"Ah, you could call it a honey trap, sure."
Old Yang stroked his chin. "But it's a solid plan, isn't it?"
"Have you considered the possibility that she might not be into me?" Zhou Chen asked.
"Did you forget what I said before? A virgin stands out like a lipstick stain on a white collar, as obvious as ice floating in a Coke.
You take one lap around that bar, and you won't even have enough fingers to count all the older women who'll hit on you. Besides, you're almost as handsome as I was in my prime. Your looks are top-notch, you seem harmless, you're tall, and you're in great shape. You're guaranteed to be in high demand."
Old Yang grinned. "A high-quality young man like you is like a cooked duck in front of her."
Zhou Chen opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He had a strong feeling this plan wasn't going to work.
He suggested, "Can't we just ambush her on her way home from work? It would be so much easier to just bag her and knock her out."
"We could, but what if Fina is controlling an ordinary person at that moment?"
Old Yang said, "If we make a move, she'll definitely shove a civilian in front of her as a shield. All she needs is a two or three-second delay to get away or send a message to Eternal Fire."
Zhou Chen stammered for a long time, at a complete loss for words. He turned to Jiang Che with a final sliver of hope.
But her reply shattered his fantasy: "This is indeed the simplest and most effective method."
Zhou Chen immediately grew anxious. "This isn't what we agreed on, ma'am! Why do I have to sell my body...?"
Jiang Che sighed. "Who said you have to sell your body?"
She pulled up a model of the Red Rose Bar, enlarging it with a wave of her hand. After adjusting the angle, you could see a wide, secluded alley behind the bar, with one side of the road lined with parked cars.
"Surveillance footage shows that Fina parks her car in the back alley every day. After her shift, she takes someone with her out the back door, leaves through the alley, and heads straight for a hotel.
This is the best time to make our move."
Zhou Chen stared at the model constructed on the light screen and pondered for a moment. "But what if there are other people in the alley when the time comes?"
"The logistics team will ensure no incidents occur. The command center will monitor any and all activity within a two-kilometer radius."
Jiang Che said calmly, "Over fifty staff members will be working overtime through the night to support you."
With things having been put that way, Zhou Chen had no choice but to nod in agreement.
...
「Nightfall.」
The city lit up with a dazzling array of neon lights, as brilliant as the Milky Way. An aerial maglev train sped by with a RUMBLE.
Inside Old Yang's car, Zhou Chen stared intently out the window.
Above the square, a holographic azure whale swam slowly through the air, splashing up sprays of blue. The dazzling words "Whale Song Restaurant Grand Opening Celebration" circled above its head, visible from all 360 degrees.
In an open plaza, a group of middle-aged and elderly people were doing their square dancing to a popular hit song. Children gathered to play on rollerblades and floating skateboards. A little farther away was a food street glittering with neon lights, bustling with crowds. Pedestrians chatted and laughed, holding snacks or carrying shopping bags.
As far as the eye could see, the city was prosperous and peaceful.
Since the beginning of the New Era, humanity's technological level has far surpassed that of the Old Era, thanks to the emergence of Ascenders and the exploration of the various Restricted Areas.
Yet, things like the corporate monopolies and "high tech, low life" situation seen in cyberpunk hadn't come to pass. The Star Association firmly maintained its lead in guiding the World's operations. While protecting the World, it strove to lead humanity toward a more brilliant future. This was also to better defend against threats from the Abyss and other unknown Powers.
About ten minutes later, the car pulled into the parking lot of the Red Rose Bar.
"Get ready to move. I'll go in and run interference for you. No pressure."
Old Yang clapped Zhou Chen on the shoulder. "Remember, just be yourself once you're inside. It'll make you seem non-threatening."
And so, under Old Yang's gaze—a pie chart of ten percent encouragement, twenty percent amusement, thirty percent schadenfreude, and forty percent wanting to laugh—Zhou Chen got out of the car. He straightened his collar, took a deep breath, and strode toward the bar like a hero marching to his doom.
...
「Red Rose Bar.」
Blinding, colorful lights flashed rapidly. Seductive, sexy women and wild young men danced with abandon to the deafening music, frantically twisting their bodies to vent their daily stress, like a mass of writhing maggots.
The air was thick with the heavy scent of perfume. Even the inconspicuous corners were filled with the clinking of glasses and the flirtatious laughter of men and women. Everyone was immersed in a world of debauchery.
On the dance floor, several women with fantastic figures and revealing clothes were performing a seductive pole dance, drawing cheers from the crowd below. The sight made Zhou Chen's brow furrow.
'This is too much! I really don't understand why they have to be like this! Where is their morality? Where is their dignity? Where are their principles? Where is their address?? And where is their contact information???'
After sitting and watching with a "critical" eye for quite a while, Zhou Chen finally remembered he was on a mission.
His gaze swept the room, and he spotted the bar in the distance, along with the suspect named Fina.
She had a head of burgundy hair and wore a tight white shirt and black vest that perfectly accentuated her impressive figure. With a sweet and enthusiastic smile, she elegantly served drinks to every customer.
Zhou Chen walked up to the bar and sat down. The dim, intimate lighting cast him as a flickering phantom, lending his youthful face an air of hazy charm.
Fina's eyes narrowed slightly, then she broke into a bright smile. "What can I get for you?"
"Uh..." Zhou Chen froze. He had just remembered that he knew absolutely nothing about alcohol. He racked his brain, but he couldn't come up with the name of a single drink. 'I can't just ask for a bottle of Snow or Tsingtao, can I?'
"I can tell it's your first time here. How about a mojito? It's refreshing and tasty," Fina said with a laugh.
"Sounds good." Zhou Chen returned a polite smile, but inwardly he was on high alert, wary of her using an Ability at any moment.
Fina didn't move, just watched him with a smile. "So, don't tell me you don't even know the rule about paying before you drink?"
'No wonder Old Yang told me to just be myself. How could a college student this clueless possibly be a threat...' Zhou Chen gave an awkward laugh.
"How much is it?"
"No charge. This one's on me." Fina flashed a dazzling smile.
"Really?"
"Of course. I like treating handsome guys to a drink."
Fina enjoyed Zhou Chen's shy, embarrassed smile and said, "You look so young. You must be a college student, right? Which university?"
To build a connection, Zhou Chen decided to answer truthfully: "Jinzhu University."
"Jinzhu University?"
Fina's eyes lit up. "Well, in that case, you should be calling me 'Senior'."
"You went to Jinzhu University too?" Zhou Chen put on a surprised "Oh, what a coincidence!" expression.