The Devil's Cage

Meanwhile, in the only outpost on the outskirts of Mozaar…

Two outpost towers, six meters tall in the mountain terrain, weren't that eye-catching, and with a little bit of camouflage work, it was enough to fool any careless man who passed by in this area.

The sharpshooter at the top of the tower could easily see everything that happened on the main route and the inner mountains.

Coupled with the angle of the outpost towers, the sharpshooters on each tower were able to keep an eye out for each other, hence reducing unwanted accidents.

Hu!

The north wind of the winter blew.

Ruka shrunk his neck from the coldness, instinctively tightening his goatskin coat but the wind still managed to seep into his neck and sting his body, causing him to shudder.

"Bloody freaking weather! This year is colder than last year! The only thing that's keeping me from going crazy is that I can go home soon!" Ruka told his comrade beside him softly.

Land of Sicar practiced the military service system. Of all the families in the land that had more than two healthy adult male, one of the two must go into service in the military for one year every three years.

The duration of service mostly began from one winter to the next.

Of course, this wasn't a voluntary service. Subsidies would be given to every household and among everything else, every family got a tax reduction.

Whenever a household had a male family member in service, the tax reduction that year would go up to one fourth of the total, sometimes more than that.

That's why many chose the path of professional soldiers, but it wasn't an easy path to tread.

In order to acquire the identity of a professional soldier from the late lord of Sicar, who was a devoted worshipper of God of War, one must know how to fight and at least possess a name or reputation for bravery.

If there were any special talents too, that would be better.

Aibull, who was on duty with Ruka, was the perfect example of the mentioned scenario.

Compared to Ruka, who had a normal physique, Aibull wasn't just strong and buff, his eyes even gleamed in the cold night, as if the darkness couldn't hinder his sight.

As a matter of fact, it was true.

Aibull was one of five sharpshooters in the outpost station, his eyes known for their sharpness.

Of course, what towered over his sharp eyes was his instinct towards danger.

It was the reason why Aibull was paid 1.5 times higher than others and was tasked with patrol duty at the outpost at night.

"What's wrong with the camp?" Aibull replied with a chuckle.

Both of them came from the same town, so they were quite close and went on shifts together.

"No booze, no boobs, no warm fireplace… do you need me to go on?" Ruka turned around and shrugged.

"At least the food is not too shabby," Aibull smiled as he scanned the surroundings.

It seemed like the sharpshooter never forgot his duty despite exchanging little quips with his comrade.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, the food's good, but that's your food, not mine! I can only eat two roasted potatoes each day. It's considered a scrumptious meal for me if I can have some extra mustard and if I can get roasted garlic, it's a festival!" Ruka grumbled.

A semi-voluntary soldier in service was unlike a real soldier, not just in terms of strength but also in terms of benefits. The most direct example was the food.

The semi-voluntary soldiers were given two meals per day and they were served with mixed vegetables and charcoal buns. On the other hand, a professional soldier received three meals a day, and other than white bread, there was ham, eggs etc.

"I'll bring you an egg next time during our night shift," Aibull promised.

Aibull took good care of his mate from the same hometown, but more importantly, both of them were more than just mere mates from the same hometown.

"I'll be waiting for your egg. Aibull, you have some holidays coming up right?"

Ruka tapped his mate's chest playfully before he asked with a serious look, "You didn't forget about Jenny right? My poor little sister who has been waiting for you since forever?"

"I did not. After winter, I have 22 days of holiday in spring, I want to go back and marry her. Jenny has been waiting for me for two years now, she can't wait any longer." said Aibull in a strong stone.

"Mm, you go back and get married and then give your best shot at making her pregnant. Hope the boy will be the one who inherits your talent and my sister's beautiful looks. My parents and yours will take good care of him, grooming him into a man! Damn, I can't wait to get out of here when I think about someone calling me uncle," Ruke sucked in a deep breath.

He then glanced over his soon-to-be brother-in-law, somehow feeling something wasn't right, or more precisely, feeling estranged from Aibull.

