Apocalypse Star House Hoarding

Chapter 88

Yu Xi stared at the dense, slender bodies and hammer-like antennae of the butterflies pressed against the glass, feeling just as unsettled as she had when she first encountered the giant moth.

The butterflies hadn’t changed much in size, and their colors could even be described as beautiful. However, there were so many of them, all so close, as if they were staring at her through the glass, as though… they were specifically after her.

For some reason, she could sense hostility from this swarm of butterflies.

Yu Xi recalled the wisteria petals she had knocked down that afternoon. Now, thinking back, she realized she couldn’t distinguish whether those falling petals were real petals or butterflies disguised as such.

Did they remember her and track her scent all the way back to where she lived?

Why hadn’t they reacted in the afternoon? Butterflies aren’t typically nocturnal, are they?

Could the mutation have altered their habits, making them nocturnal like moths? So they silently hid during the day, then came in swarms at night for revenge?

Wait—nocturnal?

Suddenly, an idea struck Yu Xi, and a series of clues connected in her mind.

Nighttime, silent creatures, large-scale poisoning incidents… Could it be possible that the incident at the sports stadium was related to these butterflies? She recalled that even before mutation, some butterflies were poisonous, though the most well-known toxic species were native to the Americas and Africa. Those butterflies had venomous scales and internal toxins, reportedly potent enough to kill five or six cats.

Now, some butterflies had mutated—not only becoming highly toxic but also more intelligent, with a capacity for stealth…

And the missing people from the neighborhood—it seemed highly likely they were connected to these butterflies.

However, in the sports stadium incident, the bodies remained at the scene after poisoning, while in the neighborhood, the individuals had completely vanished. The connection and differences between the two situations were beyond what she could solve on her own.

It was also possible that the stadium incident wasn’t related to butterflies, but rather a similar type of creature.

There were so many butterflies outside the glass, and she was on the fifteenth floor. Even if she opened the window, there would be no way to deal with them effectively, and the butterflies only needed the smallest gap to slip inside.

Although they wouldn’t harm her parents, the apocalypse had only just begun, and she didn’t want to turn her home into a battlefield. Besides, with butterflies so small and seemingly more intelligent, any one of them hiding somewhere in the house or leaving toxins behind would be a constant, unseen threat.

Assuming these butterflies were indeed targeting her, why hadn’t they come when she first returned home in the afternoon? Why wait until the dead of night?

The crucial question, then, was whether this type of butterfly had become nocturnal by preference or necessity after mutation.

Yu Xi inclined towards the latter. If that were the case, she’d know the answer in a few hours.

So she quietly backed away from the glass without disturbing the butterflies. She removed her protective suit and mask, placing them in the Star House storage, then made herself a large cup of coffee in the kitchen and grabbed a box of cookies, preparing to wait out the night on the couch.

Over the past few days, besides monitoring news and videos from around the world, she had also been downloading information about plants and animals. But with the sheer volume of species on the planet, it was taking a considerable amount of time to download everything.

Hours passed quickly, and as she reached the bottom of her second cup of coffee, the butterflies clinging to the glass finally began to move. First a few, then a group, and soon all of them left the window, fluttering down toward the ground below.

There was still about half an hour before dawn.

Yu Xi got up, went into the Star House, and left a note she had prepared in advance where her parents would see it as soon as they woke up.

The note explained simply that she was going out to investigate something and advised them not to open any windows or doors—no matter who knocked—until she returned. If possible, they should stay inside the Star House until she got back, as it was the safest option.

After that, she put on her protective suit, left the Star House, and dialed the emergency rescue line.

She didn’t hold anything back, recounting everything: the murder in the neighborhood, her accidentally damaging the wisteria petals, the butterflies disguising themselves as wisteria blossoms and swarming her house at night for revenge, and her suspicion that the mass poisoning incident at the sports stadium might be related.

The person on the other end took it seriously, promising to dispatch a rescue team immediately.

She also advised them to wear protective suits and gas masks, as it was unclear whether the butterflies were poisonous.

After hanging up, she retrieved a gas mask from the Star House storage and put it on. After a careful check, she quickly exited the apartment.

She inspected the floor where her family lived, ensuring that the stairwell windows and security doors were closed, with no signs of butterfly intrusion.

She left a voice message for Xu Yan, briefly explaining the situation again and mentioning her plan to wait for the rescue team at the east gate, which was farther from the wisteria corridor and safer than the north gate.

