The Devil’s Cage

The light sword slashed through Song Shi’s body without the slightest delay and plunged deep into the ground.

The ground shook, followed by a heavy thump.

While the quake went on, Song Shi’s body burst like a bubble, disappearing into thin air.

Kieran frowned.

He sensed that Song Shi was already gone the moment he swung the light sword at her, and after the illusion popped, not a bit of her scent was left behind, like she never came before.

“Some kind of secret spell?”

Kieran furrowed his brows before he went over to the tied up Teddy.

Every secret spell has its own uniqueness, but it wasn’t almighty, Kieran could go another route to locate her.

“Who was that?” Kieran asked after he untied Teddy.

“Song Shi! The lady owner of Song Shi Hotel, where I stayed before! She’s the real owner!”

Teddy told Kieran what exactly happened.

“Song Shi?” Kieran raised a brow at the name.

Bain did tell him before about this Song Shi.

‘Our men didn’t want to provoke that lord’, or something like that came afloat in Kieran’s mind, so it altered his thoughts for a bit.

Kieran then went back to the restaurant.

Teddy curiously saw Kieran off. The chief officer hadn’t spent a lot of time with Kieran but he knew Kieran wasn’t exactly a generous person.

Since he was provoked by that woman, he would not just let her slip without consequences, unless…

There’s profit that he could get out of all of this!

Or more accurately, there’s a bigger gain beyond the picture on the surface!

As a matter of fact, there was.

After Kieran made sure the woman he fought off just now was Song Shi, he already knew what he should do.

The Herders of the East obviously had less funds, but the South was different. Regardless of attire or weapons, the South had them in higher quality and not just a little bit.

Bain addressed Song Shi as lord, so the Southerners would also do the same.

Meaning, if Kieran sought compensation and East Sector couldn’t cover his lost, the South Sector would eventually step up, even the North and the West might offer a little help.

As for whether or not he could get that much profit from the Herders, he would have to see how valuable this ‘lord’ was.

Still, it didn’t mean Kieran would simply forgive her.

If she dared to move against Starbeck, she would have to be prepared for Kieran to skin her alive and make a scarf out of her pelt for Starbeck.

The day had gotten bright, a fox pelt over the neck should be warm enough, but that was a matter for another time.

Now?

Kieran had sided with the Herders and was considered on the same side as Song Shi.

Though it was just temporary, once the Battle of Winter Night was over and he regained his true powers, it would be time for clearing debts.

The thoughts lingered in his mind as Kieran looked into the kitchen.

Starbeck brought out a claypot.

Before he opened the lid, Kieran smelled mutton, chinese yam, and lotus and his attention was captivated.

“Eight Treasure Tonic soup, mutton, chinese yam, and lotus are the main ingredients, I’ve also added milkvetch root, noodles, and mutton lard. I even changed the yellow wine and dates,” Starbeck explained softly with a smile and as he was explaining, preparing a bowl of soup for Kieran.

Teddy smelled the soup as he was following Kieran into the restaurant, he couldn’t help but swallow his saliva. However, wise enough, Teddy did not go over and ask for one, instead he walked over to the corner quietly, as did Amy.

She was rather envious of the Eight Treasure Tonic soup that she barely heard of before, but Carrie told her not to go over there, unless she had a death wish!

The milky white creamy Eight Treasure Tonic soup was served to Kieran by Starbeck’s hands.

“Hold on, there’s one more thing!”

Starbeck ran into the kitchen and brought a saucer out with brilliant green leaves.

“Chives?” Kieran was rather surprised.

“Yea, cured chives, they will go nicely with vinegar.”

Starbeck smiled and nodded, his other hand holding a little pot, pouring a drop of black vinegar on the chives, a rich aroma of vinegar coming out.

Kieran picked some chives with his chopsticks, put them into the soup, and stirred it. A sense of freshness came from the aromatic, herbalish soup, especially that little sourish taste, increasing Kieran’s appetite. Kieran picked the bowl up and started to drink.

The creamy, sticky soup was infused with the essence of mutton, the soft chinese yam and the crunchy lotus lifting Kieran’s spirit.

“Another bowl!”

Kieran finished the first bowl in two mouthfuls and then he pushed the bowl back to Starbeck.

Starbeck prepared another bowl for Kieran and then went back into the kitchen.

A while later, Starbeck brought a big pail out, he put the big pail on the floor and then he clapped his hands.

