The Devil's Cage

Selina was frank at Kieran’s question, switching to a position on the sofa before answering.

“Yes, secret meow! They admired Mordin! And I suspect the core of the Broke Fire Council is a cult for worshipping Mordin!”

“Mordin?” Kieran squinted his gleaming eyes.

From the very first moment he stepped into this world, Mordin’s name had entered his sight and had then meticulously been woven through his adventures.

After Io Mirror’s pieces appeared, Mordin had acquired a special place in Kieran’s heart.

Mordin might possess multiple Io Mirrors or something similar since the broken pieces came from her

Nevertheless, Mordin being related to Broken Fire Council shocked Kieran.

Based on Kieran’s limited contact with the organization, it should be a mix of demon descendants and half-bloods.

What role did Mordin play in this?

The majority of the Mordin Sculptures that Kieran had contained the demon’s energy but it felt more like a seal and a vessel for the energy, especially [Hell Breath], the last sculpture of Mordin, which boldly pronounced its intention of eradicating demons.

If a master sculptor like Mordin had been hated by the demons to the core, it wouldn’t have been surprising for Kieran and yet the situation turned out completely different: Mordin was worshipped by the demons!

It was astonishing.

‘What secrets does it hold?’

Kieran was pondering upon the topic.

Selina, who was lying down on the sofa, obviously sensed Kieran’s shock.

“Surprised, eh? When meow got my paws on this news, it shocked meow too! Mordin must have some big secret with her meow! Meow wants to know what the secret is!”

Selina behaved like a real cat, overflowing with curiosity.

When the mysterious Mordin was mentioned, she even scratched the back of the sofa with her hands.

“What else do you know about Broken Fire Council?” Kieran continued to ask.

“The bastards from Broken Fire Council are a bunch of hypocritical, cunning assholes. If you deal with them, never believe what they say. They are very good at stabbing people in the back. They say they are working together with you on the bright side but secretly sell you out to your enemies and reap bigger benefits from the trade. Meow almost fell into the stinking trap last time!” Selina warned Kieran seriously.

“What else?” Kieran asked.

“Nothing else, meow knows this much.”

Selina pushed her back against the sofa back, replying in a lazy tone.

“Em, thank you,” Kieran nodded and headed to the study room.

Selina curiously saw him off.

‘Thank you? Did this guy just thank me?’

After being thrown out by Kieran and drenched wet by the rain, Selina’s view of Kieran was stuck at cold and heartless, not a gentleman, but now she was getting thanked?

Selina couldn’t react to the situation properly.

“What a weird fella,” Selina whispered on the sofa.

A big yawn later, she shut her eyes and long purrs sounded shortly after that.

Everyone in the house saw Selina fall asleep on the sofa but without Kieran’s permission or the intention to shoo her out, everyone else minded their own business and did not wake her up.

Ferris took Odork’s place in patrol.

Emma Eddie returned to her room and trained quietly in her own way.

Goran headed to the end of the corridor.

The end of the corridor was originally a storeroom where Ferris placed all the electrical appliances but after Goran joined the group, the storeroom expanded rapidly—it absorbed the second storeroom to install more electrical equipment. Since Kieran had acquired the stash of gold from Mr.Ghost, the bulk purchase of the equipment was nothing for him but was a direct surge in power for Goran.

Goran’s ability allowed him to send his willpower through the internet, so the equipment that he used mostly determined how much power he could exert.

“Now, where are the little rats?”

Muttering, Goran placed his hand on the server and a special wave started to spread.

The waves were weak but Kieran sensed them nevertheless.

Kieran paid slight attention to the transmitting waves to make sure Goran didn’t run into problems, then moved his attention to Old Book Canberlanor.

The consecutive reading went on for days and yet the Old Book wasn’t exhausted at all. Quite the contrary, because of his special traits, the Old Book looked more energetic than ever.

The books he hadn’t read were getting less and less, Kieran was certain Old Book would finish all the books before dark based on how fast he flipped those pages.

As a matter of fact, half an hour later, the reading had already come to an end.

“My lord.”

Old Book bowed at Kieran after he exited his concentrated reading state.

“How is it?” Kieran asked and then waved his hand.

“I found something but I need time to simulate it, the fastest I can get it done is by tomorrow morning,” said the old Book.

“Go ahead,” Kieran smiled and nodded.

All the simulation required was a night, faster than what Kieran had expected.

Under Kieran’s watch, Old Book closed his eyes and mutters started to come from his mouth, his hands drawing in the air, like a musical conductor.

Kieran saw something else from the Old Book’s movements though.

Retrieve and combine.

As if the process was a chef curing meat, salt, sugar, and pepper were taken out from the spice boxes in the kitchen and then sprinkled on the meat with the correct ratio.

Kieran showed more anticipation for Old Book’s simulation.

He quietly stood up and left without disturbing the process, likewise for the others too.

Kieran still had his own unfinished matters to attend to.

...

Dale brought a group of his men with him and ran towards the secret location where the car was hidden. Everyone got on without making a noise and when the car drove away from the outskirts, everyone finally heaved a breath of relief.

“That’s the Glutton Emperor? What a scary person!”

“Broken Fire Council, the investigator from Union Senate, and even the criminals from Printon couldn’t do anything to him!” One of the men started speaking in the car.

“Yeah! Why are we in this anyway? Damn it! I don’t want to set foot in Alkender anymore!” another man said.

Although it sounded depressing, it received acknowledgement from the others.

Dale looked at his demoralized man with furrowed brows.

He knew he must do something, otherwise this group he spent so much effort in getting together would break apart and it wasn’t something he wished to see.

Despite being frightened to the core, Dale chose to speak.

