The Devil’s Cage

Nothing could hide the blazing pillars of fire bursting up to the sky.

Everyone around Supreme Road saw it, including the old hunter, Ran Dan.

Looking at the blazing sky, Ran Dan suddenly halted his steps. His face was showing a complicated expression seemingly nostalgic yet disgusted.

After a while…

“Let’s move on, we must reach Golden City before daybreak!” The old hunter said.

“Yes, brother.”

“Yes, father.”

His family members replied with solemn faces.

The hunters obviously cherished their relationship with each of their members, otherwise, they wouldn’t have made the trip to Golden City in a hurry after receiving Evie Dan’s request.

However, the hunters kept their emotions and feelings to themselves rather than showing them. Maybe they would show more in front of their own family members but in the wilderness, even if they were around family, they would still follow the basic ruled of the hunters.

Compared to the hunters, the werewolf tribe, on the other hand, was more straightforward.

The younger werewolves behind the old lady looked at the blazing sky. Each of them expressed their shock and discomfort in the most direct way.

Werewolves were not scared of fire, they could even warm themselves up with fire but they would never get “close” to one, similar to their other blood kin.

“That’s enough, let us continue our journey.”

The old lady’s word calmed the pack down right away and ushered them to move on.

The younger werewolves were very obedient to their elder, so as they continued the journey, none of the younger ones realized the heavy expression on their elder’s face which was never before seen.

“Immortals? Is this real? Or…”

There was only a handful of things that could move the old lady who lived long enough and had remarkable experience in life and “immortality” was definitely one of that handful of things.

Especially when “immortality” was connected with that one, it captivated the old lady’s attention.

“What are you trying to do? Did you see this scene today from a hundred years ago? Are you so confident in your heir? Immortals… you really didn’t know what your actions would force your heir to face in the future eh? Or is this another test from you to your heir?”

Question after question popped up in the old lady’s heart but none were answered clearly.

It made her helpless since she dubbed herself as wise enough with her vast experience.

“This is really like you! If you were still alive, I bet you would laugh out loud and watch how ugly and shameful I am now right,” the old lady sighed.

The messy thoughts were then discarded from her mind.

Her pack was moving forward even faster.

Everything would be explained when she met the heir.

…

Just as people around Supreme Road were shocked or exclaimed at the overwhelming scene in the sky, message after message was being sent throughout Saint Cyanda via all sorts of hidden channels, especially the capital of Saint Cyanda, Dawn City.

For a moment there, all the important figures were attracted by this particular message.

The two princes that were fighting fiercely even ceased their battle because of this message.

Both of them stared at each other and after parting ways, they restricted their men and ceased their battle for now.

They knew if they didn’t solve this sudden incident, even if they got their hands on that thing, they would eventually fail.

After all, Burning Dawn was the biggest thorn in the imperial household’s heart.

Working together to fight off external threats had always been the tradition of Saint Cyanda, especially against Burning Dawn.

Both princes sat back at the negotiating table and started to discuss with discretion.

As for what they were discussing, no one knew.

However, Saint Cyanda Palace which now apprehended every danger in every sound didn’t feel relaxed because of the secret discussion, instead, more and more guards appeared.

…

Pang!

A glass full of wine was smashed at the wall furiously.

The red wine left a bright red trail on the white wall.

The figure who maintained an elegant demeanor was fuming in rage when he got the news.

“Damn it! How can the devil’s bloodline ignore the grave’s temptation?”

“Damn it! Why that horn is still there? I’ve sent men to destroy it…”

The figure’s heavy growling stopped abruptly.

The figure didn’t know what kind of ace Kieran used to block the temptation from the grave but he got solid information from his men that the horn was destroyed, yet the [Burning Horn] appeared again.

Which meant… betrayal!

His men had betrayed him! His men betrayed him under near-impossible circumstances.

“Is it part of Broker’s contingency?” The figure thought instinctively.

Then, he laughed coldly.

“If so, then what? After entering the dungeon, I am no longer under your control. My arrangements are complete, even if there are a few accidents along the way, what harm could it do? The final victor will be me! I will get that thing, get the Unique Title, and drag you down from your throne, dooming you eternally!”

