The Devil’s Cage

”Sir, you’ve been to Dublin Street before this right?” Lee asked.

Kieran frowned.

Kieran purposely went over to Dublin Street and had gotten rid of the butcher, Rudd, in order to deceive the original mastermind behind the scheme and Lee, of course, knew about it.

Now Lee asked the question once more, meaning something must have gone wrong.

Kieran didn’t provide a reply and he signaled for Lee to continue.

After a deep breath, Lee provided him with more explanation.

”Unfortunately, a theft occurred in the wealthy district in Dublin Street after your departure. The portrait of Artitelgar has been stolen and judging from the surveillance feed, it was you who took that priceless painting. That millionaire owner was infuriated in losing the painting and he has given out a bounty of almost a million to locate you and his painting.”

Lee continued to smile bitterly at this point and before Kieran could give any reply, he quickly connected his words.

”I know this is a fabricated charge against you in a clumsy way, many of the individuals in the underworld could achieve this yet to us underworld people, the things that we see in the common world… is very much beyond logic and reasons to the commoners out there.”

”So this huntsman here decided that he want to take me in? He wouldn’t really trade me in for the bounty reward right?”

Kieran pointed at the unconscious Ditko after realizing what happened, his tone was filled with mocking.

Of course, Ditko wouldn’t have traded him for the bounty reward but the decision of Ditko striking Kieran was no doubt an act that the Funeral Society wanted to show that millionaire.

Perhaps some other secret organization or other members would stand their ground, and not succumb to the wealthy, yet with that many forces and even some government related ones behind the Funeral Society, they would definitely do what they did.

Other than that, the Funeral Society would definitely pretend to be very capable and claim that they found the culprit based on the clues and leads just that the person wasn’t the real thief or something like that.

Certainly, such claims would also be built on the strength that Kieran had shown, to show that the Funeral Society was the most capable organization around.

If it was just a common thief…

The result would be self-explanatory.

At the same time, the identity of that millionaire must be something since he was able to pressure the Funeral Society to deploy their huntsman right away.

”Of course not! It’s just that the millionaire is too influential, we have to make a clear stance.”

Lee shook his head and said. Everything was as Kieran expected, however, a certain fact bothered him.

”Judging from our relationship, I’m quite curious why would you help me like this.”

Kieran stared at Lee with a ruminate manner.

After a few times coming in contact with Lee, Kieran knew that he wasn’t a person that was zealous for the common weal, he couldn’t even be considered as a good person in some aspects.

Why would such a person provide help to another guy that he only met a few times?

It was too ridiculous and unbelievable, there must be a reason for his actions.

Kieran was curious about that.

Lee’s bitter smile instantly turned heavier.

”Because helping you is helping myself!”

Another deep breath later, Lee stated out his original intentions.

”The person-in-charge of the area within the Funeral Society isn’t always fixated on a single person. We have an assessment system to evaluate our performance. The ones who passed will stay or get promotions, the ones who failed will gets punished and might even get sent away to some pension department which is as good as banishment.”

”One of my colleague who failed was transferred to such a department. The last time I saw him, he looked no different from the other 60-year-old man, his body and will were so dispirited, as if he turned into a zombie! AND HE IS EVEN LESS THAN 30 YEARS OLD! I don’t want to share the same fate as him!”

”Yet, the options before me are limited, the unusual incidents in Saint Brilliant cost HQ a huntsman. After I’ve sent out an investigation request, a second reinforcement request was sent out again. Which cuts off all my paths of retreat. Now even that famous painting is lost! I’ve been pushed down a cliff now, fortunately, I’ve held onto a single straw that keeps me hanging.”

Lee then looked at Kieran with sincere eyes.

”So you want me to help you find the painting?” Kieran squinted his eyes.

”Helping you is helping myself, at the same time, if you can lend me your assistance, you will be benefiting yourself as well! As long as we locate the painting, I have the confidence to persuade that person, not only will I maintain my position, you will get yourself a decent amount of rewards as well!”

Lee said with an utmost sincere tone.

Though, Kieran didn’t even buy one bit of his sincerity. Lee was just being forced into a desperate situation, and this was his final struggle.

Should he succeed, all would be good but should he fail?

Judging from Lee’s character, Kieran believed that Lee will be the first one to betray him.

Fabricating lies that he was controlled by him and sorts. Kieran didn’t expose him even though he knew it in his heart because he still had a need for Lee and a quite desperate one as well.

So he wouldn’t mind humoring him for the time being.

”Well said! I’m quite anticipating that reward that you said!” Kieran replied.

”It will definitely exceed your expectation!, So shall we…”

”Wait! I still have to settle some things.”

Kieran pointed at Kana, Jen and Tanya being tied at aside and Ditko who was knocked out cold beside the well and of course the well itself.

Lee was stunned for a second before he nodded repeatedly.

”I understand!”

Although he was eager to urge Kieran to locate the painting, he couldn’t deny Kieran’s opinion at such timing.

”So let us find an appropriate place.”

”Please follow me!”

Lee picked up Ditko on his back and headed outside while Kieran picked up the girls and followed.

...

The earthquake only happened in a blink of an eye before it disappeared, yet the damage it caused made the firefighters and police in the city hustle everywhere.

Oaker hadn’t gotten any rest for the whole night. After the last block of the suburbs that was leveled under his jurisdiction was cleaned up, he finally let out a breath of relief.

He was indeed a man of justice and was very willing in helping the poor yet his abilities were limited. His age had exceeded the boiling blood period of his life and he knew it clearly.

However, he was baffled with extra thoughts and feelings. Not only because of the fiends that he never heard of throughout his career but also because of the natural disaster.

Staring at the bodies covered in white cloth, his heart felt extremely helpless. Oaker lowered his head and turned away in a depressed state.

Then, he was stunned by what he saw. A person that he would never have expected appeared behind him.

The Funeral Society member, Lee.

”What the hell are you doing here?” Inspector Oaker had a bad impression of Lee and naturally, it caused his tone to worsen.

”Don’t you want to know what caused the sudden earthquake?” Lee asked with a soft smile.

”What the hell are you going on about…The earthquake is manmade !?”

The inspector refuted Lee’s words out of instinct but before he finished, he reacted to what Lee was trying to convey. He grabbed Lee by the shoulder.

”Which bastard caused this!?” Oaker lowered his voice on purpose but he couldn’t hide the anger within and one could hear the anger between the lines.

”Follow me!”

Lee said before turning around and headed into a small alley beside.