The Devil’s Cage

Aaaaaaah!

Cabio screamed in pain. The loud scream attracted the cheering crowd instantly but when Gino and the others noticed the one screaming was Cabio, they stopped and watched coldly.

Sympathizing with a cold blooded executioner?

Then what’s the difference between that and warming up a frozen snake?

Of course there was a difference. At least you would be cautious at the latter because it was a snake, hence dodging the possible venomous bite from the dark.

As for the former? You would be killed without a question.

Cabio would go into disguise and seek out a hard to come back opportunity to kill you.

Never hope that he would be grateful after saving him.

Facts had proven that gratefulness was a burden to people like Cabio.

He’d only discard the ‘burden’ and continue forward lightly to get what he wanted.

“Save me! Save me!” Cabio shouted for help, but no one would ever sympathize with him, not after what he did to the infected patients.

Soon enough, Cabio noticed the cold shoulder, causing the vice director of the Inquisition to reveal his true self. Despite the fact that he was still tortured by the plague, he started to curse and mock the people around him.

“You people will die a horrible death, I bet on it! You hypocrites! Do you really think I’m cold-blooded? The real cold-blooded and ruthless one is Mortor!”

His vicious words soon involved the bishop in council.

Then, the situation started to go out of control due to the words that escaped his mouth somehow revealing some secretive information of War God Temple. They were all getting exposed.

The surrounding people widened their eyes in shock one after another, never thinking that War God Temple was so dark.

Assassination for the sake of gains had always been the basics, they were even involved in human trafficking, and not just a mere one or two person, it was a large amount, hundreds of thousands!

The young Gino and the people around him reacted to the words sourly. It was the first time they heard of such resentful acts from War God Temple.

As a matter of fact, it wasn’t just these ex-members of War God Temple, even Sivalka and Anderson reacted sourly as it was also the first time that they heard of the resentful dealings of War God Temple.

Kieran was also shocked in his heart, but right after he thought of the tactic War God Temple used to fight the south, he was released from his shock.

Manpower or population was utmost crucial to the God of War. As for how to convert all the people into his own believers, that should be given primary importance over all the priorities.

What else was more suitable than the gratitude from liberating a group of slaves?

It would be a self-directed scenario.

He and Bloody Mary were doing the exact same thing, and so was War God Temple.

The difference was, he and Bloody Mary were much bolder and had a much bigger stage.

“Holuff, can you help me confirm what he said?” Kieran turned to the once retired Demon Hunter.

“Leave it to me,” Holuff nodded and walked out of the crowd with Anderson.

Although Wolf Sect was heavily damaged, they still retained some of their secretive information networks and channels. These network services and channels weren’t just limited to Wolf Sect after all, he had to pay for it too

“Clairehore,” Kieran then looked at Horlaika, the Undying.

“Understood,” Horlaika nodded. Silent Night Secret Society had their own network and channels to receive news as well and with some inklings on hand, investigating the matter would be much easier.

The vassal, Monte, already knew what he must do when he caught Kieran’s gaze, Kieran didn’t even have to say it out loud for the vassal.

After those who were ordered to find out about the revelation left, Kieran shifted his gaze back at the vice director of the Inquisition.

It seemed like this Cabio was much more useful than he thought.

According to his initial plan, the young knight Gino was just a start to dissolve War God Temple internally. It would then slowly amass through time and when the damages were accumulated to a certain level, the real trouble would then befall them.

Now? It seemed like the arduous process was no longer needed, but some procedures must still go on as they were necessary.

Kieran was pondering upon it as he turned around to his back.

The last bishop in council of War God Temple was striding up towards Kieran from his back.

There was no notice at all.

Mortor’s face was as still as dead waters, the cold gaze in his eyes was locked at Cabio, who was living on his last breath.

The sharp aura around Cabio had dispersed. He was badly damaged and in a bloody state, all he could do was breathe heavily on the ground, as if he’d die any moment.

However, his eyes were still looking at Mortor with a grudgeful gaze.

