Apocalypse Star House Hoarding-Chapter 135

“Waterspout?” Yu Zhenzhen had only ever heard of tornadoes. “What’s a waterspout?”
“A waterspout is essentially a tornado over water!” Ya Tong explained while swiftly starting the yacht and switching it to manual control. “It typically forms in hot and humid areas. The top connects to thunderclouds, and the bottom to the water surface, pulling water upward into a high-speed vortex. It’s just as dangerous as a tornado!”
She spoke quickly and sternly, an expression rarely seen on her face. “Go downstairs and tell your mom about the situation.”
“Okay!” Alarmed by her seriousness, Yu Zhenzhen bolted down the stairs.
When she reached the lower deck’s suite, Yu Xi had just changed into clean clothes, ready to rest. Seeing Zhenzhen’s panicked entrance, she immediately knew something was wrong. “Is it a typhoon? Or a thunderstorm?”
“Neither! It’s a waterspout!”
Yu Xi froze for a second, then dashed upstairs, with Yu Zhenzhen close on her heels.
In the upper deck’s control area, Ya Tong had already turned the yacht around and was steering away from the waterspout.
“We have to head inland,” Ya Tong said. “If we go too far offshore, we might enter the time loop zone.”
This area, close to the open sea, had little in the way of visible buildings, as most coastal high-rises had been destroyed by the tsunami. Occasionally, partially collapsed structures protruded from the water, making navigation dangerous since submerged debris could cause the yacht to run aground.
While the yacht’s autopilot could detect and avoid such obstacles, now on manual control, Ya Tong had to keep a close eye on the radar display to navigate safely.
Yu Xi joined her, studying the radar. “The area ahead on the left is all low-rise buildings. We can veer that way. While a waterspout’s path can shift with wind currents, today’s conditions suggest it’s likely to stay on a straight trajectory. If we adjust course, we might avoid it!”
Ya Tong nodded grimly, handing her the binoculars. “Check the waters around us.”
A sinking feeling gripped Yu Xi. She raised the binoculars and scanned both sides of the yacht. As expected, there wasn’t just the waterspout behind them.
To their left, left-rear, right-rear, and right side, there were more waterspouts—seven or eight in total. Worse, she could see new ones forming in the distance. Altogether, there were nearly fifteen visible waterspouts!
“There’s no way to avoid them,” Yu Xi confirmed.
The yacht’s maximum speed was 20 knots, roughly 37 kilometers per hour. Even without considering the internal wind speeds of over 200 kilometers per hour, a waterspout typically moves across the water at an average speed of 50 kilometers per hour.
Their yacht couldn’t outrun the waterspouts. With only three to five, they might have been able to evade them by changing course, but now they were nearly surrounded.
The only silver lining was that their vigilance during night watches had allowed them to spot the waterspouts early. Most were still far off.
Yu Xi pulled out three automatic inflatable life vests and helped Yu Zhenzhen and Ya Tong put them on before securing her own. These vests would inflate automatically upon contact with water and were more comfortable than traditional ones.
Yu Zhenzhen fidgeted nervously. “Are we going to fall into the water?”
“This is just a precaution,” Yu Xi reassured her, pulling her to sit on the sofa behind the control area. “Don’t worry. Your… your mom and I have a contingency plan. Just stay close to us.”
“Okay.” Yu Zhenzhen nodded, her face pale.
Ya Tong, overhearing Yu Xi’s comment, understood immediately. She referred to the emergency measures they had discussed previously—how to handle sudden crises like typhoons, storms, or lightning strikes while outside.
At the time, Ya Tong had claimed she had a fallback plan. However, the current situation was far beyond what they had considered.
Keeping an eye on the radar, Ya Tong deftly turned the yacht to avoid a half-submerged building ruin and continued accelerating inland.
Still, the waterspouts were visibly closing in.
The wind on the water was picking up, and the tension of racing against a disaster was palpable.
Yu Xi returned to her side and marked a location on the electronic map. “This is where the Chen family is staying. It’s closer to the inland areas. I’m marking it in case we veer too far off course and miss their location.”
“They might not still be there,” Ya Tong reminded her.
The Chen family’s building was some distance away, but such towering waterspouts would surely be visible from their position—especially since the supplies Yu Xi had left them included binoculars.
No rational person would stay put after observing so many waterspouts, waiting for someone whose return wasn’t guaranteed.
“It’s possible,” Yu Xi admitted. “But there’s also a chance they’re still there waiting for us. Either way, we made a promise to return in two days. We should keep our word.”
Ya Tong glanced back and smiled. “Good.”
They weren’t saviors, but neither were they so jaded by witnessing life and death that they’d abandon their humanity. They’d fulfill their promise, regardless of the outcome, for the sake of their conscience.
…
The remainder of the journey was even more harrowing.
Ten minutes later, Yu Xi took over steering the yacht. “What’s your contingency plan?”
She had a rough idea. After all, she’d seen the defensive capabilities of weapons belonging to taskers from the system tower. Lin Wu’s seemingly ordinary iron rod, for example, could deploy a barrier capable of blocking rocket-propelled grenades.
