The Devil’s Cage

In the afternoon, the sun shone brightly over Edatine Castle, a sense of warmth added into the cold air after a while.

A rare, warm winter day lifted the people’s mood, except Horfe.

He knew what happened in Qitar Bay.

The explosion! A heaven-shaking, earth shattering explosion!

He also knew what Councilman Eindefern was preparing to do, therefore Horfe didn’t say anything else about it.

No one knew better or was more familiar with the power of God than the members of Silent Night Secret Society themselves, but…

Horfe looked at the peaceful afternoon in Edatine Castle. He looked at the tired yet smiling faces of the working civilians and he couldn’t help but squint his eyes.

“Do I really have to give up on everything?” Horfe couldn’t help but mutter to himself softly.

“What else?” Horlaika asked Horfe back.

“Yeah right, what else?” Horfe bitterly smiled.

Behind them, Stone, Bill and the other five also remained silent.

After the Luncar incident, the five of them did not receive any punishment at all. Instead, they were praised by Councilman Kurtzargert and were rewarded with actual rewards, not just verbal praise. Even their status was promoted accordingly. They could now even command over the people that they gathered under their cause before this and it made the five of them feel like they were dreaming.

But soon enough, the sweet dream turned into a nightmare.

They were once again at a split road of hard choices, but fortunately for them, neither Stone nor Bill nor the others were as afraid and felt loss as they were during the first time.

Human’s ability to adapt to the situation was astounding!

With such exclamation, Stone hastened his step so that he could walk side by side with Horfe and Horlaika.

“How many can you bring away?” Stone asked calmly.

Horfe immediately paused his steps.

“Not a lot, we can only bring the elites,” said Horfe in a dry voice.

Stone nodded to express his understanding.

What else he didn’t understand? Horfe had made himself very clear.

Other than only a limited number of people that could leave, the rest would be left behind, including their own family members, or themselves.

It was impossible for Stone to not grumble or hold a grudge in his heart about this.

Why were the chosen ones not him or his family but others?

The grudge and grumble would surely appear in his heart but it wouldn’t keep coming out.

Huu.

He exhaled a heavy breath. Then he looked at Bill and the others.

After experiencing life and death together through battles that they fought side by side, the five of them had bonds surpassing anyone else.

All it required was a gaze and they were able to make up their mind.

Humans can never always rely on other humans, they have to save themselves!

Horlaika was staring at Stone, Bill, and the others and when he saw their tacit gaze, he said to Horfe with a slight daze, “Horfe, please continue to lead the men to deliver the compensation. I have something to talk to Stone and the others.”

“Sure.” Horfe didn’t ask why, he knew what Horlaika was going to tell Stone and the others and he also knew the outcome.

It might very well be the worst.

No one would ever give up on hope of living, right?

Then who would be willing to die?

Disappointment after the hope? Might as well keep the hope away from the start!

This damn harsh reality!

Clenching his teeth, Horfe brought the men and continued down to the Mist camp in Lower Seventh Ring.

Horlaika saw the group away before he turned around to Stone, Bill and the others, who showed caution.

“Relax. You guys don’t seem to agree with Councilman Kurtzergert’s decision and have chosen another path, am I right?” Horlaika asked.

“Councilman Kurtzergert is good to us, he tolerated our foolishness and forgave our mistakes, but we also want to live, with our family and friends—Luncar was right, by living alone, we are nothing but walking dead bodies, we are only… human when we are able to protect the ones we love.”

Stone sensed that Horlaika’s aura had locked on to him, and without a second thought, he held his sword tight.

He knew about the title Undying, and even if he wasn’t confident to face the Undying in a fight, he had to at least try, for the sake of his family. The same thing went for Bill and the others.

The five of them scattered up and formed an attacking formation, surrounding Horlaika.

The atmosphere instantly froze, and in that tense moment where a fight would break out any second, Horlaika smiled.

“Congratulations. You’ve passed the test,” Horlaika clapped his hands.

The clear claps stunned Stone, Bill and the others. They hadn’t realized that this was a test of some sort.

