The Devil’s Cage

Kieran was vigilant or even doubtful by nature, he would never believe in so-called “coincidences”.

He was more willing to believe that a coincidence was a series of events arranged beforehand.

Perhaps it might make one look stiff and inflexible but a stiff person was still alive, not a dead person.

Dok, Dok Dok!

His fingertips were tapping on the armrest relentlessly, when the rhythm reached a peak, it stopped abruptly.

Kieran shook his head with a bitter smile.

There was too little information, forbidding him from theorizing further.

Similar to how he knew there was an organization on his tail, he theorized it from the term arbiter and executioner. He didn’t even know what kind of organization it was and he would not be able to know for a long period of time in the foreseeable future.

Kieran knew if he wanted to assure his identity to stay hidden, the best option would be to stop casually asking around about any organization that had arbiter and executioner titles in their ranks.

Any casual asking around would only draw attention from that organization and it would render his “change of heart” and “change of face” useless.

In fact, even if he removed the organization’s hold on him and changed his face, Kieran’s heart was still lacking confidence because of the most simple and direct example: his habits!

Without a corresponding memory, he couldn’t understand whether his arbiter identity and his current one shared any kinds of habits. If there were any similar ones, the chances of him being exposed would surge.

Therefore, Kieran was clear that not only did he need to prevent the organization from noticing him, but he would also need to “normalize” his new identity as well, to the point that people would treat him as a real amnesia patient trying to recover his memory.

Meanwhile during the process, if he could keep expanding his influence, it would be the better option as well. The bigger the influence of his new identity, the more suitable for him to conceal his previous identity.

Perhaps it might attract attention or even suspicions because of his new reputation but most of it will be the assurance of his new identity.

Of course, it would also need Kieran’s meticulous control over the events.

Therefore when Kieran left Augen Manor for St. Reid Hospital, he had been thinking about his plans.

“Sir 2567, we are here.”

Chelsea, the secretary in the driver seat, reminded Kieran who was in deep thought.

She paused her speaking for a moment but eventually continued. “Sir, I don’t think you can find further leads about your memories here. Although you woke up here, you really should head to the Winchester site instead.” Chelsea said.

“Thanks, Chelsea. I’ll take a stroll here before heading to the Winchester’s place for a look.

While putting up his front to search for his memories, Kieran went along with his act to present a helpless smile of an amnesia patient.

“I’ll wait for you here. Please be careful and keep your mobile phone clear all the time,” Chelsea reminded him.

No doubt, the secretary treated Kieran as a real amnesia patient.

Kieran expressed his gratitude once more for the concern and got out of the car.

St. Reid Hospital at dawn was quiet. Even the Nightwatch and the security guards were sleepy at this time.

When Kieran walked past them, all the Nightwatch and guards only took a glimpse at him before snoozing off again.

Kieran’s “amnesia” title was quite vibrant within the hospital.

All of the hospital personnel knew Kieran, so there wouldn’t be any obstructions.

Kieran smoothly entered the main hall of the first hall and went straight to the [Sister Reid Statue].

Under the light, the statue’s mercy and compassion were more pronounced than ever, as though it was bathing in a holy radiance. Kieran didn’t exclaim because of the scene.

He didn’t come to St. Reid Hospital at dawn to admire the statue or search for his memories but to remove his doubts.

That night when Kieran encountered one of the Twenty Hounds from Elder Council, he remembered that the fake Gannett had utilized the statue’s power.

At first, Kieran thought the fake Gannett was using a certain item instead but through the fight yesterday, Kieran rejected the thought.

The fake Gannett definitely didn’t possess such item, otherwise, he would have brought it with him during the fight to defend against Kieran from the situation.

Discarding the possibility of an item, only a secret technique was explainable.

“What were the odds of a stray mystic lingering around the edge getting a hold of a long lost organization’s legacy technique?” Kieran asked himself.

The answer was self-explanatory, the odds were next to none!

Maybe some lucky man would discover some rare treasures and texts from ancient structures or ruins but a legacy technique from a secretive organization like Marulyn would only be protected tightly.

It might be passed on from mouth to mouth and the odds of the fake Gannett getting his hands on such a secretive technique were near to nothing.

Without the so-called items and secret techniques, how did he utilize and draw out the statue’s power?

There was only one possibility left! Someone taught him the way!

Why not an item though? Because even though it might be a one-time consumable item, it would be extremely valuable as well and with the fake Gannett’s value, he wouldn’t have thrown it away but bring it with him all the time. However, Kieran didn’t find anything on the man’s dead body.

So, who was the one who taught the fake Gannett the spell or technique?

After some slight thoughts, Kieran had gotten a shocking answer.

Damien of the Twenty Hounds! Other than him, Kieran couldn’t think of anyone else.

Not only because of Damien’s organization, the Elder Council could have gotten a part of Marulyn Church’s knowledge and legacies during the Hundred-Years War, it was also because Damien imitated the real Gannett in such a skillful way in that situation.

He couldn’t have skillfully imitated Gannett, to the point that he was indistinguishable from the original, without knowing him in person. Even if it was in an illusory realm that was almost indistinguishable from the real, it was the same.

Therefore, that night when Damien of the Twenty Hounds appeared in St. Reid Hospital, it wasn’t what happened like the fake Gannett claimed, saying that he was after Kieran’s body.

The truth was…

“That night, when the fake Gannett realized something went wrong, he came to the hospital, trying to test me. Coincidentally, he ran into Damien of the Twenty Hounds and got captured. Judging from the rumors of the Elder Council, all the Twenty Hounds were not kind folks, the reason why Damien didn’t kill the fake Gannett because he was still valuable!”

“The same thing, Damien wouldn’t have thought the fake Gannett the secret technique on how to draw out the power from the statue without a reason as well, unless… he wanted to achieve something using the secret technique!”

Kieran recalled what happened that night and his thoughts were getting clearer.

He unconsciously looked at the [Sister Reid Statue], his gaze was slowly becoming hot.