Advanced Skills

The prying gaze vanished in a flash.

But to Qin Ran, who possessed D-rank Perception, that chilling sensation was incomparably clear, as though a knife tip had been aimed at his skin.

Qin Ran remained expressionless, appearing to wait for the auction to begin, while the corner of his eye swept toward the source of the hostile gaze.

It was easy for Qin Ran to Lock-On to the target.

Because only one person stood in that direction.

Leather armor, a longsword, black trousers tucked into tall suede boots, and a face obscured by the system, too blurred to make out.

The other person appeared ordinary.

But the patterns on the leather armor and the two ruby Gems of the same color embedded in the sword's hilt told anyone with a discerning eye that this was someone not to be provoked.

Qin Ran secretly frowned, feeling puzzled.

When he had first sensed that gaze carrying a trace of hostility, he had instinctively assumed someone had targeted him because of the earlier transaction—according to Lawless, nowhere in the game was absolutely safe except one's own room. Although there were penalties, there would be no problem as long as one was not caught.

Therefore, some people did not mind taking risks.

However, the person before him was truly unusual.

He did not resemble the sort of bandit who acted upon seeing wealth.

Even the dumbest bandit should have concealed himself instead of standing there so openly.

"What does he want?"

Qin Ran guessed.

As Qin Ran pondered, the auction began after a brief wait.

The Secret Market's auctions did not follow the procedures of real auctions, with set times, advance notices to bidders, and all sorts of formalities.

A round could begin as soon as three to five quality items had been gathered.