Apocalypse Star House Hoarding-Chapter 231

That night, the news once again ed another malicious attack. Yu Xi paid special attention to the time and location.
It was the latest incident of the night, occurring inside a Ferris wheel observation cabin at Longhu Park—one of the landmark locations she had previously listed.
Just like the subway attack ed the night before, there were no videos, not even those that had been blurred for censorship. The news anchor summarized the event in the briefest terms, and that was it.
It felt like the was merely a formality to acknowledge what had already become public knowledge. There was no detailed account of the attack, no specifics on casualties. And in an era of instant information, not a single video from the scene was shown.
Yet Yu Xi clearly remembered that during the subway incident, several people had been recording on their phones.
Now, not only was the footage absent from the news, but not a single clip had surfaced online. Thinking back to those passengers who had been taken away in a bus to Nuo’ai Corporation, she suspected that the real reason for rounding them up was to prevent the truth from spreading.
Were those people still inside the Nuo’ai building? Could they even leave?
Did the authorities know the real cause behind these violent incidents?
Why had attacks like these, which were once a top priority in news s, suddenly been reduced to a mere footnote? It had only been a few days, yet the official stance had already shifted.
She recalled a saying she had heard somewhere before:
When the authorities suddenly start downplaying events and pretending everything is fine, it means the situation has spiraled beyond their control.
The phone she had purchased in Wukong City chimed from the couch. A new unread email had arrived in her inbox.
She opened it—it was an interview invitation from Nuo’ai Corporation.
As expected, the response had come very quickly after submitting her application. This also indirectly confirmed just how desperate the company was for security personnel.
The next morning, Yu Xi changed into a lightweight black hooded tracksuit and headed to the hotel’s in-house hair salon. She cut her long hair short and dyed her black locks into a deep chestnut color.
She was always cautious. This was to ensure that her appearance bore no resemblance to the “girl who disappeared” from the subway incident.
At 1:30 in the afternoon, she parked her car two intersections away from Nuo’ai Corporation and walked to the interview site.
Although she had seen pictures and videos of Nuo’ai online, actually stepping inside the building left her in awe. From the outside, it was impossible to imagine that the entire tower—from the first floor to the forty-ninth—was hollow in the middle.
The open space at the bottom was the largest, taking up about half the floor area of each level. Starting from the eleventh floor, the hollow section shrank by half every ten floors, forming a long, narrow atrium by the top nine floors.
Standing in the grand, high-ceilinged lobby on the first floor, someone with sharp vision could see all the way up to the higher levels. Sunlight streamed through the glass ceiling at the top, refracting through the glass railings of each floor’s opening, creating a dazzling cascade of scattered light resembling a starry sky.
She sat in the waiting area, squinting slightly as she took in the sight. Before long, someone arrived to escort her to the interview.
The interview took place in the second-floor security office. It was spacious, with both an inner and outer room. A spiral staircase in one corner suggested that the security office extended to an upper level as well.
The interview process was simple. First came identity verification—facial recognition.
It was only after first entering Wu Kong City and scanning her face that she had learned her current body’s identity and basic information: Chen An, 22 years old, a recent college graduate.
Once her identity was confirmed, the next step was a standard interview, where they asked why she wanted to work as a security guard at Nuo’ai. For this, she fabricated a plausible story.
She explained that she had come to Wu Kong City as a tourist, but she liked the place and wanted to see if she could find a job to stay permanently. She had practiced martial arts since childhood and was skilled in combat. Given that Nuo’ai was the most prestigious company in Wu Kong City, she hoped to become a part of it.
The final stage was the practical combat test.
The test area was partially open, with one side consisting entirely of glass, allowing passing security personnel to observe.
Yu Xi removed her thick outerwear and focused on suppressing her physical capabilities. She lowered her body’s strength from over nine times that of a normal human to about 1.5 times the average level.
This level of ability was enough to pass the test but not so exceptional as to draw undue attention.
As she demonstrated her skills, many security guards stopped outside to watch.
Nuo’ai employed female security guards as well—some were tall and muscular, resembling tomboys, while others were petite and delicate. However, there were very few who were as beautiful as Yu Xi, with a balanced physique
and
outstanding combat ability.
“Wow, the new girl is impressive! She’s so young, yet her reflexes are amazing!”
“Yeah, look at Uncle Qiu’s face—he never looks this pleased during interviews. He seems really satisfied with her. Damn, I hope I get to work shifts with her! I wonder if she has a boyfriend or what kind of guys she likes…”
A young male guard spoke excitedly, patting the shoulder of the silent man beside him. “Xiang ge, what do you think?”