“Don’t worry, things aren’t as bad as you think! Broken Fire Council and Printon City will not just sit back, since their men were killed, and they are much stronger than you think!” said Dale while driving the car.

The words slightly calmed everyone.

A while later, someone else spoke, “Is anyone in Broken Fire Council or Printon City capable of killing with a single glance?”

The question shook everyone, because they had witnessed Harkend from Printon get torn to pieces by a single glance.

A terrifying one!

Dale trembled as his mind replayed the scene over and over again.

As a mercenary, he saw a lot of Extraordinary individuals, and he was one of them, but... killing with a single glance never crossed his mind! It was too absurd!

Nevertheless, Dale had to act strong in this particular moment.

“I don’t know about Broken Fire Council since they are so mysterious but I know how powerful the folks of Printon can be! Harkend may be well-known outside but compared to the 13 Calamity of Printon, he was nothing! Especially Luther and Sphendix, those two are the epitome was fear! Luther kills without being seen and Sphendix wears a suit of black armor, invincible to attacks and possessing inhuman strength! If they would come forth, Glutton Emperor may not be a match!”

From sounding forced at first to the build up confidence, it was a few sentences apart.

The thought of how powerful those two could be released Dale from the fear that Kieran used.

Through the back mirror, Dale saw his men were still shocked, so he made up his mind.

“Didn’t you guys ask about our employer? I’ll let you guys know that our employer is from Printon,” said Dale.

“Is it Luther or Sphendix?” one of these men asked.

“You can say that,” Dale brushed him off with a vague answer.

Given who they were, it was impossible for Dale to get close to the 13 Calamity, but it was possible for him to get close to a follower of the said powerhouse.

This particular mission was commissioned by one of Sphendix’s followers, he was required to participate in the operation to ‘encircle and suppress’ the Glutton Emperor.

Although the mission failed, he had contacted said follower and as long as the contact was valid, he could make his way to Printon.

The life of a mercenary was harsh without powerful support.

Given what he did in the past, should he try to rope in Hero Alliance as his backbone, he would be thrown in jail by the Union without a second though, so Printon became his last resort.

The car turned for a few corners, driving from Alkender’s outskirts into the border.

Should he drive further, he would go out of Alkender completely.

“It’s here! The lord is here! Keep your temper in check, be respectful, I don’t want you guys to die a blind death, understood?” Dale pointed at the farm further away and reminded his men strictly.

“Yes boss.”

“Got it.”

Four of his men nodded repeatedly, and even without Dale’s reminder, these mercenaries who had just been through a non-human battle halved their arrogance.

And now, with Dale’s reminder, they carefully came down from the car and followed Dale tightly into the farm.

The four of them trembled as they traveled to the farm, and when Dale knocked on the door, they swallowed their saliva nervously.

Knock, Knock, Knock!

Each knock sounded like a blow to their head or a blunt strike to their heart.

Tsss Gak!

The door opened with an irritating squeak and when the door was completely opened, their hearts almost jumped out of their throats, including Dale, but they were astonished instead of being scared by the person behind the door.

The person wore a black long robe, looked skinny and should the man wear a hood over his face, standing in the shadow quietly, he would send chills down one’s spine.

But now?

After the man opened the door anxiously, he turned to go back inside and continued tidying his things in the room while being troubled by panic.

“You are going away?” Dale saw the big suitcase and asked out of curiosity.

“Damn it! The lord ordered me to return to Printon immediately, we’ve stepped on something that we shouldn’t! Take your payment and go away!”

The man threw over a bag of money that he prepared for Dale.

Dale caught it and was stunned.

Something they shouldn’t step on?

The only person that his employer had in mind recently was... Glutton Emperor!

Immediately, Dale shrunk his neck in fear.

He didn’t say anything and went out of the room.

He must leave Alkender at once and never return!

Even the Black Knight Sphendix’s follower wanted to escape the Glutton Emperor, so what would Dale be then?

Determined, Dale hastened his steps but the moment he walked out the door, pain struck his heart.

“Aargh!”

A painful scream later, Dale fell to the ground, forever. The men behind him were not breathing either.

Being an Extraordinary individual, Dale did not die right away but he was on the verge of dying.

He turned back to his employer in rage.

He wasn’t confused, he felt wrong and unwilling.

The moment he fell, he knew what his employer was up to: killing the witness!

He too had silenced witnesses or the sake of keeping a secret, but never did he think it would happen to him.

Could it be... the Glutton Emperor was this scary?

Even the folks from Printon had to silence the witness to wipe away all traces?

“Sorry, I hate to. The lord told me to clean the traces—he’s rarely this serious so I knew I would die if I returned to Printon after this bold move. I don’t want to die, and I can’t return to Printon, so... You will die in my place!”

The employer looked down at Dale’s widened eyes. He carried his suitcase out and opened a can of gas.

Before the explanation even finished, Dale was already out of breath, his eyes still wide, obviously dying a restless death.

The employer didn’t care that much either, he pulled every single one of the mercenaries inside the room drenched in gasoline.

He had to silence the witness and also destroy all traces!

Only then could he secure enough time to escape!

“Don’t blame me, this is how the world works! The cruelest will smile to the end! ustice is a game that is used to bluff children. As mercenaries, you people are like hyenas and vultures. I don’t think you guys believed in justice, right? Otherwise, justice would have come from the sky, demolishing us all into nothing!”

Standing in front of the entrance with his suitcase, the employer pulled out his lighter and started a fire. The spark ignited an ember.

The employer mocked Dale and his men in front of the ember.

Suddenly, he felt something wasn’t right, heat was coming from above.

Instinctively, he looked up and was stunned on the spot.

A giant fireball came from the sky!

KABOOM!

Blazing waves rumbled and scorching flames rose, demolishing them into cinders.