The Devil's Cage

Panda Novel

Initiate a Council Meeting?!

Although Horlaika already knew and had experienced first-hand how crazy Luncar was, he was still shaken by the suggestion.

Based on what he understood, the Council Meeting of Silent Night Secret Society had never been initiated since the society was founded.

It wasn’t even held during the final battle against the Demon Hunters or the Black Cataclysm, because neither of those events put the society in a life or death situation.

As an infiltrator from Snake Sect, albeit Horlaika didn’t want to admit it, the fact was undeniable.

However, now Luncar wished to initiate the Council Meeting…

Hmph!

‘This might be a chance for us Snake Sect!’

Horlaika considered the Demon Hunter’s current situation, then looked at Luncar.

“First, the Council Meeting has never been held. Second, if you want to initiate the meeting, you must be a councilman yourself. Lastly, among the 17 councilmen, there must be at least 3 who agree to hold the meeting before it is even approved,” said Horlaika slowly.

“A never before held meeting would be the best outcome for us! Besides, among all the 17 councilmen, there must be some who stand by our side. More so… we don’t need to do this ourselves.”

Up until this point, Luncar couldn’t help but smile.

Horlaika frowned slightly, confusion coming afloat in his gaze.

“Believe me, there are some who are more eager than us. What we need to do is deliver this information to them.”

Luncar looked like he had everything in the bag.

Horlaika didn’t ask anymore, already thinking how he should convey this message to his teacher.

…..

Mieren was reading documents in his office, but it wasn’t his office in the underground Silent Night Town. His current office was a shop located at the commercial district of Central Third Ring of Edatine Castle. It belonged to Mieren Trading and it was also his surface identity.

Unlike the Undying and Instigator, who were field agents, as a supervisor, Mieren mostly stayed in Edatine Castle, so he needed a cover for himself, albeit one he wasn’t really fond of.

It wasn’t just because Mieren Trading was a very small trading organization, to the point that his merchant convoy had to be an appendage to the bigger trading companies, like Kate Trading Company, it was also because the more he stayed up here, the more he felt estranged from the center of Silent Night Secret Society.

He knew nothing about the exclusive techniques of Silent Night Secret Society.

He even had to learn the basic techniques of the society through standard procedures, let alone the secretive techniques.

He had heard of said techniques but had never seen them with his own eyes before, and he deemed this the reason why he wasn’t respected by others.

The others had a bold excuse to why he wasn’t respected: a trading company’s boss shouldn’t be too strong, the stronger you are, the more eye-catching you would be.

Mieren accepted the excuse, but… why wasn’t it others? Why him?

At first he thought of this as a test, as long as he could perform well, he could win trust and then get the secret techniques he sought.

As a matter of fact, a councilman once promised him.

Three years! If he could run Mieren Trading well enough for 3 years, he would be granted a set of secret techniques.

However, the first three years had passed, followed by another three years, then another three years. It was three years after three years and Mieren Trading was already on track, it was running great but the things he was promised were long overdue.

As for the title of the person in charge of Silent Night Town?

It was a compensation, and he didn’t care about it at all because in his eyes, the title was like a discounted version of Mieren Trading, it would only distract him further!

However, Mieren did not complain at all, he did not dare.

The way Silent Night Secret Society operated let him know he would be the right choice to make, but the unwillingness and grievances in his heart accumulated even more, which drove him into testing out something. He was careful and patient with his tests and from the looks of it, the results were rather decent.

After he arranged the marked documents neatly, Mieren started to think about the reply from that important figure.

That important figure needed a lot more secretive intels but it would undoubtedly affect Silent Night Secret Society’s benefits and once they discovered it was him who leaked the intel… he would die a graveless death.

Though whenever he thought about that alchemy potion that could increase his constitution quality, it burned his heart and mind with eagerness.

By wasting a great amount of time, Mieren understood that even if he was extremely talented and gifted, he needed a lot of support and supplements to boost himself to the level of the Undying and Instigator.

