The Devil’s Cage

The backpack in Kieran’s hands was not that big.

If it had been, it would not have been able to stay hidden so well inside the corpse’s torso.

The backpack was only the size of a normal school bag made up of two zip locks and two pockets, which divided it into front and back.

Unable to hold himself back, Kieran opened the two zip locks.

The contents were disappointing.

Three cans, a bottle of distilled water, and an old book. This definitely did not meet Kieran’s expectations of in-game money and equipment.

But then again he realized something.

Even though he was in an one hundred percent realism underground game, some game rules still applied, and he was currently in the first dungeon, which according to any normal game guidelines basically meant he was in Beginner’s Village.

Obviously, it was not possible to get good equipment in Beginner’s Village.

He exhaled and went on to check what he had acquired.

[Name: Can]

[Type: Food]

[Rarity: Common]

[Attributes: Recovers 25 HP and 50 Stamina within 1 minute]

[Effect: None]

[Able to bring outside of the dungeon: Yes]

[Remark: It can prevent you from starving. Tastes better when served hot!]

…..

[Name: Distilled Water]

[Type: Food]

[Rarity: Common]

[Attributes: Recovers 10 HP and 20 Stamina within 1 minute]

[Effect: None]

[Able to bring outside of the dungeon : Yes]

[Remark: It has more uses than you might think!]

As Kieran’s finger touched the can and the bottle of distilled water, all this information popped up in his vision. It didn’t make much of a difference since he already knew most of it.

He turned his attention to the old book.

When he touched it, a message window popped up.

[Name: Dell’s Diary]

[Type: Book]

[Rarity: Damaged]

[Attributes: None]

[Effect: None]

[Able to bring outside of the dungeon: No]

[Remark: It’s true, the guy just took random notes in a book! You can still try to read it though!]

Kieran subconsciously flipped the old book open. The handwriting was rough and messy, and a lot of the pages were covered in dirt, which basically rendered it unreadable.

Thus, the whole diary’s contents were hard to make out.

October 21st, Cloudy

The war has been going on for four months. Food, water and medicine are running out. Guns are fired occasionally. Luckily, the rebels have stopped searching day and night. Their routine now is to just patrol during the day and then return to their base. The worst ones are the thugs, who only raid at night, coming through like locusts and robbing everything in sight.

October 27th, Sunny

Damn it, I’ve been robbed by a thug. The only canned food and water I had left is all gone, taken away by that scoundrel. What should I do now?

October 29th, Cloudy

No, I cannot continue to wait for a miracle. I need to do something while I still have the strength to!

November 1st, Sunny

Hahaha, luck is really on my side! I’ve hit the jackpot! Not only have I found food, I have even found weapons! Please refer to me as Dell the Lucky from now on!

November 11th, Sunny

Dell the Lucky is going out again! This time will be fruitful as well!

….

The diary stopped there abruptly.

Obviously, the guy had not been as lucky as he thought he was.

Kieran looked at the corpse again.

Although it was still hard to look at, he did not turn away.

That unorganized, messy diary, other than providing some basic information for Kieran, also provided a clue: There had to be a weapon inside the body in front of him.

For someone as unarmed as Kieran was, a weapon was necessary in order to survive.

At least it would give him some sense of security and a chance of survival.

Judging by what he had read in the diary, it was not safe around that area.

It would not be an easy task to survive there for seven days.

“Hope is not lost!”

Holding that thought in his head, he extended his hands again, searching around the body once more.

This time he was more careful, more thorough than last time.

The sticky, dried blood was all over his hands. It made Kieran sick to his stomach, but if he was able to find something, then it would all be worth it.

[Name: Dagger]

[Type: Sharp Weapon]

[Rarity: Damaged]

[Attack: Weak]

[Attributes: None]

[Effect: None]

[Able to bring outside of the dungeon: Yes]

[Remark: Lacks maintenance. If possible, you can try polishing and oiling it.]

…..

[Name: Lighter]

[Type: Miscellaneous]

[Rarity: Damaged]

[Effect: None]

[Remark: Do you really need an introduction?]

…..

The dagger was well-hidden under the waist area, covered by the corpse’s shirt, and if it weren’t for Kieran’s thorough search, it would not have been discovered.

As for the lighter, it was found inside the body’s pants pocket.

