Street Assassination

Someone was following him!

Qin Ran did not break stride, though his brow furrowed slightly.

He could be completely certain of it.

E-rank Perception had long since taken Qin Ran beyond merely having sharp eyes and ears. He now possessed a certain premonition of any danger, especially when a malicious gaze swept over him—his skin would involuntarily break out in goosebumps.

Combined with his Mastery of Stealth, Qin Ran was already familiar with all kinds of techniques for silently approaching an enemy.

Therefore, it was not difficult for Qin Ran to tell whether someone was secretly following behind him. Based on the memories left from the route he had just taken, he could even easily deduce where the stalker was hiding.

However, Qin Ran did not turn around to inspect the person following him.

He did not want to alert the enemy.

He continued walking toward the restaurant not far from his residence, following his original plan.

Yet his mind was racing.

Who was following him?

Someone coveting the Dawn Church's thousand-year fortune?

Or an enemy brought about by this identity?

After all, the reputation of the city's finest detective had been built upon countless solved cases. From the scant memories Qin Ran had received, at least dozens of people had gone to prison because of "him," and there were quite a few who wanted to kill "him."

As for the former?

That was more likely.

It was entirely possible that they had stationed people around Saint Paul School to keep watch and monitor it.

After all, that was the wealth accumulated by an organization over a thousand years!

Just thinking about it was enough to make one's heart race.

Qin Ran was no exception.

When he heard about the Dawn Church's thousand-year fortune, he had been greatly tempted as well.

However, Qin Ran still had his reason.

He knew very well that this fortune would not be so easy to acquire.

Not only would Gonglansen, the last knight, refuse to let the Dawn Church's thousand-year fortune fall into someone else's hands, but more people and more factions would inevitably become involved.

There were no secrets that could be kept forever!

Since the first group had been able to find clues concerning the Dawn Church's thousand-year fortune, there would be a second group.

Moreover, who could guarantee that every person coveting the Dawn Church's thousand-year fortune would keep their mouths shut?

And as time passed, the abnormalities at Saint Paul School would certainly draw the attention of others.

If this matter could not be resolved quickly, Qin Ran believed that a dangerous vortex would inevitably form around Saint Paul School, dragging in everyone and every force nearby and grinding them to pieces.

Sister Mony had merely foreseen it.

Gonglansen, on the other hand, had seen the terror within it.

That was why he had persuaded Sister Mony to accept his help, so they could quell the disaster before it erupted and destroyed Saint Paul School.

Otherwise, he would not have spoken so openly about the Dawn Church's thousand-year fortune.

His identity, the police appointment letter, and his strength had all earned him points in the matter.

According to Qin Ran's guess, the latter was the most important point. Even with the first two, if he had failed to block Gonglansen's attack and hold out until Sister Mony spoke, this side quest would still have slipped away.

If it had been another player, they undoubtedly would have been unable to receive this side quest.

Because this had already exceeded the difficulty of a "first" instance.

With the strength of players who had normally completed a Beginner Instance, they absolutely would not have been able to withstand even a single punch from Gonglansen.

They might not even have had the chance to meet Gonglansen.

Qin Ran considered the school guards weak only because, through a fortunate coincidence, he had gained an extremely high starting point. That did not mean players who had just completed a Beginner Instance could do the same.

Qin Ran understood this clearly.

But he had not complained in the slightest about the increased difficulty.

Because Qin Ran knew that the harder the mission, the higher the "payment and reward" upon completion.

And that was exactly what he needed!

He did not have enough time, so he could only make up for it through "mission quality."

Though his mind was occupied, Qin Ran kept his attention firmly locked onto the person following him.

However, in the next moment, Qin Ran felt his entire body turn cold.

An exceptionally vicious gaze swept over him from ahead.

Although it vanished in an instant, that chilling sensation made Qin Ran feel as though he had been targeted by a venomous snake!

Qin Ran was no stranger to such a gaze.

It was a gaze brimming with killing intent!

In the Beginner Instance, the armed thugs and rebel soldiers had looked at him with such gazes every time!

Qin Ran's eyes instantly swept over the area ahead, and three figures came into view.

One was walking in the same direction as him and clearly could not have cast a murderous look at him.

Of the remaining two, one was neatly dressed, wearing glasses on his nose. He looked like an office worker hurrying home after work, even his stride rushed.

