The next day, as Zhao Xuefei was out on a mission, she spotted the silver RV parked in its usual spot. She immediately signaled the electric scooter to stop and approached, knocking on the vehicle’s side window. When the window slid open, a stranger’s face appeared—a man around thirty, with slightly long hair, sharp features, and gold-rimmed glasses. He was strikingly handsome. Seeing her, he smiled warmly and asked, “On a mission? Have you had breakfast yet?”
Zhao Xuefei was momentarily stunned.
Having already spent half an hour checking herself in the mirror, Yu Xi could guess the reason for her cousin’s reaction. She handed over a prepared bag. “Just made this. If you’ve already had breakfast, save it for lunch.”
Automatically, Zhao Xuefei took the bag and opened it. Inside were two chicken and cheese whole-grain sandwiches and a screw-top bottle of milk tea.
“Thank you.” She found it strange how naturally she accepted food from a stranger. “And you are?”
“I’m the owner of
Star House
.”
“And the guy yesterday…?”
“He’s also the owner of
Star House
.”
“…” Zhao Xuefei felt as though she were being led in verbal circles. “So this shop has many owners?”
Yu Xi didn’t want to lie but also couldn’t explain the truth yet. She merely smiled faintly in response.
Having spent some time navigating the post-apocalyptic world, Zhao Xuefei understood what a silent smile meant. Nowadays, she didn’t put on airs or hide her true self when interacting with others. She was aware her temper wasn’t great, and if this had been someone from the base—like a squad leader or a teammate—she might’ve snapped back, “If you don’t want to say, just don’t. Why the fake smile?”
But oddly, standing here with this person in the familiar and comforting RV, who had thoughtfully prepared food just like the young man yesterday, she felt the same inexplicable sense of safety.
“Thank you,” Zhao Xuefei said again, raising the food bag. “I’ve only got a cleanup mission today. I should be back after lunch. Will you still be here?”
“Yes,” Yu Xi nodded.
“See you later?”
“See you later.”
Smiling, Zhao Xuefei climbed back onto the electric scooter. The other team members aboard stared, dumbstruck, at the handsome man in the RV.
Wu Jun, already privy to all things
Star House
, knew it had more than one owner. But none of the rumors mentioned just how good-looking these owners were! Yesterday’s mixed-race boy had been handsome enough, but today’s man? Even more stunning!
When he smiled, there was an air of mature elegance and calm authority, as though the world’s dangers were trivial to him. Yet, he directed his warmth solely at Zhao Xuefei.
Wu Jun clicked his tongue, inwardly marveling. For someone like him—a rough-and-tumble guy—to get poetic over another man’s looks spoke volumes about how attractive the shop owner was.
By comparison, their own squad leader, Zhou Ningyuan, always wore a stern face, had an unlikable personality, and had even gone so far as to bluntly tell Zhao Xuefei he wasn’t interested in her and had no time for romance back when she was in trouble. It was a total loss, wasn’t it?
And it wasn’t like Zhao Xuefei was blind or irrational. She likely had no idea Zhou Ningyuan’s feelings toward her had changed. How could she? The irony was too delicious: after outright rejecting her, Zhou Ningyuan had, in just three months, fallen for the bold and resilient Zhao Xuefei. So much so that even his comrades had noticed!
Yet, Zhou Ningyuan remained clueless about courting anyone. His work consumed him, and even now, his vigilance over
Star House
stemmed more from a sense of duty than personal interest. He worried the mysterious RV might pose a threat to the base.
Meanwhile, those who regularly worked with Zhao Xuefei saw her dedication and single-minded focus on missions. She had zero interest in Zhou Ningyuan. His rigid attitudes often left her speechless, and it was evident she felt no attraction to him whatsoever.
Wu Jun sighed inwardly. The road ahead looked long and arduous…
As Wu Jun silently wrestled with his thoughts, Yu Xi pulled down the RV’s interior screen and took out a mirror to inspect her face once again.
“Why do I keep getting such handsome men from the Disguise Lipstick? And why does it only last 24 hours each time? What am I supposed to do if I miss this face tomorrow?”
“…Just joking with you.” Yu Xi chuckled softly, recalling the conversation she had with her parents, Yu Feng and Fan Qi, before leaving the simulated apartment earlier that morning.
