The Devil’s Cage

Kieran stopped and turned back to Oger.

“Students in the upper year are plotting against you!” Oger said in a heavy tone.

However, after Kieran heard what he said, he turned away and walked back to his dorm without much care.

Kieran’s reaction was out of Oger’s expectations, he thought Kieran would question him, and from there onwards shorten the distance between them.

“You don’t believe me?”

“I don’t know who they are but I am sure this intel is valid!” Oger said as if he was making a vicious vow.

Kieran still didn’t stop, his figure swiftly disappeared beyond the dorm door.

Oger frowned in confusion as the door shut on him.

“He doesn’t believe me? Or maybe he just doesn’t care about the danger?” Oger sighed.

Since he had failed this assignment, he had to take more to compensate because even in Delicacy Society, which was known for its delicacy, food that had classes were limited.

From start till end, Oger did not notice a gaze was watching him until he left.

Kieran was seeing Oger off through the window at the stairs.

He’d always be vigilant against a stranger, even though the stranger didn’t show any hostility and was weak.

As for the upper-year students plotting against him?

Kieran had expected it.

Being under the spotlight would attract more attention.

The saying would apply anywhere, anytime.

First Seat of the freshmen, E Block Student Council Branch Leader and the Index of Eat, it would be weird if he didn’t attract attention.

What he had to do was wait for these upper-year students to appear.

He wasn’t being passive but his attention wasn’t on the upper-year students at all.

Kieran cared more about the second part of the plan that may reap him bigger rewards.

After all, the Index of Eat was really in the possession of ‘Lude’.

This would be a feast for him!

Compared to his ‘feast’, the upper year students weren’t even an appetizer for him; Kieran wasn’t a picky eater though.

Therefore, he was anticipating the practical guiding lesson from the 3rd-year students.

Kieran believed the upper-year students would not let this opportunity slip by.

And now?

After signalling Frost Wolf and Fire Raven, who hadn’t really showed themselves throughout the dungeon, to be on guard, Kieran went to sleep.

Since he stepped into this dungeon world, he had not truly rested before, despite it not be necessary since his Constitution had reached rank III.

However, considering the meeting about the Inheritance Crystal tomorrow morning, Kieran thought he should show up in a better condition.

While Kieran was resting, Bloody Mary, who had many tasks on itself, was still busy.

According to Kieran’s plan, Bloody Mary should’ve started to approach Darwend.

Compared to the decisive young man Garcia, Kieran thought Darwend, the seemingly steady but hesitant man would be the better target for his upcoming plan.

At midnight, Bloody Mary was standing in the shadowy spot of a building, watching Darwend as he walked closer.

Darwend had a group of at least twenty men hidden from sight behind him and Bloody Mary was certain once it showed up, the group of men will surround it, but that was all. Given how Darwend worked things, before the very last second, and his hands were tied, he would not let his men attack. This particular scene was the most ideal one that it and its boss sought after.

Seconds turned into minutes.

Darwend stood there patiently waiting.

It was 10 minutes past the meeting time, yet he did not show a bit of impatience, neither did Bloody Mary.

Bloody Mary show itself after half an hour and in a very lazy manner.

“You are late!” Darwend said in a heavy tone after he saw Blood Mary in Lude’s face.

“It can’t be helped, I have to avoid a lot of people. I’ve become quite popular recently,” Bloody Mary shrugged.

“Where is the Index of Eat?”

Darwend didn’t even care about the pretentious act and went straight to the point.

He was very anxious to get his hands on the Index of Eat, it wasn’t just because of his duty, but also due to the pressure from the research facility behind him.

In fact, Darwend already started to regret in working with Garcia which resulted him providing a Proper Meal class to the First Seat freshman in exchange for intel on the Index of Eat.

He should have followed Garcia or the First Seat to acquire the things he sought in a much more affordable and direct way, just like what he was doing now.

