The Devil’s Cage

Sivalka called over several stronger civilians.

“We can’t afford to trust them. Before our comrades of the Mist arrive, we can only rely on ourselves,” Sivalk said softly as he pointed at the guards outside the slum area.

“Mr. Sivalka, what are we going to do?” The leader of the civilians asked back softly.

Sivalka’s performance last night caught everybody’s eyes, and other than the two main lifesavers, Sivalka was the most trusted person to the civilians.

Plus with Sivalka’s identity as a mercenary, it was pretty convincing.

As for the soldiers of Edatine Castle, they did not show up during the monster uprising last night but they did now.

What welcomed the soldiers were cold gazes and hostility from the civilians. Even a child understood these soldiers were unreliable.

“We need to set up several patrols and watch points. I’ll try to figure something out about the weapons. Have any of you practised swords or hand to hand combat before?” asked Sivalka.

Everyone shook their heads in denial. Sivalka wasn’t disappointed though, it was expected of them. He asked again “Then can you guys fire a gun?”

“Yes!”

Everyone nodded this time.

“Great. Follow my orders and divide into groups. You, you, you, and you are in the patrols. Once the fourth shift steps down, the rest of you will be the fixed watch point,” Sivalka meticulously divided the civilians into groups.

He had to admit that even in his mercenary days, he had never been this serious, but he wasn’t complaining because after feeling the warmth once, his heart was heating up. The feeling was very comfortable, he didn’t want to lose the warmth.

He almost did last night, so it frightened him. He was scared and almost fell into despair. Fortunately, he was able to recover what he almost lost.

What else was better than recovering the lost? It would be keeping the things he cherished, keeping the warmth, and protecting it with all his heart.

Whosoever dared to lay a finger on his warmth, he ought to freeze them to the core.

After dividing the civilians into patrols and watch point groups, Sivalka glanced over the soldiers with a sense of coldness flashing over his eyes.

They claimed to protect the slums but judging from their formation, they were on watch duty! They treated the people in the slums like prisoners! Keeping them at bay!

“Filthy people,” said Sivalka in his heart.

What happened last night was strange and abrupt.

Until now, War God Temple had stayed quiet and the royal court had not issued an official statement about the attack.

If there was nothing fishy about this, Sivalka would be the first to doubt it.

Therefore, he needed the civilians to protect himself. It would be best if he could leave as soon as possible because he couldn’t guarantee the civilians’ safety and whether or not they would be caught in danger again.

Bait was a good thing, especially a reusable bait. It would be sought after like hot cakes.

“Hope the Mist can arrive as soon as possible.”

With the thought in mind, Sivalka planned to contact the old Demon Hunter again.

Compared to the younger one, he had a friendlier relationship with the older one, but more importantly, the younger one was much more terrifying.

It wasn’t just about the power he displayed, but also his presence. Although Sivalka did not truly experience the pressuring presence, a single glance over the young Demon Hunter turned his legs to jelley.

He had to admit that even though he was a coward, the only thing that struck him with a similar feeling was the statue of the God of War back in War God Temple.

As the thought baffled his mind, Sivalka expressed shock to the Snake Sect Demon Hunters again.

He heard of the Snake Sect Demon Hunters before.

After the Black Cataclysm, where the Wolf Sect Demon Hunters were almost annihilated, the Snake Sect had stayed hidden for decades and only resurfaced because Silent Night Secret Society slaughtered their breathens of Wolf Sect.

Aside from the fact that the young Demon Hunter would be really as scary as a venomous viper had he stayed in the dark, the fact that he alone displayed that amount of power was enough to fuel people’s guesses.

Sivalka wouldn’t assume the young Demon Hunter could rival the God of War though. After all, what he witnessed before was just a statue of the God.

But the young Demon Hunter wasn’t alone! He had comrades by his side!

Sheep move in herds, tigers walk alone.

How could there be weaklings around a powerful person like him?

If the young Demon Hunter was already that ridiculously powerful, what about his teacher and his elders? How strong would they be?

One thing worth taking note of was that based on the Demon Hunter’s tradition, those elders who hadn’t die would be the scariest and the most dreaded of them all. They were not just vastly experienced, they still possessed their powers and were not afraid to die!

Yes, they were not afraid of dying!

Compared to dying on their bed, these elders preferred to die on the battlefield.

Facing an enemy who was not afraid to die, it would cause a headache in anyone.

“I’m afraid that this particular point is what silenced the Dark Hall completely, right? And those unusual changes of the monsters… this is quicker than I thought. Troubled times ahead!” Sivalka sighed.

“Sighing will only push away the good luck and invite ominous ones!” A youthful female voice came from behind Silvaka. It was Ellie with a cup of warm water.

“Thank you. Those are some true saying you have there!” Sivalka bent over to receive the cup of water and expressed his gratitude.

Well-known sayings were all over the Northern Lands, but other than children, no one believed them, but especially in Edatine Castle, even children did not believe them.

“My mother told me that, mother said we need to be strong,” Ellie said in a serious look.

Under the morning sun, the sunlight bounced off the little girl’s face, making her look pure and simple, but in her big round eyes, a trance of sorrow came afloat.

“I’m sorry,” said Sivalka softly.

Had he arrived earlier, things might not turn out the way they did.

But who could change the past? Alter the things that happened? No one.

All Sivalka could do was cherish the moment and change the future. At least he could change Ellie’s future!

The little girl reached out her hand and pressed her fingers against Sivalka’s furrowed brows. Her petite yet swollen index and middle fingers rubbed the furrowed brows. As she rubbed the brows, the pustule at her finger joints burst because of the strength exerted, the puss dripping.

