Apocalypse Star House Hoarding-Chapter 147

The area outside their simulated apartment mirrored the abandoned state of the hotel suite they had been reset into. Though sealed and free of invasive plants or mutated creatures, the balcony was overrun with dense green vines.
The hallway was dark and silent, scattered with remnants of belongings and garbage left behind by past occupants. At its far end, a window was broken, allowing vibrant vines to crawl inside, adding to the building’s eerie and desolate atmosphere.
The elevators were unusable, but the stairwell nearby provided access. With flashlights in hand, the trio cautiously descended to the ground floor, navigating the debris-covered steps.
The hotel wasn’t large, with only two or three buildings in total. Their main building faced a garden with dual pools, a children’s play area, and a refreshment bar. Once bustling with activity, this recreational area was now consumed by overgrowth.
Yu Xi recalled the tropical regions had initially fared better than temperate and colder climates during the first wave of plant outbreaks. This was why her aunt, Yu Li, had refused to leave Nan Hai Island, insisting on staying there with her daughter. Yet now, it was clear no region on the planet had been spared—only the timeline of the devastation varied.
The three of them moved cautiously in a triangular formation, stepping on the soggy, moss-covered ground. They planned to cross the overgrown garden to the beach, where they could investigate the surroundings along the open coastline for signs of human habitation.
The soil here was soft and mucky, layered with fallen leaves and moss. The dense trees were wrapped in vines, creating a natural canopy that muffled sunlight and filled the air with the sounds of insects and the nearby tides.
Occasionally, large mutated seabirds circled overhead, their forms shadowed by the thick foliage that acted as a protective umbrella for whatever lived below.
The pool still held water, its surface littered with yellow and green leaves. Inside the adjacent refreshment bar, shelves were toppled, and fridges lay open and emptied. Yu Xi glanced at the scene and signaled for her parents to keep moving.
Just as they took a few steps, a sudden rustling sound came from the trees behind them. The lack of wind made the noise particularly suspicious. Yu Xi froze, her senses sharp, prompting Fan Qi to stop as well.
Looking back, she scanned the overgrown garden. Morning light filtered faintly through the dense canopy, leaving shadowy dead zones. She noticed a patch of dampness on the ground where there had been dry leaves earlier, as though something large had recently passed.
“Something’s off. Be careful,” Yu Xi warned, her hand gripping her blade tightly.
The three of them shifted into a back-to-back formation, covering each angle as they continued to edge toward the beach.
The main pool was immense, shaped like a semicircle and covered in a thick carpet of leaves that made it resemble a swamp. As they neared the edge, the still water rippled faintly.
Suddenly, a long, orange-red limb emerged from the pool, inching silently along the mossy ground. Within seconds, its color shifted to match the surrounding debris, camouflaging perfectly.
Yu Xi caught the movement in her peripheral vision and tightened her grip on her blade, maintaining her pace without breaking stride.
The limb crept closer, coiling itself. Then, in an instant, it lashed out like a spring-loaded arrow, wrapping around Yu Feng’s leg and pulling him down with immense force.
Yu Feng stumbled forward, feeling the limb’s crushing grip as it tried to drag him away. Fan Qi grabbed him in time, holding on desperately, while Yu Xi lunged forward, slicing the limb cleanly with her blade.
The severed segment recoiled rapidly into the pool, faster than she could follow. Yu Xi inspected the detached piece, a slimy, segmented tentacle with large suction cups. Despite being severed, it writhed uncontrollably in her hand.
“Is this… an octopus?” Fan Qi said, examining the limb. “That’s enormous!”
Yu Feng, catching his breath, muttered, “What’s an octopus doing in a pool? Isn’t this freshwater?”
“Mutated, obviously.” Yu Xi’s tone was calm as she studied the pool. “It’s likely the reason this area is void of larger predators. But it’s a problem. We’ll be here for at least a month, and as long as it’s around, leaving and entering won’t be safe. I’m taking care of it now.”
“Be careful,” Fan Qi urged.
Yu Feng hesitated. “Are you sure you can handle it alone? It seems huge!”
“I’ll be fine. Stay alert and watch for anything else,” Yu Xi replied, stepping toward the pool.
Grabbing a nearby metal lounge chair, she hurled it into the water. The weight and force created a loud splash, but the creature didn’t surface.
She frowned, picked up another chair, and threw it in. Still nothing.
Her patience thinning, Yu Xi stormed into the refreshment bar. Spotting a glass countertop and a large refrigerator, she dragged them out one by one, hurling them into the pool with resounding crashes.