She also suggested a few key messages to convey to the neighborhood residents: firstly, avoid going near the wisteria flowers and refrain from damaging them to avoid triggering revenge. Secondly, ensure all windows and doors are tightly shut at night, as the butterflies exhibit nocturnal behavior. She trusted Xu Yan could handle calming the residents.

A few minutes later, Xu Yan messaged back, saying he would join her at the east gate to wait for the rescue team.

Yu Xi: You don’t have a gas mask; it’s better if you don’t come. It’s unsafe.

Xu Yan: Don’t worry, I have a gas mask. I’m a fan of apocalypse literature, so I stocked up on useful supplies after the tornado hit the outskirts of S City. Wait for me in the lobby on the first floor; I’ll be down soon.

Yu Xi: Okay.

By six o’clock, just as the sun rose, the rescue team arrived.

A military jeep drove into the neighborhood, stopping in the open space in front of the small garden.

The rescue team members got out of the vehicle wearing lightweight chemical protective suits, which were even safer than the suits Yu Xi and Xu Yan had on.

Yu Xi also had these types of suits stored—not only the lightweight ones but also heavy, fully enclosed ones, though they weren’t necessary in this situation.

The team leader was the same as last time, looking visibly more worn out, and there were fewer team members than before—only four or five, with some carrying flamethrowers and one carrying an insect capture device.

The specialist, holding the capture device, had a modified tool that used an internal blower to suck insects into a container at the back, ensuring they were captured alive and could not escape.

As they got out of the vehicle, each team member put on their gas mask. The rescue team also had spare masks ready for them, but seeing Yu Xi and Xu Yan already fully equipped, they gave them a thumbs-up.

Yu Xi had already explained the critical points over the phone, so the team leader instructed them to stay with one of the team members while he led the others and the specialist toward the wisteria corridor.

Their plan was to capture a few butterflies for study and then… burn them.

“Burn them?” Yu Xi asked in surprise.

A team member, noticing her reaction, assumed she was like those online who believed the mass mutations were the planet’s way of driving humans away, that humans shouldn’t be enemies with flora and fauna, and so on. He explained, “We don’t have much choice. There are too many butterflies, and they pose a threat to your safety in this residential area.”

“I’m more worried that your team is too small,” Yu Xi replied. “These butterflies seem to have gotten smarter—they hold grudges. If some manage to escape…”

She didn’t entirely agree or disagree with the arguments circulating online, but she believed it was essential to prioritize urgent matters.

These butterflies had already targeted her, so even if the rescue team didn’t intervene today, she planned to eliminate them all herself. Otherwise, she and her parents would have to stay indoors indefinitely, which would still leave them vulnerable.

Realizing she was concerned, the team member sighed in relief and shared some information: these butterflies entered a state of dormancy during the day, and even if startled awake, they reacted sluggishly.

Apparently, last night’s news hadn’t revealed everything. The sports stadium incident had caused such an uproar that a team of experts was formed almost immediately to investigate.

Yesterday afternoon, they discovered a patch of purple-blue irises growing near an outer wall of the stadium. One of the experts, an entomologist, sensed something odd. Upon closer inspection, he found that the flowers concealed butterflies almost identical to the irises.

They captured some of these butterflies and brought them back for study, engaging additional entomologists for further analysis.

The mutated butterflies remained dormant during the day, making it difficult for an average person to distinguish them from flowers. But at night, they would awaken, becoming highly active and aggressive.

The butterflies’ wings and bodies contained a potent toxin with paralyzing properties, causing creatures to unknowingly succumb to a coma before death…

The expert team collaborated with hospital personnel, comparing toxins extracted from the butterflies with those found on the deceased victims, confirming they were identical.

Thus, it was concluded that the stadium victims had died from butterfly venom.

The experts were puzzled, though: the people at the stadium had been there for several days, so why did the butterflies suddenly begin attacking humans?

This question was answered when Yu Xi made her recent call.

These butterflies remembered grievances and retaliated.

Though it remained unclear what the stadium victims had done to provoke the butterflies, it seemed likely that the attack was triggered by some offense.

The team member informed her that she was fortunate—the building’s secure structure prevented the butterflies from entering, sparing her any harm.

Ahead of them, flames surged into the sky, and Yu Xi couldn’t help but step forward for a better view.

The specialist had already captured the samples and retreated to safety, while the rescue team leader directed the members to encircle the wisteria corridor from multiple points and begin a thorough purge of the flowers and butterflies.

Under the high temperatures, the butterflies, which had returned to dormancy, began to stir, but as the team member had described, their reaction speed and flight capabilities were weaker than at night.

