Apocalypse Star House Hoarding-Chapter 45

The hailstorm had long since ceased, the sky remained overcast, but the temperature seemed to have risen slightly.
Those fortunate enough to escape the massive hailstorm uninjured were now emerging from the buildings they had sought refuge in, forgetting about work or school. Many were making phone calls to their families, with some breathing a sigh of relief upon hearing their loved ones were safe, while others, unable to get through, hurriedly crossed the ice and water-covered ground to hail a cab, only to end up running when no taxis were available.
Those uninjured or only lightly injured began calling ambulances once they knew their families were safe. They also helped move the unconscious people hit by hailstones to the side of the road to keep the ambulance routes clear.
After a long wait, ambulances finally arrived, taking away the injured one by one. Those who helped sighed in relief, and some gathered in small groups to discuss the earlier scenes of carnage with a mix of fear and gratitude.
Blood from the injured mixed with the melting hail on the streets, creating a disturbing sight for those accustomed to peace. The air seemed to carry a constant briny smell, probably from the blood.
Some people turned on their TVs to catch the latest news, while others, more accustomed to the internet, opened their computers to browse news websites and forums.
Soon, someone noticed an anonymous video post on a few major forums. The video featured no people or voices; instead, limited text appeared on white paper with black writing.
The first sheet of paper read: “Beware of black insect eggs and worms in the hailstones!!!”
The footage showed a partially melted hailstone on a stainless-steel tray. A gloved hand, from the direction of the camera, held a magnifying glass close to the melting hailstone, revealing black dots and emerging black worms.
As more worms hatched, the person placed a second sheet of paper over the first, reading: “The black worms are attracted to blood! Avoid contact with wounds!”
Next, the person used their right hand to pour a slightly viscous red liquid from a small glass vial onto the tray, placing it a short distance from the worms.
The moment the blood touched the tray, the worms began moving towards it.
Finally, the person placed a third sheet of paper, reading: “Burn immediately upon discovery!!!”
The person’s right hand then appeared with a small blowtorch—the kind used by sushi chefs. Activating the torch, the blood quickly evaporated, and the black worms were incinerated to ash.
The video ended there—no voices, no faces, not even fingers were shown.
Despite the lack of identifiers, the video quickly amassed hundreds of comments. Initially, people expressed disgust, but soon the tone shifted.
“Damn! This is real. I just picked up a hailstone outside, and it really has these insect eggs and worms!”
“Admin, don’t delete this post! It’s a warning, not a prank!”
“It’s true!! I live on the first floor. My courtyard is concrete, and it was covered in hailstones. Now it’s full of worms. I thought it was a pile of hair clippings at first. I was scared to death!”
“Is it really that scary? They’re just small worms. How bad can it be?”
“You must not be from a coastal city. These worms go crazy when they detect blood. What if they burrow into wounds?”
“Oh my god! Imagining that made me almost faint!”
“Thinking about it, it’s entirely possible! Damn! I’m getting my mom’s moxibustion torch to burn these worms!”
“To those in coastal cities, hang in there! I’m going to send donations and supplies, including two boxes of blowtorches!”
“Thanks! But what if we don’t have a blowtorch? Can we use insecticide?”
“I tried it. The worms stopped moving!”
“Bullshit! I sprayed insecticide, then pricked my finger to test it, and the worms came back to life!”
“Use boiling water! Thank god I’m inland in Fangcheng, far from the coast. It’s too scary. I’m on my period too…”
The chaos and panic were evident as people shared their findings and experiences, trying to cope with the terrifying discovery of the parasitic worms brought by the hailstones.
As soon as this post was made, a string of replies saying “me too” appeared below. Some people joked about wearing ten pairs of underwear, others talked about layering tampons and pads, and a few sensible ones suggested buying protective suits.
Then, the discussion veered back on track.
“Hey, the person up there, if insecticide doesn’t kill them, can boiling water really do the job? And these worms came down with the hailstones. Doesn’t anyone think this is really odd?”
