Apocalypse Star House Hoarding-Chapter 183

Jian Shou was among the rare few Subordinates who underwent two solid years of training at the academy before being deployed.
Bodyguard-type Subordinates were perhaps the most frequently expended category of Subordinates in this world. Though the planet had achieved a semblance of lasting peace, conflicts—both overt and covert—were rife among the upper echelons of society. The law was far from entirely just, and gray areas abounded.
As a result, many bodyguard-type Subordinates ended up sacrificing their lives to protect their masters within one or two years of deployment.
When “Yu Xi” first purchased Jian Shou, she didn’t immediately bring him home. Instead, she requested the academy to continue providing him with advanced training. She knew that a single highly skilled bodyguard was far more valuable than ten average ones.
Sure enough, after completing a rigorous curriculum—physical conditioning, weapons training, combat techniques, mechanical operations, and more—Jian Shou far exceeded the standard capabilities of most bodyguard-type Subordinates.
For the past three years, he had been by her side, shielding her from countless dangers and troubles. He was someone she trusted implicitly.
Jian Shou was a man of few words but incredibly loyal and diligent. When “Yu Xi” accidentally drank spiked wine and spent two days in a dazed stupor in the suite, he hadn’t intruded. Instead, he stood vigil just outside the room without leaving for a moment.
“No rush, find me some clothes first.” According to the memories of “Yu Xi,” the emergence of the “Red Lotus” had territorial patterns, meaning there shouldn’t be additional ground collapses in this area for now. Moreover, “Yu Xi” had survived five or six peaceful days in her apartment upstairs after the apocalypse began, so this building should be temporarily safe.
Yu Xi revisited her fragmented memories and realized that the collapse outside didn’t signify an early onset of the disaster or any error in “Yu Xi’s” recollection of its timing. From a certain perspective, the apocalypse hadn’t truly begun yet.
What was happening now was merely the initial ground subsidence. Whatever lay beneath hadn’t surfaced yet.
At this point, everyone assumed it was just a natural disaster. Before her rebirth, “Yu Xi” had thought the same. She had even followed the news coverage at the time, showing great interest in the rescue efforts and aftermath. Like everyone else, however, she hadn’t connected the subsidence to the apocalypse.
It wasn’t until later, when similar phenomena began occurring across this city and the planet, and the “Red Lotus” emerged from the depths, that people realized this peaceful world was heading into a cataclysmic apocalypse.
What puzzled Yu Xi even more now was the type of apocalyptic world she had found herself in. Why was it called the “Seven Layer of Hell”?
Did it have something to do with her rebirth?
Seven Layer… could the key be in the number?
Did it mean she would be reborn seven times?
If that were the case, then with “Yu Xi” having only experienced one rebirth so far, did the remaining six all involve her? But for rebirth to occur, she would have to die first.
Was she destined to live through six deaths and restarts in this apocalyptic world?
Given her current abilities, dying wouldn’t be easy. Or perhaps the timeline would automatically rewind once the world reached a certain stage?
Jian Shou fetched some clothes for Yu Xi. This was a high-end establishment, and as a premium VIP, Yu Xi not only had a permanent suite here but also several sets of clothing stored in an external wardrobe that perfectly fit her measurements, including undergarments.
Taking the clothes from Jian Shou, Yu Xi glanced at the two towering men in front of her, both over 1.8 meters tall. While they were technically Subordinates, biologically speaking, they were very much alive.
Even with her thick skin, Yu Xi couldn’t just change in front of them.
Ultimately, she took the clothes and headed to the bathroom. Yan Shang, ever attentive, noticed the thin blanket she had wrapped around herself dragging on the floor. Worried she might trip, he quickly followed behind her, carefully holding up the edge of the blanket until she reached the bathroom door.
Yu Xi: …
After two days and nights of indulgence, Yu Xi couldn’t help but feel disgusted with this body. She opted for a quick combat shower to freshen up.
Jian Shou, with his sharp sense of crisis, had picked out practical attire for her: a pair of jeans and a long, lightweight sweater. It was spring in this world, with temperatures ranging between 17 and 20 degrees Celsius—perfect for the season.
She dried her hair, tied it up, and changed into clean clothes. By the time she stepped out, Yan Shang had also put on his jacket.
Jian Shou stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, observing the site of the ground fissure and collapse. When he saw her emerge, he ed, “The ground fissure has stopped expanding, but the buildings within the affected area are still crumbling.”
