The man approaching Brother Jax looked to be in his early thirties, dressed in a sharply tailored suit that screamed high-end quality. A badge pinned to his chest identified him as an "Account Manager."
"Are you a manager here at The Elysium Lounge?" Brother Jax asked, giving him a sideways glance.
"That's correct! The surname is Li. And how may I address you, brother?"
"Jax."
"Brother Jax, a pleasure! I noticed you hovering around the entrance for a while now. Thinking about heading inside?"
Brother Jax nodded. "You could say that. I’ve heard this place is interesting, so I figured I’d take a look."
"Haha! You have an excellent eye, brother! The Elysium Lounge has recently undergone a complete renovation. To show our appreciation for both new and loyal patrons, we’ve launched an exclusive VIP service. Why don’t you come in with me and we’ll get you set up with a membership card?"
Brother Jax agreed. He wasn’t short on funds—his dimensional storage was stocked with Cores, and he assumed he could easily afford whatever entertainment the lounge offered. Besides, he wasn't here to burn Credits; he was here to extract Elena.
Brother Jax followed Manager Li into the opulent lobby. Li leaned casually against the polished marble counter and signaled the receptionist. "Get this gentleman set up with a membership card."
The young girl behind the desk nodded professionally, her fingers hovering over a holographic keyboard. She looked up at Brother Jax. "Sir, how much would you like to top up for your initial deposit?"
Brother Jax paused. "What’s the minimum?"
Manager Li, standing beside him, let a flicker of disdain cross his face before plastering his professional smile back on. "Brother, look at that expensive suit you’re wearing. If you stick to the minimum, you won’t have any fun in there! We’ve recently launched the Emperor Package—a steal at just 111,110,000 Credits! Why not start with that?"
Brother Jax nearly choked.
One hundred and eleven million? What the hell? Since when did people toss around hundreds of millions like pocket change?
"Haha! Brother, you might not be up to speed," Li laughed, reading Brother Jax's expression. "Nowadays, a hundred million is basically entry-level currency. You’ve seen the world outside—every time an Insect Swarm hits, a new crop of tycoons rises from the chaos. You should enjoy your wealth while you can. Once the Swarms fade, you won’t get to play at these prices!"
Brother Jax frowned. He had made a killing recently, gathering enough Cores to exchange for roughly a hundred million Credits, but he had zero interest in blowing his hard-earned fortune on some "Emperor Package."
"Forget it," Brother Jax waved his hand dismissively. "I just want to see what the fuss is about. Give me the lowest-tier membership."
The girl at the front desk exchanged a look with the manager before turning back to Brother Jax with a hint of pity. "The annual fee is 1,000,000 Credits. Please note that this restricts access to many areas. However, it does come with a complimentary monthly sauna pass. Please keep it safe."
She handed him the card and the pass. Brother Jax stared at them, stunned.
Damn. Is the cost of living really this high? Has the currency depreciated that badly?
He hadn't anticipated this. In the Outer City, a few million Credits was a fortune. Here, 1,000,000 was the cover charge for the cheap seats.
With his low-tier card in hand, Brother Jax walked through the security gates, his eyes immediately scanning the crowd. Thanks to his past life, he didn't gawk like a country bumpkin. instead, he moved with purpose, analyzing the layout and filtering for locations where Elena might be found.
After a few casual inquiries, Brother Jax pieced together the structure of the lounge. The Elysium Lounge was a nine-story vertical playground.
Floors one and two were the general admission areas—karaoke, bars, gambling halls, and bathhouses.
Floors three and four were the mid-tier zones, requiring a membership with an annual fee of over ten million Credits.
From the fifth floor up, the exclusivity ramped up exponentially. The top floor was rumored to be strictly invitation-only, reserved for the heavy hitters from the Central District. Brother Jax didn't know exactly what went on up there, but he doubted Elena was involved.
Elena was undeniably beautiful—top-tier, even—but her personality was a disaster. She was too volatile, too violent. Brother Jax couldn't imagine any high-rolling patron tolerating her temper for more than five minutes.
Reasoning that she hadn't ascended the ranks, Brother Jax headed toward the second floor.
