The Heiress’ Return: Six Brothers at Her Beck and Call (Wynter Quinnell) novel Chapter 1723

Wynter seized on a key phrase. "How did you know he dealt with aquatic animals?"

"He always smelled like fish. One day during my rounds, I asked him about it," Nigel replied, confused. "Is there a problem with that?"

Wynter fixed her gaze on him, seriousness etched across her face. "This is critical. Dr. Alistair, I need you to recall—where exactly did he sell those aquatic animals? Where does he live?"

"His home? The address he provided was... a..." Nigel racked his brain, and then suddenly exclaimed, "It was a local farmers' market! Just the one nearby. I remember now! He mentioned delivering aquatic animals there—things like shrimp and fish."

The moment Wynter heard the words "farmers' market", her expression shifted sharply. "Hold on a second."

She didn't hesitate and quickly dialed a number.

This wasn't a call to Colifernia's local officials. Instead, it went straight to the top. After all, Special Unit 001's line was originally established for military coordination.

The person answering her call was none other than Jackson, who was stationed in Kingbourne.

Jackson didn't waste time with pleasantries. The fact that Wynter chose to call this number meant the situation was dire. Hence, as soon as he saw her name, he halted the meeting he was in.

Wynter's voice was steady as she began, "Mr. Munn Senior, I suspect a large-scale pandemic may occur in Colifernia. This situation was reported earlier, but there's been no follow-up from local hospitals.

"From the current signs, the outbreak might already be underway, possibly starting five days ago or even earlier. I need a full lockdown of Colifernia and an immediate dispatch of professional medical personnel, preferably military doctors."

Jackson's frown deepened as he listened. "Understood. I'll make the arrangements immediately."

Just as Wynter was about to end the call, Jackson stopped her with a question. "Can it be contained?"

Wynter glanced at Nigel across the table before replying, "It's unclear at this stage."

Jackson was worried, given that he couldn't be there. "Wynter, we are not professionals. The safety of Colifernia's people rests in your hands. If—"

Not wanting him to finish the grim sentence, Wynter interjected firmly, "If it truly gets out of hand, then we lock down the city."

Jackson sighed heavily, but on the other end of the line, Wynter's eyes were resolute. "It won't come to that. Rest assured."

Though he knew her courage was unshakable, Jackson couldn't help but add before hanging up, "Make sure you stay protected. Take care of yourself, Wynter!"

"Alright," Wynter reassured him.

After hanging up Jackson's call, Wynter immediately posted a members-only message on the dark web.

"Anyone near Colifernia, drop whatever you're currently working on and listen carefully. Colifernia needs you. Be forewarned—this time, we're dealing with an invisible, untouchable virus that could threaten lives.

"The Special Unit has always operated on a voluntary basis. If you're willing, head to Colifernia's farmers' market on the west and assist in its complete lockdown and containment. I need a full trace of everyone connected to the market within half a day.

"For those who want to join, simply signal with a light on the dark web."

Nigel overheard her words. Although he didn't understand what the dark web was, he recognized the weight of her statement. Even in such a dangerous situation, she left the choice to the individuals, prioritizing their health and safety.

What he didn't expect was the immediate response.

Wynter's screen lit up almost entirely. People who had long retired from the team, and even those who hadn't officially joined but had exceptional skills, all signaled their willingness to help.

And it all came down to one sentence. "Colifernia needs you."

In their everyday lives, these people might seem no different from any ordinary citizen, but no one loved this land more than they did. True heroism was often found in those who stepped forward when everyone else stepped away.

"If Dr. Miracle needs me, I want to go back to the hospital, too—that's my battlefield!" Nigel's chest burned with determination. The hopelessness that had weighed on him was replaced with renewed strength.

This wasn't a solitary fight. There was an entire group of people willing to make the same choice as him.

Wynter glanced out of the window, staring at the sky that had darkened. "With the people's will on our side, we can defy even the heavens."

Dalton had been standing beside her the whole time. He understood what weighed on her mind. "Every individual is different. In every field, there are those who bear the heavyweights, and there are also those who simply enjoy the ride."

Wynter's heart simmered with frustration as she listened to Nigel's earlier words.

Some people worked tirelessly and selflessly to protect this land. While others, driven by personal ambition, chose to conceal the truth—even at the cost of countless lives—just to avoid facing repercussions.

Clenching her fist, Wynter said resolutely, "Let's go. It's time to confront those who are still enjoying their comforts."

…

In a conference room, the hospital's department heads had all gathered, their expressions a mix of confusion. Most of them were usually swamped with work, yet here they were, summoned for an unclear purpose.

"Do you have any idea who called us all together? It feels like someone's just looking for trouble," one of them remarked.

"I heard someone from higher up is visiting Colifernia for an inspection. It's probably just another show like before," another replied dismissively.

