The Devil's Cage

"Amnesia?"

Although Teresa had some guesses, when she got the news, her pitch went up higher and her instinct couldn't allow her to accept such facts.

"Can it be an act? Teresa asked.

"My dear C.O. please believe my professional level and work etiquette!"

The doctor seemed to be unpleased by Teresa's question.

Though with the persistent female chief officer, the doctor had to further explain.

"The patient has suffered a rare case of total memory loss, he's even forgotten his own name, home address, and background. In simpler words, if it was an act, he couldn't have shown no reaction to what you've just asked. The patient hasn't lost his mobile function but his brain is as blank as a newborn," The doctor commented.

The female chief officer frowned.

Back when the doctor was doing his check-ups, her sudden question resulted in a dazed Kieran, even if she hated to believe it, she had to admit the doctor's diagnostics.

Amnesia!

"Can he recover? In a short amount of time?" Teresa emphasized.

"Impossible! Although there is a chance that he might recover, definitely not in a short time. The patient's head suffered a certain degree of concussion and after witnessing the terrifying scene, he might need a long time to recover his mental state. Also, I do not suggest C.O. you to treat the patient like a convict…"

Teresa had no intentions in listening anymore.

She waved at the doctor and went back to Kieran's ward.

"This is a hospital! You should listen to the doctor's advice."

The chief officer's attitude infuriated the doctor.

"It's advice, not an order."

The chief officer said calmly before entering the ward.

Kieran was still being cuffed on the bed.

His Intuition eavesdropped the conversation and allowed him to know that he would be safe temporarily.

An amnesia patient was surely not something to be proud off but better than a nameless person in the world.

Though he knew the danger wasn't over. Kieran had experienced how tangling the chief officer could be.

She might not be tall but her attitude was stubborn as an ox, once she had her teeth on her target, she would never let it go. It presented quite the pressure to Kieran though.

Kieran knew she wouldn't give up just like that.

So when the chief officer came into the ward and started to take his picture with her smartphone, Kieran knew what she was going to do.

Teresa was a police offer, compared to regular natives, she had the advantage of position.

With a clear picture of his face, Teresa could easily search the person's information in the station's archive and the files would reveal her target's social relationships, affiliation, and other information right before her eyes.

Obviously, Kieran as an outsider wouldn't be available inside the archives.

It would still be trouble even if he had the memory loss as a cover-up since he only had 10 days to search for his main mission!"

"You nervous?"

The moment Teresa took out her smartphone, she looked at Kieran but unfortunately, Kieran was still looking dazed as ever.

She didn't want to give up just yet. Tricks, lies, and speaking techniques were nothing but common dealings before Teresa but Kieran wouldn't fall into her trap either since he came prepared.

"No, this… is a phone?"

Kieran shook his head and looked curious over the smartphone in Teresa's hand. He saw some older models before in books back in real life, bad battery life, limited memory and couldn't take high definition pictures.

"Seems like your memory loss isn't so thorough after all!"

Teresa grunted coldly and left after taking Kieran's picture.

Bang!

The door was slammed tight.

"Going back to the station and searching for my files in the archives and returning to the hospital… No, she has a smartphone, she could have just told her men outside the door, even if the archive searching would take some time, it wouldn't be long before my window is gone."

Kieran couldn't calculate precisely because of the lack of info about the current dungeon world but he knew what he must do.

He looked down on the handcuffs and without [Deceiver's Key] with him, he would need to find a substitute.

Despite suffering a -1 debuff on all his skills, with Grand Master [Lockpicking], it would still be easy to pick cuffs.

Kieran pulled out the needle from the transfusion pack and stuck it inside the keyhole of the handcuffs.

Kark!

The cuffs opened up easily.

Kieran exercised his wrist and turned his eyes to the window.

He was on the fifth floor of the hospital and it was quite high for a seven story building but it would still be a piece of cake if he wanted to leave.

Though when Kieran was ready to open the window, he heard clear footsteps outside.

Kieran's special care ward was the last one along the corridor and no doubt the steps were heading for him.

He quickly went back to his bed, re-cuffed himself and plunged the needle back into his arm.

Kieran was planning on escaping but he wouldn't want people to notice him the moment he left.

He needed more time for his escape, whether to hide or find clues, all he needed was sufficient time.

He covered himself with the blanket and waited quietly.

Moments later, a doctor came in.

It wasn't the doctor who diagnosed him but a younger middle-aged man.

He was wearing a pair of spectacles, white robes, and a decent looking face, fitting all the images of middle-aged doctor fantasy.

Kieran frowned quietly though.

The doctor's breath was rushed despite him regulating his breathing right outside the door on purpose, it sounded faster than regular ones.

His supposedly neat hair and beard were slightly messy as well, despite the smile on his face, he was looking to be quite nervous.

"Good day, I'm the doctor on duty tonight… No, I'm not here to do check-ups. I'm just a little curious because I never really approach a patient that suffered memory loss." The doctor said.

As though the doctor felt his words were a little inappropriate, he quickly explained, "Of course I don't mean any disrespect but I really wanted to know how do you feel right now. You've forgotten your name, identity, and sorts but do you feel familiar about anything?"

"Nothing in particular." Kieran shook his head.

"Is that so… Such a pity!" The doctor shook his head in pity.

The doctor wanted to end the conversation as he stood up from the chair beside the bed.

"If you feel any unwell, press the bell for me. My office is at the other end of the corridor…"

The doctor said formally but before he finished, Kieran heard a loud, heavy sound of something falling down to the ground.

Something heavy.

Then…

"Ahhhh! Someone jumped off the building!"

Many noisy voices sounded but Kieran clearly picked up the doctor's expression the moment he stood up.

He seemed like he was relieved of a great burden.