The figure growled loudly. His roaring was echoing throughout the secret room ceaselessly.

…

Starbeck left the Burning Marquis’ room in heavy steps as he didn’t get the support he sought.

Or should it be, the Burning Marquis coldly rejected his request.

“2567 is no longer a part of the Burning Family, nor is he your brother anymore.”

Simple and straightforward.

Those decisive words caused Starbeck to be at loss for words.

He knew it would be difficult but he never thought it would be this difficult.

The Burning Marquis didn’t even give him a chance to speak and sent him out of the room.

After that, Starbeck was grounded but he didn’t plan on giving up just yet.

When he was clearly rejected, he activated one of his aces and now he turned his attention to his butler.

Starbeck was trying to fight this chance a little more.

“Wright…”

“Young master, please don’t put me in a difficult position as well and please refrain from doing anything illogical. Lord Marquis’ order is very clear. I can only comply with the Lord’s order,” Wright said with a helpless expression.

As the butler of Burning Family, Wright didn’t mind lending his strength to the eldest young master that has=d left the house, despite the eldest young master giving up his name, Wright still treated him as his eldest young master, not some 2567.

Likewise, as the butler of Burning Family, Wright could not disobey the Burning Marquis’ order.

“I understand.” Starbeck took a deep breath.

He was prepared to use another one of his aces.

Just as his hand reached the sack on his waist, a servant of the house dashed in from outside with an anxious look.

“Sir butler, the Minister of Military requests a meeting”

After the servant reported his urgency, two more servants ran in.

“Sir butler, the Minister of Finance requests a meeting.”

“The city guard commander as well.”

Three consecutive reports made Wright frown.

The three requesting a meeting weren’t just some John Does, they were considered to be big figures in Dawn City. Among the three, the Minister of Military and the Minister of Finance were of similar ranks with the Burning Marquis as well.

The Burning Family, however, had a poor relationship with all the ministers. In fact, because of Burning Dawn, the Burning Family was not on good terms with most of the nobles in Dawn City.

The nobles would only treat Burning Family with utmost coldness and hostility which nothing new either.

What happened though?

Worries and doubts appeared in the old butler’s heart but he wasn’t slow.

“Open the doors to the lords,” the old butler said.

The moment his words subsided, another servant ran in.

“Sir butler, the officer of his Majesty requests a meeting and… and…”

“And what?”

The old butler was not happy with the servant stuttering in his report, this is the Burning Family and its servant should act accordingly, not stuttering during work.

“And the two princes and the few other princesses as well.”

The old butler who was showing dissatisfaction of his servant was stunned right away.

“The princes, princesses, and his Majesty’s officer? What in the world is happening?”

Old butler’s furrowed brows almost mashed up together.

Soon enough, his doubts were cleared.

A secret letter was brought to the old butler by another servant from the Burning Marquis’ room.

“One man against ten thousand! One man sieging a city! The heir of Burning Dawn!”

“Hahahahahahaha! The Burning Family will rise again! Shut the doors, tell those who are waiting that Lord Marquis will not see any of them, none!”

The old butler’s hand shook when he read through the letter.

Amidst his series of laughs, the old butler gave his orders to the servants.

Starbeck beside who saw the scene smiled as well.

When Wright was reading the letter, he didn’t conceal it from Starbeck, thus granting a clear view of the contents.

Starbeck didn’t voice his laughter but the smiles from his heart had sincerity and happiness to it because he knew Kieran had seized the chance.

The chance that shouldn’t have appeared yet did appear in the end.

Although as a cost, Starbeck used a wishing card, he treated it as malt sugar instead.

“2567 is great at creating miracles.”

Starbeck was praising Kieran in his heart, he didn’t even care about what the old butler had to say.

Likewise, the old butler didn’t spare any more attention on Starbeck either since he was rushing towards the Burning Marquis’ room.

The whole mansion fell into a busy state because of the sudden message, no one else had the spare time to care about Starbeck anymore.

Therefore, no one noticed Starbeck was moving closer to the walls with smiles.