Chapter 268

Lucy White caught the frustrated look on Xavier Boone's face and instantly knew he'd considered recording the clues too—just a second too late.

"Move!" she urged sharply. "The horde's coming back."

Asher York lingered, eyeing the vintage computer with longing.

"If we could just smash it..." he muttered under his breath.

Jasper King wore a similar expression of regret.

Xavier saw right through them.

"Don't even think about it," he said, already striding toward the exit. "Even if the rules allowed it, we shouldn't."

Asher scratched his head. "Why not?"

Instead of answering, Xavier glanced at Lucy. "Explain it to them."

Lucy nodded. "Ever heard of 'shoot the outstanding bird first'?"

"If we're the only ones with complete intel..." She paused meaningfully. "...the other 199 teams would unite against us."

Asher and Jasper exchanged glances, realization dawning.

"Right," Jasper clicked his tongue. "Getting ganged up on would suck."

Lucy added, "Besides, just the five of us..."

"Completing three main missions in a zombie apocalypse?" She shook her head. "No way."

Asher's eyes suddenly lit up. "Wait—you recorded it, didn't you?"

"That recording..." He rubbed his hands together. "How can we use it?"

Lucy smirked. "Oh, it'll be very useful."

Xavier picked up the thread: "This is downtown. The horde will only grow."

"The later teams arrive..." He let the implication hang. "...the harder it'll be for them to get clues."

The five scrambled into their armored SUV. Finn Wallace floored the gas, plowing through lunging zombies.

"You're not thinking..." Jasper's eyes widened. "...of selling the intel?"

Lucy snapped her fingers. "Bingo!"

"Trading for points," she waved her comm device. "I checked with the system—totally legal."

Four sharp intakes of breath echoed in the vehicle.

"Th-that's allowed?!" Asher stammered.

Even Xavier looked genuinely stunned.

Lucy blinked innocently. "No rule against it."

She shrugged. "Took a shot in the dark. Worked better than expected."

An awed silence fell.

[OMG! This is next-level genius!]

[Queen Lucy playing 4D chess out here!]

[Other teams are still clue-hunting while she's monetizing intel]

[The sheer IQ gap is brutal]

[LMAO their faces! Priceless!]

[Classic Lucy—always innovating]

[11/10 would watch again]

Asher finally choked out, "Lucy, I bow to you."

Jasper silently raised both thumbs.

Xavier rubbed his temples. "I yield."

Lucy's grin turned razor-sharp. "Oh, this is just the beginning."

Outside, the setting sun bathed the apocalyptic city in blood-red light.