Apocalypse Star House Hoarding-Chapter 17

【Choosing not to leave will trigger other tasks. Completing these tasks will earn you star coins, but failing will not result in death. However, if you die in the apocalypse world, you will die in your original world as well.】
“Oh, so it’s like working overtime, with the risk of overworking yourself to death? If I choose to leave, will my body in this world disappear?”
【No, the body of the world character will continue to survive along its existing trajectory.】
Yuxi understood; it was similar to an automated self-functioning mode.
She had no intention of working overtime and just wanted to return to her own world for a good sleep, so she chose to leave the world. The next second, everything went black, and she lost consciousness again.
【Newbie apocalypse world task completed. Star coin count: 40.】
【The next task will start at midnight on the 7th of next month. Please come to receive the world information by midnight on November 6th.】
【The Star House Mall is now open. Would you like to check it out?】
When Yuxi regained consciousness, she found herself standing in front of the matte black door, wearing the same clothes she had on before entering the apocalypse world. Her phone was still in her pocket, and when she checked it, the date was October 7th, just after midnight.
Reflecting on the recent task, although the combination of tsunami and extreme cold was more challenging than a single disaster, her world identity had a job and savings, making the last two months relatively easy. This was likely why the task world was rated as a newbie world.
She put her phone away. “Open the mall and check it out.”
As before, countless star points emerged from the walls, forming a light screen in front of her.
At the top of the screen were categories, currently only two: Technology and Fantasy.
The Technology category had only a few unlocked items, about a dozen, with many more grayed out and unviewable. A quick glance revealed that previously used items like the 【Translation Gum】, 【Disguise Lipstick】, and 【High-Temperature Perfume】 fell under this category.
She could understand the 【High-Temperature Perfume】 being technological, but the 【Disguise Lipstick】 as well? She had literally transformed!
【It’s merely the principle of light refraction, which, given the technological level of your current world, belongs to the realm of theology.】
Yuxi: …
Sure, whatever makes you happy.
Every time she heard the system refer to the technological levels of earth, she felt an urge to yank it out of the Star House and give it a good kick.
The Fantasy category currently had three items: Ice Control Skill, Werewolf Bloodline, and Plant Affinity.
The prices were: 200 star coins, 500 star coins, and 800 star coins, respectively.
As expected of the Fantasy category, both the skills and prices felt otherworldly.
She had only earned 40 star coins from one task, meaning 800 star coins would take her through 20 worlds, not counting other tools she might need to exchange for during the tasks.
Forget it, looking at it was annoying. She decided not to exchange for anything for now and would reconsider after finding out the type of the next task world.
Before closing the mall, she noticed a small, inconspicuous category in the bottom right corner of the screen labeled Currency Exchange. Clicking on it brought up two empty fields: the left one for star coins and the right one for RMB.
She tried entering 1 in the star coin field, and the right side immediately displayed the converted amount: 10,000 RMB. An option to confirm the exchange appeared afterward.
1 star coin could be exchanged for 10,000 RMB!?
“Star coins can be exchanged for our currency? If I exchange a large amount, won’t I be suspected and investigated?”
【The currency exchanged by the Star House system will be deposited into your bank account in the most reasonable manner for your world, without causing any issues.】
“Makes sense.” Yuxi nodded, thinking that her 40 star coins could be exchanged for 400,000 RMB. Though she didn’t need the money right now and wouldn’t arbitrarily exchange star coins, the idea lifted her spirits.
It was like being forced into a job, initially thinking she’d have to pay to stay alive, only to find out the job was quite lucrative, making her feel much more valued and balanced.
She walked out of the Star House and returned to her cozy and inviting loft-style apartment. Outside the massive floor-to-ceiling window, the city night was in full swing, with the lights of the skyscrapers twinkling like stars, indicating that the night life was far from over.
The nights in the peaceful world are truly beautiful.
Although she knew that this body had showered not too long ago, psychologically, it felt like her last bath was a week ago.
Yuxi filled the bathtub with hot water, added some fragrance, and had a comfortable soak. Afterward, she changed into soft, comfortable pajamas, dried her hair, and went to bed.
