Ava had never lived in luxury.
But this?
This was downright offensive.
She stood at the entrance of her new living quarters, eyes scanning the ridiculously spacious layout—not a cramped concrete cell, not a filthy shared space, but an actual damn apartment.
Two bedrooms. Two. A separate furnished living area. A small but functional kitchen. Even a private bathroom—which, after weeks of sharing a single disgusting stall with fifty other people, felt like a borderline religious experience.
Lucas Bai leaned against the doorframe, watching her reaction with amusement.
"Well?" he drawled. "Not bad, right?"
Ava turned, squinting at him. "You bribing me into loyalty?"
Lucas smirked. "I don't bribe. I invest."
Ava snorted. Same thing.
She stepped inside, running her fingers over the smooth, dust-free surfaces, feeling the solid weight of security in the reinforced walls.
Compared to Level Three, this wasn't just an upgrade.
It was a whole different world.
And that meant one thing.
She owed him now.
Ava turned, crossing her arms. "Alright, Bai. What's the catch?"
Lucas's golden eyes gleamed. "You work for me, remember?"
"Yeah, but this is a little excessive for a glorified scrap collector."
Lucas laughed. "You're not just collecting scrap, Zhang. You're building the future."
Ava tilted her head. "Dramatic much?"
"Always."
Ava sighed, already regretting this.
But the truth was—this was a good deal.
She had a safe space. A real bed. A shower. And most importantly?
She had room to work.
Her Blueprint System hummed in the back of her mind, eager, restless, like it knew this was where it was supposed to be.
Fine.
She'd play along.
For now.
Ava tossed her bag onto the couch, stretching her arms over her head.
"Guess I live here now."
Lucas grinned. "Welcome to Level Two, Zhang."
She rolled her eyes. This was going to be a nightmare.
But at least she wouldn't be sleeping on the floor anymore.
Ava barely had time to drop onto the couch before Lucas clapped his hands together, his golden eyes sharp with authority.
"Alright, Zhang. Ground rules."
Ava groaned, already regretting this arrangement. "You mean I have to follow rules? I was hoping for total anarchy."
Lucas didn't even crack a smirk. "Rule one—bedrooms are off-limits."
Ava raised a brow. "To who?"
Lucas's expression didn't change. "To both of us. You don't go into mine, I don't go into yours."
Ava squinted at him. "You hiding something, Bai?"
Lucas smiled, but it wasn't his usual lazy smirk. It was the kind that didn't reach his eyes.
"Everyone hides something."
Ava shrugged. "Fair enough."
Lucas didn't miss a beat. "Rule two—you don't talk about anything that happens in this apartment."
Ava tilted her head. "Talk to who?"
Lucas leaned against the counter, his expression unreadable. "Anyone. I don't care if it's your old school friends, your scavenger buddies, or some idiot trying to get information out of you—whatever happens here, stays here."
Ava exhaled through her nose. That was a heavy one.
"Wow," she said. "So no gossiping at the bunker lunch table? Brutal."
Lucas didn't blink. "I'm serious, Zhang."
Ava met his gaze. He was serious.
Alright, then. Noted.
She stretched her arms over her head. "Alright. Next?"
"Rule three—if you take food, replace it."
Ava blinked. "We have food?"
Lucas gave her a flat look. "I do."
Ah. There it was.
Lucas Bai didn't just own the trade market. He controlled resources.
Ava sighed dramatically. "Fine. I won't steal your fancy bunker snacks without permission. Next?"
"Rule four—if you bring trouble to this apartment, you deal with it."
Ava smirked. "Define trouble."
Lucas didn't smile back. "Anything that makes me regret letting you live here."
Ava's smirk faded slightly.
Alright. That one wasn't a joke.
She nodded once. "Got it."
Lucas studied her for a moment, then straightened. "That's it."
Ava pushed herself off the couch, stretching. "Cool. I need a shower."
Lucas stepped aside, watching her as she passed.
"Try not to break anything."
Ava shot him a mock salute. "Not making any promises, boss."
Lucas exhaled, shaking his head as Ava walked into the shower.
Ava had forgotten what clean felt like.
Not bunker clean, where you wiped off grime with a damp rag and called it a day. Not scavenger clean, where a lucky rainstorm did the job.
Real clean. Soap and water clean.
And apparently?
Lucas Bai's private shower had both.
The only catch?
40 seconds.
The Clock is Ticking
Ava stepped under the spray, bracing for either freezing cold or boiling heat.
Instead?
It was perfect.
Her muscles loosened instantly, the water slicing through layers of dust, dried sweat, and bunker grime.
For exactly two seconds, she enjoyed it.
Then?
Her Blueprint System helpfully reminded her:
[Water Ration: 40 Seconds Remaining]
Ava swore and moved fast.
Soap—actual soap—foamed under her hands, cutting through days of filth in seconds. She scrubbed hard, rinsed even harder, and ignored the fact that this was the best thing that had happened to her in weeks.
The timer counted down mercilessly.
[10 Seconds Remaining]
Ava did a final rinse, shaking water from her hair, exhaling as the stream shut off.
For a moment, she just stood there, dripping, skin warm, feeling almost… human.
Then reality kicked back in.
She had exactly one set of bunker-worn clothes.
Which were soaking wet.
And Lucas Bai's closet?
It was right there—folded neatly, smelling irritatingly expensive hoodie.
Ava didn't think.
She grabbed it, yanked it on, and pulled the hood up for good measure.
The fabric was warm, oversized, and so damn comfortable she immediately hated herself.
"Great," she muttered, rolling up the sleeves. "Now I'm drowning in Bai-brand smugness."
Then she stepped out—
And walked directly into Lucas.
Lucas leaned against the wall, arms crossed, golden eyes flicking up and down.
Ava braced herself.
And then, the inevitable smirk.
"Well," he drawled, "if you wanted to steal my clothes, you could've just asked."
Ava scowled. "Shut up, Bai."
Lucas, clearly enjoying himself, tilted his head. "You're awfully attached to that hoodie."
Ava gripped the hem tighter. "It's warm."
Lucas chuckled. "You do realize that wearing my clothes makes a statement, right?"
Ava arched a brow. "Yeah. It says I was cold."
Lucas grinned. "And mine says you belong to me."
Ava exhaled sharply through her nose. "I belong to no one."
Lucas shrugged, still too damn smug. "Keep telling yourself that."
Ava turned on her heel, marching away before she did something violent.
Lucas called after her, voice dripping with amusement.
"Make sure to take good care of that hoodie. It looks real good on you."
Ava didn't answer.
She just kept walking, gritting her teeth.
Because damn it—
It was a really good hoodie.