Moreover, even the roots and vines of the wisteria seemed to writhe slightly in the flames.

Sensing something amiss, the team leader ordered the flamethrowers to be turned to maximum to accelerate the burning, ensuring that the flowers, vines, and roots were all completely eradicated.

Even from this distance, Yu Xi could feel the intense heat of the flames, let alone the defenseless butterflies and plants.

Within moments, both the butterflies and the writhing roots were reduced to ashes.

When the smoke and ash finally cleared and sunlight shone on the soil within the corridor, an eagle-eyed team member noticed several shriveled, charred corpses among the burned roots…

Upon further investigation, it was found that these corpses included not only the criminals who had committed the prior murder in the townhouse area but also some of the neighborhood’s previously missing residents.

As Xu Yan had suspected, they had never left the neighborhood. The victims had been poisoned by the butterflies, hallucinated, and approached the wisteria, where the vines then wrapped around and dragged them into crevices between the corridor walls, eventually burying them in the soil…

By noon, local news reported the cause of the mass poisoning at the stadium. To prevent speculation and greater panic, authorities issued a public warning about this dangerous mutated species: the mimic-flower venomous butterfly.

This mutated butterfly, though not commonly found, was known in two forms: wisteria and iris. The wisteria variety induced hallucinations, while the iris variety caused paralysis, both with highly potent venom.

The butterflies and the plants they mimicked had a symbiotic relationship; neither could be easily harmed without provoking retaliation. Following this, the news omitted the name of Yu Xi’s neighborhood and her own involvement but reported on the incident of revenge-seeking butterflies at her residence.

As for the sports stadium incident, it turned out that someone had secretly picked a few iris flowers to brighten up their dull living space, unknowingly triggering the vicious response…

Currently, authorities could not rule out the possibility of other undiscovered mimic-flower venomous butterflies within the city. Consequently, online searches for “mimic-flower venomous butterflies” skyrocketed.

Opinions on the incident varied online. Some harshly criticized the person who picked the flowers, calling them a “murderer” who caused the deaths of nearly two hundred people. Others argued that speaking ill of the deceased was heartless and that no one wanted such a tragedy to occur. However, the majority expressed fear and panic.

This fear and anxiety peaked in the following days as some neighborhood residents began to run out of food, and the promised fresh produce packages failed to arrive.

After the wisteria incident, Yu Xi stayed home for two days, mainly to observe if any butterflies remained in the neighborhood and might come seeking vengeance. Fortunately, the rescue team had done a thorough job, and the following nights were calm. The rescue team’s systematic efforts in clearing out mutated flora and fauna in S City meant the danger seemed to have largely passed.

Every day, Yu Xi helped her parents, Fan Qi and Yu Feng, process the fresh vegetables, fish, and meat they had stocked up on.

The vegetables from Fan Qi’s last big shopping trip had already been cooked and stored in the Star House. They still had some pork ribs left, and that day Fan Qi tasked Yu Xi with chopping the ribs into small sections.

Fan Qi, knowing her family’s love for ribs, had bought eight large racks, each half the size of a pig’s body. Her plan was to fry half of them and roast the other half, then pack everything up for storage.

Yu Xi spent the entire afternoon slicing through the ribs. With her strength, chopping the ribs was as easy as slicing celery; she could finish several racks with a few swift cuts.

Satisfied with Yu Xi’s work, Fan Qi seasoned a portion of the ribs with black pepper and salt, then fried them, sprinkling them with a bit of pepper salt before feeding a few pieces to Yu Xi and her husband, Yu Feng, who was preparing sushi rolls with a bamboo mat nearby.

Fan Qi’s plan was to cook all the rice in the house. Yu Feng would prepare a hundred boxes of his signature fried rice, another hundred boxes of plain rice, and the rest would be made into sushi rolls with fillings like carrot and cucumber strips, paired with pan-fried beef or chicken breast, all wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the Star House. These would be inconspicuous, nutritious meals that could be easily eaten on the go or in crowded areas if necessary.

Although Yu Xi’s Star House was already stocked with similar convenient food, she happily went along with her mother’s plan. After all, this was Fan Qi’s idea, and she was more than willing to support her.

Living in a high-end residential area, their kitchen’s ventilation system ensured none of the delicious aroma from the fried ribs wafted outside. Plus, their next-door neighbors had moved downstairs, so they could cook without concerns.

While the Yu family was well-stocked and busy with their preparations, other residents in the neighborhood were becoming increasingly anxious.