The next day, around ten in the morning, she was woken up by a phone call from her mother. Mrs. Fan Qi asked if she had gone out yet and where she was. Hearing her daughter’s clearly just-woken voice, she got angry: “What’s wrong with you, girl? Today is the last day of the holiday. I told you we have a family lunch at noon, and you’re still sleeping! Get up, clean yourself up, and dress nicely. Don’t keep your grandfather waiting!”
Yuxi remembered that today was October 7th, the last day of the long holiday, and the her family was having a family lunch that everyone had to attend.
She recalled her dad’s relatives and clicked her tongue but got up to start washing and changing clothes.
Grandpa Yu was still alive, so during holidays, he insisted on having a family lunch that everyone had to attend unless they were seriously ill and hospitalized.
The Yu family wasn’t very large. Her father, Yu Feng, was the eldest at 52, the second brother Yu Hai was 50, and the youngest sister Yu Li was 46.
Yu Feng had only one daughter, Yu Xi.
(T/N: to make it cohesive with the rest of the family, I’ll start writing Yuxi to Yu Xi.)
Yu Hai had a son and a daughter. The son, Yu Yingming, was 19 and studying at a third-rate university in a neighboring city. His education had been a constant source of worry.
The daughter, Yu Meiming, was 16 and just started high school. Her grades were decent, but she had recently become obsessed with some idol, often crying and calling out to her “brother” or “son” in ways that bewildered adults.
Yu Li was the youngest daughter of Grandpa Yu, spoiled in the family, and although only 46, she married early, and her daughter Zhao Xuefei was already 22.
The ones that made Yu Xi click her tongue were naturally her younger aunt and cousin.
Yu Xi had been beautiful since childhood, with delicate and cold features, black hair, fair skin, and a slender figure. Since her school days, she had been the class and school beauty, known for her cool and elegant demeanor.
Despite her beauty, she wasn’t spoiled and spoke straightforwardly, never getting angry over trivial matters, which made her popular among both boys and girls.
Zhao Xuefei, four years younger than Yu Xi, attended the same primary and middle schools. She took after her father in appearance, with a square face, flat nose, and single eyelids. Growing up in Yu Xi’s shadow, she often received secondhand compliments.
People would praise Yu Xi and then turn to see Zhao Xuefei standing silently nearby with a gloomy look, making it hard to offer her the same praise.
Girls are always sensitive, and Zhao Xuefei cared more about her looks than her grades.
Since childhood, she liked to imitate Yu Xi’s clothing and hairstyles, and even her way of speaking. When she got older and rebellious, she started to differentiate herself, determined to outshine Yu Xi.
While Yu Xi had many friends of both genders and focused on her studies, Zhao Xuefei dated various boys. She didn’t care about her feelings; she just enjoyed the attention.
Daughter’s situation? How could Yu Li, as a mother, not know? When her daughter was younger, she couldn’t compete in various aspects and lacked resources, so Yu Li had to endure it. Later, when Zhao Hua’s business improved and the family had better conditions, she immediately gave her daughter money for cosmetic surgery. She also started helping her daughter put down Yu Xi in every way she could think of during family gatherings.
After graduating from college, Yu Xi didn’t want a nine-to-five job and started focusing on painting and submitting her work everywhere. In the beginning, her income was pitifully small.
Yu Li seized the opportunity during family gatherings to mock Yu Xi for not having a job, hinting that she was worse off than her daughter who graduated from a third-rate university but at least could work as a secretary or assistant in a big company, making her a white-collar worker.
Yu Xi: …?
Later, as Yu Xi became more proficient in painting, her royalties increased daily. She participated in competitions and won prizes, eventually buying her current loft apartment outright. During another family gathering, Yu Li shifted to showing concern for Yu Xi’s romantic and marital status, saying that making money was useless for a woman and that getting married and finding a good husband was what mattered.
She pointed out that Yu Xi was already 26, and by her age, she had children who were several years old. Yet, Yu Xi didn’t even have a boyfriend and was wasting her youth, implying that it would be harder to find a man in a few years…
Yu Xi: …?
Thanks, but no thanks!
She earned her own money, bought her own house, ate whatever she wanted, and wore whatever she liked. Why would she need a man, something she found useless?
Moreover, who said she never had a boyfriend?
She was 26 and not stupid. With so many suitors, it was impossible she had never dated. She just hadn’t introduced anyone to the family because it never reached that stage.