“Are you all dumb? These tiny worms, I’ll just stomp them to death with my feet!”
This comment immediately garnered a flood of ellipsis replies: “……”.
Right, everyone had been spooked by the initial post about using a blowtorch to burn the worms, instinctively thinking these worms were terrifying. But really, these tiny little worms could just be squished to death by anyone who wasn’t afraid of them.
A few minutes later, the person who claimed they would stomp the worms replied again.
“Ahhh! I miscalculated! These worms are as thin as hair strands. When you stomp on them, there’s no reaction! It’s like stepping on hair. No matter how you crush them, they just stay like hair! Wait a bit, I’m going to try using a knife!”
This comment prompted another string of ellipsis replies, along with some people cheering them on and others saying they would also try using knives or scissors.
After a while, other experimenters started posting their findings.
“To the ‘dude’ upstairs, I’ve tried using a knife and scissors too. Why do these things keep moving even when they’re cut? Are they really worms? Not even earthworms are this resilient!”
“I’m back! The original poster was right. I bought a blowtorch from the corner store downstairs, and I’ve already exterminated the worms instantly! Everyone, stop messing around and burn them clean before they spread!”
“I tried using a lighter to ignite paper or small wooden sticks and dropping them on the worms, but it wasn’t as fast as a blowtorch because the worms would scatter. They’re so small that once they scatter, they’re hard to burn. So using a blowtorch to spray fire directly is the quickest method!”
After this post, many people responded uniformly: “I’m going to buy one right now!”
Even people in cities not affected by the hailstorm said they were going to get a blowtorch just in case. Some mentioned calling their parents immediately, others wanted to inform friends, and many had already saved the video to repost on other websites and forums as a warning.
Although this wasn’t the era of rapid information flow via mobile apps, the hailstorm had caused many to stay indoors, and young people often spent their time on computers.
Therefore, it didn’t take long for people in several coastal cities to become aware of the video post. With internet dissemination, phone calls, and word of mouth, many started taking action to exterminate the worms.
At the same time, in a securely guarded building in Hai Ru city, a tall man in his thirties, dressed in combat gear, ed the video and post to a middle-aged man standing behind a desk.
The middle-aged man, with a stern and sharp expression, had a face that all residents of Hai Ru city were familiar with, occasionally appearing on the news.
“Did they only mention the blood attraction and methods of extermination? No other part?” he asked.
The man ing nodded, “No, we’ve checked all the websites where this video post appeared. It only goes up to that part. Whether this person knows the other part of the situation or how much they understand, they seem to be just trying to warn people to reduce the chances of being parasitized. Additionally, we’ve traced the IP address of the original post to an internet café, but nearby surveillance cameras didn’t capture any suspicious individuals.”
The man in the combat uniform had more to say.
A few days ago, his team had been ordered to retrieve the individuals involved in the “undersea tunnel incident” from a residential area, which happened to be diagonally across from the current internet café. Unexpectedly, they failed; despite having faced the person, they managed to let them escape right under their noses, leaving no trace.
So, could the video post be related to that person?
However, the man in the combat uniform ultimately decided not to voice these thoughts. The people they had brought back never left again; they were now in the lowest level of the basement laboratory in this building. The researchers who believed they had discovered a new species had become obsessed, no longer viewing those on the operating tables as humans.
Even someone accustomed to bloodshed like him found it unbearable to go down there occasionally. Although the decision was made by the middle-aged man in front of him, who had stated that he would take full responsibility if there were any repercussions, everyone involved had their hands stained.
Previously, to speed up research, they had to make some unavoidable decisions. But now, not only the coastal areas of their country but also several other coastal countries had experienced extreme hail weather. This disaster was likely global.
Judging from the various conflicts and riots in other cities, parasitized patients had already spread across domestic cities well before this hailstorm.
