Queen of Wild Cards novel Chapter 486

During the two months she had been embedded here, Stella had witnessed several escapees dragged back and beaten into unrecognizable, bloody pulps.

It was the exact reason she refused to just slip away on her own.

The victims brought here suffered unimaginable horrors.

The physical and psychological torture was entirely inhuman.

Their methods of cruelty defied logic.

Beatings with electrified batons and spiked belts, ripping out fingernails and toenails, locking people in water dungeons or dog cages—those were just the warm-ups. The reality was infinitely more barbaric.

It made medieval torture look like child's play.

Once every last drop of value was squeezed out of a person, they were shipped off to medical vessels in international waters. Their organs were harvested, and their hollowed-out remains were dumped into the ocean for the sharks.

It was a grim, brutal reminder to anyone easily swayed by greed:

Never fall for the illusion of 'high-paying, effortless' overseas jobs.

Never trust wealthy 'benefactors' who seem too good to be true.

Never covet what isn't yours.

And never blindly accept offers for 'exclusive training,' 'luxury tours,' or 'investment scouting' abroad.

There was no such thing as a free lunch. If something seemed perfect, it was a perfectly constructed trap.

The cold, hard truth of the world:

Naivety made you a target.

Greed got you killed.

Ignorance cost you your life.

Shaking off her dark thoughts, Stella looked at Luke. "Since I'm here, I need to play a few hands so no one gets suspicious."

"Right. I'll take you in. Lucian is currently locked in a high-stakes game with a VIP." Luke gestured for her to follow as they headed deeper into the building.

"The house always wins. I'm guessing Lucian has practically cleaned this VIP out by now?"

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