But she didn’t feel the need to explain this to every relative, especially her aunt.
The gathering was at a five-star hotel’s Chinese restaurant, and the cost of the meal was usually split among the three siblings. This time, it was Yu Li’s turn.
Yu Li wasn’t generous with relatives. Even though Zhao Hua made some money in business, it wasn’t a lot. According to past records, she always chose small restaurants for these gatherings, claiming they were good value for money.
But this time, she chose such an upscale hotel, surprising the entire Yu family.
However, Yu Xi quickly understood why. Within minutes of lunch starting, Yu Li mentioned Zhao Xuefei’s new rich boyfriend no less than seven or eight times.
A rich boyfriend who drove a BMW and ardently pursued Zhao Xuefei, showering her with gifts.
“Not to brag, but my Xuefei has really blossomed. She’s always had good relationships with the opposite sex, and now she’s so beautiful that even more people are pursuing her.”
Yu Li loved subtly putting down Yu Xi while boasting about her own daughter. At this moment, feeling particularly confident, she kept talking to Yu Xi’s mother, Fan Qi, “Now this one has stood out from many suitors. They might get engaged after the New Year. Xuefei will soon marry into a wealthy family and become a lady of high society, moving into a different class…
“Oh, Yu Xi is wonderful in every way, but why doesn’t she have a boyfriend? Maybe Xuefei’s boyfriend can introduce a few guys? He knows many elites and eligible bachelors. If we weren’t family, I wouldn’t even consider it. The standards over there are…”
After all these years, Fan Qi was well aware of Yu Li’s little schemes. She didn’t bother to argue, knowing they didn’t see each other often outside of holidays. As an in-law, she didn’t want to argue in front of Grandpa Yu, especially since Yu Li was hosting today, and she didn’t want to embarrass her.
However, while Fan Qi was willing or had to endure it, Yu Xi wasn’t about to let her mother be badmouthed endlessly.
“Auntie, if Xuefei’s new boyfriend is so great and about to propose, why hasn’t she brought him to meet us? Even if it’s too early for other relatives, as her cousin, I should at least meet him to make sure he’s a good match. We don’t want a repeat of the past, where problems were discovered after some time, wasting everyone’s time.”
Yu Li’s expression clearly stiffened.
Yu Xi had never met any of Zhao Xuefei’s many boyfriends. She didn’t care, but the problem was that the other party loved to flaunt but was unwilling to introduce her boyfriends.
Both Yu Li and Zhao Xuefei knew that natural beauty and post-surgery looks had their differences. Even with all the surgeries—eye widening, double eyelids, nose bridge, lip fillers, face slimming, chin implants, and breast augmentation—Zhao Xuefei looked good standing alone. But next to Yu Xi, she would still be outshone.
It was like comparing internet celebrity looks to movie star looks.
In such a situation, who would bring a reasonably attractive and well-off boyfriend to meet Yu Xi? It was irrational.
“Hehe, next time, if there’s a chance.” Yu Li forced a few awkward laughs, nudged Zhao Xuefei to get up, and went to toast Grandpa Yu.
Fan Qi glanced back at her daughter, gave her a piece of fish, and said, “Eat more, talk less.”
As the meal neared its end, the three families left the private room with Grandpa Yu, passing through the hotel lobby to leave.
Halfway through, a violent shaking occurred, causing the decorations on the walls to fall like rain.
“Not good! It’s an earthquake! Get out quickly!” Yu Feng reacted first, holding onto Grandpa Yu with one hand and reaching for Fan Qi and Yu Xi with the other.
They were in the middle of the lobby, with no safe places to hide, and the exit was not far ahead.
Zhao Hai was walking ahead to smoke, while Yu Li, bringing up the rear with Zhao Xuefei, immediately grabbed her daughter and ran out upon feeling the shaking and hearing the word “earthquake.” She quickly overtook Fan Qi and Yu Xi, who were walking in front of her.
Yu Li wore high heels and a narrow, long skirt today. Initially, her quick reaction got her ahead, but she soon slowed down due to her tight skirt and high heels. Plus, with people flooding out from upstairs and various private rooms, she was jostled and soon lost her balance, falling to her knees.
