The Devil’s Cage

“Welcome, Sir 2567!”

Director Penhar greeted with all smiles and guided Sloth to the center seat of the first row.

The bell from the clock stopped in a timely manner.

Mixed thoughts baffled the upper class guests when they saw that young man in black, everyone showing curiosity as they tried to probe for more information.

They had heard of the title Glutton Emperor before, but it was the first time they saw him in person.

Absurdly young.

That was the first impression, followed by the thought that he was a little tired, as though he hadn’t been sleeping at all.

Someone immediately thought of the weathercaster Selina dropping by 17th Randletine Street frequently and they showed a profound smile on their face.

Others saw the profound smiles, whispers following.

The smile then spread like the plague. A while later, everyone was showing the same look.

Selina had a sweet look and a voluptuous body as a weathercaster of the city, and many men had their eyes on her but her vague background made it hard for them to tackle her.

Still, harmless guesses formed in the men’s mind.

After all, as men themselves, thoughts would sometimes align, what’s wrong with that?

The Glutton Emperor was also a man.

The lasses and dowagers showed disgust to the men’s smiles beside them.

As women, they knew what the men were thinking, but if the subject was Glutton Emperor… their reputation would increase and would be more prestigious!

It wasn’t that easy to meet an Extraordinary individual. Even with their social statuses, it was quite hard to find even one. Moreover, normal Extraordinary individuals weren’t as well-known as Glutton Emperor.

If they could drag the Glutton Emperor to their bed, they would be the brightest star among their social circle.

As lustful thoughts bloomed, the ladies looked at Sloth with bright eyes, shining like a flickering star.

Sloth felt the passionate gaze, but he wasn’t his younger brother, who would be intoxicated in his own ego. If it was Lust, things would turn out differently and it would be like fish in water.

Sloth would rather spend a second longer in bed than being in this kind of situation, but he couldn’t reject his elder brother’s orders.

Sloth thought of his elder brother’s plan, so he forced himself to look energetic at the stage where the ribbon cutting ceremony would be held.

Rather than saying it a stage, it was a temporary platform built with a table and red carpet, crudely built just for the ceremony.

A red ribbon was hanging on top of the ‘stage’, not on pillars but on two nurses’ hands, standing right and left.

Further behind the ‘stage’ was the newly built ward building.

Seven-storey tall, white in color, bright windows shined in the evening and the reflected light from the windows proved how clean the glasses were.

In fact, the whole hospital wasn’t looking extravagant or grand at all, the only thing praiseworthy was its cleanliness.

For a hospital that relied on donations for its building, renewal, and operation, everything was done to the proper extent.

The only eye-catching thing was the director, Penhar.

In Sloth’s eyes, the director was full of smiles but an unimaginable amount of darkness loomed around him. Especially when he stood among a group of pure looking nurses, it was like pouring ink into the clean water, contaminating it.

“Thank you for coming everyone.”

The director stood on top of the ‘stage’ and started his brief speech, then looking at Sloth.

“Now, shall we invite Sir 2567 up here to the stage to cut the ribbon for us?”

Drexton was supposed to be on that stage, cutting the ribbon but as a representative, Sloth was enough to make the crowd comply, no one would reject.

“Please.”

Director Penhar passed Sloth the scissors with a smile, growing brighter when he saw his target accept the scissors casually without caution.

‘Glutton Emperor? So what?

He didn’t even realize I planted a bomb!

No, I should say no one will notice because everything is so normal!’

The scissor was normal; the ribbon was normal.

Even the crude stage had nothing wrong with it but when the scissor cut the ribbon, the bomb planted in the guest seat would go off.

It wasn’t because of the scissor or the ribbon, but Penhar would mislead everyone to think that his target cut the ribbon and triggered the bomb to go off.

What would he do then?

It was easy.

The bad side of human nature had determined their jealousy and rage, and, with a little provocation, it would easily incite a war.

Penhar really wanted to see what the Glutton Emperor, dubbed the hero of justice, would do.

Would he endure it quietly? Or go against these ants?

Penhar was looking forward to the outcome.

Sloth took the scissor, not saying anything and cutting the ribbon straightaway.

Cut!

Clap clap clap clap!

As the ribbon split left and right, falling down on the stage, the crowd below the stage applauded loudly. Regardless of politeness, or just to go along with the majority, the claps were thunderous, but not the explosion.

No explosion!

Penhar swallowed the shout down his throat as his anticipation toppled, forcing a smile on his frozen face before he clapped along.

What happened?

Why didn’t the bomb go off?

Could it be…

“You are thinking why the bomb didn’t go off, right?”

While Penhar was pondering the burning question, Sloth asked him first.

Sloth wasn’t loud or soft, as the claps slowed down, making it clear to everyone at the scene.

