blood. You followed me before because you were scared of the situation outside. You had no plans, and were panicked, so I stepped up and helped. There was no mutual support; I’ve never received anything from you.”
“Second, where I want to go now is my own business. So what if I don’t tell you? This building has many people, but not everyone can be a teammate outside. You can talk all you want, but it’s not the same as actually surviving with mutated animals.”
“You’ve been blocking the way and talking all this time, probably because you think I’ve been looking after everyone in the building. You thought I’d take you along too, but this responsibility I’ve carried, do I have to keep carrying it forever?”
“I can tell you, the place we’re going to is in the suburbs of N City, a guesthouse. It will take nearly five to six hours by car. If you have the guts to go out, then plan for yourselves. In fact, as long as you leave the city, the situation in the suburbs is still manageable. But the question is, do you dare?”
“Don’t put your life on my shoulders. Why should I take useless people with me? Do you want to be a burden? If we run into danger, and I don’t immediately protect you, are you going to keep cursing me? Do I look like a fool? I’m running to save my life, not committing suicide.”
“You…” The blunt words felt like slaps to the face, one after another. The couple was infuriated, arms spread out to block the way, acting stubborn. “Alright, try it. Since you’re saying it like that, we won’t be polite. Try to leave, see if you can even get out of this building. Let’s see if anyone else will let you go.”
This action was disgusting, trying to drag others into using their numbers to trap Xu Yan and Xiao Zhang.
Xu Yan’s gaze shifted past the crowd, and he gave Yu Xi a helpless smile. “Sorry, looks like I’m going to have to trouble you after all.” In terms of strength, he was one of the weaker ones in the group. When a stronger person was around, it was better to ask for help.
A team is all about cooperation.
Yu Xi smiled in return, unsheathing the Tang Dao from her back, and directly inserted it into the crowd. As people moved aside, she lightly tapped the shoulders of the couple. “We’re leaving now. Move.”
They turned around and were startled by the sight of the blade. The woman immediately spoke, “I don’t believe you’d dare.”
Before she could finish, with a swish, the Tang Dao’s blade cut across her arm. She screamed, stumbling backward, thinking she’d been wounded, but realized that only her clothes had been cut.
“Yu Xi, are you trying to kill someone?” her husband shouted angrily.
“We’ve had killers from our neighborhood who accidentally killed the supermarket clerk, and they’re still living peacefully at home.” She smiled, the expression fading, “In this world, with a few people dead, do you think anyone cares?”
…
Half an hour later, after Yu Xi escorted them multiple times, everyone who went back to get their belongings safely descended the stairs, under the watchful eyes of other residents.
In the underground parking lot, someone set up a camping light for added brightness, and others quickly strapped their belongings onto the all-terrain vehicles.
For families with fewer people, the luggage was secured on the rack behind the front seats. For those with more people, luggage was tied to the roof of the vehicle.
Fang Qi and Yu Feng had long been prepared for departure. They took one vehicle, with two large bags strapped in the back seat, while Yu Xi drove another vehicle, intending to follow behind them the whole way. The remaining three bags were secured in her vehicle.
The all-terrain vehicle had no body or windshield, so it was like driving naked. Therefore, Fang Qi placed two large bottles of insecticide on the vehicle’s front rack, and everything else was handled as needed.
In any case, as stated before, if things got too dangerous, they wouldn’t hesitate to use the teleportation function to return to the Star House. Yu Xi would teleport only after confirming that her parents were safely back in the Star House.
It was like playing a game with unlimited respawns—returning to the starting point without dying, and without losing any equipment.
After Yu Xi’s display of authority, most of the other residents with ulterior motives didn’t follow them to the underground garage. However, many stayed in the lobby, gathering in small groups, whispering as they watched the elevator go up and down.
Before leaving, Xu Yan left the keys to the building’s entry doors, elevator, and the community remote control gates at the front desk, along with a note, ensuring that everything was taken care of.
At 1 PM, the group, who hadn’t had time to eat lunch, met up with the other group from the neighboring district. Together, they followed their route to find the vehicles and reached the familiar overpass.
The road under the overpass was uneven and slippery, but there were few trees here. They planned to drive directly from the overpass to the highway entrance.
The ten all-terrain vehicles sped towards the outskirts of the city at a pace of forty miles per hour. Along the way, they occasionally encountered other people heading out, all bundled up tightly, carrying various weapons.
They also crossed paths with a group on a rescue mission. They were crowded into three all-terrain vehicles, with equipment clearly not as good as their own.
As the two groups passed each other, Yu Xi heard a complaint in the wind from the other group. “Feels like we’re a little under-equipped, Captain. When will we get the two-person, one-vehicle standard?”
“Stop dreaming. Having a vehicle is good enough, and besides, didn’t you see they had four people in one vehicle too?”
“But one vehicle only had one person!”
“Enough talk. You’re still handling logistics.”
“No, Captain, I don’t want to clean out giant bug intestines again! I’m sorry! Waaaa!”
After about half an hour of bumping along, their convoy finally arrived at the highway entrance on the city’s edge.
Here, unlike in the city, some of the plants had been cleared, but not burned like before. Only a few of the highway entrances and the nearby toll booths had been cleaned up.
Since this was the gateway for entering and leaving the city, a military unit was stationed here.
When the convoy appeared, the soldiers turned their curious gazes toward them. Xu Yan got out of the vehicle and greeted them, inquiring about the highway’s condition.
The soldiers gave a brief response, then looked at their vehicles. “Nice equipment.”
“Not really, just some friends who used to be into this. Now, with the situation, it’s perfect for use.”
In the vehicle behind Yu Xi, Lu Bin sat in the passenger seat, nervously holding his father’s arm. He was uneasy, fearing the vehicles would be requisitioned.
But in the end, the soldiers only chatted with Xu Yan for a while, checked the drivers’ licenses of everyone in the convoy, and let them pass.
There was no one at the toll booth to collect payment. The soldiers simply opened the gate, allowing the convoy to drive through.
As they passed the soldiers stationed there, everyone felt a sense of gratitude. They could have easily left for a safer city or suburb, but they stayed behind to protect the city’s people, wearing their hot protective gear every day and carrying out their duties.
They couldn’t even see the faces of the soldiers, who were true unsung heroes.
Moved by their selflessness and sense of responsibility, Lu Bin turned around and saluted the soldiers.
Yu Xi, pulling her gaze away from the soldiers, looked ahead at her parents’ vehicle and the clear blue sky above the highway.
The convoy passed the junction and headed west.