“Do you think you can be safe and sound with my death? His Majesty… no, his bias in you made him neglect my sacrifice. He didn’t even want to protect me anymore. I will let him know what kind of mistake he has committed,” Cabio mustered up all his strength and shouted his lungs out

Everyone who saw and heard what Cabio shouted would only think of one thing: a crazy dog!

That’s right! A crazy dog! A crazy dog who was forced to a dead end and would bite anyone that came close!

When Cabio prayed to the God of War, in hopes of getting protection but didn’t get any response, Cabio went mad. He even suspected it was Mortor who was doing this to him from behind his back.

After the thought sprouted, Cabio started to relate into more things.

Starting from the appearance of the plague, to his actions, everything was nothing but Mortor’s meticulous plan, just so he could remove him from play!

As for why? There were a plethora of reasons! The more straightforward one was Mortor wanted to achieve total control!

After the other bishop in council died in the explosion of Qitar Bay, there were only two more real higher-ups in the whole God of War, Mortor and him, and if he was dead… Mortor would be the only one!

Mortor would then acquire everything War God Temple had!

As for the God of War? He was so high up in the heavens, a God would not care about the squabbles of ants, he would only pay attention to the opponent of the same caliber.

He had been doing so for the past several decades.

Other than Lady Calamity, it seemed like no one was able to raise his attention anymore.

The more he related it all, the more Cabio thought he was right.

Cabio strongly believed that he was set up by Mortor, everything was part of the bishop in council’s scheme.

Then, he hoped to get a new protection and without a doubt he had chosen the Mist.

It was a wise choice.

Compared to Edatine royal court and Silent Night Secret Society, the mist would only grow stronger in Edatine Castle. It didn’t just have the support of the Demon Hunters, there was still a demi-god behind the religious sect, especially the latter, which was the utmost important.

A demi-god should be able to expel the plague by consuming a great amount of divine power after all, but Cabio never thought that he would be in for an astonishing result: the bishop of the Mist alone was able to expel the plague.

Driven mad by the plague, Cabio dashed out right away. He did not wonder why he did it, he only assumed that it was his own choice.

The truth? It was actually Bloody Mary.

Bloody Mary gave itself a big thumbs up.

‘I am great!’ It praised itself.

While it was influencing Cabio’s emotion, it was able to peek into some of Cabio’s memories and transmit them to its boss.

It wasn’t much and it was not that Bloody Mary didn’t want all of the memories, it was worried that the God of War might notice.

Unlike the councilmen of the Silent Night Secret Society, Bloody Mary always had qualms and dreaded the believers of the God of War. Even though their beliefs were shattered and they had strayed away from the God of War, it still wouldn’t change.

Its boss’ plan was at its most crucial stage, so it could never be too careful.

If all his planning and effort fell short, Bloody Mary estimated that it would have to work for Kieran to pay off the debt not only in this life, but it would have to stay until its next life, next next life or even next next next life.

Reading the information in its mind, Kieran’s eyes were glued on Mortor.

“Is he telling the truth?” Kieran asked coldly.

“Will you believe a crazy dog?” Mortor asked. He then sighed deeply, “Cabio has gone mad in front of death. The fear of death made him forget the oath that he had once taken. All he wishes for is to live and as long as he can take another breath, he’ll do anything, including selling his own soul.”

Mortor then sighed once more, the pain on his face was very eye-catching.

The people around him exchanged a curious gaze.

‘What Cabio said was false?’ The people wondered, but not Kieran.

The information that Bloody Mary transmitted to him after reading Cabio’s memories told him that he was not wrong.

War God Temple really did commit such an atrocity, and not just once or twice, it was more like a routine that spanned for years. When it was time for harvest, they’d reap it.

“Mortor, you are still faking it until now? This heir of Snake Sect and the throne has sent his men out to investigate, your hideous dealings will be exposed soon,” Cabio laughed coldly.

Mortor’s eyes grew colder than ever.

If he could, he would eagerly take out this rival of his, but he was thinking about how to minimize the damage and put everything back in order.