“The diameter of the collapse zone is approximately 150 meters. Normal ground fissures are linear, but this one is crisscrossed, creating a much larger and more destructive impact compared to a straight-line collapse,” he explained. “President Yu, do you want to retreat to the villa for now?”
The villa Jian Shou referred to was the survival refuge “Yu Xi” had spent three months constructing. In the post-apocalyptic timeline, it was one of the few areas in the city that remained untouched by the “Red Lotus” and later became a refuge for part of the military and civilians. It was among the safer zones during the apocalypse.
“Yes, I need to check on the villa,” she replied. Most of the details about the villa in her memory were still obscured by the haze, so she needed to visit to assess its structural integrity and inventory.
However, she didn’t plan to stay there immediately. She preferred to remain in the apartment for now to monitor the progression of the ground fissures and the emergence of the “Red Lotus,” comparing the events with her memory of the apocalypse. This advanced-level post-apocalyptic world wasn’t one where she could simply hide in a safe zone and wait for the danger to pass.
As soon as she finished speaking, Jian Shou picked up her bag and jacket and took the lead.
The three left the room, entering the suite’s living room that adjoined the private room. The soundproofing in the club was excellent, but as they exited the suite, the faint murmur of voices and footsteps outside suddenly amplified.
Guests at the club were in a state of panic due to the ground fissure collapse across the street. Most of the patrons at this time were those who had partied until dawn. Many were unsteady on their feet, groggy from hangovers, and had thrown on random clothes—or, in some cases, were barefoot.
Some were furiously making phone calls, while others demanded transport from the club’s staff.
The “transport” they referred to wasn’t the solar-powered cars on the roads outside but the flying vehicles—better described as hover cars—that had been developed over two decades ago.
The primary material used to build these hover cars was a substance called floatwood. Discovered by an underground expedition team in a canyon’s depths, floatwood was a type of tree that grew inside subterranean caves. Its roots anchored to the cave walls, but the entire tree floated in midair.
Floatwood had a strength comparable to metal. While it had mass, it also generated an anti-gravity effect due to its unique interaction with the planet’s gravitational pull.
Mining, researching, designing, and manufacturing floatwood-based vehicles took years. The planet’s largest conglomerate acquired the rights to the canyon where floatwood was first discovered and collaborated with several nations to produce the first prototype flying vehicle.
Over the next decade, these vehicles underwent various upgrades—improvements in safety, speed, interior design, and exterior aesthetics. Today, the most common flying vehicles came in two styles: high-altitude airships and low-altitude hover cars—the “transport” mentioned by one of the guests.
Once low-altitude hover cars were deemed stable after multiple tests, they were quickly commercialized. However, due to the limited supply of floatwood and the complex manufacturing process, these vehicles were prohibitively expensive. s suggested that pre-orders for hover cars were already backlogged for ten years.
Even the wealthy often couldn’t secure a spot on the waiting list.
But the owner of this club wasn’t an ordinary individual. The club had three low-altitude hover cars reserved for transporting its ultra-VIP clientele.
The guests, visibly shaken by the ground collapse outside, demanded a hover car from the staff as if in a daze. The service staff politely managed the other guests as Yu Xi walked through the corridor past private rooms, heading toward the emergency exit.
Jian Shou led the way, clearing a path for Yu Xi, while Yan Shang followed closely behind, keeping her securely in the middle.
Yu Xi: …
Having traversed eight different worlds, always relying on herself and protecting others, Yu
Capable
Xi found the experience novel—and oddly satisfying—to have others shielding her for a change.
Jian Shou guided them through the emergency exit and into the stairwell. It seemed the stairwell hadn’t been used in ages, as the air was thick with dust, but no one cared under the circumstances.
A few other guests, realizing the potential danger of using the elevator, followed their lead into the stairwell. However, while most descended, Yu Xi’s group climbed upwards.
The distinction was clear—Yu Xi’s apartment was upstairs, and the difference in social standing between her and the other guests became evident. After all, the luxury apartments in this building were far beyond what most could afford.
Unconcerned with hiding her stamina, Yu Xi quickly ascended ten flights of stairs to the 18th floor.
Jian Shou and Yan Shang had both been implanted with the owner’s no-harm devices, ensuring they could neither harm nor betray her, regardless of any suspicions they might have.
When Yu Xi opened the apartment door, a clear, youthful voice filled with slight petulance, pride, and jealousy greeted her:
“President Yu, you finally remembered to come back? You said you liked me, but then you took Yan Shang out to play for two whole days and nights without me…”
Yu Xi: …
Her serious expression, stemming from the external events, nearly faltered at this display.