Their efforts to block information and secretly bring people back for research were ultimately futile.
In this situation, the identity of the woman who escaped and whether she was related to the post was no longer important. In fact, her escape might be a good thing.
The middle-aged man’s voice interrupted his thoughts, “Leave the post up. No need to take it down. Start sharing data with other cities. Notify all hospitals to categorize those injured by the hail as high-risk patients and isolate them uniformly. Do not let them leave the hospital for now.”
“But—many are only lightly injured, and there are many elderly, women, and children…”
The middle-aged man frowned at him, “In three days, regardless of gender or age, they will become potential threats ready to erupt at any time. Remember, they are already parasitized. We must distinguish them from ordinary people. If even we don’t have this awareness, the entire city of Hai Ru will suffer.”
The man in the combat uniform knew the other was right. Isolation was temporary and not extermination. Perhaps if the researchers made a breakthrough, they could still be saved…
“But there are still many lightly injured people who haven’t gone to the hospital…”
“There’s nothing we can do about them for now. We’ll deal with it in three days. By then, their families will be more cooperative.”
The middle-aged man paused, then continued, “Additionally, mobilize personnel, ensure they have protective gear, and bring flame throwers to start exterminating the insects! Begin in densely populated areas and eliminate as many as possible!
Also, temporarily cut off the city’s tap water supply. Only restore it after thorough cleaning and inspection. The same goes for all bottled water and purified water factories. As for food and crops, destroy anything hit by the hail. Ban fishing boats from going out to sea for now…
When requesting aid from other cities, list clean water, protective gear, flame throwers, and canned food as emergency supplies…
Ensure price controls to prevent private price hikes, start rationing special items, and also ration food and water.
Finally, seal all exits from Hai Ru city. Impose strict controls on land, sea, and air travel. No one leaves!”
As he spoke, the previously upright man’s posture gradually slumped. Leaning on the desk, he could already foresee what Hai Ru city would become once these measures began.
But this was just the beginning.
He knew that all the rivers, lakes, and seas of the world were interconnected, and these insects would eventually spread to every country and city…
When that happens, it will become a crisis for all humanity.
Three hours after the hailstorm ravaged Hai Ru city, people saw military personnel deploying with professional equipment to exterminate the insects.
The video post had spread widely over several hours, and many people were already aware of the insects in the hail.
Although the exact danger of the insects was still unknown, humans tend to avoid harm. When everyone took the matter seriously and actively worked to eliminate a common threat, others would follow suit.
Especially when they saw soldiers with full-body protective gear wielding flame throwers, it heightened the public’s awareness of the black insects’ threat.
At the very least, people became cautious and avoided approaching the insects out of curiosity, preventing further tragedies.
Standing by the window of a fifteenth-floor hotel suite, Yu Xi watched a team exterminating insects on the street below, then glanced at the tablet screen in her hand, letting out a sigh of relief.
This tablet was from her original world. Upon arriving at the hotel and finding no available computer, she tried using it and successfully connected to the Wi-Fi and opened the internet.
Viewing the posts she had made as a guest, she found the netizens’ optimism and proactive response better than expected. The “ten pairs of underwear” comment made her laugh for quite a while.
She had gambled correctly. By only disclosing the insects’ attraction to blood and extermination methods while omitting the parasitism aspect, her post had not been taken down.
After all, the public would inevitably discover the anomaly in the hail sooner or later. The authorities couldn’t cover it up indefinitely.
From their standpoint, encouraging the public to develop an insect extermination mindset autonomously alleviated their burden, and concealing the parasitism aspect helped maintain social order for now.
Even though people would eventually notice the inconsistencies in a few days, the extra buffer time was beneficial.
Every extra day provided more time for various preparations and responses.
Although she only needed to survive another twenty-eight days to complete her apocalypse task, although her current physical prowess and heightened senses allowed her to defend against the insects perfectly, and although she still couldn’t be certain whether these apocalyptic worlds were virtual or real… she still wanted to do what she could.