Among all the supports, the alchemy potion was indispensable.

Likewise, the potion was locked up among the higher ranks, it was impossible to buy it from the civilians or market, even if a lot of money was involved.

This was one of the important reasons why Mieren took the initiative to contact the important figure secretly.

Only a person with such a high rank like the important figure had access to the alchemy potion but the risk of dying caused Mieren to hesitate in pressing forward.

Sou Sou!

While Mieren was sinking in his hesitation, the window of his office was opened up from the outside and two figures dived in.

Mieren instinctively wanted to pull his drawer and get his pistol but when he saw the two figures standing in front of him, absent of any extreme actions, Mieren moved his hand away from the drawer. Most importantly, the two figures were familiar acquaintances.

Undying Clairehore and Instigator Luncar.

Both were very well-known field agents and they were the goal that he yearned to reach.

Almost instinctively, Mieren showed a flattering smile.

“A very warm welcome to the both of you! Do you want anything? Tea? Or some liquor?” Mieren stood up and walked to the wine cabinet.

“We don’t need any. We are here today to discuss something very important with you, Supervisor Mieren. It is about the life and death of the organization,” Luncar said in a solemn look.

Mieren looked at Luncar, and after he made sure Luncar wasn’t joking, he walked to the bookshelf.

Behind the bookshelf was a meeting room, safe and reliable.

After he brought the two of them inside, Mieren closed the ‘door’.

“What happened?” he asked.

“There is an infiltrator from Snake Sect in the organization,” said Luncar brazenly.

“WHAT?!” Mieren was shaken.

He widened his eyes at Luncar and then turned his stiff neck towards Horlaika.

Horlaika nodded under Mieren’s stare.

“How did it turn out like this?” Mieren muttered but he soon thought of something and he looked up all of a sudden.

“You guys didn’t go to Councilman Colipo or Councilman Kurtzargert because…”

Mieren dared not continue anymore.

“Yes! I am sure something is wrong with Councilman Colipo, and I am also suspecting Councilman Kurtzargert! Before this, I’ve accepted a mission…”

Luncar nodded and then started to tell Mieren the fishy things he noticed during his mission in detail.

It wasn’t fake though, it was all real, it even appeared in Luncar’s memory.

It was Councilman Colipo’s idea of suddenly going against the Snake Sect Demon Hunters, yet he did not send any members from the society, instead brazenly asking Luncar to release that crazy Demon Hunter to test the water.

As suspicious as he was, Luncar vigilantly did something to that crazy Demon Hunter, then the Demon Hunter disappeared and he suffered repulsion.

However, while he was being plagued by the repulsion, he saw the person who saved that crazy Demon Hunter: it was Councilman Colippo!

Then?

Assassins and watchers started to appear around him.

Luncar was very aroused as he told his story, in a rage, as though he was really betrayed by someone.

In the end, Luncar even slammed the table with his hand and Mieren completely bought his story.

“I see! No wonder they would give up on that great opportunity! There is a traitor among us!” Mieren said softly. A little pause later, the field agent supervisor continued, “Then what should we do next?”

“We want to initiate the Council Meeting! And we are unable to contact the other councilmen other than Councilman Colipo and Councilman Kurtzargert, so we need your help,” Luncar said, stating the true intention for the visit.

“Of course,” Mieren agreed verbally but his heart was spinning rapidly.

He thought of this as a chance, a chance to kill two birds with one stone!

The Council Meeting of the society was considered top secret, so if he could trade this intel away, that important figure would surely reward him with the alchemy potion.

At the same time, he also thought of exposing Councilman Colipo as the infiltrator, which would also make the other high ranks of the society look at him differently. He might even get access to a real secret technique.

Though the details and key points in the process would have to be considered and carefully planned out, and that included… the two people in front of him.

Should he trade away the intel with the names of these two, even though his own name was included, it would dim down his credits significantly and everyone would just assume that he was lucky that he benefited from the two of them.

Therefore their names must not be spoken! It could only be his name and his name alone!