Ya Tong, eyes locked on the approaching waterspouts, shook her head grimly. “In a situation like this, it won’t hold for long. The duration of a defensive barrier depends on the intensity and scale of the impact.”
She continued, “Against regular wind and rain, it can stay up indefinitely. Against a typhoon or thunderstorm, it’ll hold for a few hours. But with this many waterspouts, the combined force and damage escalate exponentially. It won’t last long at all.”
Yu Xi understood her point. It was like the time they encountered that deranged tasker in Ya Tong’s original world. The barrier could initially withstand all of Yu Xi’s attacks, but eventually, its defenses were depleted, allowing Ya Tong to land a decisive blow.
“A typhoon might rock this yacht violently, with a risk of capsizing, and lightning storms don’t strike the same spot repeatedly. But the impact of a waterspout can outright capsize and tear the yacht apart, even sucking parts of it into its vortex. Its force is incomparable to the other two.”
“Right now, the waterspout is still at a distance. Keep evading and holding out for as long as possible. When we can’t avoid it anymore, activate the defensive barrier!”
“Will the barrier be big enough to cover the yacht?”
“It will!”
With that assurance, Yu Xi stopped asking questions and focused intently on piloting the yacht.
The yacht was fast, but the waterspouts were faster. Adding to the challenge, the yacht had to zigzag to avoid submerged structures, creating a winding, precarious escape route.
Rain and wind intensified outside the sealed glass cockpit as one waterspout moved closer from the left. They could already hear the sharp crackling of water being sucked into its vortex.
Waves grew larger, tossing the yacht up and down like a toy. After several harsh jolts, Yu Zhenzhen, already pale, looked like she was on the verge of vomiting. Spotting her distress, Ya Tong handed her a sturdy bag.
“Thanks…”
“If you need anything, call me,” Ya Tong said, patting her on the head.
For once, Yu Zhenzhen didn’t avoid her touch, likely too drained to move.
Finally, after a series of serpentine maneuvers, they spotted the cluster of high-rises where the Chen family was located.
Yu Xi pulled a walkie-talkie from her space and tossed it to Ya Tong. The device had a limited range, but they were now close enough to use it. As soon as Ya Tong called out, a reply came through immediately.
Time was tight, so she kept the exchange brief. After confirming the Chen family was still waiting at the designated broken window, she instructed them to prepare to board and abandon anything they couldn’t carry.
“Our things were packed long ago! We’re already waiting at the spot!” Chen Lei’s calm yet slightly relieved voice came through.
Chen Lei had also noticed the waterspouts and knew the situation was dire. He had gambled on Yu Xi and her team keeping their promise to return. At the same time, he’d set a mental deadline: if they didn’t arrive within half an hour, he and his son would have no choice but to leave on their own.
Fortunately, their gamble paid off. In the face of disaster, both sides had upheld their promises—a rare and precious act.
…
“Look out!” Ya Tong shouted as she spotted a massive piece of debris flying from the roof of a distant building.
A waterspout had torn through the structure’s outer wall, sending chunks of concrete and glass hurtling outward. One particularly large piece was headed straight for their yacht.
Ya Tong’s heart leapt, and she almost reached for her weapon to activate the barrier.
But Yu Xi yelled, “Hold on!” and abruptly swerved the yacht hard to the left. The hull skimmed so close to a nearby building’s glass facade that it was almost scraping it. The yacht narrowly avoided the debris, which crashed into the building on their previous trajectory, shattering glass and leaving a massive hole.
“Impressive!” Ya Tong exhaled deeply.
Meanwhile, Yu Zhenzhen couldn’t hold it anymore and vomited loudly.
…
Ten minutes later, the yacht pulled up alongside the Chen family’s building. The spacious rear deck made docking easier. Ya Tong positioned herself, securing the yacht by bracing against the window frame with one foot, steadying it with her strength.
The Chen family, briefly stunned by the luxury yacht, wasted no time. Within seconds, they tossed seven or eight packed bags onto the deck and jumped aboard.
“Head downstairs to the bathroom just past the staircase,” Ya Tong directed. “Clean up, change your clothes, and put on fresh shoes before coming to the upper deck.”
She understood that both Yu Xi and Yu Zhenzhen had a touch of cleanliness compulsiveness and wouldn’t appreciate anyone dirtying the pristine yacht.
Once the bags were moved into the cabin and the glass doors sealed, Yu Xi restarted the yacht. They navigated around the flooded high-rise area, heading further inland.
…
The water level had visibly risen again. The once-prominent hills now appeared lower, and the yacht felt like a leaf tossed by the wind as it sped through the waves.
Ya Tong joined Yu Xi at the controls, glancing at her. “We can hold out a bit longer!” Yu Xi assured her, hyper-focused on monitoring the radar, the waterspouts, and the surrounding terrain.
Despite her efforts, the waterspouts eventually closed in. The water surface roiled, sending white spray into the air like mist, obscuring visibility.
