The Heiress’ Return: Six Brothers at Her Beck and Call (Wynter Quinnell) novel Chapter 1766

Several individuals sat around a circular table, each cloaked in black robes and wearing masks depicting various animals. The scene was eerily surreal, as if they were participating in some kind of ritual.

In the center of the table burned an oil lamp. Faintly, the sound of a solemn prayer intertwined with the elegant notes of a piano melody.

Their purpose in attending this gathering was to seek the aid of the person at the head of the table, someone who could provide solutions to their personal crises—be it financial ruin, broken families, or other struggles.

All eyes were drawn to the figure seated in the main chair, but their gazes were hollow, devoid of hope.

The person at the head of the table, Royston Pade, finally turned to face them. "You should've seen the headlines by now. A girl died in the dormitory at Monway University.

"The gods' will is never wrong. She carried her sins, and it led her to a life of misery that ended in death. And you? You're still here, clinging to lives of quiet desperation."

The words cut through the room like a blade, and the attendees hung their heads low.

"There's a saying claiming that everyone is equal. But do you truly believe that? While you toil endlessly, some people revel in luxury without doing anything. They use the money you earn to pay your wages, and still, you bow and scrape. Is that equality?

"It's not. You're just too afraid to escape the lives you've built. You've become slaves to existence itself.

"The money you make every month isn't even enough for a single meal or a bottle of wine. What's the point of living like this? Starving, freezing, and enduring so much pain just to keep going."

Royston's words were deeply persuasive. Though he wore a mask, his elegance was undeniable.

He stopped beside the figure wearing a sheep mask and continued, "Sheep is a married woman. Before she got married, she was cheerful and happy every day.

"But after marriage and having a child, her life became a cycle of endless chores. She's scolded by her mother-in-law and called a 'hag' by her husband.

"Is she supposed to continue living like this? Is everything her fault? It isn't. It is merely fate."

The woman, Janielle Kamden, addressed as Sheep, was visibly overwhelmed by despair. She raised her head, her voice trembling as she asked, "Sage, will they finally realize my worth if I disappear?"

Royston shook his head in disagreement. "That's just your wishful thinking. Your disappearance would mean nothing to them. You're already worthless to them, and even your parents think so. Deep down, you know that better than anyone."

"I know… I'm worthless," Janielle murmured to herself, repeating the phrase as if it was the only thought left in her mind.

"Don't be so pessimistic," Royston said, patting her arm reassuringly. "No one will ever look down on you again if you make enough money. Your life can completely change."

He then turned his attention to the figure wearing a rat mask, Bowie Ennis.

"Take Rat, for instance. He couldn't even get a girlfriend before joining us. Women found him unattractive—too poor and plain, with no job or dowry to offer. But after joining us... Rat, tell her about your love life now."

Bowie licked his lips before speaking. "It was all thanks to your guidance, Sage! Women are easy to manipulate—some are emotionally fragile, some are love-starved, and some are overly idealistic.

"With a voice changer and a few fake pictures, there's always someone who'll take the bait. Now, no one dares look down on me. They're all eager to please me."

Royston nodded approvingly before turning back to Janielle. "Do you understand now? You need to learn how to present yourself."

He stepped back to his seat, clapping his hands. Maids came forward, placing trays of wine glasses in front of each member.

"Now, the opportunity to change your destiny has arrived. You've all been carefully selected by the divine. The gods will save you. However, never forget how you earned your first fortune," he said.

A figure wearing a raccoon mask, Kiefer Colter, chimed in eagerly, "It was all thanks to you, Sage!"

"Will anyone still dare look down on you once you make money? No." Royston chuckled. "Raccoon has done well this time. You selected someone sinful, and they earned the gods' approval.

"But your methods were too clumsy, and the mess you made was too conspicuous. Raccoon, do you understand how easily the police can trace you?"

Kiefer's eyes darted nervously, and he stammered, "I-I never met her in person, and I didn't share any real information, so rest assured!"

Royston shook his head. "If I were truly reassured, I wouldn't have called you to this meeting. Raccoon, your greed will be your undoing."

Kiefer began to panic, rising from his seat, only to have a heavy hand force him back down.

"Remember your sins. If you're so greedy, then you'll need to pay a higher price to earn more," Royston said indifferently.

Keifer's fear turned to enthusiasm when he realized there was a way out. "I'll do whatever it takes! Sage, I'll do whatever you say!"

The others joined in eagerly, their voices overlapping. "We'll do it, too! Whatever Raccoon can do, we can as well!"

The other four members, aside from Janielle, were all afraid of being left behind.

Royston remained calm, raising his wine glass. "Let's see who among you can secure the next offering. You all know the conditions. I want to see who's worthy of succeeding me. Raccoon has already proven himself, so the rest of you have to work harder."

With that, Royston made a gesture, and behind him, a wall of cash came into view.