As Darwend’s words subsided, a group of men in black appeared and blocked every possible path of retreat for Bloody Mary.

“I don’t want to spill blood! Hand over the Index of Eat and I’ll let you go!” Darwend said coldly.

“This isn’t what you promised me. You should secure my safety until I leave Theorate and provide me with reasonable resources as payment before I hand you the Index of Eat.”

Bloody Mary shrugged after a glance at the men surrounding it.

“Pardon me, I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want to pay anything now, I just want the Index of Eat!” Darwend raised his head up slightly and looked down at ‘Lude’ arrogantly.

He had gained absolute advantage, of course he’d pose like a victor.

“Is it because of these goons that you are blinded by your confidence?”

“How childish! How ridiculous!”

“Do you think I’d come empty-handed to deal with you?”

Bloody Mary then sprinted towards a single point of the encirclement.

“Foolish resistance!”

“Stop him!”

Darwend saw ‘Lude’s reckless move and gave the order to his men. He laughed coldly as he anticipated the scene where ‘Lude’ was captured by his men but at the very next moment, Darwend widened his eyes.

Under his widened gaze, ‘Lude’ sprinted away with explosive speed and broke through the first wave in an instant. Then, ‘Lude’ transformed into an illusory phantom and flew through the second and the third wave before vanishing.

“This….”

“Warm Liquor!”

“Index of Eat!”

He shouted in shock as he gazed at the direction where ‘Lude’ disappeared.

…

“Idiot!”

20 minutes later, Garcia who got the news commented on Darwend’s foolish act.

He really didn’t know what was going on in Darwend’s brain, how could Darwend be so naive to think that ‘Lude’ would stay put and be captured without resistance?

‘Lude’ had already displayed his unusual moves at the secret warehouse.

Didn’t Darwend see the way ‘Lude’ left without a sound or trace? Is he blind?

Or does he have no knowledge regarding the effect of Warm Liquor?

“What an assh*le!” Garcia couldn’t hold back his cursing as the anger got the best of him.

If it was him capturing ‘Lude’, he would not allow ‘Lude’ to prepare or breath, the moment ‘Lude’ showed up, he’d order his men to attack all at once to seize ‘Lude’.

Now?

‘Lude’ was startled and it would not be an easy task to lure him out again.

‘Lude’ will hide in a hidden place no one knows of and wait for everything to cool down.

The longer he dragged it out, the worse it would be for Garcia.

He couldn’t guarantee whether or not there would be more to join the fray and should that happen, his current advantage will be completely wasted.

Perhaps…

Suddenly, Garcia thought about the First Seat freshman.

The First Seat was able to know where ‘Lude’ was before everyone else, it was obvious that he knew ‘Lude’ better than anyone and if that was the case…

Could he know where ‘Lude’ was hiding?

When the thought came into his mind, Garcia couldn’t stay put anymore, he ought to find the First Seat right away but when he saw the dark sky outside, he forced himself to hold it in.

…

When Garcia finally came to the dorm, Kieran already prepared himself for the day.

After a good night’s sleep, Kieran was all smiles.

The smiles weren’t just from his energetic, refreshed body, but also because as Garcia appeared before him, he knew his upcoming plan was already 50% complete.

“Morning, 2567. I have something to ask you.”

Garcia who had been waiting for a while waved his hand at Kieran when the door was opened.

“Sure, just nothing about privacy. Mind having breakfast as we talk?” Kieran nodded and asked.

“Of course not,” Garcia replied.

As Kieran shut his door tight, both of them walked to the cafeteria.

Along the way, many freshmen looked at Garcia with a surprised gazes.

Fourth-year student’s uniform were different from the freshmen ones. oOther than the number on the badge in front of the chest, the color was darker.

A fourth-year student of Theorate appearing around the freshmen dorm, it was enough to attract gazes and attention.

Though when everyone saw Kieran, they suddenly realized what was going on.

The freshmen had heard a lot about the First Seat.