“Now!” Yu Xi called.
Ya Tong swiftly pulled out an MP5. She pressed the grip into the floor and activated the weapon’s defensive function.
A translucent, dome-shaped barrier expanded from the yacht’s bow, quickly enveloping the entire vessel.
The barrier was calculated perfectly, covering every inch of the yacht without wasting any space. After all, the energy consumption of the barrier was directly proportional to its size.
The moment the barrier was in place, Yu Zhenzhen noticed the dramatic change. The yacht, which had been violently rocking and nearly airborne, suddenly stabilized. It was as if the wind and rain outside had ceased altogether. She couldn’t even hear the sound of raindrops hitting the glass.
She slowly stood up and walked to the glass window to look outside. The water’s surface had become even more terrifying than before. Massive waves surged up and down, nearby buildings were shattered by passing waterspouts, and some debris was sucked into the swirling columns of water while others scattered into the sea, crashing down with explosive splashes.
Some of the debris was flung back out by the waterspouts, falling from great heights to strike other buildings or splash into the water, sending up larger waves.
She pressed her hand against the glass, confirming it wasn’t her imagination. The chaos outside—giant waves, torrential rain, and waterspouts—had reached horrifying levels, yet none of it seemed to affect the yacht.
The glowing arc of light enveloping the vessel created a protective shield, completely isolating it from the outside world. The sight was nothing short of miraculous.
Nearby, Yu Xi resumed carefully navigating the yacht under Ya Tong’s guidance, continuing their slow progress inland while protected by the defensive barrier created by her weapon.
…
Fifteen minutes later, the yacht reached the waters near the hills.
Here, they were farther from the epicenter of the waterspouts, and though the barrier still faced strong winds, rain, and churning waves, the absence of direct impact from the waterspouts made Tang Yatong visibly more at ease.
“Should we switch to the inflatable boat and head to land?” Yu Xi asked, concerned about the barrier’s energy consumption, given the yacht’s size. On land, they could cram into one car to continue driving inland, which would reduce the barrier’s required size and energy use.
“No need. These winds and rains aren’t a problem now. We can temporarily stay here, and if the waterspouts move closer, we’ll relocate,” Ya Tong replied firmly. Though her tone was serious, her previously furrowed brows had relaxed.
There was no way she’d leave the comfort of this yacht, especially to cram into a car with five people. She would rather deplete some of the barrier’s energy than give up the luxury of the yacht.
Yu Xi could tell what Ya Tong was thinking just by looking at her face. Choosing not to call her out, she allowed the yacht to hover in place. Turning to the Chen family father and son near the bar by the staircase, she calmly said, “If you have any questions, ask them now.”
Chen Shengxin, still in shock, opened his mouth and stammered, “Spatial magic? Cultivation? Tribulation?”
Yu Xi: …
Ya Tong: …
“Pfft—” Yu Zhenzhen couldn’t hold back her laughter.
Chen Lei, embarrassed, pulled his son back and glared at him to stop him from speaking further. Turning to Yu Xi and her companions, he said, “Apologies, my son is a bit of a web novel enthusiast…
“Thank you for keeping your promise and coming back to find us despite the danger. And thank you for trusting us. Rest assured, we’re not overly curious or ungrateful people. We have no questions, nor will we tell anyone about you or your abilities.”
Ya Tong smirked, resting the MP5 with the active barrier on her shoulder. While her eyes still carried a hint of warning, her confidence in her own strength outweighed any concern. With Yu Xi present and the Chen family inside the barrier, there was no room for trouble.
“Go relax for now; it’s temporarily safe,” Yu Xi said, patting Yu Zhenzhen on the head. “Wash up a bit, and if you still feel unwell, I have motion sickness patches.”
The five of them moved to the main deck’s sofa lounge area. Seeing that the Chen family only washed their hands and feet, Ya Tong frowned and ordered them to use the lower deck’s communal shower to clean up and change into fresh clothes.
Initially hesitant to use the yacht’s water, the father and son explained they didn’t want to waste resources. However, they hadn’t properly bathed in days, having been stuck in flooded buildings without access to clean water.
After being reprimanded, they complied and took showers. When they emerged freshly cleaned and in new clothes, they felt like entirely new people, further solidifying their decision to follow Yu Xi’s group.
…
The waterspouts dissipated an hour later, but the storm and wind continued unabated. Ya Tong opted to keep the defensive barrier active, finding its energy consumption well worth the yacht’s newfound calm.
Additionally, the barrier provided insurance against sudden changes, sparing them the constant vigilance and need for rotating night watches.
That day, the Chen family father and son enjoyed their most satisfying meal since the disaster began. Though it was just simple noodle soup with braised meats, the flavorful, spicy beef broth was a revelation.
That night, they rested on the upper deck lounge area, listening to the storm outside while finally feeling at peace.
…
The next morning, when they woke up, they found that the world outside had transformed once again.
The hills they had docked near were now completely submerged, and the water level had risen dramatically overnight, leaving no trace of the surrounding land.