A massive swimming pool dominated the space. It was crowded with men and women frolicking in the water, the air thick with humidity and laughter. Brother Jax scanned the faces, didn't see her, and decided to push deeper into the floor.
Suddenly, a girl came speed-walking toward him, head down, completely oblivious to her surroundings. She was marching straight for a concrete pillar.
"Hey—"
Brother Jax reached out and grabbed her arm just before she slammed into the stone.
Thud.
The sudden stop jerked her back. "Sss... that hurts!"
Brother Jax looked her over, his habit of assessing threats and assets kicking in.
Features are nice, though she still has a bit of baby fat. Figure is scrawny—barely passable. Solid eighty points.
"You walk without looking?" Brother Jax asked, letting go of her arm. "If I hadn't grabbed you, you'd be nursing a concussion right now."
The girl rubbed her arm, glaring at him. "It's your fault! If you hadn't grabbed me, I would have dodged at the last second!"
Brother Jax blinked. Wow. That’s some logic. She's actually trying to blame me?
The girl scowled, her eyes darting to the membership card Brother Jax was still holding. Her expression instantly shifted from annoyance to disgust.
"Another big spender," she sneered. "Looks like some poor girl is going to suffer today."
She turned to storm off, clearly despising the clientele.
Brother Jax, amused by her prickly nature, reached out and caught her arm again. "Hold on. You've got the wrong idea. I'm not here to 'spend' like that. I'm looking for someone."
The girl didn't soften. "Why explain it to me? Coming here proves you're no gentleman. Save your excuses."
Brother Jax laughed. This girl's attitude rivaled Elena's. The only difference was that Elena would have tried to kick his head off by now.
"Cough. No, really. Do you work here?"
He asked because she stood out. While the women in the pool and by the bar were dressed in bikinis or revealing gowns, this girl was buttoned up. Her figure was average, mostly because her modest clothes hid everything. Brother Jax figured she wasn't part of the "menu."
The girl eyed him warily. "What do you want?"
"Like I said, I'm looking for a person. If you can help me, I'll make it worth your while." Brother Jax flashed a sincere, non-threatening smile.
"Who are you looking for?"
"Elena. Oh, right—do the girls here use stage names?"
"Stage names? A guy with a basic membership can't afford anyone with a 'name,'" she scoffed. "Please, don't dream too big. Stick to your league."
Brother Jax was left speechless. Her sarcasm was sharp enough to draw blood.
"Hey, easy with the attitude. You're staff, aren't you? I'm technically a customer."
"Sorry to disappoint, but I don't work for this place. You're mistaken."
She spun on her heel and walked away. As she did, a card slipped from her pocket and fluttered to the floor.
Brother Jax watched her disappear into the crowd, then bent down to retrieve the card.
Hazel. Auctioneer.
An auctioneer? Brother Jax raised an eyebrow. What kind of auction house operates out of a lounge?
He hadn't heard of any auctions taking place here. He needed intel, and to get that, he needed to blend in.
Drawing on the experience of his past life, Brother Jax navigated the social currents with practiced ease. He found a booth, flagged down a hostess, and ordered a round of strong drinks.
"Brother, don't just pour drinks for me! Talk to me!" the hostess complained, though she happily downed the glass.
Brother Jax waited until her eyes grew glassy and her speech began to slur. "Cough... well, look at the time. I've got business to attend to. By the way, is there an auction upstairs tonight?"
The hostess giggled, a tipsy, foolish grin spreading across her face. "Big brother, you know about everything! What time is it? I heard the auction starts at midnight tonight. Are you rushing to get a seat?"
Brother Jax checked his internal clock. "Yeah, I drank a bit too much... which floor was it again? My memory is fuzzy."
"Haha! You can't handle your liquor! How could you forget?" She slumped onto the table, pointing a limp finger toward the ceiling. "Ninth floor... use the staff elevator... hic."
Brother Jax pulled a Tier 2 Core from his pocket and pressed it into her palm. As his hand retracted, he deftly swiped the staff access card clipped to her waist.
"Thanks, sweetheart. Sorry about this."