Apocalypse Star House Hoarding

Chapter 280

Although she had already read the description of the treehouse keychain’s effects in the reward item details, seeing the simulated tree with the treehouse in front of her still made Yu Xi’s eyes light up.

The tree stood about seven to eight meters tall, roughly the height of a standard two-story building. Its trunk was thick, and its canopy was wide and lush, securely supporting the treehouse above.

After an iris scan and voice recognition, a section of the tree trunk opened, revealing a built-in elevator that would take her directly into the treehouse interior.

Since she was the first to activate the item, the treehouse was automatically bound to her iris and voice. This meant that no one but her could activate the elevator and enter the treehouse.

Yu Xi stepped aside and used a disinfectant spray on the protective suit she was wearing before storing it directly in her space.

She kept her breathing mask on and sprayed herself and all her carried items again before storing her backpack, flamethrower, and backpack-style disinfectant sprayer into her space. Then, she entered the tree trunk elevator.

With a soft ding, the elevator door opened. She stepped out from the trunk and found herself inside the treehouse.

The entire structure was a hexagonal metal-glass treehouse. A double bed and two single beds were positioned against the glass walls. The bathroom had sliding doors and occupied two of the walls in an angular layout.

A small kitchenette was located in front of the farthest glass wall. It had a small curved bar counter, with one side for food preparation and the other serving as a dining table.

Outside that same glass wall was a terrace with a roof, furnished with a table and four chairs. The treehouse was constructed from high-strength, bulletproof, and explosion-proof metal glass. The exterior of the tree trunk, where the elevator was located, had a control panel that allowed her to unlock and bind other people’s iris and voice recognition, giving them access to enter the treehouse.

Due to the special properties of the metal-glass material, the treehouse was well-insulated, keeping it warm in winter and cool in summer. Additionally, the ceiling, floor, and all six walls could be adjusted to different modes.

For example, in invisible mode, the glass allowed her to see the outside clearly while preventing outsiders from seeing in.

There was also sleep mode, which blocked outside light like curtains. Other settings included starry sky mode and green forest mode, which simulated immersive environments within the treehouse.

Yu Xi first set all the glass to invisible mode before taking out a camping lantern from her space, turning it on, and placing it on the glass floor.

Although the treehouse was acquired from Fairy Tale Amusement Park, as a game item, its defense features were exceptionally high-tech. However, its internal facilities and power generator were on par with the technology level of her original world.

This meant that the fuel she had stored in her space could be used to power the treehouse’s generator.

She retrieved a pair of slippers from her space, changed into clean shoes, then started setting up. She opened the cabinet, found the stored generator, and filled it with fuel. Afterward, she entered the bathroom and refilled the water tank.

She turned on the faucet, activating the generator, which quickly heated the water flowing through the pipes. After adjusting the temperature, she stepped into the shower.

She had been busy all day, drinking only a few sips of water here and there, and hadn’t eaten lunch or dinner. After a quick shower, she changed into a clean short-sleeved t-shirt and long pants before bringing the camping lantern to the bar counter.

As long as the treehouse had electricity, she could turn on the lights and air conditioning. However, since she was alone, a single camping lantern was sufficient. The temperature inside the treehouse was noticeably cooler than outside, and thanks to her body’s natural heat tolerance, she didn’t feel hot at all.

She took out a Sichuan-style meal she had packed from Wukong City, which included spicy chicken, dry pot bullfrog, mouthwatering chicken, boiling fish, hand-torn cabbage, garlic sautéed water spinach, and sausage and bamboo fungus soup. She also grabbed a bottle of ice-cold cola.

By now, she had long overcome the ability to lose her appetite due to disturbing sights. No matter how nauseating the fungus parasites she had seen during the day were, she could still enjoy her dinner with ease.

As she ate, she sent messages in the team chat, checking in with her teammates and sharing her mission rewards.

That afternoon, they had all received mission prompts, quickly realizing the mechanics of this Fran City station.

The train tickets they wanted, clues about the hidden departure station, reward items, and space expansion bonus fragments—all of these would be obtained through completing rescue missions.

There were no penalties for ignoring the missions, but that also meant they wouldn’t get anything. Just like before, it was best to complete necessary tasks as soon as possible, obtain the train ticket and information they needed, and then find a relatively safe place to lay low for the rest of the stay.