The crowd was stunned, everyone looking up to the stage.

Some with faster reactions stood up from their seats.

“What are you talking about? I don’t know what you mean?” Penhar asked with a confused face.

“Don’t know? Nevermind.”

“Everyone, please look at the bottom of your seat.” Sloth said lazily.

The chairs prepared for the ribbon cutting ceremony were plain wooden ones, but in order to make it as formal as it could, Penhar requested all the chairs to be covered in a white cover, from the chair back to the legs.

No one would be able to tell what was hidden underneath the chairs.

Penhar’s face changed for the worse after he heard what Sloth said.

His plan was exposed!

That was his first thought.

Penhar didn’t know how his plan, which he planned for so long, got exposed, but he knew he shouldn’t be this passive, he must counterattack.

Therefore he took the initiative to provide an answer when the first scream was heard.

“Bomb! There’s a bomb underneath the seat!”

“Sir 2567! Why did you do this? Did the hospital anger you in anyway? Or did you do this to raise your popularity?” Penhar looked upset and infuriated.

With Penhar’s expression and his words, the panicking crowd was thrown into confusion, looking at Sloth.

This was part of Glutton Emperor’s plan?

It made sense! If it wasn’t his plan, how did he know?

Under Penhar’s misguidance, some people started to doubt Sloth.

They placed themselves in the Glutton Emperor’s shoes. In order to acquire more popularity, they would commit such an atrocity and if the Glutton Emperor had beef with Penhar, wiping him out in the process would be good too. Kill two birds with one stone, it was a bargain!

As the thought bloomed, the shock they showed in their eyes at Sloth was replaced by realization.

Penhar looked even sadder and angrier, but his heart felt delighted.

So what if his plan was exposed?

As long as he messed up the situation, he could still escape unscathed, and even… achieve the same result!

Some people in the crowd were eager to step out to reason with Sloth.

What else was more tempting than building a friendship with a powerful, famous Extraordinary individual?

The courageous act of standing against a powerful one without backing off in order to reason for the right!

Civilians were still the majority in the city!

Penhar looked at Sloth with a provocative gaze, hoping the Glutton Emperor would strike him out of frustration and should Sloth do it, Penhar’s goal would be achieved.

Unfortunately, Sloth only yawned at Penhar.

“That is why I said I didn’t want to be here, because I knew what was coming. The bad guy does one good thing and everybody shows him mercy, forgiving him for what he has done; the good guy does one bad thing and everybody deems him an unforgivable monster. You people are so simple, simply labeling people as you wish! A human’s heart is a complicated organ, it’s hard to decipher from the start but some intentional people like exploiting the complications to reach their own goal. Back when I ran into bastards like this, I’d teach them a lesson that they picked on the wrong target, but today is different! Someone strongly wants me to give you to them and I’m happy that someone helps me take care of you!” Sloth said lazily.

The moment his words subsided, the projection for promotional use started on itself and this time it wasn’t the promotional video for Alkender Charity Hospital anymore, it was Penhar!

The projection showed Penhar actively joining the hospital personnel in arranging the venue and after the seats were set up, he sealed the place off.

Penhar then checked every single seat carefully and he snuck a bomb into every single one of the chairs.

The projection was clear, it even showed how heavy and nervous Penhar was when he installed the bomb.

The crowd who saw the projection gasped in shock; Penhar’s face turned pale.

He knew this would be the end of him!

He instinctively pulled out the gun from his waist.

“Don’t move!”

Penhar did not point his gun at Sloth because he knew it would be useless, instead pointing it at the crowd instead. He didn’t even look at the two nurses standing on both sides of the stage.

It seemed like Penhar deemed the VIP guests as better hostage candidates.

“Don’t move or I’ll shoot!” he shouted. His eyes were glued to Sloth but Sloth reacted with a yawn and did not bat an eye.

Penhar heaved a breath of relief and also felt heavily insulted.

He was looked down upon!

He hasn’t felt this insulted for a long time and it brewed anger in his eyes but he knew what he should do first.

Penhar stepped back and jumped off the stage. He drew distance from Sloth and pointed his gun at one of the VIP’s heads. The hostage was then used as a meat shield and Penhar slowly retreated to the car that he had prepared early on.

The crowd watched the scene with widened eyes.

When Penhar was beside his car and far enough from the crowd, one of the crowd mustered up enough courage and screamed at Sloth, “Why don’t you save him?”

The question caused a chain reaction among the people, everyone followed like falling dominos.

“Yeah! Why don’t you save him?”

“You can take the director out if you do!”

“He might die and his life will be lost!”

…

Penhar laughed when he heard how the crowd blamed Sloth.

Wasn’t this humanity’s bad side?

Preposterous! Funny! And could be used to his advantage!