A mere few days after school started and Kieran had been deified infinitely, under such circumstances, aside from a fourth-year student, even a fifth-year, teacher, or professor walking with him was acceptable for the freshmen.

Then, they saw Eiderburgh who had been waiting in front of the cafeteria.

Although students commonly called him the Head Chef, his position as a professor could not change.

“Morning, 2567. Change of plans?” Eiderburgh glanced over Garcia before asking.

“Morning Professor Eiderburgh,” Garcia politely greeted the Head Chef but Eiderburgh didn’t even care about the greeting as he was focused on Kieran.

“No changing anything. We’ll move out after breakfast,” Kieran said before he headed towards the First Seat lounge.

Standler, Maica, and the other freshmen who followed them exchanged a puzzled gaze with one another—they gasped.

“He can even talk so casually to a professor?”

“He’s not talking, he is working with him and it seems like 2567 calls the shots!”

“T-This…”

The whispers naturally entered Eiderburgh’s ear but the Head Chef would not explain himself to the freshmen, he turned around and headed down to the underground kitchen.

The way Eiderburgh reacted and his attitude towards Kieran caused more misunderstandings amongst the freshmen.

“2567 and us are all freshmen, why are we being treated so differently?”

“Because we’re different?”

“2567 and us are very different.”

Exclamations spread among the freshmen but it did not affect Kieran who was already in his loungee.

“Breakfast Set A, B, C, three servings of each,” Kieran placed his order.

The server in the lounge was changed into a middle-aged chubby auntie, her smiles were kind and quite passionate.

Breakfast Set A: Soy milk, sweet youtiao.

Breakfast Set B: Milk, bread with butter and honey.

Breakfast Set C: Orange juice and ham sandwich.

After all three servings of each set were served, the auntie gave Kieran an extra bowl of salad also.

“Thank you.”

Kieran thanked the auntie and Garcia. He thanked the auntie for adding in the free salad and Garcia who was paying for the meal.

After last night, Kieran ran out of the local currency, so since Garcia came to express his goodwill, Kieran would not be courteous with him, especially after knowing his intentions.

“No need to.”

“2567, about Lude, do you know anything more about him?”

Garcia tried to squeeze out a smile from his stiff face.

“I know a little,” Kieran said.

“Can you tell me everything?” Garcia’s eyes shone.

“No!” Kieran rejected.

“Why?!” Garcia was shocked.

“Because this particular intel is worth a lot and you haven’t delivered the payment from the last deal,” Kieran said seriously.

“But it’s not the due date yet!”

Garcia remembered the due date stated clearly on the agreement and it wasn’t time yet.

“That is why I didn’t urge you,” Kieran finished the cup of soy milk in one go.

“I have to complete the last deal to start a new one?” Garcia asked.

“Yes, for you and my sake. After all, this intel is worth a Proper Meal class food!”

Kieran nodded seriously but when Garcia heard what Kieran said, his smile seemed a little forced.

He kept inhaling and exhaling to adjust his emotions.

“A Proper Meal class food?” Garcia emphasized.

“Believe me, it’s worth more than that,” Kieran looked sincere than ever.

“This is not a decision that I can make, I’ll need some time.” Garcia then left.

Kieran quickly ate his breakfast after Garcia left. He didn’t care about the fourth-year student because he knew Garcia would feel unwilling after paying him a Proper Meal class food and as long as the unwillingness lingered, he would take the bait.

10 minutes later, Kieran swept the table clean like a tornado.

When he returned to the entrance, Eiderburgh was waiting for him in a two-seater mini car.

“Get in. It’s a bit far from here.”

“Professor Smith is quite the person”

Eiderburgh didn’t ask about Garcia, instead he introduced Professor Smith.

Eiderburgh was driving the car towards the edge of E Block and when both of them were halfway there, Kieran’s nose suddenly picked up a smell.

It was unusual, it was alluring and it was very aromatic.