Apocalypse Star House Hoarding-Chapter 189

This was their tenth day since moving to the villa, and finally, the area near the foot of the mountain began to see the arrival of refugees.
They weren’t among the first to leave the city, but unlike others, their destination was clear—they headed straight to this mountainside villa.
The land surrounding the villa originally belonged to a company that had business dealings with Yu Xi’s corporation. The company had planned to build a resort at the city’s outskirts, with the main construction area designated near the foot of the mountain. That area, with its clear lakes and flat plains, was ideal for vacation homes and recreational facilities.
However, the mountain itself wasn’t seen as valuable. The peak was steep and not high enough to warrant building a cable car, and the uneven terrain on the mountainside wasn’t suitable for large adventure parks. Eventually, they settled on constructing a few teahouses and cafes on the mountainside, but these weren’t priority projects, so progress was slow.
When “Yu Xi” decided to build her survival villa, she ultimately chose this spot after evaluating several relatively safe areas in the southeast, northwest, and other directions. She specifically targeted the mountainside here.
At the time, she personally approached the other company’s owner, claiming that she wanted to build a wellness retreat in the forest for her health. As a result, she managed to acquire this plot of land on the edge of the cliff.
Given their ongoing business relationship, the company agreed to sell it at a nominal price, practically half-gifting it.
In the later stages of the apocalypse, part of the military would lead refugees to temporarily settle in the partially constructed resort at the foot of the mountain. With established housing and access to clean water, the area became an ideal refuge.
The mountainside, though some distance from the resort, fell under the military’s protection and offered a high vantage point to monitor the surrounding area.
It seemed that “Yu Xi” had already planned to acquire two companion Subordinates when designing the villa. Aside from the master bedroom suite, the villa included four other bedrooms—three upstairs and one downstairs—allowing everyone their own space.
With no other refugees nearby and being far from the Red Lotus zones, Yu Xi and her companions enjoyed an unusually peaceful ten days.
On their first day at the villa, Yu Xi waited for the others to be preoccupied before slipping into the open kitchen in the dining area. She stocked the two double-door refrigerators with fresh produce, including vegetables, fruits, dairy, and cheeses.
Next, she discreetly entered the storage room, retrieved a large freezer, connected it to power, and filled it with M12-grade ribeye, marbled beef, short ribs, whole chickens, chicken wings, chicken legs, lamb chops, skewered lamb, and various seafood.
She also placed vacuum-sealed food, instant meals, seven or eight bags of high-quality “Autumn Leaf Fragrant Rice,” several boxes of assorted snacks, bottled and barrelled water, elegant dining sets, two boxes of fitness equipment, and one box of arctic survival gear into the villa’s available storage space.
She arranged everything to make the supplies appear natural and logical.
Hei Mu, a meticulous and detail-oriented housekeeper, always conducted a thorough inventory of household supplies upon moving into a new residence. If she introduced items gradually over time, he would undoubtedly notice discrepancies.
Although she would spend a year in this world, and certain truths would eventually come to light, she saw no need to raise suspicion so early in her stay. It was better to maintain appearances for now.
That evening, having spent the day evacuating the city and tidying the villa, they opted for a simple dinner: 500 grams of M12 ribeye per person, pan-seared in butter to a medium-rare doneness and seasoned lightly with rose sea salt.
The premium beef required minimal seasoning; a small cut, lightly dipped in salt, melted in their mouths with rich, tender flavors.
Yu Xi, familiar with M9 beef from her stockpile, rarely encountered M12-grade beef due to its rarity. When she saw it in the market, she had bought eleven boxes in one go—330 portions in total.
For a while, at least, she could enjoy her fill of Wagyu beef.
Hei Mu also prepared a large seafood paella, paired with a fresh vegetable and fruit salad.
The following day, Yu Xi instructed Hei Mu and the others to unpack the fitness equipment, setting up three pairs of dumbbells of varying weights, two ab rollers, a pull-up bar, and a sit-up bench. She required them to incorporate strength training into their daily routines.