Lifting the rusty dagger, Kieran rolled the lighter’s disc. After a few rounds, a spark appeared.

Under the spark from the lighter, Kieran could clearly see what was on the rusty dagger. It was not just rust. It was also coated with a red substance.

What was that?

Having read the diary, Kieran knew perfectly well what it was.

The people that were trapped in this city facing famine had lost their daily order and become dangerous. When facing the rebels, they were plain civilians that could not retaliate, but when facing each other, they became thugs and raiders.

Just like the corpse in front of Kieran.

He looked at the corpse again, turned to the canned food and bottle of water, then glanced back inside the backpack before putting it on his back. He kept the lighter in his shirt pocket. Before he entered the dungeon in front of him, his clothes had already started resembling the clothes of the civilians living in the city. Dirty, but luckily not damaged.

Dagger in hand, Kieran prepared to leave.

The empty room held no more reason for him to stay.

Through the tightly-sealed window’s gap, the sunlight that pierced through slowly faded away, making Kieran’s retreating footsteps quicker.

When the night fell, the thugs would come out.

Kieran did not plan to face a group of thugs heads on, so he would not stay in this room that was giving away his presence.

Any house would eventually become a raiding target.

“The drain or the sewers would be a much better hiding place!”

Kieran was thinking where he should stop.

It did not have to be a comfortable place, just a big enough place for him to hide.

The underground could shield him from people’s eyes, so it seemed like it would be the best choice.

Of course someone else might be hiding there.

However, compared to the raiding thugs outside, the way Kieran saw it, the people hiding underground would be much safer to be with.

Pushing the door open, Kieran found a corridor, and at the end of the corridor another open room which was completely empty. Someone had already taken everything that had been inside it.

He walked through the wide empty room that led outside of the house.

Just when Kieran was about to step out…

Bang!

The door that led outside was forced open. A shadowed figure fell on the floor and a second shadowed figure emerged, laughing deeply.

As the door was forced open, Kieran retreated back into the room quickly, holding the dagger tightly in his hand and listening carefully.

“Ha ha, look at that! Who would’ve thought it’d be a woman!”

Clear excitement, accompanied by that cruel laugh.

“Scram!”

A rough compelling voice, followed by a shaking sound.

Kieran pictured the figure using both its arms and body to fall back on the floor and back away from the threat.

Suddenly, Kieran’s face fell. The voice was getting clearer and clearer as the figures seemed to be approaching him while they were speaking.

At the end of the corridor, there was a second room besides the one that Kieran was hiding in. Once they reached the end, they would have to enter one of the rooms, either the room that Kieran was in, or the empty room on the other side.

It was a fifty-fifty chance.

Kieran held onto his dagger so tightly that he began to sweat.

They were close.

Closer.

Kieran gulped down anxiously.

His unease could not change the reality before him.

When the fallen figure backed up and reached the room that Kieran was in, he could not draw another breath.

The fallen figure, who was retreating using both hands, seemed stunned as well. After all, who would have thought that there would be another person in the room?

But the next moment, the figure came back to its senses.

As it kept retreating, its eyes did not linger on Kieran, let alone ask him for help.

It startled Kieran quite a bit.

As the footsteps kept coming closer, Kieran quickly sobered up.

The person in front of him might not have been dangerous, but the one following them definitely was.

If that person discovered him, they would definitely end up in a fight.

And a fight like this would eventually end up in a massacre.

Kieran knew really well what he was capable off.

He was not strong enough, nor did he have any fighting skills compared to a thug who had survived four months in a war.

But there was still a chance.

Kieran looked at the fallen lady who was backing up.

She looked calm but there was strong intention in her eyes, one that made Kieran understand. He held his breath and hid deeper in the shadows.

The leather shoes stepping on the ground made a strong clear noise. It sounded like a beast hunting its prey while at the same time trying to display its dominance.

“Don’t come any closer!”

The lady on the ground shrunk towards the corner, her coarse voice showing a hint of despair.

This seemed to excite the pursuer even more.

He had not noticed that there was another person in the room, because his eyes were locked on the lady.

As the pursuer inspected his prey, his back was totally exposed to Kieran.

Kieran has been holding his breath while the man approached. He did not hesitate. He slowly picked up the dagger.

And stabbed the man fiercely.