Sharp pain radiated from Yu Li’s knee, but the people behind her kept pushing. Zhao Xuefei tried to pull her up in a panic but couldn’t manage it.
In the emergency, someone grabbed Yu Li’s arm from the other side, helping her up.
“Let’s go!” Fan Qi, one hand being pulled by her daughter and the other holding onto Yu Li, urged, “Kick off your shoes and run!”
Dazed for a moment, You Li finally reacted, kicking off her high heels, and was pulled forward by Fan Qi and Zhao Xuefei on either side.
Yu Xi let go of her father’s hand, letting him guide Grandpa Yu ahead, and pulled Fan Qi, leading them toward the exit.
The whole building seemed to be shaking, with more and more people rushing down from the hotel floors.
Yu Xi knew they couldn’t stop or fall; if they did, the panicked crowd could trample them.
The massive crystal chandelier in the hotel lobby was swaying dangerously. Noticing the hazard above, Yu Xi guided them to the right, away from the chandelier’s range.
Yu Li stumbled as she was pushed, nearly falling again, but with support on either side, she only staggered.
“What are you doing!” Zhao Xuefei shouted in anger and fear.
“Shut up and keep running!” Yu Xi, watching the chandelier above, quickened her pace, dragging them out of its range.
Just as they reached the hotel entrance, a loud crash sounded behind them, mixed with screams of pain and fear.
Yu Xi didn’t stop, glancing back only briefly to see the giant chandelier had fallen, crushing a crowd of people. Some were silent, some stood up bleeding, and others were trapped, crying out in agony.
For a moment, Yu Xi felt like she was back in the apocalyptic world during the tsunami.
Zhao Xuefei, looking back too, screamed in terror, realizing how close they were to being crushed. The thought made her legs weak.
Fan Qi also looked back, but Yu Xi quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her forward, “Don’t look! Keep running to an open space!”
They ran with the crowd until they reached the open parking lot in front of the hotel, where they finally stopped, collapsing to the ground.
Grandpa Yu, in his seventies, had been almost dragged by Yu Feng and was now out of breath, unable to speak. Fan Qi clung to Yu Xi’s hand, shaking uncontrollably.
Yu Hai’s family and Zhao Hua were not far ahead, equally breathless and shocked.
The violent shaking had stopped. Zhao Hua, coming to his senses, rushed to Yu Li and Zhao Xuefei, asking if they were alright.
“You only know to ask now, but you ran ahead just now!” Yu Li, having narrowly escaped death, felt a sharp pain in her knee. Lifting her skirt, she saw a large patch of scraped skin. Finding Zhao Hua nearby, she vented her anger, “I see you clearly now. When disaster strikes, you run off. If it wasn’t for my sister-in-law, I’d be dead, and you’d be collecting my corpse!”
“I was at the front! Should I have run back? Besides, Big Brother and the others were with you.”
“Stop making excuses, Zhao Hua! You just want me dead so you can marry a younger wife!”
“Yu Li! What nonsense are you spouting!” Zhao Hua was getting angry.
“Don’t yell at me! Am I wrong? At your age, you still want a young woman. Have some shame!”
“Yu Li, explain yourself! What young woman? Don’t slander me!”
“Don’t think I don’t know about you and that little slut at the store!”
…
Their argument escalated, drawing the attention of Yu family’s relatives and other survivors, making Zhao Xuefei feel extremely embarrassed, her face burning.
“Dad, don’t argue with Mom. Can’t you see she’s hurt?”
“Who’s arguing? She’s being unreasonable!”
“Zhao Hua! You blame me for being unreasonable after doing such shameless things!”
…
The heated argument between Yu Li’s family showed no signs of stopping. Yu Xi watched in awe, then seeing that her parents and relatives had rested enough, she suggested to Yu Feng to check on everyone. If no one was injured, there was no need to go to the hospital, but returning home immediately was also not advisable due to potential aftershocks.
S City wasn’t prone to earthquakes. In Yu Xi’s memory, there had been only a minor quake during her childhood, barely noticeable.
Later, she watched the news and learned that a major earthquake had struck City C, several thousand kilometers away, and that they were just feeling the aftereffects.
But this time was different. She could clearly feel the ground shaking, the entire hotel building trembling like a fragile cookie, shedding its decorations under the force.
