At 11 PM, Gwen and Wong sat side by side on the worn-out couch in their living room. Their bloodshot eyes glued to the flickering screen of an old TV.
The lottery show host’s overly enthusiastic voice came through the speakers, but neither of them paid attention to anything but the numbers being drawn.
As the minutes passed by, the moment of truth arrived. The final set of numbers appeared on the screen. Gwen and Wong held their trembling hands together, praying for a miracle.
"...Six... thirty-two... twenty-two... forty-nine... seventeen... five."
The duo compared the numbers with the lottery ticket on the coffee table in front of them. They also looked at the phone and the written number that Carn had written.
They matched!
Their heart skipped a beat.
R𝑒ad latest chapt𝒆rs at freewebnovёl.ƈom Only.
ALL NUMBER MATCHED!
On the TV, the host’s announcement confirmed their wildest dreams, claiming someone had just won the jackpot, and all six numbers on their ticket matched perfectly.
Gwen and Wong exploded into screams of pure elation. They shot off the couch, dancing and spinning in circles. They hugged each other, bouncing up and down like children on Christmas morning. Their laughter echoed through the house as they ran from room to room, unable to contain their excitement.
Finally, Gwen managed to catch her breath long enough to grab a calculator from the kitchen counter.
"Let’s figure out how much we’re getting!"
Wong, however, did not need a calculator. As a traditional Asian mom, she smirked, "No need. I already did the math in my head, lah."
"Eh?"
"If we go for the lump sum payout, that’s usually about 45% of the total jackpot. Let’s say the jackpot is 480 million. That gives us roughly 216 million before taxes. Now, subtract 37% federal taxes, and we’re left with 136.08 million. Splitting it evenly between us, we each get 68.04 million."
Gwen blinked her eyes several times, stunned by how effortlessly Wong had broken it all down. Then, her face broke into an even wider grin.
"Sixty-eight million dollars? Each?!" Gwen shouted.
Wong cackled and puffed her chest, "Let’s not forget state taxes. We are lucky we live in Florida. Our state does not impose taxes on lottery winnings!"
"HAIL FLORIDA!" Gwen also mimicked Wong’s cackle. She tossed the calculator aside and grabbed Wong’s hands, spinning her around in another victory dance. "Who cares about taxes right now? We’re rich, Wong! Rich!"
"No, no! This is just beginning! We go overseas, lay low for a few months. Let new lottery prize grow bigger, ah! When it hits 500 million or more, we ask Carn to predict numbers again! Infinite money glitch, lah!"
"OH!" Gwen gasped and widened her eyes.
Wong’s expression shifted as she suddenly clasped Gwen’s hands tightly. "Now, you marry my son, okay? Give me grandchildren and we are rich together."
Intoxicated by the adrenaline rush and the moments, Gwen accepted without hesitation, "Yes, Mom!"
"My daughter-in-law!" Wong cheered, pulling Gwen into a tight embrace.
Gwen and Wong dissolved into laughter, holding each other tightly as they celebrated their windfall.
.
Meanwhile, in the relative quiet of the abandoned hideout, Carn, Gawain, Rosa, and Merlin lounged comfortably, enjoying the stillness.
From the quiet hideout, Carn rolled his eyes as he overheard faint echoes of their celebration. Even though they were a block away, their noises still reached them.
"Sounds like they won." Rosa snickered.
Carn smirked. "Good for them. At least someone is having a good dream tonight."
"Maybe they’ll even buy us real furniture for this place," Gawain added with a laugh, gesturing at the mismatched chairs and boxes they had been using as makeshift seating in the empty house.
The trio chuckled. They then resume gazing at the cartel mansion, contemplating if they should raid that place and silence the residents.
The party at the mansion showed no signs of slowing down. Luxurious sports cars arrived one after another, each bringing well-dressed young men who joined the festivities. Soon, a faint crimson haze settled over the area.
At first, the mist was barely noticeable. But as more vehicles poured in, the fog grew denser and darker. The arrival of a black Rolls Royce marked the pinnacle of the event. A young man stepped out, accompanied by a group of glamorous female companions. As they made their appearance, the crimson fog deepened into a black haze that engulfed the entire property.
From the second-floor front windows of their hideout, Carn, Rosa, and Gawain observed the scene. The fog’s density and ominous color signaled an overwhelming concentration of spiritual energy and a thousand or more vengeful spirits.
At least a thousand silver marks of Aether were up for grasp. But the question was "Who will claim it?"
Rosa coughed lightly, "Master, may I go and purge those sinners? It won’t take long. I can petrify everyone in the mansion instantly."
Gawain clenched his fists, clearly eager to contribute, but he knew his skills excelled in one-on-one combat rather than large-scale assaults. He gave up pursuing Aether.
Carn, however, was in desperate need of Aether. He immediately rejected Rosa’s offer. "You two stay here and watch. This is my job."
Rosa voiced her skepticism. "Master, you just want the Aether, don’t you? But my abilities are far better suited for this, Master. If you go there yourself, you’ll risk exposing your location to the ECD. Hunters will be all over this place in no time."
Carn frowned, conceding the logic in Rosa’s argument. Yet his need for Aether was pressing. He attempted a compromise.
"Fine. You can go. But share some of the Aether with me. I need at least 10,000 marks to establish my domain."
The mention of a "Domain" highlighted the gravity of the situation. The domain was a spell unique to demon lords, requiring precisely 10,000 marks of Aether to activate. This powerful incantation would create an upgradeable dungeon core, serving as the cornerstone of a demon lord’s territory.
Once established, the domain would grant numerous benefits to Carn and his subordinates, such as accelerated recovery, enhanced physical capabilities, and various magical blessings. Furthermore, holy spirits would be rendered powerless within its boundaries, unable to support their incarnations or allies attempting to invade the territory.
Initially, the domain would cover an area of 100 square meters, but it could expand over time, especially with additional Aether injections.
In Carn’s previous world, the most expansive domain belonged to Demon Overlord Impermanence—Carn’s creator. His vast territory spanned two-thirds of the mainland continent, encompassing the Mother Tree Forest and even parts of human kingdoms. Within his dominion lay all 72 demon lord dungeons, unified under his grand kingdom.
After the overlord’s death, his legacy became a legend. Humans and demons alike scoured the lands, desperately searching for his fabled dungeon core—the heart of his power. But the overlord had hidden it so well that even Carn, his own son, had no idea of its location.
For now, Carn’s focus was on creating his own foothold, and for that, he needed the Aether.
Rosa paused as she finally realized what Carn was planning. Feeling guilty, she lowered her head.
"Please forgive me, master. I didn’t think of that. I was blinded by greed."
Carn smiled, "Just go and share me Aether."
"Understood!"
Rosa vanished, teleporting to the cartel mansion.