“Maybe you guys can listen to the councilman’s other plan,” said Horlaika with a smile.

“Other plan?” Stone, BIll and the others were stunned.

“Councilman Colipo should have mentioned it to your guys before,” Horlaika hinted at them.

Mentioned before? Another plan?

Stone, Bill, and the others looked at each other in confusion.

Suddenly, Stone managed to figure it out but right away, he couldn’t help but shake his head in denial.

“Impossible! It can’t be!” He denied repeatedly.

Following his denials, Bill and the others also realized something, their looks instantly turning ugly and sour.

After all five of them reacted sourly at the realization, Horlaika put away his smile and said in a strict manner, “We are all Snake Sect!”

…

Monte was arranging the news collected from all over the land.

His clothes were as loose as usual but the white powder on his face was cleaned up, the habitual flattering smile also replaced by strictness.

Cough, cough, cough.

When a fierce cough sounded, the vassal immediately looked up and saw his king.

The valiant king of Edatine had grown older overnight, even his body started to shudder.

“Sire,” Monte ran over and tried to lend a hand.

The king waved and denied the vassal’s goodwill but a single wave of hand made him breath heavily and quickly, he then coughed again.

Monte kept tapping the king on his back, trying to ease the discomfort.

The coughing only stopped after more than 10 seconds.

“Monte,” said the king.

“Sire, I’m here.” the vassal replied quickly.

“Take this to Colin.” A box was handed to the vassal.

When Monte looked at the box, his eyes turned teary and red because the box was a traditional tool used by the royalty to hold their will.

“Sire, it’s not time yet, Qitar Bay was just an accident, his Highness still needs time to…”

“MONTE!” A bellow stopped the vassal.

Edatine VI was like an old lion. He had aged but there still remained a sense of prestige and power.

He glared at Monte with stern eyes.

Monte was afraid.

“Failure means failure. I won’t give myself so many excuses, neither will I escape from the consequences of failures. Regrets? Of course I have regrets but I don’t have time. Bring this to Colin and help him,” said Edatine VI before he turned around to his chair.

When he sat down, his eyes unconsciously looked at the model of the ship which was rebuilt.

“A little bit more, a little bit more,” Such mutters echoed in the small council room.

The vassal walked out with a sour feeling, his heart paining him.

When he reached the exit, the vassal stopped suddenly.

“Sire, I swear on my life that the southern islands will eventually be Edatine’s! His Highness will also be a king that people respect,” said Monte word by word.

Edatine VI waved his hand.

Tssss bang.

The door of the small council room was closed.

Monte turned around and left in a heavy mood.

The royal guardians who were on duty at the door saw the vassal off with a heavy gaze unlike before.

Then, when they looked at the door of the small council room, the royal guardians couldn’t help but feel sad.

Their king was dying!

Inside the small council hall, Bloody Mary tapped its chest and heaved a sigh of relief.

“Thank goodness I temporarily lured that old marquis away, otherwise I might have blown it. It would be bad for me to blow it at this kind of timing. The end of the old king and the rise of a new one. It can’t be too plain, it must be legendary! Thankfully, I am fully prepared!” said Bloody Mary as it disappeared in a flash at the next second.

It still had a show to rush to and perform with its marvelous acting.

…

“260 true magical equipment and items as compensation and 40 Rare rank magical equipment and items as payment for the information and 60 pagans remnants. Please have a look.”

Horfe respectfully passed a stack of checklists to Kieran and then pointed at the three wagons behind him.

The wagons had two horses each, the carriage wide and filled with items inside.

“Move them to the tent at the back,” Kieran didn’t count, it wasn’t necessary.

He believed if Eindefern hadn’t lost his mind, the councilman would never lie to him on this.

Moreover, Bloody Mary counted for him already.

“Yes, Prince Coliin.”

Horfe bowed again and sent his men to move the precious compensations to the tent that Kieran appointed.

The whole process was carried out in an orderly fashion.

After everything was tidied up and arranged, Horfe ushered the members of Silent Night Secret Society away.