Aibull was still the man in his memories but he felt like he didn't know him at all.

The unusual feeling made Ruka turn around and size up his mate carefully.

Under the dark cold night, Aibull stood tall on the outpost tower. Not even the cold wind made him shudder or back down, his eyes as sharp as a hawk, gazing into the faraway at night. His gloved hands wrapped around the leather bow and his robust fingers softly pointed at the bow.

Everything seemed normal, and as always, there was nothing out of the blue.

'Am I getting bored of my mind and starting to overthink things?' Ruka mocked himself with a chuckle and wanted to turn away but right before he could, a new thought hit him, stunning his body.

His breath!

From the moment both of them saw each other, Ruka did not see Aibull's breath!

On a cold night like this, the breath exhaled would be white and visible to the naked eye.

No would should breathe differently, except… the dead!

Ruka's scalpe felt numb instantly, taking a step back uncontrollably.

It was at that moment Aibull looked up, his sharp eyes glowing an unusual red color.

"So you've noticed?" Aibull sighed.

"No, I did not…"

Pak!

Ruke denied it repeatedly but the dagger in Aibull's hand flashed and slit Ruka's throat.

Blood from his throat spewed out, but Aibull did not dodge at all, allowing the blood to shower his body as if he was taking a real shower; he looked extremely pleased with the kill.

The strange thing was that all the spewed blood did not land on the ground, not even a single drop.

It was all absorbed by Aibull.

With his last breath, Ruka saw the scene and could finally confirm that the Aibull in front of him was not the man he used to know.

Widening his mouth, Ruka tried to scream but his throat was slit. All he could do was suck in air quickly and painfully with noises, like he was out of breath.

Then, endless darkness befell him. Ruka's body fell on the ground.

Aibull didn't even look at the body, turning around and laying eyes on the other outpost tower.

If he could take down this second tower, the whole military camp would be his prey.

He had been trapped in this place for a long time and it had been a while since he had a full meal.

Though right before he made his move, he glanced behind him.

At the far end of the main route, almost at the horizon, a convoy appeared.

"An extra add on, eh?" said Aibull before he laughed because he saw one of his kind lingering around the convoy.

A weak one that hadn't achieved descension!

It would be the perfect food for him!

"I am really lucky today," Aibull couldn't help but mutter softly.

...

Scouts rode on both sides of the convoy with torches lifted high up. The fire was waving left and right yet none of them discovered a small ball of snow was quietly following the convoy as it travelled forward.

The snowball wasn't big, only in the size of a fist. It was quiet and coupled with the natural color protection, it was hard for any normal man to notice.

This particular trait was one that Sucking Snow took pride in.

Unlike the other pagans in Sicar, it was considerably young. It had only been a decade since its birth but it was able to rely on its natural abilities to skyrocket its strength.

It believed that if it could wake up at the same time as the Mist, Withering Branch or Resting Deer, which was after the Black Cataclysm, it would be the strongest in all of Sicar, unlike now, where it had to hide here and there just to hunt for food.

It even had to group up with some bastard and form a so-called alliance.

Every time it thought of its ally who always acted smart but was actually unimaginably stupid, Sucking Snow couldn't help but chuckle.

Sucking Snow's ally thought both of them were the same, that they were eager to make a move, and then its ally drove itself away in the name of the plan.

It didn't really mind, though. If its ally succeeded, it didn't mind becoming the backup hunter.

If it went south?

At least it could buy itself a lesson.

As the thought of killing two birds with one stone popped, Sucking Snow couldn't hold back his delight.

"Cunning Oath? Nothing but looks! This convoy though…"

In order to make it seem real, Sucking Snow really went away from the convoy and only came back when the time was up, but it found out that Cunning Oath was dead.

The pagan's perception towards other pagans was very clear, it could clearly sensed that Cunning Oath had dissipated.

No! More precisely, it was hunted down!

Pagans hunting each other was a very common scene. When the Black Cataclysm first broke out, more than 10 pagans were born in Sicar but when Sucking Snow came onto the scene, there were less than 10.

