The Devil’s Cage

The three remaining riders saw the bodies of their comrades hanging on the trees.

Their expressions turned pale instantly.

The riders quickly went up to their comrades’ bodies, wanting to lay them down but when they saw the rope that tied the bodies up, their faces changed again.

It was their hair!

The hair on the dead riders was separated from their body, knitted into a rope and used hang their owners to death.

Contly looked at the five bodies with a heavy expression. There weren’t any exterior wounds nor signs of being poisoned, they were hung to death.

Aside from how hard was it to hang five Mutant riders, the fact that using the rider’s own hair was shocking enough.

One needed to know, Mutant riders didn’t have long hair and as a matter of fact, in order to fight more conveniently, all the Mutant riders had short hair.

It seemed like their hair was forcibly grown and was used to hang their owners.

It was also one of the common means of a witch.

“It’s the curse! The witches are flaunting their power at us!” Contly said after taking in a deep breath.

Then, she stopped the three riders and said, “If you three don’t want to end up like this, best you burn the bodies. One of the witches fortes was to lay traps with corpses.”

The three riders looked at each other and eventually Kieran.

They wanted him to make the decision and Kieran nodded without objections.

The fire was burning up brightly in the night, anyone from afar could see it clearly, Sutherlin Castle was no exception. The group knew it as well.

“2567, we need to leave now! Sutherlin Castle might have noticed our arrival. The place is heavily guarded and has many cannons around it. And now with the addition of the witches… It’s impossible for us to win this!” Herbert came over and said.

“Why not? Unless you don’t believe me?” Kieran replied with his question.

The colorful glow in Kieran’s eyes shone again.

Even the elderly scholar couldn’t stare directly into the glow, he turned his head away.

“What are you trying to do? Not only have you lost your previous calmness but you’ve become arbitrary and self-willed! Your bloodline is powerful but you shouldn’t get affected by it! You bastard! Wake up a little, if you continue on like this, you will only destroy yourself!”

Contly scolded loudly.

She obviously noticed something through her guardian’s inheritance knowledge but Kieran wasn’t bothered.

“Keep moving,” Kieran said.

Despite how many times Contly objected, the convoy followed Kieran as the leader.

After the command was given, the convoy continued on to Sutherlin Castle.

“This can’t go on, we have to stop him! He has been affected by his bloodline and lost his previous coolness and judgment… Damn it, who has the power to stop him? His strength ties our hands.” Contly sat back on the wagon with indignation and spilled her concerns.

“I know. But we still have to rely on 2567’s strength. Hopefully, everything will turn out fine,” Herbert said with a bitter laugh.

“The more we rely on him, the most arrogant he becomes! I’ve seen such men before but compared to 2567, the others were nothing!” Contly said as she gazed in front of the wagon with worried eyes.

Though soon enough, Contly worries were replaced by astonishment.

The convoy had entered the range of Sutherlin Castle for quite some time.

In addition to the fiery light created when they burned the bodies, it wasn’t possible for the people in Sutherlin Castle to not notice them but until the convoy reached in front of the castle, there were no any types of “greetings”, let alone ambushes.

It was a smooth ride the entire way.

Even Sutherlin Castle’s suspension bridge was lowered down and the three-layered gates at the end were opened up as well.

Everyone from the convoy looked at the scene anxiously with doubt.

Kieran didn’t care much as he signaled the group to press forward.

The dominated Rayhart and Retsu would not disobey Kieran’s orders, so the wagon went on. The three riders hesitated for a while before following as well.

They as Mutants from the Carlhart Camp didn’t have any choice left once Kieran took over the camp.

Contly was cursing again when she saw Kieran’s reckless act again but she didn’t hesitate at all as she straightened the reins and followed.

The wagon wheels came in contact with the wooden planks of the suspension bridge, it produced a unique noise and it was spread far away into the night.

Still, there wasn’t any reaction from Sutherlin Castle’s side.

It was so quiet that it felt strange.

“Your Highness, there’s blood!” One of the riders suddenly called out.

The rider sniffed repeatedly, obviously, he had an outstanding sense of smell.

“Continue forward!”

Kieran’s faint voice came out from the carriage as though everything was normal.

As the convoy continued on for some distance, everyone started to pick up the bloody stench and as the convoy approached the castle gate, the stench grew heavier, to the point that it was pungent.

The riders, Rayhart, Retsu and Contly’s expressions turned ugly because they seemed to have grasped what was going on.

When the wagon passed through the two valve gates and the door opened inwards to the castle, the scene that everyone had expected appeared before their eyes.

Bodies!

Hundreds and thousands of bodies fell into a sea of blood.

There weren’t any signs of a brutal fight!

The people in Sutherlin Castle were like puppets under control, standing outside the outer wall area, allowing the culprit to kill them slice after slice, like livestock being killed.

That Carderweld was no exception either but unlike his men, the general tried to resist his demise

He was holding a flintlock in his hand and the sword hidden in his crutch was pulled out but…

All of that didn’t change his fate for the better.

A neat cut appeared on his neck, separating the head from the body.

Carderweld’s head fell into a corner of the hall. His dying face had surprise, shock, and anger all over it.

Everyone saw the scattered bodies everywhere and didn’t speak for a while, they couldn’t describe their feelings right now.

They thought it would be a life and death battle but now, their opponents were dead.

The huge contrast between feelings was unacceptable even for the naturally gifted and battle-hardened Mutants.

While recalling what happened after leaving the military camp, the riders stared at all the dead bodies before their eyes and were being assaulted by the vile stench of blood, each of the Mutant riders felt numbness on their backs.

It was too strange! Freakily strange!

“Your Highness…” One of the riders looked at Kieran

Kieran didn’t reply but he turned his eyes to Herbert.

“A great chance isn’t it? What are we waiting for? Let’s begin, Herbert! I can’t wait!”

Kieran’s tone sounded excited and his expression looked a bit frantic.

The wicked aura on him became more and more eye-catching, to the point that it almost distort the space around him.

“Yes!” Herbert nodded and went straight ahead to the middle of the hall, he then started to chant a long and complicated incantation with a low voice.

“Sir Herbert, you…?” Contly was stunned.

She was completely confused, she didn’t know what was happening but before she could ask a second time, she realized her body was dashing towards Kieran without her control, driving the black short dagger in her hand to Kieran’s neck.

In fact, not only her but the riders, Rayhart, and Retsu did the same as well. They were unleashing their strongest attack at Kieran within their range.

Although their faces were confused and struggling, their bodies were out of their control.

At the next moment, Kieran’s body was penetrated by swords, daggers, and bullets.