Each impact sent waves rippling across the water, but the beast remained elusive, lying in wait. Yu Xi’s eyes narrowed. “Let’s see how long you can hide.”
Splash! Splash! Splash!
The pool was in utter chaos, with water spilling over its edges as Yu Xi relentlessly bombarded it with heavy objects. Although the pool wasn’t deep, the repeated impacts eventually struck the lurking giant creature.
A massive, bulbous “head” broke the surface, followed by two enormous eyes glinting with fury. The mutated octopus extended its numerous tentacles, each aimed at Yu Xi’s limbs, attempting to tear her apart.
Despite the octopus’s size and aggression, Yu Xi stood calmly. Her long arms and blade couldn’t reach its main body, and cutting through its tentacles would only deal limited damage.
Fan Qi and Yu Feng watched anxiously, but Yu Xi remained unflustered. With a flick of her wrist, the air hairdryer appeared in her hand.
She aimed and fired twice, precise shots piercing through the octopus’s slick, gelatinous body, leaving gaping wounds. The creature writhed violently, its tentacles flailing as it released a jet of black, inky liquid from its nasal cavity.
Yu Xi immediately sensed the danger. Frowning, she concentrated, freezing the water in and around the pool into a thin sheet of ice. The makeshift barrier held for two or three seconds, just enough time for her to grab Fan Qi and Yu Feng and retreat to a safer distance.
The ink splattered onto the mossy ground and surrounding leaves, producing a sharp hiss as it burned through the organic matter. The leaves curled and turned black, leaving behind charred remnants.
“Mutated ink,” Yu Xi muttered grimly.
The octopus, enraged by its failed attack, heaved its enormous body out of the pool. Its remaining tentacles lashed out, but Yu Xi and Fan Qi both raised their air hairdryers, blasting the incoming limbs one by one until they were severed and fell to the ground.
The writhing tentacles twitched violently, trying to ensnare their feet. Yu Feng pulled out his [High-Temperature Perfume], setting it to level two and dousing the twitching appendages.
Although he refrained from using the highest setting to avoid starting a fire in the densely vegetated area, the spray slowly burned through the tentacles’ slimy surface, causing them to curl and shrink. A peculiar, smoky aroma filled the air—something between scorched meat and chemicals.
“Ugh,” Fan Qi grimaced, thankful for her face mask.
Despite losing most of its limbs and sustaining heavy damage to its body, the octopus continued its slow, furious advance. Its determination reminded Yu Xi of a lesson from her biology class. Without hesitation, she aimed her air hairdryer on the spot between its eyes and fired multiple rounds.
The massive creature finally went still, its bulbous form slumping lifelessly onto the ground.
Yu Feng nudged one of the charred tentacles aside with his boot and stepped forward to finish it off with another blast from the [High-Temperature Perfume]. Before he could, the sound of approaching footsteps and voices echoed from the direction of the beach.
A group of survivors emerged cautiously from the treeline, stopping a short distance away. Led by a tall, sturdy woman, the group was clearly surprised—and wary—upon seeing Yu Xi, Fan Qi, and Yu Feng standing amidst the remains of the massive octopus.
The leader stepped forward to greet them, explaining that their group had avoided this hotel due to the dangerous, mutated octopus. Known for its speed, strength, and corrosive ink, the creature had terrorized several nearby survivor groups.
Yu Xi kept her explanation vague, claiming they had come from another location and stumbled upon the octopus by accident.
The survivors shared information about the area, including the locations of nearby gathering points and official shelters. The leader recommended a cliffside inn further down the beach, noting its relative safety from both mutated plants and sea creatures.
As Yu Xi prepared to leave, a young man from the group hesitantly asked, “Uh… are these… edible?” He gestured at the severed tentacles.
“Edible?” Fan Qi repeated, startled.
The group explained that, aside from its toxic ink, the octopus’s tentacles were safe to eat and tasted the same as regular octopus.
Yu Xi shrugged and packed a couple of tentacles into a bag. She then gestured at the remaining tentacles, offering them to the survivors.
The group hesitated briefly before eagerly collecting the pieces, visibly thrilled at the unexpected bounty.
“Thank you,” the leader said, introducing herself as “Sister Wei.” “If you need anything, we’re at the second building on the cliff. Don’t hesitate to find me.”
The Yu family continued their exploration, cautiously traversing the dense vegetation and finally emerging onto the open beach.