"Whatever it is, we'll just stick to the agreed narrative. Although there's a recent spike in infectious diseases, we can't disclose anything until we fully understand the pathogen. If panic breaks out, we'll all be held accountable," someone added.

"Exactly. Remember the meeting last time? That deputy director, Nigel Alistair, really doesn't know when to keep quiet. He kept insisting on tracing the source and locking down areas. All it did was embarrass the department heads."

"In my department, the symptoms are mostly fever, coughing, and shortness of breath. Sure, it's highly contagious, but we've isolated the patients, so it's manageable for now," another chimed in.

"It's bizarre, though. We've run every test and investigation we can think of, but nothing's come up."

"Well, the fortune teller is supposed to arrive today. Maybe they can help us figure something out..."

Their words sounded ridiculous, but it was reality. They were out of answers and growing increasingly anxious. They had to find a solution. Maybe this really had something to do with fortune-telling.

Hence, the first thing Wynter saw when she entered the hospital was everyone acting furtively, scurrying as if heading somewhere.

At this moment, Nigel, still wearing his mask, spoke up. "They're all heading toward the isolation ward. Could something have happened?"

Feeling uneasy, he stopped a passing nurse. "What's going on here?"

The nurse recognized him and immediately asked, "Dr. Alistair, why are you back? Didn't the director suspend you?"

"I came back to grab some things. What's happening up ahead?" Nigel pressed urgently.

The nurse clearly treated the situation as gossip. "Oh, the director brought in a fortune teller from Mt. Dragon. Apparently, the fortune teller claims there's a spirit in the hospital. They've started performing a cleansing ritual, and everyone's rushing to see it."

Hearing this, Wynter scoffed coldly. "A cultivator from Mt. Dragon? What's he doing in a hospital? These are diseases, not hauntings."

The nurse nodded in agreement. "True, but it's the director's decision. Dr. Alistair, is this your friend?"

Nigel nodded, his expression darkening. "Absurd! Cleansing rituals in a hospital? This is beyond ridiculous!"

"Go back and tell Kaspar that if everyone from Mt. Dragon is like you, I'll come over and teach even him a lesson."

Rohan, standing nearby, was furious at the scene. "Do you think this is some kind of playground? How dare you act so—"

Before he could finish, Wynter flicked a silver needle, precisely hitting one of his acupoints.

"I don't have time to deal with you now. But mark my words—I said 'for now,'" Wynter said coldly.

With that, she looked over at the people standing nearby. "Where are the hospital directors?"

No one dared to challenge her anymore. They all pointed toward the office building.

Inside, the hospital directors were still in a heated discussion about how to evade responsibility. That was when the door swung open, and Wynter and Dalton stepped into the room.

All of them looked over, and one of the directors spoke up. "Did you come to the wrong place? This is a meeting for hospital directors. How did irrelevant personnel get in here? Where's security?"

Calm and composed, Wynter walked straight to the head of the table. As she scanned the room filled with doctors in lab coats and masks, she spoke with an icy tone. "I'm the one hosting this meeting."

"Young lady, you can't just say whatever you want. You're about the same age as my daughter. How could you possibly be the leader sent here for inspection?"

Laughter rippled through the room, but it came to an abrupt halt as Wynter took out a badge and threw it onto the table.

The closest to the badge leaned in to take a look. One glance was enough to make his face turn pale. "She… She is…"

The others, sensing something was off, moved closer to inspect the badge. Silence immediately fell over the room like a heavy shroud.

Wynter calmly retrieved her credentials and continued, "Can someone report to me if there have been any special cases or patients in Colifernia recently?"

The room remained frozen for a moment before a chorus of synchronized responses followed. "No."

Her expression didn't waver. "Where are the directors for the Summit, Greenfield, and Starlight Hospitals of Colifernia?"

The mentioned directors stiffened but quickly stood up.

Wynter approached Jay Ellis, the Summit Hospital's director. "I've heard your hospital has been especially busy lately."

Jay's face drained of color, but he forced a nervous laugh and spoke as he rubbed his hands together nervously. "Busy hospitals are the norm. We have patients seeking treatment and being admitted daily. If not for this meeting, I wouldn't even have time to attend."

Next, she moved toward the Greenfield Hospital's director, Dex Dawson. "What about you, Mr. Dawson?"

Dex immediately spoke up. "Lately, we've had an increase in patients, but that only shows how dedicated we are to serving the people."

Before Wynter could even reach the Starlight Hospital's director, Deshan Evans, he stood up and blurted, "Starlight Hospital hasn't been too busy recently. It's a good sign that the public's health is improving, and I couldn't be happier about that!"

The three directors' bureaucratic answers were airtight and polished.

However, Wynter could barely suppress her anger now. She looked over at Jay again. "Are you sure that there aren't any special cases?"

Jay responded immediately, "I'm sure! There are no special cases."

Wynter's eyes narrowed at his answer. She could barely contain the fury burning in her eyes.