Clap, clap!

The Hounds who were on guard duty around the building flew towards the big pail but they didn’t jump in altogether.

The other Hounds let the Elite Hound have the biggest, most delicious lamb spine before they dug in and they didn’t fight over the food.

Not a single bit of meat was spilled out on the floor.

In fact, there were six dog bowls placed on one side of the restaurant.

The biggest bowl belonged to the Elite Hound, the rest were the normal Hounds. Each of them took the bone with their mouth to their respective bowl and then chewed on it with wagging tails.

Teddy and Amy heard the chewing noises from the Hounds, watching Kieran drink bowl after bowl of the Eight Treasure Tonic soup, their mouths couldn’t help but salivate like waterfalls.

They subconsciously looked at Starbeck, hoping that he would go easy on them and spare them a bowl.

Unfortunately, Starbeck was leaning on the counter with both his palms under his chin, his eyes smiled a crescent moon as all his attention was placed on Kieran. He didn’t even notice the two of them and their pitiful gaze.

Kieran noticed it though, but he turned a blind eye.

What a joke!

The soup was his dinner!

Why should he share it with others?

It’s not Lawless or Starbeck anyway.

Teddy and Amy’s stomach growled, hunger beating not only their body, but exhausting their hearts too.

Moments later, footsteps came from the door.

Huai Cuike, the person in charge of East 1 Sector, arrived with two others. Kieran glanced over them, seeing the familiar Huai Cuike, Hoen, the Herder who he secretly saw before in the shadow, and another face.

After their identities were made clear, Kieran buried himself in drinking the last bowl of soup.

Huai Cuike did not enter with Hoen and the other man, standing outside, examining the shattered door and the messy floor, smiling bitterly.

Kieran wasn’t exactly the best person to have dealings with, he wasn’t really a savage though. Quite the contrary, Kieran was very reasonable most of the time.

He had his own view and bottomline in every single matter, and because of that, Huai Cuike knew how hard his current task was.

Kieran viewed this world with his own perspective, he held on tightly to his bottomline, and it was hard for anyone to move it, at least Huai Cuike had no confidence in it, but had to come.

Whenever he thought about the lord appearing in the premise and leaving in an ugly state, Huai Cuike’s gaze on Kieran was full of shock; when he thought of the word ‘God of Slaughter reincarnated’ that the lord mentioned, his heart was throbbing like war drums.

He admitted Kieran was strong, but not this strong!

The theory of reincarnation was acknowledged among the Herders, because there was more than one example.

Though it was a first for Huai Cuike to see it with his own eyes and it wasn’t any just any reincarnation, it was the reincarnation of God of Slaughter!

There were many Gods of Slaughter throughout history but the one who could alarm the lord to this extent must be the top of the strongest bunch.

They didn’t know which reincarnated God of Slaughter Kieran was, but regardless, all of them were extremely hard to deal with and had to be treated with the utmost care.

Burying people alive, eating people alive, annihilating entire clans, massacring an entire city…

All the infamous achievements of the God of Slaughter throughout history made Huai Cuike stand up straight. Despite the white hair and the old age, he politely knocked on the remaining door frame.

Knock, Knock Knock.

The knocks sounded, everyone heard it clearly, but Kieran turned a deaf ear.

What he wanted was to steer the conversation and in order to get the right to steer, he didn’t mind using some tactics.

Huai Cuike looked at Kieran with a bitter smile. He knew it was hard from the beginning, but not too hard.

He hit a stud right at the beginning.

“Royan, I will compensate for your loss.”

Huai Cuike didn’t hesitate at all and stated his intention, then signaled Hoen with a gaze.

The elite Herder of South Sector pulled out a pouch made out of deer pelt and placed it outside the door frame.

“10 Crossing Silver Coins,” Huai Cuike made an offer.

Kieran didn’t care.

Huai Cuike raised his hand, and another pouch was placed outside the door frame.

Finally, Kieran turned around for a glance, he nodded and said, “Come in.”

20 Crossing Silver Coins wasn’t the ideal number, but it was just the start, everything had to proceed step by step.

Huai Cuike stepped in. Hoen behind him also heaved a breath of relief, picking up the two pouches and walking in.

It was easier than he thought. He prepared many but he did not expect 20 Crossing Silver Coins to seal the deal.

