Disappearance

The prison corridor was darker than Qin Ran had imagined.

There was only a faint glimmer of light.

But for Qin Ran, whose Perception had reached rank C, even that faint light was enough.

He could see everything in the corridor.

"Just as I expected, the cells are all on one side. Fifteen in total."

"Apart from mine, every cell is empty!"

"Lawless and Hans must be on the floor below!"

Qin Ran scanned the cells, listened for movement, then hurried toward the stairs leading down.

As soon as he descended the staircase on the right, he heard chains rattling.

Clatter, clatter!

They shook back and forth without any apparent rhythm.

But Qin Ran heard something different.

A signal!

It was a signal the three of them had agreed on before entering this Special Instance.

And it did not have to be made with chains.

Knocking on walls or doors would work too.

Which method they used depended on the situation.

Qin Ran hurried toward the room where the chains were rattling.

It was at the far end of that floor.

He reached the cell, opened the window in its door, and immediately spotted a weary-looking Lawless.

"2567, you finally made it!"

"Any longer and I would've given up on the quest!"

"What kind of quest starts you off badly wounded?"

Lawless visibly relaxed when he saw Qin Ran at the window.

But that did not stop his complaints.

"There's a first time for everything!"

"And you should be glad you were down here while I was upstairs!"

"Otherwise, you'd be asking what kind of quest starts you off badly wounded and under attack!"

Qin Ran quickly opened the cell door and took out the Deceiver's Key to unlock Lawless's shackles, teasing him as he worked.

"You were attacked too?"