That day, Yu Xi completed three rescue missions:

A newlywed couple.A mother and daughter trapped in a hair salon.A family whose father had a sprained ankle.Each group faced different difficulties, and their destinations varied. The mother and daughter were sent back to their hotel to reunite with their family, while the family was escorted home.

Some were tourists, others were expatriates, but the one thing they all had in common was that they were Chinese.

After completing these missions, her storage space expanded by another 50 cubic meters, and she received a stealth sticker and a jump boost card as rewards.

She had obtained a stealth sticker before but hadn’t used it yet.

The jump boost card granted frog-like jumping abilities for twenty minutes. It was a one-time-use skill card with a short duration, meaning its effect was likely quite powerful.

Lin Wu, analyzing the fungus parasite cases based on their descriptions, summarized a few key points:

So far, every fungus parasite that reached the self-detonation stage had gone through an incubation period. Early symptoms included disorientation, unconsciousness, high fever, and vomiting blood. Once the fungus growths appeared, the self-detonation phase was inevitable and uncontrollable.When the fungus parasites exploded, they not only sprayed infectious pus but also contaminated the surrounding air, making them extremely dangerous. Proper precautions were necessary.Those infected by an explosion showed rapid symptoms—skin corrosion and fungal growths appeared in a very short amount of time. Unlike the initial victims, they had no incubation period. This suggested that the fungi underwent mutations within human hosts, speeding up the infection process.In short, this disease was even more dangerous than a zombie virus.

Yu Zhenzhen remarked that she was glad she had acted quickly and secured a boat before the outbreak got worse. It was a two-level yacht with a maximum capacity of nine people.

She admitted it wasn’t as good as the yacht Yu Xi had previously obtained, but it was still much better than an inflatable raft. At least it had a cabin for shelter, a small kitchen, and a bathroom.

Yu Xi replied: “We still don’t know enough about these fungus parasites. Be careful. If things get worse, retreat to the lake for now. You still have two station tickets left. We’re all looking for the hidden departure station, so don’t force yourself into missions.”

Even though Yu Zhenzhen had an infinite shield, she wasn’t an official mission traveler. Protecting herself in the chaotic city wasn’t difficult, but if she took on rescue missions, there would be too many unpredictable factors—especially since not every rescuee would cooperate. It could cause unnecessary trouble.

Yu Zhenzhen replied: “Don’t worry, I know. I only took on one mission today. I’m back at the hotel now and booked a mid-floor suite. The room has already been disinfected, and my shield will be up 24/7—it’s completely safe.”

She then asked where everyone else was staying for the night.

Still in quarantine, Xi Yuan replied: “You’re just asking to tease me…”

Lin Wu: “Small town, few people, just broke into an empty villa.”

Ya Tong: “There are plenty of parks in my area, so I got an off-road vehicle—good for traveling and sleeping. If anything happens, I can activate my shield and drive off. Good thing Yu Xi gave me a large fuel tank earlier. I’ll still try to get more tomorrow. What about you, Yu Xi? You don’t have a shield, so be extra careful.”

Yu Xi: “I sent a video in the station-bought phone’s group chat.”

Since Endless Train’s team chat didn’t support images, she figured a video would better explain her current setup.

Xi Yuan: … You did that on purpose. You know I can’t use a phone with a signal right now.

No one responded in the chat—everyone else had already gone to watch the video.

Xi Yuan: …

The video was one Yu Xi had just recorded and uploaded. It started with the treehouse’s beds, introducing each section one by one—where the elevator was, where the bathroom was. When filming the shower, she mentioned that both fuel and clean water were fully stocked, and she had just taken a shower.

Next was the kitchen, simple yet functional, with the bar counter still holding her half-eaten Sichuan meal and drink.

She then focused on the walls and ceiling of the treehouse, explaining that they were made of high-strength, highly secure, technologically advanced glass with multiple adjustable modes. No one could see inside, and to demonstrate, she switched to the starry sky mode for everyone to see.

Finally, she switched to selfie mode, stepping in front of the glass wall so that the view behind her was visible. The treehouse’s dim lighting allowed a clear view of the cityscape outside, showing that she was positioned on the rooftop of a tall building. Combined with the height of the treehouse, it was an excellent vantage point, allowing her to monitor the city at all times.

