The Devil’s Cage

Kieran and Kat Lady had their lunch at 17th Randletine Street.

Bloodman and Emma Eddie who went out to collect information returned on time with many results as well.

Emma Eddie had the same old look, a leather jacket, a T-shirt, and jeans with a military haircut. Her nose stud though was changed from pure silver to a platinum one.

It was the only item with value that Kieran got from Mr. Ghost’s lair and in order for his plans to progress smoothly, Kieran lent it to Emma Eddie.

Bloodman, real name Ordork. A street-level thug that relied on stealing and pickpocketing to survive before his abilities were awoken. He was originally the lowest kind of street thug, not only bullying the weak and fearing the strong, his second nature was bluffing and boasting as well.

However, all that was in the past, now?

After falling under Kieran’s control, Odork the Bloodman worked together with Ferris the Freezer, serving plate after plate on the table neatly and respectfully.

“For the appetizer, we have sardine and egg salad. I’ve added some lemon to remove the fishy stench. For the main course, we have tomahawk pork legs with pickled cucumbers and sweet carrots. The side is cornbread and the soup is vegetable tofu soup as you ordered. The vegetables are also the spinach and bok choy you had requested.”

Ferris was opening the lids and introducing the dishes like a real chef.

Of course, one shouldn’t expect Ferris’ cooking to be par with a real chef, but it was not bad.

Look at how fast and messy Kat Lady and Emma Eddie gobbled down their meals.

Similar to one not expecting Ferris to have the cooking level of a real chef, one shouldn’t expect a cat and a street-level goon to have table manners.

Lunch started and ended with flying forks and spoons as well as plates jumping around the tables.

Kieran didn’t have anything to rant about though, he didn’t mind not having table manners as long as no one truly wasted food.

After all, no matter how great one’s table manners were, when a single person consumed the servings of 3, 5 or even 10 people, table manners would be long gone, might as well maintain one’s true nature from the start.

Kat Lady and Emma Eddie perfectly exercised the mentioned acts.

Perhaps out of the habits of a cat, Kat Lady’s plates were licked clean after the meal, while Emma Eddie also understood how precious food was.

In the environment she grew up in, everyone would deceive and scheme for a piece of bread, a piece of meat would incite a war. Therefore, Emma Eddie showed exceptional gratitude to her meal and eating environment but it didn’t mean she will thank Kieran for it.

The awful bastard once again used her as bait!

Even if he gave her a set of protection, it didn’t mean she could be worry-free.

On the contrary, because of her new protective item, Emma Eddie felt even more danger judging from her experience and her exceptionally accurate instincts; she couldn’t resist though.

Emma Eddie knew she was aboard the pirate ship by now, even if she were to get away from Kieran right now, no one would believe that she had nothing to do with the Glutton Emperor.

“Glutton Emperor…”

Emma Eddie was muttering the title as she touched her new platinum nose stud.

A few days ago, she would never believe Mr. Ghost was killed that easily, even until now, she felt extremely unreal whenever she looked at Kieran who was responsible for the super villain’s death.

Emma Eddie knew Kieran was absurdly strong, she even speculated Kieran was actually one of the three, Death Knell, Mr. Ghost, or Grudge Dragon in disguise yet she never thought he would kill one of them.

No one understood what Mr. Ghost represented more than Emma Eddie who grew up in the streets.

The supervillain was like an underground king of sorts but now the old king was dead.

Alkender City was in a seemingly peaceful period now but it was just the calm before the storm; a new underground king will surely emerge from the bunch.

Despite Chief Officer Pudder running around the streets, arresting the lingering factions one after another, it wouldn’t do any good.

Money!

Authority!

Those two things were enough for people to swarm to like a flock of ducks.

Huu!

Emma Eddie couldn’t help but take in a deep breath when she thought of the potential happening. Then she looked at Kieran who was drinking his soup peacefully in front of her, she couldn’t hold back her urge and asked, “Do you know the situation out there? This is the best time for you to give up!”

“The vegetable soup is quite plain, most people don’t like it. People would add egg, shrimp or meat inside the soup if they were to drink it. It would definitely make the soup taste better but… it wouldn’t be vegetable soup anymore,” Kieran said slowly.

“I am talking about the streets, the underground world that is related to the entire Alkender City, not your vegetable soup!” Emma Eddie emphasized.

“I am referring to my vegetable soup indeed. From how I see it, Alkender City’s underground world is not as important as my vegetable soup. Or should I say, how can Alkender City’s underground world compare to my vegetable soup? On what basis?” Kieran replied plainly.

There was no room for doubt in his words and it made Emma Eddie choke, causing her jaw to drop. In the end, she swallowed back her words, she now somehow understood why people addressed him as Glutton Emperor.

While Ferris who made the vegetable soup somehow felt proud of his achievement, he straightened his back uncontrollably. Bloodman Odork didn’t think much though, from his point of view, whatever Kieran said was righteous, regardless of how outrageous and ridiculous it sounded, it would undoubtedly be correct.

Kat Lady didn’t even care about the little argument, she was in her own world biting the sardine in her mouth.

“Meow~ Meow Meow~”

Her low cat moans kept on repeating as she sat on the chair like a real cat; she shook her body like a sunflower under the sunshine.

Kat Lady sat like that until lunch was over; she left 17th Randletine Street later.

“2567, you are really a good meow!”

Kat Lady then leaped around, vanishing on the streets with baggage on her back a few times bigger than herself.

“What a naive lady!” Emma Eddie sighed softly.

Emma Eddie was already preparing herself before she headed to Bunder, the collector’s house to purchase Mordin’s sculpture at a high price after she got the order from Kieran. Since she collected the news on his behalf, she knew exactly what Kieran had in mind.

Bait! Another round of spreading the bait!

Emma Eddie who was tasked with going to Bunder’s house and Kat Lady who left with the bag of gold were nothing but tools used to verify the existence of the sculptures.

As for the end goal?

Emma Eddie took a glance at the secret room housing the gold and Kieran who returned to his study room reading books; she quickly headed towards the car and drove off.

“Odork, follow her quietly, protect her as much as you can.”

Kieran ordered Bloodman when he heard the car drive off.

“Yes, master.” Bloodman Odork replied before vanishing in his blood form.

Instantly, only Kieran and Ferris were left in the room.

No!

There were some other unexpected visitors closing in and watching them with intentional gazes.