The Heiress’ Return: Six Brothers at Her Beck and Call

Chapter 1715 She Found the Reason

For an instance, Wynter wondered if she was caught in a dream or facing reality. It wasn't the first time she had such dreams, but none had felt so vivid.C0pyright © 2024 Nôv)(elDrama.Org.

She lifted her gaze and locked eyes with Dalton. His hair, slightly unkempt, added a touch of wickedness to his elegant bearing. Everything around her seemed unfamiliar, yet Wynter couldn't shake the feeling that she had experienced it before.

Several images flashed across her mind, too fleeting for her to capture even a glimpse. With her thoughts clouded, she now understood why even the strongest heroes faltered before a beautiful woman.

Dalton was acting differently than usual, and Wynter doubted anyone else could witness his unusual behavior. She could hardly think straight as the tantalizing scent of vanilla wafted toward her. Even in such moments, Dalton remained as irresistible as ever.

Wynter, ever the hedonist, might have taken the initiative had the moment been right. But a flood of images clouded her mind, and she couldn't shake the feeling that they should be in a palace instead.

without thinking further, she halted Dalton's movements and demanded, "What's going on here?"

Dalton's gaze darkened when he recognized her reluctance. With a hand on her waist, he pulled her closer but stopped short of further intimacy. "It's exactly what you see. I'm the one marrying you."

Wynter found it hard to carry on with the conversation in such an intimate position. She could even feel their breaths growing warm against each other.

Desperate to regain her composure, she shifted her gaze to the hairpin. "It's because of the hairpin that. I was stuck in the formation, isn't it?"

Dalton only offered a vague response as he retrieved his arm. The intimate vibe between the two started to wane. Noticing the wedding dress on the ground, Wynter narrowed her eyes and asked, "What about the River God?" Despite recognizing Zhask as a dragon, she sensed no trace of him. To her surprise, the surrounding air was thick with heavenly energy-a situation she had never encountered before.

"He's dead," Dalton replied, clearly displeased that their lovely moment had been interrupted.

When Wynter frowned at his response, he added calmly, "I was abducted here. He was interested in my fortune and tried to steal it but got struck down by lightning,"

Dalton's expression remained impassive as he gave his explanation. Plus, there were burning traces of lightning, just like he said.

Logically speaking, his statement seemed plausible. After all, dragons were infamously known for stealing other's fortunes. Still, Wynter couldn't shake the feeling of loss over Zhask's death-there were so many questions she hoped to ask.

It was obvious that the rain ritual was flawed, but who was the one ordering him to perform it? What had brought him to the village? With Zhask gone, those answers seemed lost forever.

"I did ask him about it, but it turns out he had little involvement. That said, he's not entirely innocent, either," Dalton stated calmly.

Wynter arched an eyebrow, knowing that Dalton had been keeping secrets from her. Although she was skeptical about his earlier answer, she understood now wasn't the right time to discuss it.

"If the dragon has little to do with the polluted river, then there's something I've missed," Wynter mused and swiftly stood up from the waters.

Her beauty was undeniable, and her long hair and slender legs only enhanced her allure. The next second, she draped the wedding gown around her.

"That dragon has likely set up an Illusion Formation here. Come on, let's get out of this place and meet p with my

men," she urged, worrying that something might happen to Balmond, who was waiting outside.

Dalton hummed in response before glancing at the flower hairpin. Since olden days, he had never been the only one in her thoughts. Perhaps, the time had yet to come.

Dalton chuckled softly as the mist thickened, masking the surroundings into the perfect formation that Zhask might have crafted. For the crow, a mythical beast, conjuring such a disguise was child's play.

When Wynter and Dalton stepped out in full attire, there was no one in sight. The river returned to its normal state once the heavenly energy had dissipated, leaving Wynter with the sense that something was amiss.

As the trees had obstructed her view earlier, she hadn't noticed the river's strange alignment. Moreover, the once crystal-clear riverbed had now turned murky.

Wynter narrowed her eyes and turned her gaze toward the west, where the moonlight failed to reach.

Before Dalton could say a word, she noticed a monkey carcass by the riverbank and approached it. She poked a silver needle into the carcass, then drew it out to find the color stayed unchanged.