She could see where chaos was erupting, where fires and explosions broke out, where gunfire echoed… Everything was in plain sight.

Everyone: …

Suddenly, their chosen resting spots felt completely inferior… They had completely forgotten that Yu Xi had drawn a treehouse item.

Yu Xi: Let’s do missions for the next two days and meet up as soon as possible. With the treehouse, we can survive anywhere.

**

The night in Fran City was far from peaceful. The darkness reduced visibility, making unexpected incidents even more likely.

This was the peak outbreak period. Even though most people had stocked up on food and water and locked themselves indoors, it didn’t mean they were safe.

Some people woke in the middle of the night to strange noises, only to discover that their family members beside them were coughing violently, trapped in a fever-induced coma.

They frantically recalled the symptoms from the emergency announcement, checked their phones for comparisons, and felt their hearts sink.

Panicked, they dialed emergency services, but the lines were constantly busy. When they finally got through, they were told that personnel were severely lacking. If a patient was already unconscious, they were advised to restrain and isolate them.

If the patient started vomiting blood, they were warned not to approach—extreme measures might be necessary.

“Extreme measures?! That’s my family! My family!” Desperate citizens screamed into their phones, but it was useless.

The city was overrun with fungus-infected hosts. When they self-destructed, they not only spread the fungus, rapidly creating new hosts, but also contaminated the surrounding air. Their remains had to be immediately incinerated and disinfected.

If left unchecked, more people would be infected.

The military had to deploy more personnel to these areas to contain the spread.

By comparison, those who had only just developed high fevers were still in the incubation stage and weren’t an immediate threat to others. However, there was no cure for the infection. Once symptoms appeared, death was inevitable—hence the “extreme measures” advice.

The streets were no safer. Not everyone stayed inside out of fear.

The city’s chaos presented an opportunity for criminals. Armed with knives, clubs, and firearms, they drove through the streets, smashing into jewelry and electronics stores, looting anything valuable.

They weren’t afraid of the so-called “acute infection” from the news. They planned to make a fortune, leave Fran City, sell their stolen goods elsewhere, and enjoy the spoils.

Bold yet ignorant, they even fought back when encountering military forces.

But the situation was dire. The military had no time for restraint—any looters encountered were treated as infected and dealt with using heavy weaponry.

Yu Xi stood by the north-facing glass, watching a violent shootout unfold four blocks away. Soon, a rocket launcher was fired, and everything fell silent.

She set the treehouse’s ceiling, floor, and five non-kitchen walls to sleep mode, set a five-hour alarm, and went to bed.

At five in the morning, she woke to her alarm. Outside, Fran City was still shrouded in darkness.

She adjusted the glass wall settings, freshened up, brewed herself a cup of milk coffee from a drip bag, and took out a chicken sandwich for a simple breakfast.

As she changed into a waterproof, sweat-wicking quick-dry outfit, she waited for her phone to vibrate.

Mission prompts appeared at regular intervals, allowing travelers to accept or decline. A task had appeared during the night, but given the risks, she had ignored it.

Now, after a full night’s rest, she was at peak condition—ready to take on a mission.

Ten minutes later, her phone vibrated.

She checked the prompt, accepted the mission, then took the elevator down from the treehouse and stored the item.

Afterward, she retrieved her breathing mask, protective suit, flamethrower, backpack-style disinfectant sprayer, and backpack, equipping everything before unlocking the rooftop’s emergency exit.

She began her mission for the day.

By the time evening arrived, she had completed four missions.

When not doing missions, she stopped at gas stations to continue stockpiling fuel and visited equipment stores to gather more cloak-style raincoats—essential supplies for the current crisis.

Around six o’clock, she was preparing to find another building to spend the night in when her phone vibrated again.

This mission seemed different.

Prompt: A special mission has been detected nearby. Traveler “Lu Yong” has sent out a distress signal. Please arrive at the designated location within ten minutes and assist “Lu Yong” in completing the mission. Upon accepting, you will form a temporary team with traveler “Lu Yong.”

Completing this mission will grant a hidden reward.

Would you like to accept the special rescue mission? (Yes/No)

Yu Xi: …?

Lu Yong?

Was it the Lu Yong she knew?