Apocalypse Star House Hoarding-Chapter 175

After the mutation of plants and animals, venturing out at night became rare.
Vegetation had taken over power plants, water facilities, and underground pipelines, climbing electric poles and communication towers, gradually engulfing all traces of human civilization, as if erasing industrialization itself.
In most parts of Nanhai Island, the situation was even worse than on the mainland. Power was cut, water was scarce, and signal coverage was sporadic. Without external support, damaged infrastructure was nearly impossible to restore, reverting life to a near-primitive state.
People resumed a lifestyle dictated by the sun: working at sunrise and resting at sunset. After dark, the world outside became far more perilous, and most avoided staying outside buildings after sunset.
The seaside beaches at night were especially fraught with unknown dangers. What could possibly compel someone as cautious as Sister Wei to get involved in a confrontation under such circumstances?
Yu Xi pondered briefly before removing the effects of the [Disguise Lipstick]. Exiting the simulation apartment, she headed downstairs toward the beach.
Earlier on the Beach
Xiao Zhi had no idea how the situation escalated from an argument to a fight, nor how it spiraled into an all-out brawl.
In the post-apocalyptic world, survival was arduous, and tempers flared more easily than before. Fear gripped everyone, making emotions volatile. But fear was no excuse for harming others.
Thanks to Yu Xi’s earlier gifts and the subsequent appearance of the “Star House”, their team member, Bian Yun, was among the first to trade for supplies. As a result, Sister Wei’s group had access to goods before the “Star House” was chased away by Shao Liang. Their recent days were relatively comfortable, with the aroma of instant noodles and meat filling the air during meal times.
However, the peace didn’t last.
That evening, Shao Liang arrived with his team, accusing Sister Wei’s group of stealing their supplies, citing the fragrant meals as evidence. At the time, Sister Wei and most of the able-bodied members were out, leaving only the elderly, women, and children in the building, all preparing dinner.
Shao Liang’s accusations quickly escalated. He ordered his team to search the premises, and despite protests, they forcibly rummaged through the rooms, uncovering canned meat, fruit, and other valuable food items. Furious, they claimed the supplies as their own and attempted to take them.
The elderly and children tried to resist, arguing that the goods were fairly traded with the “Star House”, but Shao Liang dismissed their claims. He saw this as an opportunity to vent his frustrations over his team’s recent troubles.
His second-in-command had defected, taking with him a few capable members due to dissatisfaction with Shao Liang’s refusal to obtain medicine for a sick child. The departure left the team significantly weakened, and Shao Liang was already on edge.
The situation turned physical, with Sister Wei’s group fighting desperately to protect their hard-earned food. Several were injured in the scuffle, and two terrified children burst into tears. Even the young Bian Jia scraped his cheek in the chaos.
Despite three teams residing in the five-story hotel, none of the other groups intervened. Shao Liang’s reputation as a leader made them hesitant to get involved, fearing retaliation or having their own goods taken.
When Sister Wei returned with the rest of her group, they were met with a scene of devastation: children crying, overturned tables and chairs, spilled food, and injured teammates.
Furious, Sister Wei led her group to confront Shao Liang in the adjacent building. However, Shao Liang doubled down, claiming there was no way Sister Wei’s group could have legitimately obtained such high-quality supplies.
With tensions high, Sister Wei proposed a one-on-one duel, a customary method in the cliffside hotel area for resolving disputes. Whoever won would decide the outcome.
Shao Liang underestimated Sister Wei’s abilities and accepted the challenge, only to be defeated.
But despite losing, Shao Liang refused to honor the agreement, using his team’s numerical advantage to maintain control. A few opportunists from other teams sided with him, further escalating tensions.
Unable to tolerate the injustice, Sister Wei’s team fought back. The conflict spilled onto the beach, eventually nearing the hotel where Yu Xi’s family resided.
Back at the Hotel
Xiao Zhi, unable to overpower his opponents, resorted to running. His agility allowed him to lead his pursuers around the beach in a chase. Subconsciously, he gravitated toward Yu Xi’s location, hoping for help.
Yet, fearing Sister Wei’s disapproval, he hesitated to directly involve Yu Xi. Instead, he circled the beach near the hotel before steering his pursuers back toward the conflict, all while Yu Xi descended to investigate the commotion.
When Yu Xi crossed through the hotel garden and woods to reach the beach, all she saw was Xiao Zhi’s fleeing figure and three pursuers close on his heels.
Three against one? That was downright shameless.
Moments later, the sharp sound of a gunshot rang out, freezing everyone in the melee.
Startled, they all turned to see a slender figure emerging from the darkness.
The newcomer was a young woman with her hair tied up, fair skin, and striking features. She wore a loose T-shirt, shorts, and beach sandals—comfortable but giving off little sense of security.