Two apocalypse missions and more than three years in the apocalyptic world may have made her accustomed to life and death, but she didn’t want to become someone who could coldly observe these tragic scenes without any emotional response.
No matter how many apocalyptic worlds she would face in the future or how many unknown and terrifying disasters she would encounter, she hoped to always retain her core humanity.
To help when possible, without sentimentality or coldness, and with a clear conscience.
Yu Xi drew the curtains. This was a five-star hotel, excellently constructed, with double-glazed windows that withstood the hailstorm, leaving most intact. It wasn’t near the sea, mountains, or a bustling area, so it had fewer people, making it her first choice for the remaining twenty-eight days.
Given her understanding of apocalyptic worlds, a reward of 100 star coins for surviving a month indicated a challenging period ahead. So, while the situation was still manageable, she aimed to stay as comfortable as possible.
The insects only fell with the hail and couldn’t fly, so when choosing her lodging, height was also a key consideration.
After posting the warning video in the internet cafe, she took advantage of the chaos outside, covering her face and hair with a hat and mask, and put on high waterproof boots. She then exited the cafe’s common restroom, which was located on the opposite side of the hall.
The restroom window faced the back of the building, with only a narrow alley separating it from a five-story building. She had scoped out the terrain beforehand; there were no surveillance cameras here, and the short distance and height difference made it possible for her to jump across.
The process went smoothly. She climbed onto the windowsill, checked her surroundings, and made the leap, landing steadily in a second. Then, she proceeded down the building’s exterior spiral staircase and left.
Afterward, she headed straight to a professional protective gear store, buying three sets of professional protective suits, including goggles, safety helmets, and gloves. These were not for immediate use but for future preparedness.
Next, she visited a pawnshop, mortgaging two 300-gram gold bars. The shop was somewhat shady, requiring no documentation but offering a low gold price, giving only 100,000 cash for a 300-gram gold bar.
Yu Xi, despite having bank cards and some cash, needed more liquid funds. She quickly concluded the transaction.
As expected, leaving the pawnshop, she noticed she was being followed. She frowned, realizing this pawnshop was not trustworthy and she would need to find another one next time.
Yu Xi shook off the tail and headed to a hotel. This hotel was notorious for its inconvenient location and terrible food, explaining the low occupancy rate. Fortunately, the suites were on discount, and she booked five days.
Upon entering the room, she removed her shoes and placed them in the bathroom’s bathtub. She used an app to check for hidden cameras, then undressed and used the [Instant Cleanser]. Apart from some dust, there were no insects on her.
Yu Xi changed into clean clothes and flat shoes, then looked at the clothes and shoes she had left in the bathtub, feeling a bit troubled. She couldn’t use the [Instant Cleanse] on items and couldn’t be sure there were no insects—especially on the soles. Burning them seemed wasteful.
She squatted there for a while and then came up with an idea.
“System, time is static inside Star House storage, and it can’t store living things. If there are living creatures attached to items I want to store, will they be taken in as well?”
【……】
She felt the system’s silent pause before a voice finally responded in her mind.
【Host, Star House storage can only store the items you want to store.】
Yu Xi understood. She touched each item—clothes, pants, and shoes—with her fingertips. The items disappeared into storage one by one until only three “black lines” remained in the white bathtub.
Without a doubt, these were “items” she didn’t want to store in Star House storage.
Yu Xi smiled. The [High-Temperature Perfume] appeared in her hand, and she sprayed it directly. The insects turned to ashes instantly and were washed away by the water.
The musty smell in the bathroom vanished.
Yu Xi found her adaptability improving. She felt a bit hungry even though she had just finished dealing with the insects. She hadn’t eaten well for several days; maybe she should have a good dinner tonight?
【……】
Sensing the system’s reaction, she took the opportunity to ask the question that had been bothering her: “System, is this apocalyptic world a real world?”