The Devil’s Cage

“Something is wrong with Willis?!”

Drexton wouldn’t believe it from his gut as he widened his eyes.

But after a second, he started to hesitate because there was more to the note.

“Bunder is one of Death Knell’s, many can prove it.”

“Bunder was one of Death Knell’s?”

Given that many others could prove it yet Willis didn’t discover that?

This was not normal, unless…

Doubt was without a doubt the strongest seed in the world.

Once planted, it will grow in a firm and unwavering manner and ultimately fill the person’s heart, causing the person to be terribly suspicious and doubt everything. Even more so when someone was pushing it.

“Drexton, can I know why you arrived at the scene late? I contacted you through Willis but you were 10 minutes later than expected.”

Colossal Arms suddenly asked after slight hesitancy.

“I was following the stipulated time that Willis provided me…”

Drexton halted his words abruptly.

Willis?

Willis!

It was related to Willis again!

Was something really wrong with Willis?

Drexton took a deep breath and looked at Colossal Arms saying, “I will get verifications from Willis and give you a satisfying answer.”

His words weren’t just spoken to Colossal Arms but to Pudder as well.

“Um.” Colossal Arms nodded.

Pudder didn’t reject either.

When the trio was about to leave the morgue, the door was pushed open from the outside.

“2567? Why are you here?”

Drexton was stunned when he saw Kieran appear silently outside the morgue.

Colossal Arms scowled a bit but he didn’t say anything.

Even though it was the infamous Glutton Emperor that got popular recently, it didn’t spike any interest in Colossal Arms who had just suffered from the impact to his career and loss of confidence.

Pudder, on the other hand, waved his hand out of courtesy.

“Greetings, 2567.”

It was nothing but pure courtesy and good manners. Pudder seemed to be still angry at Kieran who argued with him with the lousy logic.

Kieran glanced over the three of them and curled his lips into a smile.

“Since everyone is here, how about afternoon tea? My treat, so don’t try to push me away. I think you guys should know something.”

Kieran then headed outside after stating his purpose.

Drexton saw how Kieran was trying to be mysterious about something but out of trust, he didn’t question him and followed right away; Colossal Arms hesitated for a second before giving chase as well, Pudder too.

The chief officer, however, asked questions as he walked.

“What is this about?”

No one answered him.

Kieran pretended to turn a deaf ear and strolled outside.

Soon, they left the station and left the busy city block and reached Smorewill Street.

Smorewill Street was quite well-known within Alkender City, in a bad way.

Most of the theft, robbery, rapes, and murders were somehow related to this street because a lot of fugitives and criminals hid throughout the block.

There were common criminals and also supervillains, it was a place that normal people, the police, and even the superheroes couldn’t enter freely.

“2567, stop. If you really want to eradicate the bastards here, we need to discuss this, we can’t act recklessly! This is not as bad as Printon but traps still exist!”

Drexton’s face changed for the worse when he saw the street that seemed to isolate itself from the rest of the city.

He had always wanted to eradicate Smorewill Street but having the will was not enough!

The alliance formed by many other criminals made the street into a city within the city. It wasn’t just self-sustainable, it had firepower beyond one’s imagination as well.

Especially since Mr. Ghost, Death Knell, and Grudge Dragon had publicly endorsed the place more than once, Smorewill Street became a gray area without jurisdiction.

Although Mr. Ghost was dead, Death Knell and Grudge Dragon were still alive. The supervillains hiding in the streets were not to be underestimated.

A mountain of ants could kill an elephant!

Quantity could replace quality!

Such a saying was applicable in any situation.

“Eradicate the bastards here? No, no! I just want to eradicate a single bastard amongst us.”

Kieran shook his head with a smile and laid his gaze on Pudder the chief officer.

Pudder raised a puzzled brow and pointed at himself, “Are you referring me as that bastard?”

“Yup, you.” Kieran nodded seriously.

“What a joke! Why the hell would I do so?”

Pudder was infuriated, shouting at Kieran when he noticed the serious expression on his face.

“Why did you do it? Maybe being affected by Mordin’s sculpture? Maybe because of your own ambitions, or maybe you are just happy with it,” Kieran answered with a calm face.

“Happy? Do I look like that kind of lunatic? Or should I say, you 2567, you are the one out of your mind! I think you are the one being affected by Mordin’s sculpture!” Pudder angrily rebuked.

The sculptures being in Kieran’s possession wasn’t a secret, those who paid attention to the ongoing news in Alkender City would know Kieran was searching for the sculptures.

Right away, Drexton and Colossal Arms looked at Kieran with a worried gaze.

“Remember the first time we met, how you showed your disgust towards voluntary police? But after that, you acted like a different person. You didn’t just agree to work with me and appeared beside me from time to time. It’s correct if you say you had to because of your job and the justice your serve, but… Your job and justice wouldn’t have urged you to order your men to steal the owner’s gold when they are not around right?”

Kieran ignored the gaze from Drexton and Colossal Arms and stared straight into Pudder’s eyes.

“Those are Death Knell’s men, what does it have to do with me?” Pudder continued to argue without changing his furious expression.

“I know right! The men that appeared in Bunder’s house are Death Knell’s men, the men who appeared in 17th Randletine were also Death Knell men. Why? Because of the obvious tattoo on their face but that was it.” Kieran said.

“You are saying someone impersonates Death Knell’s men?”

Drexton asked with a slight change of expression.

“You said it yourself 2567, it’s just the tattoos! It may be real, it may be false. You can’t be sure whether was it Death Knell’s men or someone impersonating them!”

Pudder interrupted before Kieran could answer Drexton’s question.

“Yup, I can’t just simply base it on the tattoos alone but the timing can! The only one who knew Ferris and I had left the house was you. If Death Knell really wanted the gold, he wouldn’t have just sent over two men.”

“You can say those two are just there to test the waters but based on the tracks I saw, they came in through the door. To be honest, you can try to be more meticulous about this but some other things affected you am I right? Does it take a lot of energy to fool Willis? Or was it that busy for you to buy off Mr. Ghost’s men? Or perhaps the two Mordin’s sculptures in Bunder’s collection triggered your attention?”

“But of course, I have more direct proof.”

After heaving a sigh, Kieran vanished on the spot.

When he reappeared, he was already behind Pudder, launching a kick with a violent wind.

However, Pudder dodged the kick easily.

Drexton and Colossal Arms’ face changed to a sour expression.

Obviously, the kick from Kieran wasn’t some attack that a normal human could dodge.

After a flash of movement, Pudder appeared a dozen meters away.

Seeing how Drexton and Colossal Arms’ expressions changed and Kieran who was calm as ever, Pudder couldn’t hold back his hearty laughs.

“Hahahahaha!”

“Idiots! All idiots! I had you all on within my grasp!”

Pudder took another glance at Drexton and Colossal Arms before staring Kieran in his eyes.

“You are a little smarter than them but not enough! You talk too much bullsh*t! Thus giving me time to set up a response!”

“Now, the timing is just nice! Feel the fear of death!”

Pudder raised his hand as he voiced his declaration but…

Nothing happened.

The chief officer was shocked for before giving it another try.

“Feel the fear of death!”

Again with the thunderous growl but still nothing happened.

Unwilling to submit, Pudder tried again and again.

Kieran stood there calmly, watching Pudder and his monkey show, his mouth softly uttered, “Yeah, the timing is just nice.”