Yu Feng had always been concerned about the safety of Yu Li and Zhao Xuefei on South Sea Island. Now that Yu Xi had met them, there was no reason to keep things from her family. She updated them on their current situation but chose to withhold details about Zhao Xuefei’s traumatic experience, just as she had done with Zhao Xuefei herself.
Yu Feng was visibly relieved to learn that Yu Li was safe and that Zhao Xuefei had joined a capable team in the official base, even taking on missions. For the first time, he felt his worries subside.
But now, a significant question arose.
With the “One-Click Scene Change” function active in the simulated apartment and just over half a month left in their one-month stay on the island, they needed to decide on their future plans.
Should they bring Yu Li and Zhao Xuefei into their fold?
The issue wasn’t simple. For this world, the existence of Star House was akin to a bug.
Bringing Yu Li and her daughter along would mean revealing all their secrets. From that point on, they would have to adopt the same secluded lifestyle as Yu Xi’s family—detached from large communities and unable to form deep connections. Regardless of the people they met, no matter how meaningful those connections became, the time would come to say goodbye and move to a new place, repeating the cycle.
This lifestyle, while providing unparalleled safety, wasn’t for everyone.
While the Star House could easily accommodate them now, what about the future? If they grew weary of the isolation and longed to settle somewhere stable? Or if Zhao Xuefei met someone she cared about and wanted to leave Star House to build a life with them? Could they truly return to the perilous world outside?
Star House was a sanctuary, but it was also a vacuum. That duality was both its strength and its limitation.
Yu Feng naturally wanted to bring them along, but he also respected the opinions of his wife and daughter. Fan Qi, on the other hand, approached the matter pragmatically. From her perspective, the fewer people who knew Yu Xi’s biggest secret, the better. Moreover, she doubted Yu Li’s ability to accept a life wholly dependent on Yu Xi for survival, given her past sensitivities about the differences between Yu Xi and Zhao Xuefei.
It was Yu Xi who raised the most critical question: Had they considered whether Yu Li and Zhao Xuefei would even want to come with them?
“Xi Xi is right,” Fan Qi agreed. “Let’s take some time to think this through. You can handle the situation with Xuefei. As for the final decision, it’s your call—this is your Star House. Whatever you decide, your dad and I will support you.”
“Got it. I’ll figure something out.”
Though she said that, Yu Xi had no concrete plan. Fortunately, with the Star House in operation, she could visit Zhao Xuefei daily to observe and consider her options.
That morning, after Zhao Xuefei’s team departed, other teams from the base, both official and private, followed suit. Unlike private shelters, the official base had a more structured management system. With limited military personnel, the base couldn’t handle all tasks, so they delegated some responsibilities to registered private squads.
These tasks included locating new resource points and eliminating mutated animals that ambushed teams along certain routes. In return, completing these missions came with rewards and subsidies, incentivizing capable private teams to participate.
He Mu—formerly Shao Liang’s second-in-command—was among those eager for such opportunities. After leaving Shao Liang’s team, he took several skilled members and a significant amount of resources with him. He also used the Star House information he had to gain favor with the base.
Although Star House was known among the shelters near Coastal Avenue, He Mu had carefully crafted his narrative to focus on its most sensational aspect: the mysterious disappearance of the RV. Unlike other shelters, where the RV would simply drive into the forest and vanish from sight, the dramatic exit Shao Liang witnessed had left a lasting impression.
He Mu emphasized this part of the story when relaying the information, adding his own speculations. He confidently asserted that this wasn’t a trick or illusion. In his view, the Star House owners were either from an advanced civilization or had undergone physical mutations similar to the plants and animals in this apocalyptic world—like the protagonists in post-apocalyptic novels who developed powers.
If it were the latter, this was no trivial matter. If humans could mutate, then there would surely be more like them in the future. These individuals, with enhanced abilities, could represent a new stage in humanity’s evolution, giving them an edge in surviving the apocalypse.
He Mu theorized that studying such individuals could lead to artificially replicating these mutations. If successful, humanity might collectively evolve to reclaim the planet from mutated flora and fauna.
By presenting himself as a thinker with profound insights, He Mu hoped to make a strong impression on the officials. If they pursued research into this phenomenon, he might even reap some benefits for being the first to propose the idea.