Oh, right. She had nearly forgotten: “Yu Xi” had purchased two companion-type Subordinates. While she had taken one out for fun, the other had been left at home, yet to be “favored.”
The speaker was more youthful compared to Yan Shang, with delicate, refined features, fair skin, and an impressive height. When he stood from the sofa, his long legs were especially striking.
Xi Yuan
“Xi Yuan, show some respect to master,” a deep, slightly stern voice came from the dining area.
It was Hei Mu, the longest-serving Subordinate in Yu Xi’s household—five or six years by now. As a caretaker-type Subordinate, Hei Mu was a standout, not only for his professional skills but also for his appearance, which was exceptional for his class.
“Yu Xi” had a penchant for aesthetics; even caretaker Subordinates had to meet her high standards for looks.
“Master, the rock sugar bird’s nest soup is ready. Shall I serve you a bowl?”
Four pairs of eyes stared at her. Yu Xi cleared her throat, her president persona intact: “I need to head out for a while. The outside isn’t safe right now. You all stay in the apartment.”
She walked straight to her room, opened the safe, and took out the jewelry, cash, property deeds, and all identification documents stored there, placing them in the Starhouse Warehouse.
Apart from these, everything else in the apartment was likely already available at the villa, so she decided against packing further. She wanted to inspect the villa as soon as possible.
When she exited the room, the four Subordinates were still stationed in the living and dining areas, seemingly awaiting her orders. Lacking anything else to instruct, Yu Xi headed to the balcony just outside the living room.
The spacious balcony, about ten square meters, was lavishly decorated. One corner featured a small massage pool, while another had a staircase leading to an external platform where a uniquely designed low-altitude hover car rested silently.
“Yu Xi” wasn’t just wealthy; her investment in a listed group and its collaboration with the hover vehicle development company granted her priority access to the vehicle. As the vice president of the partnering company, she naturally enjoyed the privilege of internal pre-orders.
Although she only received a minimal 0.12% discount on the hover car, the priority access alone was already a considerable favor.
Hover cars lacked wheels; their bases resembled the flat, oval platforms of bumper cars, housing the anti-gravity floatwood. The body was constructed of ultra-light yet robust glass, with a trapezoidal profile.
The car doors, hinged at the top, flipped upward to open. Near the doors, anti-slip steps about 30 centimeters high prevented passengers from accidentally sliding out when the vehicle was stationary or in motion.
Inside, there were five seats in total: two in the middle row and three in the back, excluding the driver and front passenger seats. Luggage storage was located on the roof—a rectangular compartment that could be opened.
The hover car didn’t use keys but was secured with an iris and voice recognition system, as well as a built-in navigation and lock system. Stealing it would require extreme measures, such as physically removing the vehicle from midair. Even then, the owner could immediately locate and lock the car remotely.
As Yu Xi boarded the car, Jian Shou followed her. “President Yu, I’ll drive. You’re not familiar with the routes.”
He referred to the specific zones, altitudes, and hovering areas where hover cars were permitted to operate within the city. Unlike ground traffic, air traffic had more stringent regulations and restrictions.
“Yu Xi” had avoided driving herself due to the complexities of the rules, leaving Jian Shou to act as her chauffeur.
She nodded and took a seat behind the driver.
The advanced technology of this world amazed her. Sitting in the hover car felt like being a child at an amusement park, lining up to ride a carousel—filled with novelty and anticipation.
Jian Shou expertly completed the pre-flight inspection. Moments later, under the watchful eyes of the three synths on the balcony, the hover car slowly lifted off the platform and descended to the designated cruising altitude.
Hovering at about the height of a five-story building, the car followed its path. Yu Xi gazed out the window and realized they were approaching the site of the ground collapse.
“Jian Shou, stay away from that area. Keep at least 50 meters of distance,” she instructed. She remembered the characteristics of the “Red Lotus.” Even though it hadn’t appeared yet, she wanted to remain cautious.
“Yes, President Yu.”
Maintaining a safe distance, the hover car glided past the collapse site.
Yu Xi looked down at the scene: police cars, ambulances, rescue hover cars, and fire trucks swarmed the area, extracting survivors and retrieving bodies. Her brows furrowed slightly.
No matter how advanced the technology, it was still woefully fragile in the face of overwhelming disaster.