The other wore tattered clothes, staggered as he walked, and reeked of alcohol. He was clearly a drunkard.

There were many such drunks in this city, especially after night fell, and they caused patrol officers considerable trouble.

Both men looked perfectly normal on the surface.

But Qin Ran was certain that the murderous gaze from before had burst from the eyes of one of those two.

Which one was it?

Qin Ran observed them discreetly, but he could not make an accurate judgment.

The other party was undoubtedly extremely skilled at concealing himself. If killing intent had not flared in his eyes when he saw Qin Ran earlier, Qin Ran would never have noticed anything.

As for now?

Although Qin Ran still could not distinguish which one it was, the killing intent the other party had inadvertently revealed earlier had put him on guard.

Qin Ran kept walking, and the two men did the same. The distance between them steadily closed.

When Qin Ran was three steps away from the man ahead who looked like an office worker returning from work, he took the pipe from his coat pocket as if a craving had struck. But he accidentally pulled out some loose change as well—the change from his earlier carriage ride.

"Damn it!"

Qin Ran muttered under his breath, then bent down to pick up the coins.

Yet from the corner of his eye, he watched the two men drawing closer.

The drunkard farther away was momentarily stunned by the sight, then continued walking without concern.

The neatly dressed office worker, meanwhile, acted as though he had seen nothing and continued forward in a hurry.

As the man approached Qin Ran, Qin Ran picked up the fallen change and straightened.

Just as Qin Ran was about to put the coins into his pocket, the office worker passed beside him, and a small dagger appeared in the man's right hand.

He twisted his body, raised his hand, and thrust.

The entire sequence flowed in one motion.

The dagger immediately became a flash of cold light, stabbing straight toward Qin Ran's waist.

But Qin Ran was faster.

His right leg sprang up as though fitted with a spring, the tip of his foot striking directly against the man's wrist. Then he snapped it back fiercely, driving his heel into the man's face.

Smack!

Smack!

After two crisp impacts, the dagger flew from the man's hand. Qin Ran's kick even sent the man off the ground, spinning as he crashed to the street. More than half his teeth were gone, his face completely twisted out of shape, and he looked as though he was taking in far more air than he was letting out.

Even so, the man still stared at Qin Ran with wide eyes, unable to believe it.

Clearly, he did not understand why Qin Ran had discovered him.

He had believed his disguise was perfect!

"Your purpose was too obvious. You did not even have basic curiosity! Even a drunk knew to look at what I dropped!"

Qin Ran said indifferently.

Of course, Qin Ran would never tell him the real reason, even though the man was already dead.

[Kick: Deals 30 HP damage to the opponent, dislocating the opponent's joints...]

[Kick: Critical attack, deals 120 HP damage to the opponent (Hand-to-Hand Combat. Mastery of Leg Combat). Opponent dead...]

The battle log clearly recorded the man's death.

After suffering a loss in the Beginner Instance, Qin Ran had become even more cautious.

Qin Ran looked behind him and discovered that the person who had been following him had long since vanished.

This made Qin Ran frown deeply.

Because he could not determine whether the man before him and the person who had followed him were working together!

"150 HP. Constitution beyond ordinary people, with speed and strength to match, and skilled at disguise. He should have been some kind of assassin or killer!"

Qin Ran guessed at the man's identity, hoping such speculation would help him unravel the mystery.

If possible, Qin Ran naturally would have preferred to leave him alive.

But the man had appeared too suddenly, and his excellent disguise had left Qin Ran deeply wary.

When facing an opponent highly skilled at disguise, Qin Ran did not believe he should hold back. Even if the opponent was weaker than him, once he escaped, Qin Ran would have to constantly guard against a killer skilled at disguise.

Therefore, when he struck, Qin Ran had intended to kill.

That would naturally bring him trouble, but it was far less troublesome than constantly guarding against a killer skilled at disguise.

"Murder!"

"Murder!"

After a brief silence, the entire street instantly erupted into chaos.

Several patrol officers blew their whistles and surrounded Qin Ran, waving their batons.

Qin Ran cooperatively raised both hands, still holding his appointment letter in his right hand.

Never before had Qin Ran been so glad that he had obtained this appointment letter.

"I am a police consultant. I want to see Captain John!"