He was thinking whether he should pull the trigger to cause a bigger panic but he discarded the idea soon enough because he knew once he fired, he would beat the crowd, who somehow managed to muster enough courage to face the situation, back to who they are.

A keyboard warrior is a warrior only in front of the keyboard.

Away from it?

I’m weak. I need help. Pity me. You people must help me.

That’s what people truly are underneath their mask, isn’t it?

Sloth yawned big.

His heavy eyes grew tired at the crowd blaming him. He knew it would eventually end up like this, hence why he was reluctant to come in the first place.

He’d rather spend his time in dreams than situations in chaos.

But when he remembered the order he was given, he clenched his teeth to beat some energy into his head.

“Why don’t you go?” Sloth yelled back at the man in the crowd who questioned him first.

“I-I’m just a normal person, you are the one with powers! Shouldn’t you help us!?”

Agitated, the man lost his words for a moment but he quickly replied loudly when the words formed.

“Then why don’t you unite those who share the same ideal and go solve the problem yourself?” Sloth continued asking.

The first ‘warrior’ looked around.

The agitated bunch instantly turned quiet and even averted their gazes.

“S-Stop changing the idea! We are just normal people, you are the Extraordinary one, why should we do it ourselves?” the first ‘warrior’ flushed, was it because of shame? Or anger?

“Yeah, I am the one with powers but why do I have to help you? Do I owe you people a debt? Did I eat at your house before, did I drink your water before?”

Sloth yawned again, his heavy eyes looking down at the crowd, laughing.

“What I see is a bunch of freaks! I don’t like talking to a saint, too troublesome, too tiresome! Sleep is the best, carefree sleep!”

Sloth then jumped down the stage and walked to the wagon.

White Jack opened the door, welcoming Sloth back.

The reins were shook and the wagon slowly drove away from the hospital.

The rolling noise from the wheels got softer as the black wagon disappeared into the night, leaving behind a bunch of confused people.

They looked at each other and were at a loss for action.

A loud laugh broke the confusion.

“Hahahaha! Hilarious! So this is the Glutton Emperor? Interesting!”

Amid the laughs, Penhar kicked away the meat shield, he has no more scruples now since the Glutton Emperor had left!

“Now, you are all my…”

Bang!

A robust punch came out from the shadow and landed on Penhar’s body like an iron hammer. Penhar was sent flying like a loose kite, crashing into the wall of the hospital. After many break-breaking noises, Penhar lost all signs of life and became a pile of lifeless meat.

The scene went silent.

It lasted for around 3 seconds before…

“Aaaaah!”

“He is dead!”

The scream came from the ‘warrior’ and he was the first to run away.

The crowd fell into chaos and panic in an instant.

They swarmed to their own cars and stormed out of the hospital.

It was merry and crowded a moment ago during the opening ceremony but a moment later, only a few nurses stood at the messy venue blankly.

“This is quicker than I thought!”

“There is a lot of food left!”

“Don’t waste it! Clean the place up and send some to Old Hawks, consider it a festive offering!”

Wine Barrel Herzker and Renner came out, both of them were holding cleaning tools.

Herzker then walked to the stage.

“What a day right? It’s great that the food didn’t go to waste,” Renner nodded in acknowledgement.

“Mark! Renner!”

Chief Nurse Ellen glared at the two of them.

Herzker scratched his head and remained quiet, he then started to move the tables away. The tables were moved over here from the cafeteria and they were needed back for breakfast tomorrow morning, otherwise the elderly would have no tables to eat on.

Renner shrugged and smiled at Rosy before continuing his cleaning.

Rosy walked to the chief nurse in a worried face.

“Chief, we…”

“Call the police.” Ellen said.

“But…”

“That is what we should focus on. The rest… turn a blind eye.”

Rosy wanted to add on something but was interrupted by Ellen. She pointed at the newly built ward building, towering under the night. Her stiff looks turned soft and kind.

Rosy looked at her superior with a blank gaze, still confused.

“Rosy, what are you thinking? Come help!” Renner called out loudly.

“C-Coming!” Rosy ran off.

…

The night was darker than black.

Darkness replaced the light.

Street lamps and neon signs because the only light source in the dark Alkender City.

A figure suddenly appeared in Randletine Street.

The figure walked slowly and every time he walked past a lamp post, the lamp would die off.

Not only the street lamp post, anything that shines died off too.

Electricity seemed to have gone away with his arrival.

Or more precisely, darkness devoured the light!

The man stopped in front of 17th, and when he did, the whole street was in darkness.

The man chuckled softly and knocked the door politely.

Knock, Knock Knock.

“Oh, I’ve forgotten that no one is home.”

He spoke to himself before he pushed the door open.

He was welcomed by a kick to his face.

BANG!