Around half an hour after the men left, Horlaika brought Stone, Bill, and the others to that tent.

“Your Highness,” Horlaika bowed.

“Mm,” Kieran nodded.

It was just a nod but it was terrifying for Stone, Bill, and the others.

It’s real! It was real! Snake Sect! Councilman Kurtzargert was part of Snake Sect all along!

No! It should be that Colipo and Kurtzargert were all members of Snake Sect.

By this time, Stone, Bill and the others were done finding out whether Colipo and Kurtzargert were Snake Sect members from the start or after they betrayed Silent Night Secret Society and converted. They were more interested to know what the other ‘plan’ was.

Huu, huu.

The five of them adjusted their breaths and looked at Kieran together.

“Demon Hunters will never give up friends and family. We might not have the praise of honor, we might not have the songs to sing our tales, but we have pride in our heart!”

As he talked, Kieran pointed at his left chest, where his heart was. He didn’t stop there, he looked into their eyes and said word by word, “And my pride is… from my friends and family!”

His voice was not loud, neither did it sound arousing. It sounded very normal, as if he was telling some fact but because of that, it further aroused Stone, Bill, and the others.

What Kieran said was the truth, a real Demon Hunter should be like this. A real Demon Hunter would never give up on friends and families, it was a well-known fact.

With the common agreement, plus the hints that Bloody Mary left behind in their minds, Stone, Bill, and the others stood straight and then knelt down on the floor on one knee, saying together, “Your Highness!”

“I can’t assure you guys anything. I can’t promise you anything, but I can tell you that when the fight arrives, I will take charge!” Kieran was as calm and steady as always, but the calmness was exactly what Stone, Bill, and the others needed at the moment.

“I am willing to follow your charging footsteps! I pledge my life to Snake Sect without regrets! Long live Snake Sect!” Horlaika, who had completely assumed himself as one of Snake Sect. could no longer hold back his emotions anymore, he said aloud and full of emotions.

Up until this point, it wasn’t necessary to hide anymore.

Snake Sect, had risen!

But at the same time, the sect had to face a never before met enemy!

So, as a member of the sect, he had to fight for a chance of survival for his juniors. It was the only thing that he could do as a Snake Sect member.

“We will follow your charging steps! We pledge our lives to Snake Sect! Long live Snake Sect!”

Stone, Bill, and the others were as loud.

“Are we at such a dangerous and disastrous time?” Anderson lifted the curtain and walked in.

“Sir Anderson,” Horlaika, Stone, Bill, and the others bowed at the same time at the old Demon Hunter.

“Just call me uncle. I think I’m only old enough to be your uncle.” said the old Demon Hunter as a faint smile hung over his face. It has been a long while since he received such respect from his juniors.

The feeling was… really good!

That’s why the feeling should linger longer!

With that thought in mind, the old Demon Hunter looked at Kieran.

“It’s still not time for you to take charge. Even if it is time to charge our enemies, it should us, the Wolf Sect, who takes charge ahead,” said the old Demon Hunter.

Kieran remained silent, he didn’t say anything, but his reaction had obviously stated his thoughts.

Similarly, Horlaika and the others didn’t think they should leave such an arduous task to the old Demon Hunter alone.

“Uncle Anderson, you alone are a little…”

“Alone? A wolf never fights alone! You fellas, come with me!” said the old Demon Hunter before he turned around and walked out.

He left the tent, then the camp, followed by the city gate.

He stood outside the city gate of Edatine and was staring at the farthest point on the horizon.

He cocked his head up and shouted loudly, like a wolf’s howl.

His shout was bleak and long and at the next moment—

Awhoooooooowl!

The same wolf howl sounded and resonated with the old Demon Hunter’s.

A lot of black figures started to appear over the horizon.

They were in black mantle, their size and weapon choices were vastly different but every single one of them had a proud presence and powerful aura.

Pointing at the black figures, the old Demon Hunter said loudly, “A lone wolf dies, but a pack of wolves LIVES!”