The Devil’s Cage

Seconds turned into minutes and minutes to hours.

The atmosphere in the main hall of the big theatre was getting hot and tense as the auction progressed. Despite the large air conditioners installed in the venue, it didn’t cool the guests down, quite the contrary, all of them were sweating intensely.

If it was during another time, the high position guests would certainly feel uncomfortable but now?

None of the guests cared about the discomfort.

Precious treasures of Artitelgar were brought in front of them one by one.

Prices that could move the hearts of Gods were echoing in everyone’s ears.

Everyone’s adrenaline was boosted to its peak by the tense auction session and Kairi was one of them.

The gang member that once served as Footer’s right-hand man had been through the initial discomfort on the stage and now he was like a fish in water.

He felt like he was born for the stage, not killing in the streets.

Huu Haaa Huu Haa!

Kairi was taking multiple deep breaths.

The auction had continued for hours now, the non-stop heightened atmosphere was enough to exhaust a strong man. Kairi was extremely exhausted as well but the enthusiasm on the mental level held him together as if he never knew fatigue.

He was holding a speaker in one hand and swinging the wooden hammer with the other as he stood on center stage again.

This time, Kairi didn’t even have to speak and a round of applause would come from the crowd.

The guests were conquered by Kairi’s words a few hours ago, all the unpleasant memories swiftly faded away, leaving only anticipation in its place.

They were looking forward to the precious treasures that Kairi brought out one after another; Kairi was looking at the guests with smiles.

After the round of applause stopped, Kairi said, “Thank you, everyone, for your passionate participation but all that was nothing but a prelude to this moment! It has finally arrived, the last item of the auction will soon appear! Believe me, you will not be disappointed!”

Absent of further elaboration, Kairi turned to the backstage and pushed a cart to the stage together with Kray.

It was covered by the same red cloth, illuminated by the same spotlight but the guests still couldn’t help but hold their breaths.

What would the last item be?

Will it still be a precious treasure related to His Majesty Artitelgar?

Or… something more valuable?

Guesses in their hearts widened the guests’ eyes uncontrollably.

Bang!

Just as the anticipation was overflowing in the guests’ heart, a loud bang came from the door of the main hall behind them.

The shut door was kicked flying by someone from the outside and landed heavily in the hall.

The sudden change of atmosphere shook and infuriated everyone in the hall, especially Kray.

He arranged a lot of men outside the hall to guard the auction and he gave Kieran his promise of the security of the venue but someone barged in and caused trouble.

Kray instinctively reached out to the gun at his waist but he was stopped by Kairi; he shook his head.

Hesitating, Kray didn’t pull out his gun but his hands were holding the handle tightly.

Kairi, on the other hand, was smiling at the group of men that barged in, especially at the one in the middle, the familiar-faced Beck.

Kairi knew a great deal about Beck because, without his cooperation, they wouldn’t have expanded their territory so rapidly and gain the qualifications to hold the auction.

If Beck appeared in the theatre at normal times, even without an invitation Kairi would welcome him but now?

Although there was a smile hanging on Kairi’s face, his eyes were cold.

The reason he stopped Kray wasn’t that he allowed the rude newcomer to barge in uninvited, it was just that he didn’t understand the situation.

“Guys, guys, what is all this? Do you have an invitation?” Kairi asked the obvious.

At the same time, Kairi signaled Kray quietly to reach Kieran behind the stage.

Kray quietly moved behind but the moment he made the first step, a man beside Beck appeared before Kray, stopping him from continuing.

“Now, I will take over this place. No one and nothing will get out of this hall,” said Beck in a cold expression.

“What do you mean Beck?” Kairi’s gloomy voice asked while his mind was spinning quickly.

So all the collaboration and working together before this were all traps?

In order to capture all with one haul?

Such guesses for the worse appeared in Kairi’s heart one after another and it sank his heart uncontrollably.

If it was really Beck’s trap, then…

He believed such a big commotion in the hall shouldn’t have escaped Kieran’s notice yet he didn’t come out…

Something was wrong!

A sense of panic appeared on Kairi’s gaze but he covered it up right away because he knew he shouldn’t fall into panic at times like this. Therefore, Kairi was looking straight into Beck’s eyes, waiting for an answer.

“What do you mean? Can’t you see?”

Beck said softly which only the people on the stage could hear while he pointed the squad of men behind him; he was replying with a cold gaze as well.

“Or are you still fantasizing about Ethan Hunt stepping out to stop this inevitable scene? He can hardly save himself now! I gave you a chance but you wasted it… So now you will join him in death,” Beck showed a malicious smile as he spoke.

The coldness shifted to malicious intent within an instant but when the malicious smile was shown, only Beck felt real.

“You really think that I will work with you pieces of trash? TOO NAIVE!”

Beck raised his hand and swung it down hard.

The men behind Beck immediately rushed up to the stage and jumped onto Kairi and Kray.

Kray, of course, would not go down without a fight, he pulled his tightly held gun and fired multiple times.

Bang Bang Bang!

Bullets flew but most of the shots grazed its target, it didn’t really harm the men.

“You people don’t know what true power is!” Beck laughed coldly.

“Ya, we don’t but you think you do? Piece of sh*t!”

Kairi who stood still from the beginning jumped away and grabbed Kray together.

Kak!

A sound of a spring contraption came from the stage, followed by the stage crumbling into debris; Kairi and Kray vanished together with the stage.

A secret passage!

The auction stage had a secret passage installed!

The scene was out of everyone’s expectation, Beck’s men were all stunned.

“What are you people standing there for? Leave a few behind to guard the place and the rest go after them!” Beck was shouting at his men as he was infuriated by the embarrassment.

His men quickly acted on the orders but when he got near to the secret passage entrance, a digital tick was heard and everyone’s face grew pale.

“BOMB!”

KABOOM!

The term escaped the mouth of one of the men and the explosion went off.

Everything happened in a flash.

When the explosion sent the whole stage flying, the men on the stage were blasted to pieces; however, the last item wasn’t harmed at all.

The red cloth over it was turned to ash, thus revealing its real appearance.

It was a thin, long whisker that coiled up like a snake.

Its color was dull because of its age.

Its strength was weakened due to the course of time.

However, this wasn’t the reason for it to be destroyed.

Roar!

After a dragon-like roar resounded in the air, a hundred-meter long illusory image of a dragon-snake like creature rose up to the sky.

There was light in the darkness and it came from the long body.

The darkness was purified following the dragon-snake like image’s appearance.

Hymns, praises were heard in the air.

All of the commoners in the venue couldn’t help but kneel on the ground when the illusory image appeared, similar to how their ancestors knelt in the past.

They were seeking protection and chose to submit to the higher existence.

The creature’s image looked down at all, it slightly opened its mouth to speak but before the word was form…

PUK!

Its head was cut off!