Huai Cuike heard the breath of relief from Hoen, the bitter smile on his face getting heavier.

It was still manageable if they had to pay a high price upon arriving, meaning the incident will soon be over but now they made entry with a mere 20 Crossing Silver Coins, meaning this incident would not just end like this.

Things unfolded just like Huai Cuike’s thought.

After the three of them came in, Kieran didn’t invite them to sit down, pointing at the two pouches of coins which were placed on the counter, and said “Entrance fee.”

Entrance fee?

Hoen was shocked, his face turning rather pale.

20 Crossing Silver Coins was the entrance fee? Then how much did he have to pay for the rest?!

The breath of relief had no meaning now, Hoen looking at Huai Cuike, yearning for help.

“Take everything out,” Huai Cuike sighed.

“Everything?” Hoen replied in shock.

“Yes, everything,” Huai Cuike nodded.

He knew Kieran was a person who held his convictions close and dear, the gentle and harsh ways would not work on him and to successfully persuade him, displaying sincerity became a must.

Hoen hesitated for a while, clenching his teeth, and then took out all the deer pelt pouches.

Three more pouches were taken out, similar to the previous two, the deer pelt pouches bulging heavily, except for the last one.

The last pouch was much thinner than the others but it was also the one Hoen had a hard time putting it down.

After Hoen struggled with his unwillingness, Huai Cuike grabbed the thin pouch and put it on the counter.

Ding!

Even though the pouch was made with deer pelt, a clear chime entered Kieran’s ears when the item inside hit the counter. On top of that, the Origin Forces in Kieran throbbed, Gluttony even screaming loudly, “EAT!”

Kieran had never heard Gluttony scream this eagerly since he set foot in this dungeon.

His attention was immediately captivated by this thin pouch and Huai Cuike also opened it up.

A golden radiance appeared in Kieran’s sight as it reflected the light.

“Crossing Gold Coin?” Kieran asked.

“Yes, it’s very rare,” Huai Cuike nodded.

He reached out and held the coin in hand, the attributes of the coin instantly popping up in his vision.

[Name: Crossing Gold Coin]

[Type: ETC]

[Rarity: Legendary]

[Attack: None]

[Defense: None]

[Attribute: Other than effectively cover a large amount of ‘faraway’ energy from leaving souls, it can also slowly recover the holder’s spirit and grant the holder Spirit authentication advantage.]

[Effect: None]

[Prerequisite: None]

[Able to bring out of dungeon: No]

[Remark: Crossing Coin appears much earlier than the Herders. No one knew why was it created but after the covering the presence of souls leaving for the ‘faraway’ land, it has become the common currency for the Herders and the mystical side and Crossing Gold Coin is an item that is far beyond its value as currency, it can be traded for something rare from a certain someone.]

…

Kieran slightly sensed the changes in his body when he held the gold coin in his hand. It was weak but it was there. All five of his Origin Forces were operating swiftly.

Consuming this coin would provide him with bigger gains.

Kieran realized something, but he didn’t say anything else and put the one gold coin and 40 silver coins into his pocket.

Huai Cuike finally heaved a breath of relief when he saw Kieran’s acceptance. He wasn’t worried about Kieran’s personality. If he accepted the coins, that meant he had agreed to the compensation.

A person like Kieran would not go back on his words.

“I’m sorry, Royan. Lord Song Shi didn’t mean anything ill, she just…”

“A little naughty. What she did to Chief Teddy was for his own good,” Huai Cuike explained.

“For my own good? By dragging me around like a dog?” Teddy grumbled.

“She did that to let you better adapt to your powers. Didn’t you realize your body has grown stronger in a couple of days? This is just the start, there’s more surprises waiting for you,” Huai Cuike looked at Teddy with a smile.

Kieran frowned a little but he didn’t say anything.

He didn’t want to lie, but it didn’t mean he would forgive her for peeking into his soul.

Another grunt sounded and Teddy leaned on the counter without a word.

After all that conversation, the second person behind Huai Cuike hasn’t spoken since bowing at Teddy.

“I apologize on behalf of our young lady’s impoliteness. If you have any trouble or dissatisfaction, please do not hesitate to tell us. Of course, Sir Royan too.”

The man then looked at Kieran.

His hand had been hiding inside his sleeve and he revealed it, several hand signs in an angle which only Kieran could see.

The man’s eyes were filled with anticipation.