The thoughts in his mind did not stop the bishop in council from say, “What are you going to do with him? Keep him? He is infected. Bishop Simon can cure the plague but it isn’t without a cost, right? It’s just like what you consumed to save him,” Mortor said in an organized fashion.

He even pointed out that Kieran had consumed the pagan remnants to seemingly save Bishop Simon.

Kieran wasn’t surprised at all about this.

Or rather, he did not purposely conceal this because he wanted everyone to assume that Bishop Simon consumed his own life energy to cure the plague and he consumed the compensation from the southern councilmen to save Bishop Simon.

It formed a very good formula, the pagan remnants curing the plague.

In the future, it’d surely evolve into the idea that anything with value that could cure the plague.

Kieran wouldn’t mind getting extra gains while he could complete his original plan at the same time.

Therefore, Kieran remained quiet at Mortor’s words. He acknowledged it.

“I suggest you burn him,” said Mortor coldly.

“Mortor you son of a bitch! You piece of sh-t! You motherf-cker!”

Mortor’s words were responded to by Cabio’s cursing, but Mortor wasn’t moved at all. He calmly added, “His existence is a time bomb, unwanted danger is imminent as long as he is alive.”

The bishop in council then looked at the people around him.

Although the bishop in council had many precautions taken at the moment, the people could not help but acknowledge what the bishop in council said was right.

It was the plague for crying out loud! If the plague spread in the camp… the outcome would be unimaginable!

Even if Bishop Simon was able to cure the plague, it would cost him greatly…

Thinking about the situation, the people swiftly reached an accord.

Similar to how Cabio suggested burning the infected patient several hours ago, gasolene was being poured over his body and firewood was piled up around him.

Cabio struggled to push the firewood away, but more and more firewood was tossed at him, squashing him down at the ground.

“You bastards! I curse you!”

Cabio had forgotten that he was the one who ordered the deacons to shoot the infected and burn them alive, so he was cursing the people with all the vicious words that he could think of.

As if a butcher whose hands were tainted with blood, he was screaming innocence as he was being pushed to the guillotine and claimed that he was bewitched by the cleaver in his hand.

Sivalka walked over with the torch.

“Wait,” Gino suddenly spoke.

The cursing Cabio was stunned for a second before he was overjoyed.

“I know you Gino, you are a straight and honest man! You are willing to stand up for the innocents. I saw your noble bearings!”

Cabio started to praise Gino, thinking he had seen hope.

But the young Gino wasn’t moved, he walked to Cabio and looked down at the face under all the firewood.

He stared at Cabio in silence, his stare sending chills down Cabio’s heart as a bad feeling rose.

A second later—

“Can you give me the torch?” The young Gino looked at Sivalka, the latter stunned but passing the torch to the young knight as requested of him.

Gino’s words to Sivalka sounded like salvation because he was sure Ellie was watching himself right now.

He didn’t want his daughter to see a father killing people, but he had to due to his position.

After the old Demon Hunter and the others left for investigation, there was no one else in the camp more suitable than Sivalka to burn Cabio.

And now, someone requested to take his place, someone whose identity and status was much more appropriate, so Sivalka was happy to do so.

The young knight raised the torch high and looked down at Cabio.

“You and I… are unforgivable,” Young Gino then tossed the torch down.

Fuuu!

The fire burned fiercely and black smoke rose.

The blazing light shone over the young knight’s face.

Cabio’s cursing sounded amid the fire, but the young knight couldn’t hear it anymore.

All he heard was the noise of arrows raining down.

“I’m sorry,” said the young knight deep in his heart.

When the fire burned and made sure that Cabio was engulfed whole, Mortor heaved a sigh of relief.

He has overcome the hardest obstacle!

Without Cabio, the heir in front of him would have to spend a longer time to get to the bottom of the matters, which allowed him to destroy all the evidence.

‘You are really decent, but… a little too young and too merciful.’

Mortor looked at Kieran and thought as such.

If Kieran could strengthen up and ignore the plague, he would have been a bigger threat to Mortor and the God of War.

But now?

‘The situation is still under my control!’

Mortor was very confident of it.