Apocalypse Trade Monopoly
Chapter 55: :Hidding Location

Chapter 55: :Hidding Location

Lucas stepped out of Miss Lin’s den, stretching his arms like they hadn’t just unraveled a city’s worth of power plays.

Ava kept pace beside him, exhaling. "Alright, Bai. What’s the next brilliant move?"

Lucas grinned. "A vacation."

Ava stared at him. "Excuse me?"

Lucas chuckled, already turning down a side street. "We need to stay put for three days."

Ava felt her stomach twist. "Because someone’s looking for you?"

Lucas nodded. "Naturally."

Ava groaned. "And where exactly are we laying low?"

Lucas tilted his head toward a neon-lit sign flickering at the end of the alley.

Ava stopped walking. "Bai."

Lucas grinned. "Relax, Beauty."

Ava stared at the unmistakable signage—bright red, slightly sleazy, screaming Hourly & Extended Stays Available in the kind of font that made her want to punch something.

A love motel.

Ava turned slowly. "You brought me to a goddamn—"

Lucas held up a hand, smirk widening. "Before you start swinging, this is the last place they’ll look for me."

Ava gritted her teeth. "And why exactly is that?"

Lucas chuckled, tapping his knuckles against the door. "Because I own it."

Ava paused. "You own a love motel."

Lucas winked. "Diversified assets, Beauty."

Ava rubbed her temples. "I hate you."

Lucas sighed dramatically. "And yet, here we are."

Ava exhaled, already regretting everything. "Three days?"

Lucas grinned. "Three days."

Ava groaned. "This is going to be hell."

Lucas smirked, pushing the door open. "Only if you fight it, Beauty."

Ava swore under her breath and followed.

Lucas strolled into the motel lobby like he owned the place. Because, well—he did.

Ava followed, exhaling sharply. "You better not be serious about this."

Lucas grinned, tapping his fingers against the reception desk. "Miss Xu. I’ll be taking the Beauty Suite."

Ava froze. "The what?"

Behind the counter, a middle-aged woman in thick-rimmed glasses glanced up from her ledger. She barely blinked at the request.

"Of course, Mr. Bai. As usual?"

Lucas nodded. "Naturally."

Ava crossed her arms. "Tell me you did not name me aftet a suite."

Lucas chuckled. "Would you prefer something else? Like kitten?"

Ava glared. "You are so—"

Miss Xu cleared her throat. "Would you like the premium service with that, sir?"

Ava stiffened. "Premium—?"

Lucas sighed dramatically. "Miss Xu, please. My companion is shy."

Ava elbowed him. "Bai, I swear to—"

Miss Xu barely reacted, already sliding an old-school metal key across the counter. "Suite is ready. Complimentary amenities are stocked. Enjoy your stay."

Lucas picked up the key, flashing a smirk. "Thank you, Miss Xu. Always a pleasure."

Miss Xu nodded. "Try not to break the furniture this time."

Ava stared. "I don’t even want to know."

Lucas grinned, already heading for the stairs. "Come on, Beauty. Let’s get comfortable."

Ava sighed, rubbing her temples. "Three days," she muttered. "I just have to survive three days."

Then, with a deep breath, she followed him.

Ava braced herself as Lucas pushed open the door.

Given everything about him—his dramatics, his smirks, the fact that they were currently hiding in a love motel he owned—she was expecting something ridiculous.

Silk sheets. Mood lighting. A damn heart-shaped bathtub.

Instead—

It was just... a room.

A normal, standard, painfully boring room.

Ava blinked. "This is it?"

Lucas grinned. "Disappointed?"

Ava folded her arms. "No. Just... confused."

Lucas chuckled, tossing his jacket over a chair. "What were you expecting, Beauty? Red velvet and mirrors on the ceiling?"

Ava exhaled sharply. "Considering you, yes."

Lucas smirked. "Tempting. But believe it or not, I prefer function over theatrics."

Ava glanced around. A large bed—normal sheets, nothing excessive. A sturdy desk. A clean bathroom. It was practical, efficient—nothing about it screamed ’Lucas Bai.’