Fortunately, the earthquake didn’t last long. The building’s walls didn’t show significant cracks, nor did it collapse, otherwise, the number of injuries would have been much higher.
Soon, the sound of ambulances filled the air, and those who had escaped unharmed took out their phones to contact family members and check the news online.
The earthquake had a vast impact, affecting the entire City S and its surrounding areas. While structural damage to buildings was minimal, indoor furniture and objects had toppled and shattered.
Many people, spending the last day of the holiday with friends or family, had their plans abruptly interrupted by the quake, causing the internet to explode with discussions, with the top ten trending topics all related to the earthquake.
By that evening, the news broke that a strong earthquake had hit an island nation off the eastern coast of the mainland.
Several major cities in the island nation suffered severe destruction, and this massive earthquake was also the reason why City S and nearby coastal cities experienced quakes of magnitude 4 to 5.
This revelation caused another surge in online discussions.
——”The island nation is always having earthquakes. Why did this one affect us so much?”
——”Yeah, we’re not on a fault line. How did it impact us?”
——”Can someone knowledgeable explain this?”
——”Forget it, the so-called ‘experts’ online might just be clueless kids. Don’t spread rumors, wait for the official announcement.”
——”Do you think there will be aftershocks? I live on the sixth floor and ran out barefoot. Now I’m scared to go back.”
——”Same here. I live on the fourth floor. I was asleep when a picture fell and hit me. I was so scared I nearly jumped off the balcony.”
——”I’m on the seventeenth floor. I was having dinner and didn’t dare to run downstairs. My husband and I hid under the table, just listening to the plates and bowls crashing down. I thought I was going to die…”
Online chaos continued, while the Yu family stayed outside for a few hours. Once there was news that there were no aftershocks, they dispersed. Grandpa Yu’s house, located on the first floor, though old, was a spacious three-bedroom, two-living room unit. He usually lived there with Yu Hai’s family.
Yu Hai’s job wasn’t great, but he had fathered the only grandson in the Yu family. Grandpa Yu, holding traditional views, believed the house should be left to his descendants. Seeing that Yu Hai’s family was struggling, he had them move in years ago.
The three-bedroom apartment was divided into four rooms, which was enough for them.
Zhao Hua took Yu Li and their daughter back to their shop. It was a street-front store, easy to evacuate from in an emergency, and they planned to stay there for the night.
Yu Feng and Fan Qi chose to stay at their daughter’s recently purchased three-story loft apartment instead of their own fifteenth-floor home, planning to spend the night there first.
Yu Xi also wanted to test something. Shortly after they returned to the apartment, she found excuses to send her parents to the storage room under the stairs, only for them to return confused.
“Daughter, what’s going on? There’s nothing in your storage room!”
In Yu Feng and Fan Qi’s eyes, the three-to-four-square-meter space under the stairs was completely empty.
However, in Yu Xi’s eyes, her parents had clearly walked into the Star House, but were stopped by an invisible wall at the original storage room’s wall.
So, was her previous guess wrong?
The Star House hadn’t replaced the original storage room; the two spaces coexisted?
The Star House system then provided an answer.
【The two spaces overlap. Your parents do not have access to the Star House, so even if they open the same door, they only see the original storage space under the stairs.】
“Wait, you mean my parents can enter the Star House too?”
【Yes, once the Star House upgrades, you can set an access list.】
“What if I want to access the original storage room?”
【You can move the Star House to a different space, allowing you to enter the original storage room.】
“So, when you mentioned the portable function of the Star House, you meant it can be moved anywhere, not carried?”
【No, you can return to the Star House from anywhere, effectively making it portable. You’ll learn more about the other functions once you complete three apocalyptic world missions and unlock the portable feature.】
This information from the Star House system surprised her. After completing three missions, she could set an access list for the Star House.
In other words, people on the list would no longer be affected by the Star House’s autonomous confidentiality and could see and know its existence.
However, in a peaceful world, this function seemed a bit redundant.
Her parents had a place to live, so why would they need to enter the Star House? If they were forced into missions as well, that would be truly troublesome.
xxx
Thingyan
: End of arc 1. I’ll try to publish each arc all at once so you guys won’t have to wait unsatiated ☺️