Sivalka quivered in his heart.

‘Damn it! How can I forget this!’

Maintaining his bent down posture, Sivalka tried his best to keep the smile on his face.

“There, all straightened. You look better now,” Ellie smiled.

“Ellie, wait for me. I will be back very soon,” said Sivalka and returned the cup of water to Ellie; he signaled to Erin, who was further away.

Compared to the little sister, the older sister was much more mature.

Besides, after experiencing the miraculous divine blessing last night, an indescribable presence shrouded her, as if she was really being watched by some great being. She would be revered by people at first glance.

It was a blessing, at least it could guarantee her safety while he was temporarily away.

After Erin’s confirmation, Sivalka went out of the slum area and dashed towards the Central Third Ring’s commercial district.

Medicine for frostbite was on sale at Lower Fifth Ring but the effect was nothing noteworthy. The medicine required a longer time to be effective and it would sting the patient when applied. The truly effective medicine to ease frostbite pain could only be found in the larger drug store in Central Third Ring.

Striding through the Lower Seventh Ring, Sivalka suddenly furrowed his brows.

Someone was following him!

Back in his mercenary days, he practised tracking and anti-tracking techniques before.

Now, as an armed deacon, he had a sharper sense towards being watched and followed.

It wouldn’t require much. If anyone with ulterior intents so much as glanced over him, he could feel it. Just like now, Sivalka had goosebumps all over the back of his neck.

“Who is it?! Is he from the Dark Hall or royal court?” Sivalka asked himself.

The former, based on his understanding, wouldn’t have spared time to keep him in check.

The latter, before truly understanding the strength of the Mist religious sect, shouldn’t make any rash move either.

Then, the only possibility left was…

As his gears were spinning, Sivalka jumped into an alleyway behind a shop in a flash. He didn’t hide or dodge after that, he stood there quietly.

If he was right, the person on his tail wouldn’t bear direct malicious intent.

If he was wrong, dodging wouldn’t help him either.

The person on his tail obviously came prepared.

Dak, Dak, Dak.

Around 10 seconds later, a series of footsteps, with the purpose of notifying him, sounded.

A dark cotton robe, hat, and scarf made out of rabbit pelt on a man who looked no different from any passerby appeared in Sivalka’s sight.

The person was slightly caught off guard when he saw Sivalka standing there, waiting for him, before he replaced the reaction with a smile.

“Good morning, Deacon Sivalka.”

The person precisely addressed Sivalka’s name and position, meaning he had known it all.

It was almost certain that the person wished to get hold of the initiative in this conversation.

Sivalka heaved a breath of relief though. He was right.

This person had no direct malicious intent, meaning the initiative would be his!

“Good morning, are you Count Valentine’s man? Or Viscount Reedral’s? Or some other lord that I don’t know of?” Sivalka went straight to the point without showing scruples at the person’s identity.

The person’s presence turned sluggish.

The name Valentine originated from the era of Edatine II. The name was one of the most powerful representatives of the orthodox nobles. The name did not just display its rich family background, it also represented its many private militia under its command.

The name Reedral came at a later date, around the era of Edatine IV. Despite its late presence, the name’s appearance left an impression in the northerner’s heart because every leader of the family was a famous general, not only powerful in battle but also an outstanding commander in war tactics.

These two names shared a common point: the orthodox party!

The party that objected to Edatine VI’s new policy!

“You are much smarter than the documents said you are. I hope your wisdom can last throughout our conversation.”

Exposed, the person wasn’t frustrated at all, but the intimidating presence made Sivalka uncomfortable.

Of course, what troubled Sivalka the most was he knew why the person came to him.

Other than the civilians protected by the Mist religious sect in the slums of the Lower Seventh Ring, what else could it be?

The king provided ‘protection’, so the orthodox party that initially went against the king ought to put themselves into the mess.

“It’s not about how smart I am, it’s just that I can’t do anything about it,” Sivalka shrugged.

“What you say differs from the news we received. You and the sisters, Erin and Ellie, seemed close enough and Erin even became the middleman for you to speak directly to the Mist. So, all you need to do is keep it up, maintain a relationship with the sisters. Of course you won’t go unrewarded as well. From our side of the trade, we are willing to offer you…”

The person went on by himself and did not notice that Sivalka’s eyes had turned cold.

Kakrooom!

Suddenly, the repeated thunder claps from outside the city gate interrupted the person.

“Damn it, those madmen at War God Temple, causing trouble so early in the day?”

It seemed like the person knew a thing or two about the commotion, turning to the direction of the city gates and cursing.

He did not even realize Sivalka was quietly approaching him.

Puk!

A cold glare swept across his neck.

The person covered his neck and turned back to Sivalka, looking at him with utmost disbelief.

He had no idea why Sivalka was bold enough to kill him. He had already mentioned the sisters Erin and Ellie, shouldn’t Sivalka hold back whatever urges he had for the sake of the sisters?

Could it be that Sivalka and the sisters weren’t as close as the information he had gotten?

Sivalka coldly wiped away the blood on his dagger using the cotton robe of the man.

“You people really think you can control everything? No wonder ‘he’ never takes you people seriously. You don’t even understand the situation and you simply popped up like this. Stupidity kills, you know?”

Speaking those words into the dying man’s ear, Sivalka looked towards the direction of the city gates. Although he forced himself to calm down, his body still trembled out of excitement.

The Mist won!

The situation would be entirely different now!