Jin Shou, still recovering from his injury, was tasked with supervising and guiding the others. Given his expertise, Yu Xi trusted him completely.
Although the villa was currently safe, Yu Xi couldn’t be certain. Her memory of the apocalypse extended to only a little over a month, and even then, it was incomplete.
She wasn’t sure if a “Red Lotus” would appear near their location a month later. If they ended up in a ground fissure zone or an area affected by the Red Lotus’ suction force, they would have to flee again. Without strong physical fitness, even running for their lives would be a challenge.
However, she didn’t need to explain this to them. The benefit of having Subordinates lay in their unquestioning compliance—they followed orders without incessant questions or doubts.
During these peaceful ten days, the villa remained grounded, not elevated.
Since the villa lacked balconies or terraces, Yu Xi made it a habit to step outside daily for a walk in the yard or run fifteen to sixteen laps along the perimeter wall.
Noticing her preference for being outdoors, Hei Mu set up a wicker table, chairs, and a small sunshade in the yard so she could enjoy afternoon tea or bask in the sunlight.
The living room’s news broadcast ran 24/7, keeping them informed about the outside world.
Currently, the news was dominated by s of disasters and recovery efforts related to the Red Lotus. Everything else seemed to have vanished from the planet’s attention.
Yu Xi couldn’t stop thinking about the dense gray fog she had seen while leaving the city. When no related s appeared in the news, she searched online and even posted inquiries on a few operational forums.
Most of her posts were ignored. Occasionally, someone replied, but only to criticize her. They argued that the current situation was dire—homes destroyed, people displaced, and struggling to find their next meal. Who had the luxury to care about fog?
Only one response provided somewhat useful information.
The person mentioned they had also seen the fog. Their household had been fortunate—there hadn’t been any ground fissures in their vicinity. That day, the authorities had just released the first safe evacuation routes. While they were debating whether to evacuate (their home was currently safe, but they feared sudden disaster), an earthquake struck.
Recently, any sign of an earthquake induced panic, as it typically heralded ground fissures or the appearance of a Red Lotus. Overwhelmed and uncertain, the family didn’t know whether to flee or resign themselves to fate. Everyone understood that the Red Lotus’ suction force covered a vast area, and escape on foot was nearly impossible.
Unexpectedly, the tremors subsided after a brief moment. Looking outside, the person saw dense gray fog, so thick it seemed almost solid.
Shaken but relieved to have survived, the family stared out the window. Not long after, the fog dissipated.
Later, the day’s news confirmed that a ground fissure had appeared nearby, but no Red Lotus had emerged. They considered themselves lucky since the fissure was small and didn’t affect their area.
While the responder wasn’t sure if the gray fog was related to the ground fissure, Yu Xi took note of the account.
In the days that followed, she continued scouring the internet for similar mentions of gray fog. Unfortunately, most information was focused solely on the Red Lotus, and she found nothing else.
The only thing she could confirm was that no fog, gray or otherwise, had appeared within the villa’s visible surroundings in recent days.
The weather remained excellent—clear and sunny every day.
Eventually, even Yu Xi began to wonder if she was being overly cautious. The destructive power of the “Red Lotus” was already terrifyingly catastrophic, especially with its unpredictable appearances. Could there truly be other unknown disasters occurring simultaneously?
On the third day after refugees began appearing in the area, military forces arrived, bringing more evacuees. The population at the resort at the mountain’s base skyrocketed.
s emerged of two new “Red Lotus” events appearing overnight in other locations. Thankfully, these didn’t strike the central areas of evacuation zones. However, the military suffered casualties while transferring people to this location.
As the population grew, every available building in the resort was soon overcrowded. Later arrivals were forced to reside in tents.
Some quick-thinking individuals noticed faint glimpses of buildings higher up on the mountainside and climbed the paths to investigate. They discovered partially constructed teahouses and cafes. Though incomplete, these structures had walls and windows, making them far preferable to tents, especially with the increasingly cold weather.
