Chapter 140: Beyond the Gold Card
Chapter 140: Beyond the Gold Card
Lucas picked up the black tray with both hands and took a slow breath.
"Just another waiter..."
He lowered his head slightly, allowing the brim of his cap to cast a shadow over most of his face.
Then he raised the tray to shoulder height, exactly the way every other waiter carried theirs, and calmly walked toward the VVIP checkpoint.
Every step felt heavier than the last.
The two guards standing outside the massive steel door immediately noticed him approaching.
Lucas gave them a small respectful nod, preparing to walk straight past.
"Hold it."
His footsteps stopped instantly.
Lucas slowly raised his eyes.
The guard who had nearly grabbed him by the collar earlier was staring directly at him.
The man’s face was still filled with irritation.
Apparently...
He hadn’t forgotten Lucas.
"What now..."
Lucas cursed inwardly.
The guard folded his arms before asking casually,
"How many are left?"
Lucas froze.
...How many?
His brain immediately began racing.
How many what?
Bottles?
Guests?
Rooms?
Orders?
He had absolutely no clue.
Standing there in silence would only expose him.
"...Twelve."
The number escaped his mouth almost instinctively.
For a brief moment...
Neither guard spoke.
Then the aggressive guard frowned.
"Twelve?"
"That’s strange."
"The last waiter told me there were only six remaining."
Lucas’s heart skipped a beat.
...Damn.
Inside his mind, he was already cursing the man a thousand times over.
Does this bastard seriously remember every conversation he has with every waiter?
How bored is this guy?
Keeping his expression calm, Lucas replied without missing a beat.
"That was before they added another request."
"I’m delivering this first."
"After that I’ll head back and confirm the final count."
The guard narrowed his eyes.
He clearly wasn’t convinced.
Several long seconds passed.
Lucas could almost hear his own heartbeat.
Finally...
The second guard sighed impatiently.
"Forget it."
"We’re wasting time."
"If there’s a mistake, kitchen management will deal with it."
The aggressive guard clicked his tongue in annoyance before reluctantly stepping aside.
"...Go."
Lucas gave another respectful nod.
"Thank you."
Without rushing, he walked through the massive steel doors.
Only after they slowly closed behind him did he quietly let out the breath he had been holding.
"That was close..."
But before he could fully relax...
He stopped.
His eyes slowly swept across the enormous space before him.
"...What?"
This...
Wasn’t what he had expected.
Not even close.
There were no loud parties.
No gambling tables.
No underground auction.
No hidden prison.
Instead...
The entire floor looked like the lobby of a world-class five-star hotel.
Thick crimson carpets stretched across the polished marble floor.
Elegant crystal chandeliers bathed the entire hall in warm golden light.
Expensive paintings hung neatly on the walls.
Fresh flowers decorated every corner.
Soft classical music echoed gently through hidden speakers.
Everything looked refined.
Peaceful.
Luxurious.
Lucas frowned.
"...Did I come to the wrong place?"
The hallway was almost completely empty.
Only a few staff members occasionally walked past carrying luggage, wine, or room service.
Two more security guards stood silently at opposite ends of the corridor, their sharp eyes constantly scanning every movement.
Compared to downstairs...
Security here was even tighter.
Lucas stood there for several seconds, completely confused.
It wasn’t the secret nightclub he had imagined.
It looked exactly like a luxury hotel reserved exclusively for the richest people in the country.
Just then...
One of the nearby security guards noticed him standing motionless.
The man smiled faintly.
"New guy?"
Lucas instinctively looked over.
The guard pointed toward the elevators.
Lucas immediately realized the man had mistaken him for a newly hired waiter.
Instead of correcting him, he quickly nodded.
"Yes, sir."
"First day."
The guard chuckled.
"I could tell."
"Don’t just stand there."
"They’re waiting."
Lucas immediately headed toward the row of elevators.
Reaching the nearest one, he casually pressed the call button.
Nothing happened.
He pressed it again.
Still nothing.
Behind him...
The two guards suddenly burst into laughter.
"Hahaha!"
"The rookie doesn’t even know how to use the elevator."
Lucas awkwardly scratched the back of his head, forcing himself to laugh along with them.
