Orphan

At the very back of the crowd stood a cloaked figure.

The hood was down, giving Qin Ran a clear look at the person's face.

Neat, ear-length red hair framed a face with slightly rugged features. The figure's skin was tan, but it bore none of the weathering common to mercenaries and bounty hunters. It radiated vitality and health.

What caught Qin Ran's eye, though, was the box on the figure's back.

Or, more precisely, the case.

As tall as a person, a meter wide, and two fists thick, the case looked exceptionally heavy.

Could it be empty?

The palm-wide leather straps connecting the case to the figure's shoulders were pulled taut.

They would not have stretched like that without considerable weight inside.

A weapon?

Or armor?

Qin Ran wondered.

Either way, anyone who could fight while carrying that much weight had to be formidable.

Qin Ran immediately made a mental note of the figure.

It was not just because of the figure's strength, but also because of the side quest's hint.

In fact, several others besides that figure had caught Qin Ran's attention, and he committed each of them to memory.

For the time being, even if those people passed the selection and joined the guard detail, he would keep a close eye on them.

Time ticked by.

Twenty minutes later, when no one else appeared, Qin Ran spoke.

"Let me introduce myself again. My name is 2567."

"You can call me that, or use any other nickname you like. But I'll say this again—"

"Everything will be done by my rules!"

"This is the last time I'm repeating myself. I don't intend to explain it again. If anyone breaks my rules, I guarantee he'll learn what it means to wish he were dead!"

Qin Ran delivered each word