The Devil’s Cage

Amidst their rapid fall, Kieran didn’t panic at all. He was watching Great Swamp secretly while using his index finger to rub the bronze ring embedded with feathers.

[Floating Ring]!

Instantaneously, a formless force wrapped around Kieran and his fall started to slow down.

Meanwhile, Great Swamp, beside him, didn’t change his falling posture at all until he was meters away from crashing to the ground. Then, his body suddenly paused and landed on the ground firmly.

Great Swamp’s expression, however, looked extremely ugly after the landing.

“Someone snuck into this place without my knowing. 2567, we need to split up. I’ll use my spells to search for the enemy hidden in the city while you head to the castellan mansion directly. Give me an hour, and I’ll rendezvous with you at the mansion then.”

After that, Great Swamp flew off into the city like an arrow let loose.

Within a breath’s time, his figure vanished from sight.

Kieran looked in the direction where Great Swamp disappeared, his eyes slightly squinted as they shone brightly.

Too many!

( Box novel.c om ) Too many flaws!

But…

Kieran picked up the scent of a massive reward.

Huu!

A deep breath later, Kieran carefully, vigilantly moved along the walls and slowly approached the city walls further ahead.

After going through a shadowy spot, although Kieran didn’t alter his moving stance, his face somehow showed a little arrogance.

At the same time, in a certain corner back in Flame City, Sloth was forced to open his eyes in his sleepy face.

“Trouble trouble.”

He ranted softly, but he wasn’t slow at all.

Following the position Kieran gave him, he quickly moved towards his destination.

…..

“Idiot!”

Kairi scolded Kray.

Despite that the person before him was his only ally at the moment, or more precisely the only comrade he could rely on, it didn’t stop him from scolding Kray badly.

Just what level of stupidity was Kray that allowed enemies to pry information out of him with the least bit of effort?

“Sorry, Kairi. I…”

Kray wanted to explain himself but when his mouth opened, no words came out.

His apology at the moment sounded pale and weightless, and he couldn’t think of any way to make a comeback from the current situation.

All Kray could do was stare at Kairi blankly.

“I know you want to say that Footer is our old boss and that he knows everything about you as well your habits, but I didn’t ask much of you. You could have stayed completely silent and fulfilled the things I ordered you to do before coming back! But how did it turn out? You were worse than a child! Even a damn child would know how to protect his own candies and not give them away to strangers!” The words came out from the seams of Kairi’s clenched teeth.

Kairi really wanted to pick up his gun and blast a hole in Kray’s head.

But ultimately, he started to pack his bags.

“Kairi, you…”

“Run, you idiot! Since things have come down to this, we don’t have anything to make a comeback for anymore, so all we can do is run! And I won’t stay with you anymore! The longer I stay with you, the more I fear that I might die outside the do—”

( Box novel.c om ) Dong, Dong Dong!

The knocks interrupted Kairi’s words and he responded by taking out his gun.

“Who is it?” Kairi asked softly.

“Open the door, it’s me.”

It was Footer’s voice that came through the door.

Kairi could never mistake that familiar voice, and almost out of reflex, he glared angrily at Kray.

He assumed that it was this idiot who revealed their hideout to Footer.

Kray waved his hand in panic and expressed his innocence, but what he got was an even fiercer glare from Kairi.

Kairi then walked towards the door.

Since things had come down to this, it was obvious that they couldn’t turn back anymore.

Kairi no longer wanted to run. He knew Footer’s personality very well, and so he also knew that their hideout must be heavily surrounded. With only him and Kray, it was impossible for them to escape.

But…

There was still a chance!

Kairi gripped his gun tightly and pressed it to the door. His other hand opened the door slightly. Even with the chain lock before his eyes, it didn’t disturb his view of Footer’s face.

Only one?

When Kairi saw Footer alone outside the door, he jolted.

The scene obviously was different from what Kairi had imagined.

In his own memories, each time when a similar situation occurred, Footer would bring a bunch of men with him to suppress his foes with sheer strength, robbing them of their ability to resist while also showing off his powers at the same time.

And after consuming those secret pills, Footer especially wished that he could showcase his powers for every second of his life.

“Move the gun away.”

Footer, with his tall, buff body, looked at the astonished Kairi before turning his gaze to the door plank.

It wasn’t any kind of exceptional instinct. It was just that after many years of the force of habit, Footer instinctively felt that Kairi’s posture when opening the door was a bit strange.

However, Footer wasn’t angry, as he knew the reason for his own visit.

It wasn’t for any personal gains, but rather for his lord.

When he heard Footer’s words, Kairi unconsciously moved the gun away from the door and unlocked the chain, allowing Footer to enter. Only then did Kairi become aware of what he had done.

What happened just now?

Why did I listen to him?

Kairi then pointed his gun at Footer again.

“So this is one of the perks that the pills granted you?” Kairi smiled coldly.

He then ceaselessly signalled to Kray with his eyes.

At that moment, Kairi finally understood why Kray fell so easily before: Footer had utilized his unusual powers on Kray.

Kairi, however, wasn’t jealous of the power at all.

He knew what kind of price he would have to pay in exchange for powers such as this. His boss had told him clearly before.

“Em. Put your gun away, I don’t mean any hostility. If I wanted to kill you two, I wouldn’t spend so much effort. Besides, we are all on the same boat now.”

Footer sat on the sofa before saying this in a calm manner.

“The same boat?” Kairi laughed coldly again.

He didn’t buy anything that came out of Footer’s mouth.

“Correct. Based on the situation here, we are all serving the same lord. The lord that I am referring to is who you two know as Ethan Hunt. Of course, in the outsiders’ eyes, he has another name—Bird of Death!” Footer explained.

“Stop joking! Are you taking me for an idiot?” Kairi growled angrily.

He had fantasized more than once about the validity of that rumour—his boss being Bird of Death.

But whenever someone told him about that fact, Kairi’s response would be to deny it.

Right at that moment, the door was knocked on again.

Dok, Dok Dok.

Rhythmic, yet followed by a series of ranting.

“Troublesome…Why am I doing these kinds of troublesome things? Shouldn’t I be sleeping soundly now? Sleeping is king.”