She narrowed her eyes. "You actually stay here."

Lucas stretched, collapsing onto the bed with a sigh. "I told you, I own the place. And sometimes, Level One gets tiring."

Ava tilted her head. "So this is your escape."

Lucas grinned, eyes half-lidded. "What can I say? Even I need a vacation."

Ava watched him for a second, then shook her head. "You are a damn enigma, Bai."

Lucas laughed, patting the empty spot beside him. "Come on, Beauty. Get comfortable."

Ava rolled her eyes. "I’m taking the chair."

Lucas sighed dramatically. "Three days, Zhang. You’re going to have to relax eventually."

Ava huffed. "I’ll relax when this mess is over."

Lucas smirked. "So... never?"

Ava picked up a pillow and threw it at his face.

Lucas just laughed.

Lucas stretched lazily on the bed, golden eyes gleaming. "Alright, Beauty. Do me a favor."

Ava folded her arms. "You giving orders now?"

Lucas grinned. "Always. Now, be a good partner and scan me."

Ava rolled her eyes but let her Blueprint System activate. The familiar hum flickered through her mind as she focused on Lucas.

[SCANNING TARGET: LUCAS BAI...]

[HEALTH STATUS: STABLE]

[HORMONAL LEVELS: ELEVATED]

[NEURAL ACTIVITY: INCREASED]

[METABOLIC RATE: OPTIMIZED]

Ava tilted her head. "Your hormones are running high. And your brain’s working overtime."

Lucas chuckled. "Sounds about right."

[ENHANCEMENTS DETECTED...]

[RECENT UPGRADE: COMPLETED]

[FOREIGN LOCK DETECTED – ACCESS LIMITED]

Ava’s eyes narrowed. "Wait. There’s something else."

Lucas raised a brow. "Oh?"

Ava focused, her system pushing deeper.

[FOREIGN LOCK IDENTIFIED...]

[LINKED SYSTEM: BLUEPRINT SYSTEM]

[ACCESS RESTRICTION: USER-LEVEL]

Her stomach twisted. "Bai."

Lucas grinned lazily. "Yes, Beauty?"

Ava glared. "There’s a lock on you. And it’s connected to me."

Lucas stretched, unbothered. "Of course there is."

Ava exhaled sharply. "You planned this."

Lucas smirked, tilting his head. "Would you believe me if I said it was a happy accident?"

Ava gritted her teeth. "No."

Lucas laughed. "Smart girl."

Lucas sighed, reaching into his jacket and pulling out a sleek black tablet. "Since you’re going to overthink this, let me save us some time."

Ava watched as he tapped the screen, pulling up a data file.

Lucas tilted the tablet toward her. "Here. Two known cases of linked systems."

Ava’s Blueprint System hummed as she scanned the data.

[CASE FILE: LINKED SYSTEMS]

[SUBJECT 01 – STATUS: ACTIVE]

[LINKED PARTNER: GENERAL ZHAO’S ENFORCER]

[PRIMARY FUNCTION: ENHANCED COMBAT CAPABILITIES]

[NOTES: CURRENTLY UNDER CONTRACT – CONTROLLED VIA LEGAL AGREEMENT]

Ava exhaled. "The lawyer."

Lucas nodded. "That contract creator system is nasty. Zhao got himself a powerhouse and locked him in permanently."

Ava scrolled down. The second file flashed in red.

[SUBJECT 02 – STATUS: DECEASED]

[LINKED PARTNER: DECEASED]

[PRIMARY FUNCTION: MUTUAL ENHANCEMENT]

[NOTES: TERMINATION OF ONE RESULTED IN IMMEDIATE DEATH OF THE OTHER]

Ava’s stomach twisted. "The second one... they both died together?"

Lucas leaned back. "That’s what the data suggests. A mission failure—one died, and the other dropped dead the same second."

Ava felt a chill creep down her spine. "And you decided to do this without telling me?"

Lucas chuckled. "Relax, Beauty. You’re smarter than the last guy."