With that thought in mind, Mieren showed a smile.

“You guys rest up for a bit, I’ll go deliver the news.”

Without waiting for their replies, Mieren went out of the meeting room.

They did not stop him, neither did they ask any questions, which relieved Mieren.

The excuse that he had prepared didn’t get a chance to be used.

The infamous Undying and Instigator were nothing but this?

With that thought in mind, Mieren left.

Luncar was watching Mieren’s back as he went off.

When the ‘door’ closed up again, Luncar couldn’t help but slightly sigh.

“Our supervisor is even more ambitious than I thought, but we need a helper like him right now. Too bad… this little team up is only one time. There will not be a next time,” Luncar then smiled.

He could already imagine what would happen to Silent Night Secret Society when the intel appeared before all the councilmen.

He hadn’t forgotten what his collaborator beside him, the Undying, told him when they exchanged information yesterday.

“The councilman is contacting others and is currently preparing to impeach Colipo.”

This councilman was Councilman Kurtzargert.

It was also the main reason why he denied the Undying’s suggestion to go straight to Councilman Kurtzargert, because he couldn’t guarantee that he could be flawless and make no mistake in front of the councilman.

However, with a middleman conveying the message, it would turn out differently.

Mieren became a ‘real’ witness.

As for ways to verify the witness?

It would be nothing short of cruelty, but what did that have to do with him?

He was just delivering the message, he did not instigate anyone.

A few more chuckles and smiles later, Luncar turned to his collaborator.

“We still have one more thing to do next,” said Luncar.

“To Councilman Colipo’s dungeon?” Horlaika guessed.

“Yes! We need to face that Demon Hunter who has recovered, we need to prove that he is alive and kicking…”

“Sorry but I won’t go with you this time. I know how the Demon Hunters work, the dungeon must be filled with traps waiting for us.”

Horlaika stopped Luncar before he could finish.

Although deep in his heart, he really wanted to meet that Wolf Sect Demon Hunter, he still hadn’t forgotten his identity as the real infiltrator.

“But you are the Undying! Who else is more suitable than you for this job?” Luncar asked back.

“Do you really think me ‘dying’ has zero cost and I can die infinitely?” Horlaika strengthened his resolve.

“That is why I’ve prepared a corresponding compensation.”

Luncar then took the three pieces of money draft, which was worth 1,000 Gold Purton, and passed it to Horlaika.

“Not enough!” Horlaika glanced over the money draft but did not accept it.

“Of course not, treat this as a deposit. After we are done with this, I’ll give you no less than 10,000 Gold Purton as a reward!” Luncar said confidently.

Both of them had worked together many times before, so he knew how much Gold Purton meant to the Undying.

It wasn’t exactly greed but his undead spells required a great amount of expenses.

Luncar got to know the details through some inklings and clues and he was certain of it.

Besides, Luncar’s own secret technique cost a lot also. The supplement potion cost him around 500 Gold Purton per vial but the difference was, he could get a huge amount of return every investment.

The Undying?

He was too much of a coward!

He even gave up on things that should be his for the taking.

A little bit stupid but he did not mind working with a person like thim because, as cowardly as he was, the Undying was very easy to control.

Similar to Luncar’s expectation, the Undying hesitated for a while before he took the money drafts.

“Remember, no less than 10,000 Gold Purton after we are done,” Horlaika emphasized.

“Of course!” Luncar smiled and nodded.

Then, without saying anything else, Horlaika stood up and left the meeting room.

He had to deliver the news to his teacher as quickly as possible.

Luncar saw his collaborator off.

After he repeatedly confirmed that the Undying had left, the Instigator stood up.

He stretched his body. The smile on his face grew brighter than ever and he said with a casual tone, as if he was humming a melody, “After so many years, the Demon Hunters and Silent Night Secret Society will fight again in Edatine Castle, the capital of the Northern Lands! The bell of war will ring again! Now then… as the host of the city, how can War God Temple sit this one off?”