The participants had been drawn into this game after clicking on a seemingly harmless link online. It began with virtual gambling—advertising a prize pool of 500 million dollars and a 70 percent winning rate. Who could resist such temptation?

Even those who didn't want to gamble were drawn in through alternative means, such as forwarding advertisements and becoming agents to earn commissions.

Take Janielle, for example. She had gone through a long vetting process before earning the privilege to attend this offline meeting. Previously, she'd only participated virtually, never imagining that simple online game mechanics could manifest in real life.

Janielle hadn't gambled as she was naturally cautious. Instead, she earned through agent commissions.

She had deposited 500 thousand dollars into the system's backend and received daily payouts of five thousand dollars for an entire month—an astonishing 150 thousand dollars in just 30 days! That amount was equivalent to her husband's annual salary!

What job could offer that kind of income? Even her son's attitude toward her had softened ever since she started earning money.

However, the system was upgraded regularly. While the first month came with investment support, anyone wishing to continue earning large sums had to attend offline meetings.

And not everyone was granted this opportunity. Royston emphasized that Janielle was chosen by the gods.

The more Janielle learned about the organization, the luckier she felt. Royston's poise and wisdom were qualities she had never encountered before. He was rarely in the country and had flown back just to meet them.

She had once doubted whether the prize money was real, but seeing the mountains of cash today erased her doubts.

Yet, someone's death had shaken her. Still, seeing how Kiefer had rapidly risen to middle management, she couldn't help but be tempted. All it took was depositing one million dollars in the backend to earn ten thousand dollars daily. How could she not want that?

Janielle was still hesitating when the meeting ended.

"Logically, anyone setting up such a ritual is likely aiming to harness external power," Wynter mused, her eyes fixed on Dalton. "Who or what do you think they're trying to worship or draw strength from?"

Dalton seemed uninterested but replied since she asked. "There's an old record in a random Arcane Way text from Mt. Dragon. It says that many ages ago, Heaven grew disappointed with humanity.

"The rumor goes that any cultivator who could foresee Heaven's will and act accordingly might gain great fortune and ultimately align with the righteous path.

"In these sacrifices, the victims are all deemed guilty, while the perpetrators are portrayed as innocent." His tone remained indifferent. "The records emphasize that everything is rooted in karma."

Wynter crunched on a shrimp tail and raised a brow. Her face, adorned with a perfectly positioned tear mole, glimmered with rebellious charm. "I thought I was the only one crazy enough to take on Heaven's will. Is this guy trying to pull the same stunt as me?"

Dalton looked at her and suddenly chuckled. "There's a difference."

"I know. The difference is that this guy is playing dirty, deciding people's lives on a whim. He's definitely not doing the dirty work himself.

"Otherwise, how could he pursue his Primordial Arcane? He'd be tangled in resentful energy by now. He's manipulating others to complete the human sacrifice and curry favor with Heaven."

Dalton tilted his gaze slightly. "There's one thing you got wrong."

Wynter looked at him, genuinely confused.

He pulled out a tissue and wiped the corner of her mouth. "Not just anyone can curry favor with Heaven."

Wynter speculated, "Are you saying that his efforts are useless and that Heaven won't lend him any power?"

Dalton's eyes darkened. "No, his plans might work. You must understand that in the long history of humanity, the only thing capable of destroying mankind is mankind itself. Human greed knows no bounds. The records never mention what will emerge when the time comes."

Wynter couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Dalton's words. But before she could press further, they arrived at Monway University.

Outside, a crowd had gathered, though their SUV thankfully provided excellent privacy. No one would suspect they were here to investigate, sparing them from a barrage of questions. That much was clear from how the reporters surrounded and interviewed the uniformed officials.

It was clear that higher authorities had mandated a press conference to address the public's concerns. After all, with the Malone family's recent scandal fresh in everyone's minds, speculation was already running rampant. People were quick to link Stacey's death to the wealthy and powerful.

What made the situation worse was the coincidence that Stacey had indeed attended the same high school as Anastasia. Online rumors spiraled, claiming that Stacey was one of Anastasia's bullying victims.

The truth, however, was the opposite. Stacey came from a well-off family herself. Her reserved personality often kept her out of conflicts, and she had even been friends with Anastasia at one point.

That said, the social gap between their families meant they were never truly in the same circle. Still, the faint connection was enough to ignite wild speculations and infinite theories online.

As Wynter stepped out of the car, she immediately noticed a surveillance camera positioned near the dormitory building.

She paused, then glanced toward the driver's seat, asking Dalton, "Did you change drivers?"

"Yes," he replied as he cast a glance at his new driver.

The driver, who happened to be Crow, suppressed his Savior energy emanating from him, striving to appear as ordinary as possible.

Wynter frowned slightly. She couldn't shake the feeling that Crow had an energy of overwhelming good fortune just moments ago.