With one hand casually in her pocket and the other gripping a gun, her gaze swept lightly over the group. It was a fleeting glance, yet it sent a chill down their spines.
“Over fifty people ganging up on just over a dozen. Truly impressive,” she remarked coolly.
“Who are you? We don’t know you—don’t meddle in things that don’t concern you!” One of Shao Liang’s bolder men stepped forward, attempting bravado. “You said it yourself—we’ve got over fifty people, and you’ve only got one gun—”
His words halted abruptly as Yu Xi pulled something else from her pocket: two magazines.
“This is an 18-round semi-automatic. Subtracting the bullet I just fired, I’ve got 53 left. Odds are, two of you might be lucky enough to survive,” she said in a soft yet cutting tone.
The man froze, speechless.
An hour later, Sister Wei’s team had packed their belongings and left the cliffside hotel.
The conflict between the teams had escalated to the point of no return. Staying would mean leaving their families defenseless during daytime scavenging trips. Acting decisively, Sister Wei ordered her team to move out that very night.
As others hurried to gather belongings and escort their families downstairs, Yu Xi had already learned about the supplies issue from Xiao Zhi. Since both the traded goods from Star House and the earlier gifts she had given Sister Wei were her own, Yu Xi decided to reclaim her belongings.
When Sister Wei’s team of 21 gathered outside the hotel, Yu Xi led Xiao Zhi and another quick-moving young man back to Shao Liang’s quarters for a “visit.”
This time, Yu Xi didn’t just demonstrate her sharpshooting skills; she also showed off her physical strength. One man attempted a sneak attack with a golf club, only to be kicked out of a second-story window by Yu Xi in one swift move.
Xiao Zhi and the other boy were stunned. They had known Yu Xi was strong but had no idea she was this formidable. It was no wonder her family could travel alone in this apocalyptic world.
When the trio returned with the recovered supplies, an infuriated yet terrified Shao Liang confronted them downstairs.
“Are you really going to burn bridges over this?” he asked nervously.
Sister Wei laughed coldly, glancing at the injured elders in her group and the bloodied face of little Bian Jia. “Shao Liang, that question might’ve worked
before
you robbed us.”
“What robbery? We really did lose supplies! And then you lot suddenly start feasting on meat every day—if it wasn’t you, who else could it be?”
“Are you seriously that clueless?” Sister Wei retorted. “Your second-in-command and his men left, didn’t they? You don’t think they might’ve taken some supplies with them?”
Her words hit the mark. It wasn’t that Shao Liang hadn’t considered this possibility—he had. But blaming others was easier than admitting his own failures.
As predicted, Shao Liang didn’t dare pursue them after their departure. He feared Yu Xi’s gun too much.
That night, Sister Wei’s group descended the cliff, sticking to the beach as they moved toward the hotel where Yu Xi and her family resided.
Sister Wei decided to temporarily settle her team there. The giant octopus in the hotel’s garden pool had been dealt with, and Yu Xi’s family seemed to be living peacefully.
Of course, Sister Wei wasn’t planning to rely on Yu Xi forever. She had her own plans but needed her team to rest and recover first. Many were injured or shaken, and they needed a couple of days to regroup before making further decisions.
Yu Xi’s family lived on the fifth floor’s left side, so Sister Wei chose rooms on the fourth floor’s right side to minimize disturbance.
Meanwhile, at the official base on the other side of the city, Zhou Ningyuan furrowed his brows as he listened to his subordinate’s .
“Disappeared? Are you sure this information is reliable?”
“It is, Captain. The ‘Star House’ isn’t exactly a secret along the coastal highway—it’s shown up at several shelters, and everyone knows about it. But this was its first appearance here, and it didn’t even fully open for business. That’s why we didn’t know about it before.
“Also, the person who provided this intel once traded with the ‘Star House.’ His child was critically ill with a fever, and it was thanks to the ‘Star House’ that he got the medicine to save them.”
Zhou Ningyuan sneered. “So, he betrays the very people who saved his child just to gain entry to our base? People like that don’t belong here. Don’t let them stir up trouble.”
“Understood, Captain.” The subordinate hesitated briefly before adding, “But after Sister Fei returned, the ‘Star House’ left. Who knows when or where it’ll show up again… That little shop is truly capricious—it only operates for a few hours at a time, and its trades depend entirely on its operator’s mood.
“And to be honest… he seems to favor Sister Fei. Today, he not only gave her free food but even invited her into the RV…”
The subordinate’s voice trailed off under Zhou Ningyuan’s sharp gaze.
Had he just said something he shouldn’t have?
Little did Zhou Ningyuan know, in the following days, that enigmatic RV would reappear in the same location every single day—right on time.