A small part of them were eliminated by War God Temple and the majority of them vanished in the mutual hunting.

The pagans never got tired and took pleasure in hunting and killing their own kind.

There were even rumours about achieving descension by hunting and devouring enough of their own kind.

Sucking Snow did not buy the rumour though because he did devour one of its kind before.

It happened when it first came into this world. Another one of its kind made Sucking Snow a target yet it managed to counter-kill and devour him instead. It allowed Sucking Snow to overcome those days where it was weak and helpless but the enhancement in strength wasn't as big or as exaggerated as the rumours stated.

Though it was because of its action of proving its strength, it was acknowledged by many pagans in Sicar.

However, it still did not have the qualifications to enter Sicar City due to the city being occupied by its kind, like Withering Branch and Resting Deer.

It tried to sneak in but it proved impossible, therefore it feared the Mist even more because the Mist successfully occupied Sicar in the end.

The unknown was always fearful.

Moreover, the Mist had proven its strength. Sucking Snow saw the mist giant that day and it admitted that the mist giant was a power that it couldn't compete with.

That was why when it realized the Mist might have left Sicar to expand its territory, it did not seize the window and sneak into Sicar to get a piece of the pie for itself.

The Mist might have left Sicar but not truly left Sicar. Even if it left, it would still come back.

When the Mist came and saw its city was occupied by an intruder, what would happen to the intruder?

As for growing to the level that matches the Mist strength-wise in a short period of time?

It was nearly impossible, unless the Mist somehow fell, but the odds were close to zero.

Although rumour had it that Edatine Castle, which was the center of conflict between God of War and Lady Calamity, was very scary, the Mist was already a demi-god. As long as it was careful, nothing would happen to it.

Having a clear mind over all the happenings, Sucking Snow naturally landed it's eyes on the only viable target: the convoy!

Sucking Snow wasn't a stranger to merchant convoys.

In the days after its birth, its main target had always been convoys.

Though unlike others, who went to extreme extents just so they could stay at a single place, Sucking Snow always picked on those convoys with less people and would change its place after each 'robbery'.

It knew many of its kind were eliminated by War God Temple because they couldn't improvise quickly, but this time was different.

It was obvious that the God of War had grown weak and the merchant groups who were trapped in Sicar for a few days due to the curfew all rushed out at once. If it could devour all of them at once, its strength would grow to new heights.

If the chance presented itself and Sucking Snow still did not capture it, it ought to be punished.

However, Sucking Snow never thought someone else of its kind would beat Cunning Oath and itself and sneak into the convoy.

"Who would it be? Could it be… Mist?!"

Sucking Snow's heart skipped a beat.

It instinctively wanted to leave but its eyes, which were different from usual, showed heavy unwillingness to leave the convoy, but it was prepared to give up.

The Mist's powers were undoubtedly powerful. Cunning Oath wasn't a match for the Mist, and even if it could join its ally, nothing would change either.

Besides, after the Mist consumed its ally, Cunning Oath, it would surely grow stronger.

The Mist was already a demi-god, something Sucking Snow couldn't compete against anymore.

Stronger than that?

Stop joking!

It didn't want to end up as prey that was being hunted down.

As the thought popped, Sucking Snow stopped.

It wanted to stop following the convoy and return to Sicar, lurking around the city in search of delicious prey, but when it turned its unwilling gaze at the direction in which the convoy was heading, a sudden realization hit it.

"After the Sicar outpost, the convoy would enter Edatine Castle's territory. If they were there, the Mist would surely be noticed by God of War and Lady Calamity! A serious fight might even break out! I don't have to join a fight of that caliber, but consuming the convoy when the fight breaks out, that won't be a problem, right?"

Sucking Snow stopped in its steps as the thought came into its mind.

It then followed the convoy once more with a greedy stare.

From the beginning until now, it did not notice a figure behind it.

Aibull looked at Sucking Snow quietly, licking his lips and starting to drool.

Then… Gulp!

An irresistible gulping of saliva sounded, stunning Aibull because it wasn't him who gulped that loud.