By the third morning, with no sign of the expected fresh produce delivery and running out of food, some residents could no longer bear it and headed out to the neighborhood’s only supermarket.

Though the supermarket wasn’t very large, it did have a cold storage and freezer section. Previously, when food supplies weren’t so scarce, people accepted the supermarket’s “Out of Stock” sign and locked doors. But now, with resources dwindling, desperation was setting in.

Now, things were different. Many households had run out of fresh produce, and staple foods and convenience items were dwindling daily. At this point, whether or not the supermarket had anything left, people needed to see for themselves.

When the lock on the supermarket door was broken and people entered, they found that it was far from empty. The cold storage and freezer rooms were stocked with fresh food, and the night attendant was living in a backroom with a bathroom, living comfortably and indulging himself.

Conflict erupted immediately. Furious residents, who now had no intention of paying, started grabbing whatever they could. The attendant yelled about thieves and robbers, but he was outnumbered by more than a dozen people, with even more joining by the minute.

By the time Xu Yan and a few security guards arrived, most of the goods had already been looted, with residents grabbing even towels and disposable cups. The attendant lay on the floor of the cold storage room, bleeding from a head wound, bruised, and without a breath left.

The attendant had been beaten to death in the chaos. No one had intentionally tried to kill him; it was just a fit of rage. In the midst of the struggle, no one realized he was dead, nor could anyone identify who had dealt the fatal blow.

Everyone who had taken items from the supermarket was now terrified, shutting themselves inside their homes. Xu Yan called the police, but with chaos unfolding elsewhere, no one came after waiting a long time.

By that afternoon, a few videos and photos appeared online, showing that several vehicles transporting fresh produce into the city were ambushed by mutated wolf packs on different routes. By the time the rescue teams arrived, only trampled vegetables remained, while all the fish and meat had vanished, and the delivery drivers had not survived…

The wolves disappeared, and after two days of searching, the rescue teams in the suburbs had found no trace of them.

This incident scared many transport drivers. Although the job paid well, it was no good if they didn’t live to spend their earnings.

Photos and videos taken by nearby residents were briefly deleted, but as more people learned about it, the situation could no longer be suppressed.

Residents in neighborhoods fortunate enough to receive food packages quickly hid their supplies, keeping silent amidst the online frenzy.

Those who hadn’t received packages were making a scene online, demanding access to nearby supermarkets so they could buy their own food and supplies. They reasoned that since supermarkets had cold storage, there must still be stock inside.

The next morning, people awoke to messages on social media about a few supermarkets reopening. Without stopping for breakfast, they wrapped up and armed themselves with insect repellents and various tools to make the most of the opportunity.

Not every supermarket reopened, as local authorities had evaluated the needs of each area and reopened select stores. Some supermarket supplies had already been allocated to frontline rescuers, medical personnel, and various other essential workers, including firefighters and police.

Rescue team members or police officers maintained order, and each person was allowed a limited purchase of food based on their ID—staples, limited fresh meat, convenience foods, drinks, eggs, milk, fruits, and spices, all rationed.

Though the restrictions frustrated many shoppers, the presence of rescue members and police deterred most from causing trouble.

Despite the limits, buying multiple types of food was better than watching supplies at home dwindle. Those who managed to purchase supplies hurried back home.

In such a large city like S City, not everyone received the news at the same time. Some residents arrived at supermarkets only to find that most of the food was already gone, so they resorted to buying basic supplies instead.

Online, people scrambled for information on which supermarkets still had supplies, with nearly everyone rushing between stores.

Since every city was struggling, relying on outside support was unrealistic. Self-preservation became the priority, and many people were desperately stockpiling food and supplies, anticipating a worsening crisis.

By nightfall, all supplies in the open supermarkets were gone, yet many people had acquired nothing, leaving the city in a state of anxiety.

During the evening news, authorities once again urged calm, stating that the initial produce deliveries were unprepared for the mutated animals, but now military and rescue teams would personally escort supplies from the main grain, vegetable, fish, and fruit bases surrounding the city. The latest supply would arrive by the next day.

Officials encouraged citizens to remain composed, reminding them that the city had already cleared out mutated plants and animals. With everyone working together, the crisis could be overcome.

Hearing that the military and rescue teams would escort the supplies eased some fears.

Those who had secured food during the day finally managed to prepare a proper dinner and enjoy a meal with their families.

But later that night, someone was jolted awake by shaking.

Looking at the pieces of concrete falling from above and scattered items on the floor, they shouted in panic, “Quick, get up! It’s an earthquake! An earthquake!”