Pampered By My Three Brothers: The Return Of The Neglected Heiress - Chapter 1148

Chapter 1148: she knew there was no way out of this.
There are so many criminal activities in the world that one wouldn’t even imagine. Aside from the usual crimes and violence, there was so much that kept not just the police department but all parts of law enforcement preoccupied.

One of these was the rise of illegal online gambling.

Unlike drugs and cartels, this business was less dangerous in some ways. The market was vast, involving tens of billions of dollars. Though it was just as violent as other syndicates, it also involved other crimes such as scams, extortion, abduction, torture, and murder.

Since Mint wasn’t entirely sure yet, despite having an idea, she decided to observe. Around the office were metal wire fences where she could walk around and blend in as one of the soldiers watching over the “workers.” Her steps slowed as she studied the people in front of each computer.

‘Now, I’m sure of it,’ she thought. ‘I’ve heard enough to know they are scamming people. Worst of all is that these people victimizing the people on the other end of the line are also victims themselves.’

She was aware that there were other “departments” in places like this. Just like any other workplace in the world, there was a hierarchy here. Considering the environment, Mint knew she had stumbled upon the lowest department of this ring.

‘I had to leave,’ she thought. ‘This is not the time to get fascinated by this.’

After telling herself that, Mint quickened her pace and focused on the other door—opposite from where she came in. She’d been there long enough, and no one had noticed her yet. With this confidence, she believed she could navigate her way through the building more easily.

However, as she moved along, she suddenly halted. Slowly, she turned her head in one direction, her eyes landing on a man seated at one of the computers. Her breath caught as she studied his black eye and busted lip. The man, who was still working at this hour, seemed like he had just been beaten up. Yet, he continued working, trying to stay conscious despite his body swaying.

Her hands balled into tight fists, and the picture of the place became even clearer. She now recognized that the men who had been sweeping money on the ground earlier wore the same worn-out yellow shirts as these workers.

‘I’m getting these people out of here,’ she thought, gritting her teeth. But she had to swallow the reality: she would have to leave them for now. It was even harder to leave when the person who caught her eye suddenly slumped over in his chair.

Mint perked up as she saw soldiers from the door she had been eyeing marching in. They wordlessly approached the man who had fainted, but instead of helping him, one kicked him in the stomach.

“Hey! What the—? You haven’t even finished your shift, huh?!” the soldier yelled, launching another kick, which somehow woke the victim. “You bastard! Get up and work!”

“Just leave him alone,” the other soldier clicked his tongue. “His injuries haven’t healed. Just drag him back to his room. We’re short-staffed, and killing him will only piss off the boss.”

The man who had kicked the victim hissed, clicking his tongue as he dragged him away. He wasn’t gentle about it. The other soldier looked around the office, then walked away arrogantly.

Mint held her breath as she watched the scene unfold, her fist clenched tightly. She had to bite her tongue and hold back tears as she witnessed it all. What angered her even more was that, despite all of this, the workers around didn’t even flinch. They didn’t stop working to check or show any fear. They were like robots—or, more accurately, so accustomed to this violence that they knew they had no choice but to keep working to survive and get out of this.

But she knew there was no way out of this. It would take a miracle for one to get out, and miracles in these types of places were impossible.

Mint clenched her teeth and hesitated before looking away, telling herself she would come back. She would… once Benjamin was safe. This place would be gone by morning.

With that thought in mind, Mint headed toward the exit where the soldiers had gone. She knew she might encounter some soldiers along the way, but now she had only two options. One was to blend in, and if that didn’t work and they started asking questions, she would have to silence them.

As she stepped out of the door, the soldiers outside began asking questions.

******

After what felt like an endless ride to hell, Atlas’s team finally reached the syndicate’s base, the place where Slater and Benjamin had been taken. To avoid alerting anyone, they stopped a few meters from the entrance.

“Finally.” Hugo stood beside the truck, his eyes on the facility. They were at the back entrance, and just as the informant had said, it wasn’t as guarded as the front.

Atlas turned to look at Mark. “Are you done?”

Mark, perched on a nearby tree and was tying up the gang member. The latter had already passed out from the rough ride. Mark hadn’t beaten him—he’d simply punched him once when he lost his temper. After double-checking the knots, he nodded and stood up.

“I don’t think he’s waking up anytime soon,” Mark said, walking toward the Bennet brothers. As he stopped, he looked at them before lifting his gaze to the old facility.

The three of them stood side by side. Unlike earlier, they were calm, though their eyes showed determination, suppressed rage, and urgency. The people inside that place weren’t just criminals; Benjamin and Slater were inside. Mint, Penny, and Zoren were also there.

“You can get in without being caught?” Atlas asked, eyes on the facility.

“Getting caught isn’t the problem,” Mark replied, casting a look at Hugo. “Second Brother…?”

Hugo didn’t react, his eyes still fixed on the building. “I got it,” he muttered, running his fingers through his hair. “Just get inside. I’ll make sure they know exactly whose brother they’ve messed with.”

Atlas nodded, and Mark looked back at him, giving a confirming nod in return.