The sharp-featured man narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze following the movements of the so-called newcomer. “Her skills are more than just ‘impressive’…”
“That’s not the point, man! Come on, Xiang ge, don’t be so rigid!”
Xiang Ge furrowed his brows slightly. “By the way, what’s the new recruit’s name?”
“Good thing you asked me! I know! Her name is Chen An—Chen as in ‘morning,’ and An as in ‘security.’ Isn’t that a great name? Hahaha…”
Xiang Ge: …
Being a security guard didn’t require any special technical skills. The onboarding process consisted of the security captain spending half an hour explaining the job requirements, shift schedules, and issuing uniforms before letting her start work immediately.
She was assigned to the afternoon shift, working from 3 PM to 11 PM—standard eight-hour shifts. Her main task was patrolling the building since, during this time, most employees would be leaving work, and they needed to check every office to ensure the lights and water were turned off, windows were shut, doors were locked, and no one was lingering behind.
Of course, for now, her patrol was limited to the first ten floors.
By 7 PM, employees and general researchers in the Nuo’ai building were gradually leaving for home.
It was said that some high-level researchers had their own private resting areas within the company—spacious and luxurious accommodations with well-arranged meals and living spaces. When they were busy, they would often stay for days without returning home.
But those were matters concerning the higher floors, and Yu Xi couldn’t access those areas yet.
By 8 PM, most of the office lights were turned off, leaving only the dim safety lights. The once bright and transparent building transformed into a quiet, shadowy space, almost like stepping into a different world.
Yu Xi could hear many sounds—the lingering conversations of those still working, the quiet complaints of employees stuck working overtime, security guards discussing night shift arrangements, and even office lovers sneaking away for some privacy…
However, there were also many areas within the building that were completely silent to her ears. The ceilings, walls, and even doors in certain places seemed to be made of a special material, offering soundproofing far superior to ordinary insulation panels.
It was clear that using her hearing to investigate the entire building was not an option.
At 10 PM, Yu Xi accompanied another security guard for the final patrol round. After that, she would complete the shift handover and be free to go.
As midnight approached, the building became even quieter. Walking along the corridor bordering the hollow atrium, Yu Xi noticed that her reflection was everywhere—mirrored on the expansive glass railings that lined the void. These same glass panels that reflected daylight so brilliantly now turned into reflective surfaces at night.
She slowed her pace slightly, walking beside the other guard, observing the reflections while also monitoring his emotional reactions.
Their footsteps echoed clearly in the vast, empty space.
And then, within this silence, she heard an additional breath—coming from beyond the glass railing.
There shouldn’t be anyone there. They were on the tenth floor, and beyond the railing was the hollowed-out section of the building. No normal person could be suspended in mid-air there. Yet, this breath had been following them the entire way.
Yu Xi kept walking, suppressing the urge to investigate.
Going over wouldn’t necessarily allow her to catch whoever was there, but it would expose her heightened senses. In the current state of uncertainty, she chose to remain passive. If the presence was targeting her, it would eventually make a move.
She recalled the conversation she overheard during the interview—someone outside the glass wall had been asking about her name.
If it were just an ordinary security guard, that would be one thing. But the person who asked about her name was the experienced traveler who had arrived in Wu Kong City on the same train—the sharp-featured man she had seen yesterday.
When they reached the seventh floor, the breathing sound disappeared.
Shortly afterward, she completed the shift handover and finished her first day as a security guard.
Yu Xi changed back into her own clothes, grabbed her backpack, and left the Nuo’ai building, heading toward the parking lot two blocks away to retrieve her car.
Near the parking lot, there was a 24-hour supermarket. She stepped inside for a quick look and decided to stock up on some snacks and drinks. First, she retrieved her car and then parked it right outside the store entrance.
She bought two large bags filled with various dried meats, chicken wings, chocolates, cookies, chewing gum, spicy sticks, and assorted nuts.
She also picked up two large bags of drip coffee and zero-calorie sweeteners. Remembering that coffee wouldn’t be the same without milk, she grabbed the last seven or eight bottles of fresh milk from the refrigerator.
Then, she approached the cashier and requested two cases of shelf-stable milk, two cases of cola, two cases of milk tea, and two cases of Fanta to be loaded into her car.
After paying, Yu Xi chewed on a cashew as she got into her car and started the engine.
