Episode 31 — Tracks, Traps & Roasts
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Cold Open — HUD on Fire
New York morning. Hotel balcony view of the city. Legend lit a blunt, HUD burning crimson:
[CASH FLOW | +$5,000 Deposited]
Balance: $590,240 → $595,240
But alerts scrolled ugly:
[Collector Upload in Progress — Miles's unreleased tracks scheduled for leak in 12 hours.]
[Silver Tongue Strain: 99%. Roast Sessions Active.]
Legend exhaled smoke, smirking. "He wanna leak us? Then we leak him first."
Miles burst in, panicked. "Bro, if those tracks drop, it's over. They're half-finished! My whole career—"
Legend waved calm. "Careers are cash. And cash always mine."
Salina leaned against the wall, sipping coffee. "So, what's the plan? Roast him off SoundCloud?"
Legend grinned. "First we roast. Then we rob."
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Scene 1 — Bodega Roast Fight
They hit a Harlem bodega to stock up. Inside, some loud crew clowned Miles the second they saw him.
"Yo, ain't you the SoundCloud rapper about to get leaked? Collector own you already!"
The store roared. Even the cashier laughed.
Miles went red, furious. Salina smirked. "Don't let them do you like that, baby."
Legend stepped up, smooth. "Funny. Y'all laughing like you not here buying off-brand cereal with EBT glitches."
The crew howled. One dude snapped back. "And you out here looking like discount John Wick with asthma!"
Legend smirked, exhaled smoke. "Discount John Wick still richer than full-price broke."
The whole store erupted, roasting back and forth until the crew walked out humiliated.
HUD pulsed:
[Side Quest Complete: Bodega Roast Fight.]
[Reward: +$2,500 + Respect] → Balance: $597,740
Miles grinned, laughing now. "Bro, you roasted them into poverty."
Legend smirked. "Broke always my punchline."
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Scene 2 — Subway Chaos
On the way to a meeting, they hit the subway. A wannabe street rapper cornered Miles, spitting bars at him aggressively.
"You Miles? You soft! Your whole sound weak!"
The crowd gathered, laughing.
Miles froze.
Legend exhaled smoke, stepped in. "Your bars so weak they need protein shakes. Your flow so off-beat it's living on another timeline."
The crowd screamed.
Salina chimed in, "And your fit trash. Who still wears Ed Hardy in 2025?"
The rapper stormed off humiliated.
HUD blinked:
[Side Quest Complete: Subway Roast Battle.]
[Reward: +$1,500 + Social Buzz] → Balance: $599,240
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Scene 3 — Collector's Upload
Back at the hotel, HUD screamed red.
[Collector Upload: 50% Complete.]
Miles panicked. "Bro! He's really doing it!"
Legend smirked. "Then we hack with humor."
He snapped $3,000—Balance: $596,240—and tossed it to a group of hackers in the lobby. "Intercept. Make it funny."
Hours later, instead of Miles's tracks, Collector's upload turned into a viral roast video of his own men tripping over piles of cash.
The internet exploded in laughter.
HUD pulsed:
[Collector Embarrassed. Upload Sabotaged.]
[Influence: Miles Loyalty +10%.]
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Scene 4 — Pop-Up Show
That night, a random promoter offered Miles a pop-up stage in Times Square.
Miles froze again. "What if people boo? What if they think the Collector was right?"
Legend leaned close, smooth. "They boo rent. Rent can't afford us."
Salina kissed Miles's cheek. "Go spit, baby."
On stage, Miles rapped like fire, fueled by the roast battles. Legend snapped $2,000—Balance: $594,240—to boost the sound. The crowd went insane.
HUD blinked:
[Mission Complete: Pop-Up Show Success.]
[Reward: +$20,000 + Public Respect] → Balance: $614,240
[Level Up: 34 → 35]
Hourly Income: $5,200/hr]
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Scene 5 — Collector's Agents Roasted
Outside the show, Collector's SUVs pulled up again. Men in suits stepped out, trying to humiliate Legend.
One sneered. "You hide behind jokes. Tonight, no punchline saves you."
Miles laughed in his face. "Bruh, you built like a printer that only jams."
Salina doubled down. "And you out here in Men's Wearhouse two-for-one suits trying to look like killers."
Legend smirked. "Funny. Y'all keep pulling up in rental SUVs like unpaid Uber drivers."
The crowd watching the pop-up show erupted in laughter. Collector's men, furious, slunk back to their cars.
HUD pulsed:
[Public Roast Chain Engaged — Collector Humiliation Multiplied.]
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Scene 6 — Private Heat
Back at the hotel, Salina pulled Legend close, voice low. "You humiliated him again. You humiliated all of them. That's why I'm yours."
Their kiss was rough, intense, sealing loyalty in passion.
HUD flickered:
[Relationship Strengthened — Salina Loyalty Permanent.]
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Scene 7 — Collector's Dark Reveal
Late night. An envelope slid under their door.
Inside: a document.
[Collector Acquisition Proposal: Buying 60% of the label backing Miles's career.]
HUD screamed.
[Threat Level: Maximum.]
[Collector Objective: Own the Music Pipeline.]
Legend exhaled smoke, smirked. "So he wants the industry now? Guess we buying it first."
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Closing Beat — Comedy Turns to War
Balcony view of Times Square. Miles in the studio, rapping harder than ever. Salina curled against him, laughing softly.
HUD glowed steady:
[CASH FLOW | +$5,200 Deposited]
Balance: $619,440
Legend smirked at the skyline. "Collector think he own sound. But I own silence, too. And silence sells."