"...Guess I’m still getting used to this place."
One of the guards walked over while still chuckling.
"You don’t use the buttons."
He pointed toward a small electronic scanner mounted beside the elevator door.
"Use your employee ID."
Only then did Lucas remember the identification badge hanging from his chest.
"...Right."
He quickly removed John’s employee card and tapped it against the scanner.
Beep.
A green light flashed.
With a soft mechanical sound...
The elevator doors slowly slid open.
Lucas picked up the tray once again.
Keeping his breathing steady...
He stepped inside.
The doors quietly closed behind him.
Several seconds later~
Ding.
The elevator came to a smooth stop.
The doors slowly opened.
Lucas stepped out.
Then...
He froze.
"...What?"
His brows slowly knitted together.
This wasn’t what he had imagined.
Not even close.
Instead of some hidden casino...
Or an illegal auction hall...
He found himself standing inside another luxurious private lobby.
The place was breathtakingly elegant.
Soft golden lighting reflected off polished marble floors.
Comfortable leather sofas surrounded crystal coffee tables.
A grand piano rested quietly in one corner, filling the air with soothing instrumental music.
Expensive sculptures and abstract artwork decorated every wall.
Everything looked peaceful.
Almost...
Too peaceful.
Only a handful of wealthy guests quietly chatted among themselves.
Some sipped expensive wine while reading newspapers.
Others casually discussed business as though they were relaxing inside an exclusive hotel.
There wasn’t the slightest sign of anything illegal.
No prisoners.
No auction.
No Victor.
Nothing.
Lucas stood there for several long seconds.
"...Am I losing my mind?"
He had risked everything just to reach this floor.
Yet all he found was another luxury lounge.
The more normal everything appeared...
The more suspicious it became.
His instincts kept telling him...
Something was hidden beneath this perfect surface.
Taking a slow breath, Lucas forced himself to calm down.
Panic wouldn’t help him.
Pretending to be just another waiter, he carried the tray naturally at shoulder level and blended into the steady flow of staff moving around the private lobby.
After a short while, he spotted another waiter walking past.
Lucas stepped closer and spoke quietly.
"Brother..."
"Where’s the restroom?"
The waiter immediately glanced around before lowering his voice.
"Keep your voice down."
"The guests are resting."
He quickly pointed toward a hallway at the far end of the lobby.
"Second door on the left."
Without waiting for another question, the waiter hurried away.
Lucas frowned slightly.
Even the staff here looked unusually nervous.
Almost as though they were afraid of saying too much.
Without attracting attention, Lucas quietly headed toward the restroom.
---
The moment he stepped inside, he finally allowed himself to relax.
"...Finally."
He let out a long breath.
His entire body felt exhausted.
His nerves had been stretched to the limit ever since entering the club.
The restroom itself was just as luxurious as everything else.
Polished marble walls.
Spotless mirrors.
Golden lighting.
A long granite counter stretched across the room, making it feel more like a presidential suite than a restroom.
Lucas gently placed the tray on the counter.
His eyes drifted toward the expensive bottle of wine.
He had been carrying the thing around purely for appearances.
Now...
It had become nothing more than extra weight.
Without hesitation, Lucas uncorked the bottle and raised it to his lips.
He took one large mouthful.
The rich aroma instantly spread across his tongue.
"...Not bad."
But he didn’t dare swallow it.
Walking over to the large trash bin beside the counter, Lucas leaned forward.
Pfft!
He spat the entire mouthful into the bin.
The dark red wine splashed against the plastic liner before slowly dripping to the bottom.
Without another thought, he tilted the bottle upside down and poured the remaining wine into the trash.
The last few drops slowly trickled out until the bottle was completely empty.
Lucas wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand.
"I’m not taking any chances..."
He muttered quietly.
He placed the now-empty bottle back onto the tray before walking toward the mirror.
Staring at his own reflection, he loosened the tight collar around his neck.
The waiter uniform suddenly felt suffocating.
Just as his fingers reached for the top button of his shirt~
Click.
The restroom door slowly opened.
Lucas’s hand froze instantly.
An elderly man dressed in an impeccably tailored suit calmly walked inside.