A few intersections later, she glanced at the rearview mirror, then opted to turn right instead of making the expected left.
She knew that taking this right turn and driving a little further would lead her past a small park filled with greenery. That area had few shops or residential buildings, the lighting was dim, and most importantly—there were no surveillance cameras.
Once she was on that road, she slowed her speed slightly.
Soon enough, with a dull
thud
, something landed on the roof of her car.
Here it comes.
Yu Xi slammed the brakes and sharply turned the steering wheel, making the car drift on the empty road, successfully flinging off whatever had landed on her roof.
The creature hit the ground a short distance ahead of her car. Yu Xi turned off the engine, and as the headlights dimmed, the road plunged into deeper darkness. But that didn’t affect her vision.
Right in front of her, a twisted figure stood. At first glance, it seemed human, but no human had such grotesquely deformed limbs. Behind it, there appeared to be a pair of enormous wings.
She felt the unmistakable sensation of being hunted—like prey caught in the sights of a beast.
A formidable opponent.
Yu Xi swiftly exited the car, gripping an unfolded multi-tool shovel in her hand.
She could hear the thing let out a cocky, taunting laugh before launching itself at her again. It was incredibly fast, its extended arms ending in razor-sharp claws.
She sidestepped just in time, dodging the attack, and landed behind it. In an instant, her multi-tool shovel transformed into an unsheathed Tang blade.
Without hesitation, she swung the blade toward its wings. A sharp
slash
echoed through the night as the blade tore through the wing membrane and even severed part of the skeletal frame.
The creature let out a pained shriek, staggered forward a couple of steps, then suddenly gripped the front of the jeep and hurled it toward her with all its might.
Yu Xi didn’t dodge. The moment she made contact with the airborne vehicle, she stowed it away into her spatial storage.
The creature’s eyes widened in shock. “Impossible! How can an inventory slot hold an entire vehicle!?” Then, as if realizing something, its expression shifted. “A space ability? You have a space ability!?”
There was a tone of unmistakable greed in its voice. It lunged at her again with renewed aggression.
Yu Xi detected an unusual scent in the air. Immediately, she held her breath and pulled out her High-Temperature Perfume, spraying it directly at the creature.
The perfume was initially set to its lowest fire output, only causing the attacker to stumble back a couple of steps before charging again.
Using this brief moment, Yu Xi adjusted the temperature to its highest setting, preparing to deal a fatal blow. However, before she could strike, a short arrow shot from the side, piercing straight into the creature’s neck.
It choked, letting out a gurgling sound.
Then, in the next instant, the flames from the High-Temperature Perfume erupted around it, engulfing it entirely.
Two seconds later, Yu Xi stopped the flames. The creature was now nothing more than a charred husk.
She remained cautious, taking a few steps back before resuming breathing. Tilting her head slightly, she spoke to the shadows. “Come out. You’ve been following me for quite a while.”
At her words, a tall figure emerged from the trees. He pulled down his mask, revealing a familiar face—it was the experienced traveler who had been asking about her name back at the company.
“His ability was Bat Mimicry—he could short-distance fly, cling to surfaces, track targets, and release poison gas. How much did you inhale?” His gaze flickered over her Tang blade and the pink perfume bottle, his tone carrying a hint of concern.
“Almost none. I held my breath the moment I noticed something was off.” Yu Xi studied him briefly but didn’t lower her guard.
If he had truly intended to help, he wouldn’t have waited until after the poison gas was released to make a move. He could have ambushed the attacker much earlier.
She hesitated between continuing the fight or retreating when her phone—tucked close to her body—suddenly vibrated.
She took another step back, keeping a wary eye on the man while checking her screen.
A new message appeared.
Congratulations on defeating a higher-level traveler: Huang Zhong.
You may select one of the following from his resources:
Ten Carry Items (Includes: a case of water, a case of compressed biscuits, an axe…)
Train Ticket (One Station Extension)
Skill: Bat Mimicry
(Flight, Clinging, Poison Gas, Claws. Duration: 4 hours. Cooldown: 4 days. Note: This skill is temporary and only valid for this station.)
Each option had a checkbox next to it.
Yu Xi had no interest in the items, and the Bat Mimicry skill was both grotesque and unimpressive in combat. It also altered the user’s appearance, which she found repulsive.
In the end, she selected the train ticket extension.
Her screen updated instantly.
Selection Confirmed: Train Ticket Extended by One Station.
Yu Xi put away her phone and met the man’s gaze once more. “Why were you following me? Trying to steal my kill?”