She turned to the black serpent and asked, "Come here for a sec, Blackie. Can you taste the water and check its quality?"

Blackie was alarmed. "What if I die after tasting the water, my lady? Not that I mind dying, but I need to land an official job first! I can't let my life end over a petty cause!"

However, Wynter grabbed his head and dunked it into the water. "What are you worried about? You're immune to poison!"

Poor Blackie gurgled in the water a few times before Wynter pulled him back up. "So, how's the taste?" she asked. Blackie shook his head and exclaimed, "It's denser than the river at the farmer's market!"

As Wynter nodded at his words, Balmond came over and reported, "I investigated the village, Boss. It seems the villagers have been seriously ill. The ritual is usually held once a year, but they've been doing it more often, hoping the river god will rid them of the illness."

Wynter gave a brief acknowledgment just as Hamilton and Layla arrived with the other villagers. Upon seeing Wynter standing there, Hamilton demanded angrily, "How are you awake? Where's the River God?"

Wynter glanced back and replied, "I guess the River God is a coward, Mr. Clove. He fled the moment he saw my face. Maybe I'm not his type."

"Speak! Where did you hide the River God? We can't be cured without him! It's all your fault!" Layla demanded in Cantonian.

Hamilton was about to translate when they heard Wynter speak in perfect Cantonian. "I have no idea where he's gone, and it's not like you can't be cured. You put too much faith in this so-called River God and his powers, treating a mere dragon as a deity.

"I've found the cause of your illness. There's a dead monkey in the river-the very same you've been drinking from. It was all fine before you fell ill recently. But instead of questioning the water, you believed the River God's wrath was to blame and tried to appease him."

However, Hamilton voiced his doubts about her claims. "You're nothing but words. We've been drinking from the river for ages, so it's hard to believe there's anything wrong with the water.

"Now that the River God is gone, we're left to wait for death! But before that, we'll have to deal with you!"

"But she's not a bad guy. She even gave me candies!" a child suddenly interjected amidst the crowd. She held her forehead and weakly leaned against her mother.

Noticing the child's worsening condition, Wynter walked over and ordered coldly, "Step aside. I'll perform acupuncture on her."

The villagers backed away when faced with her intimidating presence.

Wynter knelt to check the child's pulse, while her other hand gently caressed the child's forehead. The mother

anxiously questioned her skills, but she was more focused on the child's burning temperature and fitful coughs. Taking out a box of needles, Wynter inserted them into the child's acupuncture points. She then gave Balmond an instruction. "Seal off the entire village and examine every person here. Find the monkey carcasses for further analysis, and make sure to take protective measures."

As Balmond complied with her orders, the villagers couldn't help exchanging uneasy glances. Eventually, Hamilton stepped forward and asked, "Who are you, young lady?"

Balmond noticed that Wynter was busy with the treatment and answered for her, "We're from the CDC."

He briefly showed the villagers his license before putting it away. Though the villagers might not grasp the Special Unit's significance, they had at least heard of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

After performing the acupuncture, Wynter turned to Layla and inquired, "Who threw the carcass by the river?"

The villagers shook their heads, clearly unaware of what happened. However, Wynter caught a flicker of evasion in Layla's eyes. She dismissed the other villagers but kept Layla behind and confronted her.

"You were the one who did it, weren't you? There's no point in denying it. I wouldn't have kept you without any evidence," Wynter stated.

Layla appeared flustered but still refused to confess.

So, Wynter continued, "Do you realize the severity of penalties for water contamination? Especially with the river being upstream whatever happens down there is far worse."

Hearing that, Layla could no longer remain silent. "I admit that I threw the carcass, but it wasn't my intention! A medium visited the village some time ago and claimed that our ritual was flawed. The Ritual of Devotion is a custom exclusive to our village, so we were surprised to hear that.

"The medium claimed that sacrificing young girls wasn't enough and that we needed to place monkey carcasses by the riverbank to create a formation. We didn't trust him at first, but he warned that the River God would unleash his wrath if we didn't comply."

Wynter appeared unfazed by Layla's account and merely asked, "What does the medium look like?"

Layla scratched her head as she recalled. "I couldn't see his face clearly. When he stood near me, a fog seemed to obscure his face. Oh, but he was always accompanied by two medics. After gaining my approval, the three of them threw the carcasses by the riverbank."

