Surprise

Lawless's latest offer surprised Qin Ran.

Never mind that the offer was already close to Qin Ran's target price.

The other party's approach alone was enough to make Qin Ran take notice.

After all, among all the valuable private messages, this person was the only one to make a direct offer. The rest were vague or played mysterious games.

Clearly, Qin Ran had named an outrageous price, and these likely veteran players were all haggling it down.

And if possible, they would not mind taking advantage of Qin Ran.

Qin Ran had experienced such things more than once in real life.

But the player named Lawless was different. These consecutive offers were enough to show how urgently the other party wanted to buy the [Iron Fist-II]—completely handing the initiative to Qin Ran.

That was not something a shrewd person should do!

If he were a skilled merchant, he could have squeezed even more profit out of the other party.

Qin Ran was not a skilled merchant, but with the initiative in his hands, achieving the same effect was not difficult for him.

He could even achieve a better result.

After thinking for a moment, Qin Ran sent the other party a private message and began communicating through text—

2567: You there?

Lawless: 10,000 Points and 5 Skill Points is a little expensive!

2567: It isn't expensive!

Lawless: It really is! Although the [Iron Fist-II] is powerful and has attributes, it can only fire one rocket. If it can't kill in one hit, other methods are needed to follow up. Besides, every standard rocket in the [Shop] starts at 500 Points. It's a serious money burner!

What the other party said was true.

But that was not a reason for Qin Ran to lower the price.

Between the lines, Qin Ran once again sensed the other party's impatience.

The other party badly needed this equipment!

Perhaps he was about to face some kind of monster.

Or perhaps he needed to deal with some trouble.

But that had nothing to do with Qin Ran. Qin Ran only knew that the other party had not shown enough sincerity, and that he could get more!

Just as Qin Ran was organizing his words and preparing to type another message—

Ding!

"The [Iron Fist-II] Rocket Launcher you listed has been sold. Please collect 10,000 Points and 5 Skill Points!"

After the crisp chime, a mechanical voice rang out in Qin Ran's room.

Qin Ran froze.

The next moment, the corners of his mouth curled upward, revealing a brilliant smile.

This was an unexpected windfall!

He had never expected the [Iron Fist-II] Rocket Launcher, listed at such a price, to actually sell.

Qin Ran knew very well that the price he had listed for the [Iron Fist-II] Rocket Launcher carried a premium—7,000 to 8,000 Points and 2 to 3 Skill Points would have been reasonable.

Qin Ran, lacking relevant experience, found it difficult to accurately judge the value of Skill Points.

But as something required to raise skills to the "Mastery" level, Qin Ran believed they were extremely valuable.

At the very least, far more valuable than Points.

So Qin Ran had never expected such an inflated price to sell.

Unless someone urgently needed it!

Even more urgently than Lawless, who had been talking to him!

Subconsciously, Qin Ran thought of the two guilds currently at war.

Steam City and Steel Chariot!

Individual players and guilds were entirely different concepts.

A price that seemed astronomical to an individual player might merely seem a little expensive to a guild.

Never underestimate the power of a group.

Before one could crush everything outright, strength in numbers was the truth.

It was like when Qin Ran had faced more than a dozen rebel soldiers at once in the Beginner Instance.

Even though he could easily kill any one of them in a one-on-one fight, once more than a dozen of them gathered together, Qin Ran had no choice but to retreat in a sorry state.

"Have the two guilds' battle really become this intense?"

Qin Ran muttered to himself.

Although he occasionally heard explosions, he had not thought the fighting would be so fierce.

Direct battles between guilds could sometimes be childish. A single insult could even ignite a fight.

But once the initial wrath faded, things would quickly calm down.

Qin Ran had also experienced guild wars in the Gold-farming Studio, but most of them started with a bang and ended with a whimper.

Unless... there was something that could not be given up.

That something included, but was not limited to, equipment, territory, talent, and women.

Especially the last one. Its power was immense and unpredictable.

And now, one of Steam City and Steel Chariot had spent a fortune to buy the [Iron Fist-II] Rocket Launcher. Add in the price of a large number of rockets—

They clearly intended to fight to the death!

This [Iron Fist-II] Rocket Launcher would inevitably fall into one side's hands, leaving the other side in a position where it could only take a beating.

What if another [Iron Fist-II] Rocket Launcher appeared at this time?

At once, Qin Ran looked at the remaining [Iron Fist-II] Rocket Launcher, golden light flashing in his eyes.

Qin Ran saw another ten thousand Points and even more Skill Points beckoning to him.

As long as one side was beaten badly enough, even if Qin Ran raised the price a little, they would not mind.

