Apocalypse Star House Hoarding-Chapter 170

The sky was clear and blue, without a trace of clouds.
Underneath the azure sky was a crystal-clear sea, its already pristine hue becoming even purer after the transformations this planet had undergone. Today, there was no wind, and the sea before her was as calm as a giant mirror.
This was a nearshore area, where Yu Xi sat comfortably. She wore a loose-fitting, ice-silk long T-shirt paired with cool shorts, and open-toed beach sandals. Reclining on a folding lounge chair, a small round tea table to her left held a glass of pineapple juice chilled with ice.
Wearing sunglasses, she lounged in a relaxed posture, occasionally glancing at the fishing rod positioned to her right. Between sips of the icy pineapple juice, she waited patiently.
Everything was supported by a 10 cm-thick, 3-square-meter block of ice that floated on the sea. The ice had been directly formed from seawater, requiring her constant attention and control due to the difference in freezing points between saltwater and freshwater.
A week ago, when she first tried freezing seawater, it took immense effort and drained her energy, producing fragile ice that shattered under her weight. But now, she could maintain the ice’s integrity effortlessly, enjoying the serenity of floating on the sea while fishing. Using the sea’s buoyancy, she could even maneuver the ice like a small boat, moving across the water’s surface at will.
As her pineapple juice neared its end, the fishing rod finally reacted. She stood up and began reeling in the line, pulling a struggling fish closer to her bit by bit. Moments later, a 40 cm-long fish leaped out of the water, its pectoral fins spread wide like wings, and dove toward her like a bird.
Yu Xi sighed. The table and chair behind her disappeared, and a tang sword appeared in her hand. She sidestepped the fish’s lethal charge, enveloping the blade in a layer of hardened ice. The mutated flying fish had a toxic protective membrane on its fins and body, rendering ordinary blades ineffective. A mere touch of the toxin on skin could cause severe corrosion.
The enhanced blade split the fish cleanly in two. However, the meat was tainted by the membrane’s toxin and was no longer edible. Sighing again, she scraped off the contaminated ice layer, put away the sword and rod, and pulled out her lounge chair to resume her relaxation.
Trying to catch edible seafood was proving difficult. She had been out for half a day, her ice-control abilities had improved, but she still hadn’t caught anything edible.
That day at the hotel, they had harvested parts of a giant octopus thanks to warnings from local survivors. They brought back two sections of the octopus tentacles. The next day, Fan Qi prepared one portion stir-fried with onions and the other grilled on an electric plate. Contrary to expectations that mutated octopus meat would be tough, it was surprisingly tender and delicious.
Seeing her parents enjoy the meal, Yu Xi decided to gather more mutated seafood. However, unfamiliar with the local marine mutations, she didn’t know what was safe to eat or what to watch out for.
Fortunately, the survivors who had shared the octopus tentacles with her reappeared on the beach the following day. Their leader, Sister Wei, brought a net bag filled with fresh green coconuts, insisting Yu Xi accept it as a token of gratitude.
Initially hesitant, Yu Xi eventually accepted their gift, her thoughts returning to the subject of seafood. She asked about the edibility of the mutated sea creatures.
Sister Wei explained that most large, non-toxic mutated seafood could be eaten, but her team had limited experience with the variety available. Yu Xi hadn’t expected a comprehensive guide, but the next morning, as she exercised in front of the hotel’s floor-to-ceiling windows, her father called out to her.
Outside on the beach was a young man from Sister Wei’s group—the same one who had awkwardly inquired about eating octopus tentacles before. Pacing nervously along the shore, he seemed too apprehensive to enter the dense vegetation near the hotel.
When Yu Xi appeared, the young man eagerly ran over and handed her a small booklet. He explained that it was a comprehensive record of known mutated seafood, compiled by Sister Wei with the help of her team. The booklet included hand-drawn illustrations and concise descriptions of the traits of various mutated marine creatures.
