The Devil's Cage

Allen?

Kieran frowned. He was sure it was the first time he came across the player's name. However, based on the contents that he sent over, he didn't seem to possess the courtesy of a first meeting.

"Allen: I have a grudge with Broker, I hope you can join my side."

A message without a proper start and end; it just purely stated his intentions.

Kieran wasn't sure if it was the sender's habit or a trap that he purposely set up.

So, he didn't reply to the message. Instead, he followed his original plan to contact Blacksmith.

Kieran screenshotted [Crow's Black Feather] and some other equipment to Blacksmith.

...

Blacksmith: Mantle OK.

Blacksmith: Guns, [Hidden Wrist Bow] and [Buckle Stinger] Nope.

Blacksmith: U need to find better machinist and craftsman.

Blacksmith: Mantle repair fee 3000 Points.

...

As usual, the simple conversation explained a lot. After Kieran paid in advance, Blacksmith went silent. Kieran held back from asking who Allen was. After all, he had a better person to ask.

Lawless!

The one who helped him since the beginning. But Kieran would have to be disappointed this time.

It wasn't that Lawless didn't know, Lawless was offline.

"Things are bad, huh?" Kieran wondered.

The battle with the killer players from before was obviously not the end. Neither for him nor Lawless.

Even more so for Lawless since it was related to his real life matters. Kieran still remembered that Rachel said she'd left the game a while to investigate something, and with Lawless's character, he wouldn't allow Rachel to take the risk alone.

"Hope everything is fine!"

Kieran blessed them in his heart and left a message for Lawless. He had to ask Blacksmith since Lawless was not around, but Blacksmith had gone offline as well.

Kieran couldn't help but shrug.

Since Lawless was not around to make noise, it was a little quiet, but Kieran was used to being independent and alone, so the fact didn't cause any unsettling feeling.

He then started to neatly arrange his rewards from the previous dungeon, the books.

What was different from the books about Mystical Knowledge, the new batch of books were about sword skills and two-handed sword skills.

Kieran then placed the newer books in a messy but actually well-sorted out way beside the other books about Mystical Knowledge according to his habit.

Then, he picked up the book, "Summary of the Monolith Sect sword skills" that he had gone through rougly before and studied it in details.

He was planning to go offline after reading the book, but after a third of the book, there was a knock on his door.

[Allow Player Allen to enter?]

Kieran was astonished when he saw the notification. He never thought the player Allen would come directly right in front of his doorstep.

Not that it was brave, but he completely exposed his life to the killer players.

After all, with Kieran's current situation, besides his game lobby, every inch outside his house had Broker's sources spying on him and the killer players waiting for him.

Any players who dare approach Kieran's house would be marked down.

Although Lawless could come as he pleased, but besides his hatred for Broker, it was because of his own strength.

If that was not the case, Lawless wouldn't cause a scruple to Broker as well.

Though it might be less lucky for other players; Kieran was sure Broker would be merciless against others.

"Some reckless guy who doesn't care about his life? Or does he have something to rely on?"

With the doubts in his head, Kieran allowed Allen to enter the room.

A man with an average height and a normal physique walked in after.

Although the face was blurred out by the system, preventing a clear look, the equipment on him was clear. A brown wind coat with a stand-up collar, a wide cowboy hat and a piece of poncho over his shoulder with the same color, covering his chest area, revealing only the left waist area and a revolver. Other than that was a row of neatly arranged orange bullets on his belt and two grenades on the right side of his waist.

The leather pants were tuck into horse boots. As he walked forward, the bottom of his boots kept clashing with the concrete on the floor.

Tssla, Tssla.

As if his knee couldn't bend and had to drag his feet through the floor, but he was not slow at all.

The moment Allen walked into Kieran's room, he was inspecting every inches available, and within a breath's time, he was standing in front of Kieran with a invasive manner, inspecting Kieran from top to bottom, as if he was inspecting a new being in his turf or inspecting goods on top of the supermarket shelf.

Allen's manner made the curiosity in Kieran's heart disappear.

"Can I help you?"

Though, Kieran still asked Allen out of politeness and because he was educated to do so.

"2567? Join me, we will fight Broker together. I can guarantee your safety!"

Before Kieran could even give a reply, Allen sent out an invitation after he spoke.

A system invitation appeared before Kieran.

[Join Blood Alliance? Yes/No]

Kieran rejected without even thinking.

Kieran was not a person who would join some random group. Allen's manner was another reason why Kieran rejected, even though Allen said it was to fight Broker.

Allen's invasive manner stated early that he and Kieran were not the same kind of person.

Kieran could accept advice from friends but never accept orders from a so-called superior, especially in a game that could really kill him.

In fact, all of the organizations in the underground game, Broker included, revolved around a single core value.

Benefits.

Without sufficient benefits, why would the players risk their lives so much?

It was a bad joke in Kieran's perspective.

"Rejected? Do you have any idea what've you done?"

Allen questioned Kieran with an even more threatening manner.

Allen being arrogant and high-handed made Kieran lose the interest in talking. He chose the most direct way to deal with him, expelling him out of the room.

After Allen's figure disappeared from the room, Kieran's message tab started pinging non-stop.

Kieran knew who they were from without even looking.

After muting the message tab, he continued his reading.

When he finished his book, Kieran unmuted the message tab.

Ding Ding Ding!

Most of the message were from Allen, questioning unreasonable things.

Only one message was from Blacksmith.

...

Blacksmith: Repair done, please receive.

(A simple answer about the completion of [Crow's Black Feather] repairs.

After Kieran accepted his mantle, he took the opportunity to ask his question while Blacksmith was still online.)

2567: U know a player named "Allen"?

Blacksmith: Allen? Blood Alliance Allen?

2567: Should be. Is that guy famous?"

Blacksmith: Yep!

Blacksmith: Best not to tangle with him!

...

Kieran who had asked in a joking manner received a serious warning from Blacksmith.

It made him squint his eyes and recall the scene when they met.

Although Allen seemed to pose an imposing manner, there was not a single noteworthy point about him, not even his equipment stood out.

Kieran was unclear where Blacksmith's warning came from.

...

2567: Is he strong?

(Kieran asked with a puzzled thought.)

Blacksmith: Not only strong, but also crazy!

...

"Crazy?"

Kieran muttered Blacksmith's comment to himself.

Translator's Thoughts

Dess Dess

Guess it's Crazy Allen then...