Apocalypse Star House Hoarding

Chapter 178

Yu Xi didn’t expect the meeting location to be set outside the base.

It was an open area far from the base. She arrived in her RV, and not long after, a military vehicle pulled up.

“Apologies. It’s not that I won’t let you into the base—it’s just safer for you here.” The man lying on the stretcher bed, carried down from the truck by his team, spoke in a calm, deep voice.

Though wrapped in protective gear, the overwhelming scent of blood betrayed the severity of his injuries. His opening words revealed a subtle message.

So he meant that entering the base might be dangerous for her?

What kind of danger could there be within the heavily fortified underground bunker? Mutated plants and animals couldn’t get inside, leaving humans as the only potential threat.

Yu Xi curled her lips slightly. She had anticipated this outcome. Humans were the most complex creatures, their individual differences spanning the heights of Mount Everest and the depths of the Mariana Trench. Even within the base leadership, there were both selfless public servants and those consumed by selfish motives. It was impossible to expect everyone to act in unison.

This was why Yu Xi had always assumed different identities as the “Star House” owner. While she and her parents would inevitably leave each location after a time, communication wasn’t entirely severed in this world. If anyone gathered enough information about her and tried to track her down, it wouldn’t be impossible.

She didn’t want to live in constant disguise, so she let the shopkeeper remain a myth.

Thanks to Zhao Xuefei’s arrangements, Zhou Ningyuan wasn’t overly surprised by her youthful appearance and didn’t ask questions about it. Knowing that their meeting revolved around the seed issue, he got straight to the point. “Meeting here ensures ‘safety,’ right?” Yu Xi’s question carried more than one implication.

“Rest assured. No one knows I’ve left the base, and there’s no ‘tail’ following me. There won’t be any problems. I apologize, but I’m still recovering and can’t stay outside long, so I’ll be direct. Do you have a way to traverse Death Valley and reach Chang City’s seed repository?”

Zhou Ningyuan’s team had informed him about Yu Xi’s mysterious abilities, speculating that she might have spatial or teleportation powers.

“I can get to the seed repository, but Chang City’s current state makes it unnecessary to take such a risk.” While she had the means to handle plants, dealing with mutated animals en masse would be arduous, though not impossible.

Hearing this, Zhou Ningyuan’s hope visibly dimmed, though his habitual composure kept his face stoic. His team, on the other hand, found her response perplexing. She could access the seeds but dismissed the need to try? Was she mocking them?

They wanted to speak up but held back, deferring to their leader.

Sensing their frustration, Yu Xi deliberately paused before continuing. “I already have the seeds you need. There’s no need to risk going to Chang City.”

Zhou Ningyuan froze in shock.

In one of her earlier lives, she had scoured every seed repository on the Lushan Peninsula during a decade-long stint in the fragmented apocalyptic world. Her collection included countless original and second-generation seeds, meticulously categorized and stored.

Later, her cruise ship base partnered with official teams to develop and cultivate high-yield, short-cycle crops, which became the primary seeds planted. This rendered her original collection obsolete.

She had retained those seeds because they represented hard-won efforts, each retrieved from treacherous waters. They took up little space and were perfectly organized in her warehouse.

Compared to Chang City’s repository, the quantity and quality of seeds in her possession were incomparable.

“You’re willing to… provide these seeds?” Zhou Ningyuan’s furrowed brows reflected his astonishment.

“Not provide—trade. A barter, but this time I’ll set the terms and specify what I want.”

“What are your terms?”

Yu Xi glanced at the onlookers, asking them to step aside. This was a private matter she needed to discuss directly with Zhou Ningyuan.

Once alone, she asked, “First, I need to know how much authority you and your father have within the base.”

In terms of material resources, even weapons, Yu Xi lacked for nothing.

The seeds she offered could resolve the base’s planting initiative. Helping private shelters in piecemeal trades couldn’t compare to the base’s potential for large-scale, organized cultivation.

Her decision to trade stemmed partly from her connection to people she knew and partly from compassion for strangers. But those strangers didn’t include anyone who posed a threat to her.

If the Zhou family couldn’t secure control of the base, Yu Xi suggested relocating with their forces to establish a new shelter elsewhere. She could assist, using her knowledge of suitable locations.

If they could solidify their position within the base, that would work too.

This was her first condition: a harmonious environment.

Compared to this, her remaining demands were almost trivial.

Material wealth and weapons held no interest for Yu Xi.

Her seeds could resolve the base’s agricultural challenges, but she demanded assurances. If the Zhou family couldn’t consolidate power, she’d advise relocating and assist in establishing a new haven elsewhere.

“Secondly,” she continued, “there’s a survivor team wrongfully accused of theft, now displaced. I want the base to accept them and provide aid for their elderly and children.”

Zhou Ningyuan nodded immediately. “The base can accommodate them and provide resources for the vulnerable.”

“The third term,” Yu Xi said, “is more of a promise. I want you to pledge to help someone with all your effort when they need it.”

“Zhao Xuefei?” Zhou Ningyuan asked, after a brief silence.

Yu Xi glanced at Zhao Xuefei, who stood not far off with other team members, and nodded. “Yes. But the second and third points hinge on fulfilling the first. You have three days to recover and decide. When we meet again, I’d prefer you not arrive on a stretcher.”

“And how can I trust your claims?”

“This transaction is a risk for both of us,” Yu Xi said plainly. Trust had to be mutual.

She placed a heavy bag on Zhou Ningyuan’s stretcher. “Here’s a sample as proof of my sincerity.”

Zhou Ningyuan opened it to find pristine, original rice seeds. That night, discussions unfolded within the base, culminating in a decisive move three days later.

Yu Xi kept her promise. On the agreed day, March 23—Zhao Xuefei’s birthday—she waited at the designated meeting spot.

As Zhao Xuefei approached the park’s side gate, she spotted a massive off-road RV, its towering wheels and rugged modifications making it stand out.

Hesitating, she wondered if this was where the mysterious person awaited her.

The driver’s door opened, and a familiar face peeked out.

The figure smiled warmly. “Good morning.”