Others followed suit, and when the teahouses and cafes became full, some continued searching until they spotted Yu Xi’s large and peculiar villa perched on the cliffside.
These individuals first rang the doorbell, attempting to ascertain if anyone was inside. Hei Mu answered via the intercom, politely but firmly stating that the property was private and asking them to leave.
However, they refused. The villa, with its massive steel pillars and fortress-like appearance, seemed like the safest haven imaginable. They pleaded persistently, citing reasons such as having elderly family members in poor health. At times, they appealed to morality, claiming that everyone should unite and help one another in such apocalyptic times. They argued that such a large villa ought to be opened to more people seeking refuge.
Some took on a more threatening tone, insinuating that if the villa remained closed, the crowd from the resort at the mountain’s base might eventually storm it. Better to willingly share some rooms now than be forced into giving them up later.
Hei Mu, recognizing that words alone would not deter them, awaited Yu Xi’s instructions.
Yu Xi, standing by the window, turned and nodded to him.
Immediately, Hei Mu went upstairs to the villa’s control room.
Yan Shang and Xi Yuan removed the wicker furniture and umbrella from the yard, bringing them inside. Meanwhile, Jian Shou climbed into the low-hover car parked on the platform in the yard. He lifted the vehicle into the air, circling above the steel pillars and standing by for further instructions.
Once Yan Shang and Xi Yuan returned inside, Yu Xi locked the villa doors and windows with a single command.
In the control room, Hei Mu closed the villa’s water and wastewater interface valves and initiated the villa’s levitation function.
The group gathered outside the villa’s gates initially believed the movements were a sign of their success. They thought the residents were opening the gates. Instead, to their astonishment, the entire villa began to rise slowly into the air.
Their mouths fell open in shock.
They were familiar with hover vehicles but had never even heard of a hover villa!
While the concept wasn’t technically impossible—thanks to “floating wood”—it was considered utterly impractical. Who in their right mind would build a hover villa in such a remote and barren location?
“Rich people are insane,” someone muttered bitterly.
Yu Xi, standing behind the villa’s large window, crossed her arms and chuckled softly as she overheard their conversation.
Of course, this villa was built for situations precisely like this—to deal with “I’m weak, so I’m entitled” types.
These people weren’t like the marauders who had stormed the high-rise building days ago. They were ordinary individuals—pitiful yet insufferable. Their weapon of choice was moral coercion, capable of drowning anyone in a flood of righteousness.
The villa ascended to the top of the steel pillars, locking seamlessly into the semi-circular dome. Fixed slots extended from the pillars, securing the villa in place to prevent movement. Hei Mu then reconnected the water and wastewater systems, and the platform for the hover car at the top of the pillars opened. Jian Shou carefully landed the car and climbed back into the villa through a second-floor window.
In under ten minutes, both the villa and the hover car were suspended six or seven stories high. Those below could do nothing but glare up at the villa, cursing and shouting in frustration.
By dusk, the group outside the villa had grown larger, some bringing children to emphasize their plight.
One man even carried a crying child, pacing the yard while raising the infant toward the villa. Others attempted to climb the steel pillars but found them too smooth and thick to grip.
“Heartless rich scum!” someone yelled through gritted teeth.
“Stop it,” said a woman. “The resort down there has been reorganized. There’s room for everyone now, and food is being distributed tonight. You’ll get your share too—come back with me.”
“That tiny space? It’s nothing compared to this villa! I’ve been waiting all day. What if they lower it later and I miss my chance? You don’t understand. Either wait with me or leave!”
The woman stared at her partner in silence before quietly descending the mountain alone.
By the time Yu Xi and her group finished dinner that evening, a handful of people still hadn’t left the yard.
Hei Mu shook his head, and after Yu Xi went upstairs, he turned off the villa’s first-floor lights.
As night fell, no one noticed the faint mist beginning to creep through the surrounding wilderness.