He Mu had always been a shrewd opportunist, which explained his willingness to work under Shao Liang for so long. Now, only two days into joining the base, he was already networking extensively, gathering information on missions and subsidies. With his sharp mind, he couldn’t help but regret the months he had wasted under Shao Liang’s leadership. With his skills, these tasks were practically child’s play.
Upon his arrival, He Mu knew he couldn’t directly obtain a mission from the official base just yet, but his networking skills and a small cache of resources served as his entry point. That day, he successfully negotiated with a private squad to tag along on a Level 2 Mission, where he would collaborate and, upon completion, earn a share of the official rewards.
The squad had a small truck—notably valuable not for the vehicle itself but for its fuel. In the apocalyptic world, most fuel stations had been commandeered by the authorities at the onset. For the average person, owning a vehicle without fuel was pointless. This squad’s fuel, provided by the base, was a rare commodity.
As He Mu and a few elite members of his team sat in the truck and passed through the perimeter fence, he felt a surge of triumph. It seemed like the beginning of a promising path toward thriving in this perilous world.
That is, until he spotted the silver RV parked under the shade of a nearby tree.
Unlike its usual scene near Coastal Avenue, where the RV was always surrounded by eager people lining up for trades, the vehicle now sat solitary. The base was underground, and its perimeter was secured by fences; ordinary people couldn’t see the RV, and those leaving on missions typically had their own vehicles, rendering the RV less of an attraction.
To He Mu, it felt like a stroke of luck—a golden opportunity to make connections.
He quickly halted the truck and approached the private squad’s leader, recounting the well-known tales of the Star House and emphasizing its incredible trading opportunities. He compared it to purchasing a high-chance winning lottery ticket—offering even mediocre items often resulted in acquiring valuable resources.
Sure enough, the squad leader, previously indifferent toward He Mu, showed immediate interest.
Moments later, the squad temporarily paused their mission, parked the truck along the roadside, and approached the RV.
Inside the RV, Yu Xi lay comfortably on the bed, enjoying air conditioning while watching
The Vampire Diaries
. She snacked on crispy fried calamari and small, sweet cherry tomatoes, all while casually honing her plant-based abilities through communication with her surroundings.
The superiority of her RV was evident. While contemplating a future outing with her parents in the customized off-road RV stored in her transport inventory, she mused about finishing her arrangements for Yu Li and Zhao Xuefei. Perhaps they could all go camping together?
Her leisurely moment was interrupted by the sound of knocking on the window.
He Mu stood outside the RV, staring at the “Closed” sign written on a piece of cardboard taped to the window. He knocked again, regretting his decision not to check the RV beforehand. Now that the squad leader was intrigued, there was no way they’d leave easily.
The window slid open, revealing a stranger’s handsome yet expressionless face. “It’s closed. Can’t you read?” the man asked coldly.
“N-no, sir, please! We’re just a small group, and the trade will be quick. Could you—” He Mu began, only to realize the man was giving him a sharp, assessing look.
Yu Xi recognized He Mu immediately. She had dealt with the aftermath of the dispute between Sister Wei and Shao Liang the day before and knew who had started it all. She recalled seeing He Mu following Shao Liang.
She had no personal grudge against him, but she disliked his type, especially now that her relaxation had been interrupted.
“Not interested. Leave,” she snapped, pulling an AK-47 from her inventory and slamming it onto the counter with a resounding
thud
. Without another word, she shut the window.
He Mu stood frozen.
The squad leader, frustrated by the lack of results and unnerved by the show of force, grumbled under his breath and shot He Mu a disdainful look before returning to the truck. Though he didn’t say anything directly, his dissatisfaction with He Mu was clear.
Unbeknownst to He Mu, his name was already flagged in the official base records, marking him as someone who wouldn’t be trusted with any significant responsibilities. With this failed impression on the private squad, his imagined “promising path” had already been cut short.
By 3:00 PM, Yu Xi exited the RV, awaiting Zhao Xuefei’s return. Unlike the previous day, the group was running late, which gave her a sinking feeling.
Half an hour later, the electric cart arrived. Yu Xi immediately noticed Zhao Xuefei’s pale face.
“What happened?” Yu Xi asked, stepping forward to steady her as she dismounted.
Zhao Xuefei’s protective suit and jacket were gone, the latter wrapped around her limp, right arm.
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