The Devil’s Cage

Regarding the explosion case of the Winchester House, Kieran performed multiple speculations based on the clues in his hand.

His final conclusion was Barney the Jackal helped Brigal to dispose of the stolen goods, so he bought the entire Winchester House and to cover his traces, he killed the original owner’s family of three, thus killing the witnesses and eliminated the evidence.

Then, the stolen treasures from Edland Museum attracted Symende Augen as a buyer.

Though whether Barney the Jackal raised the price on the spot or Symende Augen wanted to double-cross him, or even some unexpected player interrupting in the midst of the trade, accidents happened and the entire Winchester House was blown sky high.

It was the general conclusion that Kieran could think of but after Anne Aldrich Augen told her side of the story, Kieran was forced to refute all of his theories.

“The one who bought Winchester House wasn’t Barney the Jackal?” Kieran asked in an attempt to find out more.

While facing against Anne Aldrich Augen, Kieran’s character couldn’t allow him to trust anything she had to say. No one could guarantee the things that she said weren’t a lie.

From how Kieran looked at her, lying had become her second nature.

“Barney the Jackal? That little thug that disposed of stolen goods? Oh, you are talking about the thieving case at Edland Museum?”

“Well truth be told, that batch of treasures might be valuable treasures in your people’s eyes but after you’ve seen Symende’s treasure room, you’ll notice that the stolen treasures were too ordinary. The carpet that you tore apart when you broke in last night, that piece alone was worth more than almost everything from the stolen batch of treasures.” She laughed.

It wasn’t to boast but she said it like stating the facts, of course mixing in a slight sense of mockery.

Kieran was unmoved by those mockeries. He was born poor and couldn’t understand how the rich thought, nor would he understand why Symende Augen treated an antique carpet as a daily item.

But, one thing was for sure, Anne Aldrich Augen wasn’t lying because the manor was built right there and Kieran could simply find a person to evaluate the price of the items inside.

Anne Aldrich Augen was a smart woman, she wouldn’t make up lies on such a fragile stand.

“What do you know about that mysterious guy? Why did Symende Augen go to that place?” Kieran asked.

“These two question is actually one question but… I don’t know!”

“Do you have to be so surprised?”

When she saw Kieran’s surprised face, Anne Aldrich Augen’s smile became brighter, that smile seemed to attract even the sunlight. It made her face even more dazzling and beautiful.

“Since you can be with that lady chief officer, then how could you not understand my goal of marrying Symende Augen? That is why I would never interfere with things that I shouldn’t touch. In fact, I have to thank that mysterious guy from a certain aspect. Without him, I’m afraid I have to use other methods to ditch that old geezer Symende Augen, he is much more dangerous and scary than what you people can imagine.”

When she mentioned her husband, Anne Aldrich Augen didn’t only call out in his full name but also utter it with immense disgust and scruple.

“When Symende Augen headed to Winchester House, how many men did he bring with him?” Kieran asked after thinking deeply.

A total of five bodies were found in the Winchester explosion, two of them could very well be Symende Augen and Rudal, Barney’s subordinate.

The remaining three bodies were unidentified yet and after his original theory was refuted, finding leads from the bodies became the only thing he could go after.

“One! Tonita, his driver and also his bodyguard. Once a famous fighter but that poor guy that had his arm broken by Mayer once.”

“To be honest, you are really lucky that you’ve escaped from Mayer last night. He is a stubborn fella, after accepting my protection request he wouldn’t change his motives to chase you, otherwise your neck had already been broken!”

Anne Aldrich Augen looked weird when she mentioned the name, Mayer.

It was ranting, unwillingness mixed with sweetness and pride.

Kieran frowned. He wasn’t a stranger to such an expression.

In [The Shaman’s Partner], Elle Jones had always expressed such an expression to him and in [The Queen’s Shield], Mary tended to do it as well.

Kieran however definitely didn’t think Anne Aldrich Augen would show such an expression.

It provided Kieran a direct impression towards the name Mayer, not just about his strength anymore.

“Another disguise?” Kieran wondered but soon shook his head.

The pride that Anne Aldrich Augen expressed, not only in her words but on her face as well, was not an act. If that fighter named Mayer really went to such extents, which meant the lady sitting in front Kieran would be terrifying beyond his imagination, despite not possessing any powers.

“Thank you for your cooperation, so can we finish our first deal now?” Kieran asked.

The inspection gaze from his eyes turned denser.

The worst case scenario might not happen but once it did, it would be best for him to be prepared.

Kieran who was used to saving up for a rainy day directly increase Anne Aldrich Augen’s danger level in his heart, two levels to be exact.

“You are really an anxious one!”

Anne Aldrich Augen said but her movements didn’t stop.

She raised her hand and the driver from afar quickly came over and passed her a mobile phone.

“Director Gregory? Yes, it’s like this… No no no, I didn’t say what you must do but I order you to do so! Now, instantly, immediately, I want to see you in a press conference taking back the charges on Chief Officer Teresa and say it was a mistake wanted list plus reinstate her position!”

“What? You need a scapegoat? What does that have to do with me? I’m just helping Chief Officer Teresa here, the others don’t matter. You do what you think is necessary.”

Anne Aldrich Augen didn’t pretend before Keiran and directly gave orders to that alleged superior that Teresa mentioned before.

That’s right, orders! It felt like she was ordering her cooking maid or gardener back in her manor.

After Anne Aldrich Augen gave the orders, that Director Gregory worked faster than expected as well. A mere 10 minutes later, the tv in the cafe was showing the director himself in a press conference. Kieran saw it clearly as well and just like Hoskin described, a bald head would surely leave a heavy impression.

“Will that suffice?”

Anne Aldrich Augen asked after Director Gregory honestly stated that he was deceived by Teresa’s assistant and took back the charges on her and removed the wanted order.

“That will do.” Kieran nodded and passed the original recording to her.

“You are more straightforward that you look. You wouldn’t have made any extra copies right?” Anne Aldrich Augen asked after taking over the recording.

“Some self-protection measures,” Kieran answered honestly.

“A dishonest man will not be popular among the ladies. You should be more ballsy, like…”

Anne Aldrich Augen wanted to further mock Kieran but before she could finish, Kieran rose up suddenly from his chair and grabbed her into his arms.

The sudden hug bedazzled her, she instinctively raised her knee towards Kieran’s crotch with all her might in an absence of mercy but Kieran caught her knee with his thighs, clamping it down.

“Don’t move if you don’t want to die!”

Kieran warned Anne Aldrich Augen loudly and jumped backward.

Only then she noticed a thin layer of mist had shrouded the area without her knowing and more importantly, the table and chairs where she and Kieran were sitting down started to melt like candles under the fire.

“What happened?”

Anne Aldrich Augen asked in shock.