"I see. Stay in the village for now. The medics will give you a thorough examination soon. And don't move the carcasses-they will be taken for further analysis," Wynter instructed.

Layla nodded compliantly at her words, fearful of being detained.

with that, Wynter led Dalton and Balmond out of the village. Once they reached the foot of the mountain, she ordered Balmond to investigate nearby hospitals to see if any patients there were showing new symptoms.

While Balmond contacted his team for the task, Wynter turned to Dalton and said, "Come with me to the farmers'

market. That place could use a proper reorganization."

Dalton smiled in response. "As you wish, Ms. Quinnell."

The couple chatted as they made their way to the farmers' market, where Wynter had already sent someone to discuss the acquisition. She intended to check on the progress but overheard the vendors' conversation.

"Are you really going to give up your stall, Oscar? We've been here for years. I can't think of anywhere else to go."

A vendor sighed.

"I'm following the young lady's advice. It's for my child's sake," Oscar replied.

"I don't want to give up my stall, either. Unlike you, Oscar, I have no children to care for, and I don't sell wild animals," another vendor said.

The conversation was cut short when Oscar noticed Wynter's arrival. He greeted her warmly, "Hello, young lady! I've been feeling so refreshed since I stopped selling wild animals. My back pain, which has been bothering me for

years, has eased as well. It's all thanks to you."

Noticing the ominous air around Oscar had faded, Wynter acknowledged his recognition of his past mistake.

She then gathered the vendors and announced, "Everyone, I've heard about the Quinnell Group's plan O acquire the farmers' market, and I want to clarify a few things.

"The Quinnell Group treats all of you fairly. They won't force any of you to give up your stall if you wish to stay. But if they take over the market, you're likely to earn more without worrying about germs or protection.

"You'll live healthier, and I'm sure you want the best for your family's well-being. The choice is yours." Unbeknownst to the crowd, someone had been recording the scene from a hidden corner.

Upon hearing Wynter's speech, the vendors couldn't help but exclaim, "Are you saying the acquisition will bring

in more profit than selling wild animals?"

Wynter affirmed, "You have my word. If you don't believe me, you can always verify with the Quinnells or

Yarwoods."

Initially, the vendors feared the acquisition would lead to a loss in profits. However, their concerns were soon relieved by Wynter's assurance. One by one, they voiced their approval.

At that moment, an extravagant man leading a crowd arrived at the entrance. They were all wearing identical badges. Wynter instantly recognized them with a swift glance.

"What brings you here, Ms. Quinnell? You should've informed us of your arrival. We would have prepared a proper welcome." The leader greeted Wynter respectfully, though he could barely conceal his disdainful smirk.

"You must be Mr. Tarvin, head of the Colifernia Chamber of Commerce. How do you know I'm here?" Wynter

inquired.

Biting on his cigar, Rohan Tarvin snickered. "I heard the Quinnell Group intends to acquire the farmers' market, so

I came to see for myself." Hearing that, the vendors stared at Wynter in disbelief.

"Is this young lady a member of the Quinnell Group? I heard the Quinnells recently found their lost daughter. Is

she the one?" someone inquired.

"I heard about it, too! Rumors said she's coming to Colifernia, but I didn't expect it to be true!" another exclaimed. Wynter narrowed her eyes on Rohan. "Are you trying to interfere with the acquisition, Mr. Tarvin?"

Rohan waved a dismissive hand. "We wouldn't dare, but the farmers' market falls under Colifernia's jurisdiction. Have you even consulted us before making your move?

"Don't get too cocky just because you're a Quinnell. In Colifernia, even the most powerful have to tread lightly."

He sent a puff of smoke in Wynter's direction as a clear sign of warning.

Wynter couldn't help but smirk at his words. "It seems like you're quite the impressive man in Colifernia, Mr.

Tarvin. If I recall clearly, Grandpa Gordon was the one who established the Colifernia Chamber of Commerce. Yet, you spoke as if you were its founder. "Besides, what does the chamber of commerce have anything to do with my acquisition of the market?"

Rohan took off his shades and glared at her. "What's in the past belongs in the past. Why bother with what's long gone? The Quinnells won't be acquiring the farmers' market because I say so!"