Yu Xi was surprised. She hadn’t expected someone as physically imposing as Sister Wei to be so meticulous. Seeing her reaction, the young man couldn’t help but boast, “Impressive, isn’t it? Sister Wei is an artist—a freelance illustrator. She originally came to South Sea Island for inspiration but ended up stranded here…”
For travelers on the island, returning home was particularly challenging. Initially, people stayed due to fear of the sudden surge in oxygen levels and the mutation of insects in other parts of the country. But as the large-scale mutations of flora and fauna occurred, leaving became nearly impossible.
Major airports on the island had been overrun by mutated plants, with vines wrapping around airplanes and turning them into scrap metal. Only a few small airports remained operational, guarded by official teams for supply distribution, and reserved for those with critical tasks. Even air travel wasn’t safe; a transport helicopter was once attacked mid-flight by giant mutated birds, resulting in a total crash with no survivors.
The sea was even more treacherous. While the shallows were manageable, the deep sea teemed with enormous mutated creatures capable of dragging entire ships and their crews underwater. Gradually, most stranded travelers gave up on returning home and began settling temporarily on the island. Though internet connectivity was sporadic, it allowed occasional contact with family. However, with power supply issues arising, most relied on solar panels from hotels or RVs, uncertain about what the future held.
The young man, a chatterbox, went on and on about the situation. Thankfully, much of what he shared was information Yu Xi wanted to know. Once she had heard enough, she told him to wait and went back into the hotel. When she returned, she handed him two large shopping bags filled with instant noodles, vacuum-packed meats, compressed biscuits, and self-heating rice meals.
“A gift for Sister Wei. Don’t be polite; take it. I’m an artist too.”
The young man was overjoyed. Carrying the bags, he practically floated back to his group. Stranded in the region for so long, they had struggled to gather supplies. Initially, the abundance of hotels and materials sustained them, but with so many people stranded, resources quickly ran out. It shifted from trading to scavenging and eventually outright looting. Small teams formed for survival.
Sister Wei’s team was not well-off. Though capable, Sister Wei refused to exploit others, which left her group with limited resources. Often, they traveled long distances to barter for supplies at official shelters, receiving only the bare essentials, like compressed biscuits and plain steamed buns.
This was the most food the young man had seen in a long time! Instant noodles! Self-heating rice! Vacuum-sealed sausages, ham, and beef! Overwhelmed with excitement and fearful of being robbed, he sprinted back to their base, using every ounce of strength. He finally collapsed to his knees, gasping for air, safe at last in their shelter.
“Whoa, are you worshipping Sister Wei this early in the morning?” someone teased.
Catching his breath, he managed to reply, “No… we—we might have just hit the jackpot… a super big jackpot!”
Yu Xi didn’t know what happened afterward. For the next few days, she focused on fishing and practicing ice control, avoiding crowded areas and not encountering Sister Wei’s group again.
One afternoon, while lounging on her floating ice chair, her transparent wrist phone buzzed with a message from her mom, summoning her home for lunch. She didn’t bother to hide her actions or stay on guard, simply vanishing from the ice with her chair. Enhanced senses allowed her to stay aware of her surroundings even without looking. Once her ice-control ceased, the floating ice quickly melted into the sea.
Reappearing on the ground floor of the simulated apartment, she found Fan Qi and Yu Feng had already set the lunch table. The dining area had been moved to the living room by the window to enjoy the panoramic ocean view.
It was a simple meal: stir-fried mixed vegetables with cold noodles, winter melon shrimp soup, a platter of steamed tiger prawns, and a tray of salmon sashimi.
Yu Xi: …
Her mom had truly mastered the art of “simplicity.”
After a perfect seaside lunch, Yu Xi helped with the dishes and decided to temporarily give up fishing to focus on a plan she had conceived during the last apocalypse.
The Star House had undergone its third upgrade for 800 Star Coins, increasing its storage capacity from 512 to 888 cubic meters, accommodating all the supplies she had left in the simulated apartment. It now had space for three vehicles and an additional 10 cubic meters for fuel storage, allowing her to collect different types of fuel, such as gasoline and diesel.
The most surprising new feature of the upgrade was one she didn’t need for now. With the expanded infinite storage space, she planned to gather more supplies, far exceeding her family’s needs. At each new location in her home world, she intended to open a temporary barter shop to trade surplus items.