As they walked along the shoreline, they encountered more survivor groups, all of whom maintained a wary distance. Few spoke or asked questions, their distrustful glances revealing the tension and fear that permeated the area.
The coastal hotels were either overrun by creeping vines or dangerously exposed to attacks from mutated seabirds. Survival here was a constant, precarious balance between nature’s threats.
In just one day, the Yu family didn’t uncover much, but they did confirm the presence of nearby survivors, and in reasonable numbers.
Knowing Yu Xi had to traverse worlds that evening, the three of them returned to their original hotel around midday.
They re-entered through the hotel’s main entrance, checking for signs of any large mutated creatures along the way. Thankfully, the lobby area was relatively sparse in vegetation, and there were even fewer mutated insects compared to the garden.
Climbing the familiar staircase, they cautiously ensured no one followed them before entering their suite, locking the door, and double-checking the windows before retreating into the Star House.
Inside the Star House was a world apart. Outside, the air was hot and humid, significantly warmer than in the suburban area near N City. Wearing protective suits made it even more stifling.
In contrast, the simulated apartment maintained a constant, comfortable temperature of 26°C, with perfectly balanced oxygen levels.
After taking turns showering and changing clothes, the three slumped onto the living room sofa, sipping cold drinks in a state of complete relaxation.
“I feel like we could spend the whole month holed up in here,” Fan Qi sighed deeply.
“Fine by me. There’s no need to train every day; we’ll go out as we see fit,” Yu Xi replied.
Her goal in taking them out wasn’t to turn them into combat experts but to ensure they didn’t become entirely disconnected from the outside world. Judging by their composed performance earlier that day, they were doing quite well.
The mother and daughter chatted briefly, while Yu Feng remained unusually silent.
Fan Qi and Yu Xi both knew what was on his mind. Earlier, Sister Wei had mentioned that most survivors in the area were originally tourists or hotel staff. Important figures or connected individuals had already been evacuated to official shelters during the initial stages of the mutations.
Yu Feng had asked specifically if people from nearby regions could be among the survivors, clearly hoping for a chance to find Yu Li and her daughter Zhao Xuefei.
Fan Qi glanced at her husband, who was visibly lost in thought. “Such a coincidence,” she said internally. “The Star House’s first random relocation happened to bring us here. Of course, he’s hoping to find them.”
After a moment, Yu Feng caught them both staring at him and gave a small smile. “With things the way they are, I know that even if we wanted to search, there’s no guarantee we’d find them.”
He gestured vaguely, clearly referencing Yu Xi’s recent trip to N City. “Let’s leave it to fate. If it’s meant to be, we’ll meet.”
At midnight, Yu Xi prepared to enter the apocalyptic world.
Darkness enveloped her, seemingly an indoor space, though unnaturally so. Yu Xi closed her eyes briefly and reopened them, catching sight of a faint glow—a phone screen lit up ahead.
By the dim light, she quickly surveyed her surroundings. People were all around her—young faces, both male and female—each wearing expressions of fear.
“Xiao Xi…” a clear male voice whispered beside her. “If you’re scared, hold onto me.” He didn’t extend his hand but rather shifted his elbow toward her in a gesture for her to grab.
Yu Xi hadn’t yet received the mission details for this world, leaving her uncertain of the current situation.
However, as she glanced at the boy beside her, fragments of information about him surfaced in her mind. His name was Kong Lin, a classmate and close friend—a true confidant who transcended gender boundaries.
After a brief moment of thought, she placed her fingers lightly on his arm.
Kong Lin seemed to exhale in relief, guiding her forward as they shuffled after the group. “I told you not to come, but you insisted. Now look, you’re scared stiff…”
Before he could finish, the faint light ahead abruptly extinguished.
“Why’d you turn it off?” someone complained.
“If you’re scared, move to the back and stop talking. You’re ruining the mood!” came a retort.
“Shh—listen! There’s a sound…”
Indeed, there was a noise—Yu Xi had heard it earlier. Heavy, raspy breathing accompanied by slow, deliberate footsteps and the faint clinking of chains.
Yu Xi frowned, instinctively reaching for a flashlight in her pocket, but someone up front lit their phone screen again.
“I’m not scared or anything,” they muttered defensively. “I just can’t see where I’m going…”
Their excuse fell flat as the surrounding group silently shifted away from them, creating an invisible bubble of distance.
Yu Xi noticed a pale, bluish hand emerge from the darkness and rest lightly on the person’s shoulder.