The Devil's Cage

No one would hate a person that praised, especially a cook.

When the praise was sincere and true, the praised would be utterly happy.

"You can come whenever you want to eat my dishes, but not now. I only cook one dish a day, so you better book your place before you come," Boss Dao said with a smile.

His tone now sounded friendly, not the courteous kind that hid estranged feelings.

"Okay." Kieran nodded.

He was okay with reasonable rules, and moreover, he had his own rule as well: never eat for free.

"If you have any trouble, contact me. I'll help you within my reach, consider it meal money."

There were only a few who could reach Starbeck's cooking level and since this current dungeon world had no Starbeck, Kieran didn't mind spending effort to taste more dishes from a master with similar level.

"It's my debt of gratitude to you, so you don't have to pay. Besides, your choice guilt tripped me. So, as a compensation, let me tell you another thing. Be careful of Noroid Church and the Hypnotist Association," Boss Dao said with furrowed brows and a serious tone. The last sentence was particularly emphasized.

"Mn. I know." Kieran wasn't surprised.

Whether it was Noroid Church or the Hypnotist Association, they were all the same in Kieran's eyes: unfamiliar.

The only difference between the two was that Kieran had some conflict with the notorious Noroid Church, but it didn't mean he would lean towards the Hypnotist Association.

Even if both organizations were practically hostile against each other, without truly knowing the details inside, simply joining a side wasn't Kieran's way of doing things.

"Thank you again." Kieran then stood up.

He had eaten the food, so he had a general idea of what Boss Dao was thinking.

He had even gotten some unexpected reward about the 'mystical realm'.

Kieran was greatly confident that the 'valuable thing' that Boss Dao mentioned was related to the 'mystical realm'.

In fact, only information about the 'mystical realm' would cause Boss Dao, who had absolute confidence in his culinary skills, to belittle his cooking.

But in Kieran's eyes, Boss Dao's cooking was definitely more valuable than the information about the 'mystical realm', at least for now.

Thousands of years had flown by, everything was greatly changed by time, and in this land where the shadow of the mystical had vanished, Kieran could very well imagine what the current 'mystical realm' would look like.

Broken, living on the last thread or even having lost the intact inheritance.

What was left was probably some bits of records about what happened a thousand years ago, or some little tricks that could deceive normal men.

Other than that, it was impossible.

Otherwise, the current dungeon world wouldn't have formed the Neo Union that centered itself in technological advancement.

Still, Kieran wouldn't underestimate the current 'mystical realm', he would never underestimate any soul or forces.

He also believed that as long as the 'shaman' show continued airing, those lingering mystics would eventually pay a visit to his door.

"I'll send you out." Boss Dao also stood up.

Both of them walked out the room, went over the hall and reached the entrance.

Boss Dao stood at the stone stairs while Kieran changed his shoes.

After nodding at each other, Kieran turned around towards the bamboo forest, and after shuttling through the greens, Kieran saw that the maid they first met was waiting for him.

"Sir 2567, please follow me."

As the maid guided Kieran out, he was soon reunited with Eckart, Lyn Amie and the bodyguards again.

Inside a place similar to the House of Han, Eckart and the others were having tea and pastries, praising how delicious they were.

"How was it? What did Boss Dao make for you? How did it taste? It must have tasted nice, right? These welcoming pastries are already very delicious, I bet the main dish was even better!"

Lyn Amie quickly jumped up when he saw Kieran come in and went up to him with a barrage of questions. As he asked, his nose moved like a puppy, trying to pick up a scent.

He hoped to sniff the residue of the dish from Kieran's body, but unfortunately, he got nothing.

"What did you eat?" Lyn Amie asked since he didn't get the answer with his nose.

"Meat," Kieran replied with a simple answer and saw Eckart, who swept all the pastries into his arms.

"It's fine, Boss Dao is very hospitable. He won't mind."

Eckart smiled with flattery when he saw Kieran's gaze; his hands, however, weren't slow at all. The pastries that looked extremely delicate and emanated an alluring smell were carefully placed on a piece of sugar paper and loaded into a tin can.

The sugar paper and tin can obviously didn't come from Boss Dao but Eckart, who came prepared.

Just like Eckart said, Boss Dao was really hospitable. The group, including Gorbor and four more bodyguards, had been eating for almost half a day, yet the leftover pastries were enough to fill two tin cans. When Eckart placed the two tin cans into the bag beside him, Kieran grabbed one along the way.

"Mine."

The simple word stated his stance.

Eckart jolted, before he bitterly smile with a nod. He could tell Kieran wasn't joking.

Kieran's eyes looked even more serious than when he was facing the boss of the group of thieves.

Eckart's mind was telling him 'Give it to him, hurry up and give it to him! Or else he will beat you and take both cans!'

In the end, despite the heartache, Eckart took the last tin can of pastries and trudged back to the minivan. Kieran, who accidentally got a new can of pastries, also followed into the minivan in a pleasant mood.

Similar to how they arrived, one van in front and the other behind, the two minivans drove towards Kieran's temporary lodging place.

However, after they left the villa area, Gorbor's walkie talkie sounded.

"Leader, someone is following us," Gorbor's men reported clearly.

"Observe the target. Stay alert and be ready," Gorbor ordered his men.

He then told Eckart and Kieran without even turning around, "As long as I am live, you will be safe."

Gorbor's words sounded decisive, and anyone who heard them would swiftly calm down despite being followed by some unknown party.

Eckart glanced at Gorbor with slight gratitude before looking at Kieran, who was touching the can of pastries on his knees with his finger.

Kieran was not affected at all, or rather…

He didn't care about being followed.

"Did you notice anything?" Eckart asked.

"Give me your can of pastry and I'll tell you." Kieran pointed at the bag beside Eckart.

"Come on, man, how do you still have the heart to joke now? You… Fine, here. Now, tell me, what did you find?"

Unlike Kieran, Eckart would rather choose to solve the unknown danger at hand than keep a can of pastries.

After receiving the bag with the tin can inside and placing his own inside the bag, Kieran said, "Stop the car."

Tsssss!

Amidst the breaking noise, the minivan stopped beside the road.