Squinting, the smile on Qin Ran's face grew even brighter.

Beep beep!

The private message tab flashed again. Lawless had contacted Qin Ran once more.

Lawless: ...

Lawless: Guilds are jacking up prices! Solo players have no rights!

The other party's words carried dissatisfaction, but even more self-mockery.

Clearly, he knew perfectly well who had bought the [Iron Fist-II] Rocket Launcher.

Qin Ran smiled when he saw it, then raised his hand and sent over a screenshot of the remaining [Iron Fist-II] Rocket Launcher.

Lawless: You still have one?

Lawless: That isn't a screenshot you saved from before, is it?

First came surprise, then suspicion.

That was perfectly natural. Qin Ran was not the least bit angry and directly opened a private trade between them, placing the [Iron Fist-II] Rocket Launcher into it.

Beep beep!

Immediately, the private message tab began ringing without pause.

Lawless: Brother, did you loot an armory or something?!

Lawless: What other good stuff do you have?

Lawless: Take it out and let me see!

Lawless: I'll definitely give you a fair price!

More than a dozen private messages came in one after another.

2567: 15,000 Points, 8 Skill Points.

After replying with just one message, Qin Ran left the other party in silence.

A moment later, the other party finally responded.

Lawless: Brother, you're too much of a profiteer! It was 10,000 Points and 5 Skill Points before! This is way too high!

2567: You said it was too high before too!

2567: It won't be long before someone accepts this price!

Qin Ran's reply once again silenced the other party.

The other party could guess who had bought the previous [Iron Fist-II] Rocket Launcher, and Qin Ran believed he could also imagine what would happen next.

He only needed to wait a little longer, and this price might still go through.

After a brief silence, the other party replied again.

Lawless: I need it urgently. Can we trade items instead?

When Qin Ran saw this reply, he smiled again and quickly sent a response.

2567: Item trades are fine. Valuable information works too.

After typing those few words, Qin Ran quietly waited for the other party's answer.

The reason Qin Ran kept chatting with him despite knowing that the remaining [Iron Fist-II] Rocket Launcher could sell for a higher price was to obtain more useful items or information.

Otherwise, he only needed to wait quietly.

This time, the other party remained silent for even longer.

A full five minutes later, he replied.

Lawless: I don't have any valuable information for now.

Lawless: But I have a blueprint here.

[Name: Basic Medicine Crafting Station Blueprint]

[Type: Crafting Blueprint]

[Quality: Common]

[Requirements: Medical/Pharmaceutical Knowledge (Mastery)]

[Remarks: It is only a basic crafting station, so don't expect too much. Bandages are its limit, with a small chance of producing Advanced Bandages!]

...

The other party had made the blueprint's attributes public, so Qin Ran could see them clearly.

"Produces bandages, with a small chance of producing Advanced Bandages?"

Qin Ran pondered.

Being able to produce bandages, with a small chance of producing Advanced Bandages, was naturally very good.

Medical supplies sold quite well among players.

In the game's [Shop], ordinary bandages cost 5 Points, while Advanced Bandages cost 40 Points.

Among players, prices would be slightly lower. Ordinary bandages cost 3 Points, while Advanced Bandages remained between 30 and 35 Points.

If he could produce them himself, it would naturally be a hugely profitable business!

However, Qin Ran did not lose his calm over the potential profits.

His earlier general understanding of the Underground Game made Qin Ran keenly aware that these crafting processes could not possibly create things out of thin air. Otherwise, the game [Shop] would not have so-called raw materials.

Moreover, aside from the required skill [Medical/Pharmaceutical Knowledge (Mastery)], building this station would also cost something. After all, it was only a blueprint, not an item.

Qin Ran had every reason to believe that the cost would be considerable.

Otherwise, the other party would definitely have built it himself.

Or perhaps the other party was restricted by the required skill.

But regardless, the existence of these factors greatly reduced the blueprint's value.

Qin Ran organized his words and replied.

2567: This isn't enough! I don't have the corresponding skill, and I can't afford the potentially enormous cost.

Although Qin Ran had the skill [Medical/Pharmaceutical Knowledge (Basic)], and could raise it to Mastery in a short time with his current Points and Skill Points—

He would never tell the other party that.

It was a necessary bargaining tactic.

The other party did not refute Qin Ran and tacitly accepted his words.

Then, he put up another item.

[Name: Solo Instance Cooldown Accelerator Card]

[Type: Card]

[Quality: Common]

[Attribute: Immediately completes the cooldown of a Solo Instance]

[Remarks: It is useless to cowards, but priceless to warriors]

...

When he saw this item, a sharp gleam flashed in Qin Ran's eyes.